New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-09-06
LESSON NO. ri.
Observation-Disclosures Drill.

preceding lessons: 1. Your Post Of
Honor. 2. Making Good as a Sol
der. g. Nine Soldierly Qualities. 4.
Getting Ready for Camp. s. First
Days in Camp. 6. Cleanliness in
Camp. Z. Your Health. 8. March,
ing and Care Of Feet. 9. Your
Equipment and Arms. 10. Recrea-
ton in Camp. II. Playing the Game.
~. Teamwork in the Army 10.
Grouping Men Into Teams. / 4. The
Team Leaders 15 Fighting Arms
Of the Service. 16 Staff Branches
Of the service-I. II. Staff
Branches of the Servioe-II. 49,
Army Insignia. 49, The Army
System of Training. 20. Close
Order Drill. FL. Extended Order
Drill.)
Extended order drill will give your
squad it's first lesson in the methods
of advancing against enemy lines
actually used in present-day warfare.
! You will first be shown how to de-
/ ploy as skirmishers. Moving at a
run you and the other men will place
yourself in one rank the interval be-
; tween men being about fifteen inches
instead Of 4 inches as in close- order
drill. This is the simplest form of
deployment which may be roughly
troops in thin open lines so that they
may more easily advance even in the
| face of enemy fire.
This means that you become to a
greater extent an independent unit.
! When pushing forward in skirmish
lines you must rely in part on, your
own initiative and Judgment.
The next step in exetnded-order
drill is to practice kneeling, lying
down, and advancing at run. In
the meantime, you will be getting
(, practice also in rifle loading, and a
little later will begin to carry your
rifle when advancing as a skirmishers
and to practice loading, aiming. and
firing from the skirmish line.
Use of Cover.
One Of the most important fea-
lures of this part of training will
consist of learning to conceal yourself
from the view Of the enemy by TAX
ing advantage Of hillocks, trees, heaps
Of earth, rocks, gullies. bitches,
! doorways, windows, or any other COW
err that may be at hand. Your OBJ
ject Is to reach the enemy. The more
skillful you are in the use Of cover
the smaller the chances Of your being
disabled during the attacks.
But you are not to remain too long
in one place, no matter how we'll you
may be concealed. Your value as a
soldier depends on your ability to ad-
vance from cover to cover. always
selecting before you leave one place
the position you are going to occupy.
| Learn that "a man running rapidly
toward an enemy furnishes a poor
target" Remember also that a man
lying fiat on the ground is not easily
observed from the enemy.s lines.
This principle applies also If you
! are ever fired upon while scouting
or acting Independently: drop to the
ground and seek cover, and then try
to locate the enemy
These are some Of the main points
to keep in mind; many others will
come up during your training. Grad
ually you will become highly skilled
in this form of attack. Nod only will
your skill increase but also your con-
fidence. You will learn in time that
troops standing on the defensive be-
hind entertainments seldom tire upon
an advancing enemy with steadiness
and accuracy. The greater deter
mination and energy you and your
comrades show in the advance, the
smaller will be the chances of your
suffering severely from the enemy's
fire.
The advance Of a company in ex-
tended order is directed by commands
transmitted to the individual soldiers
chiefly by the use of signals, since the
noise of the firing makes 1t imprac-
ticable to use the voice effectively.
Practice Fighting.
The problem of each individual
soldier is to obey the commands and
at the same time to use his own judg-
ment and skill in taking advantage OF
cover as he advances. 1t Is especial
Nv important that you should obey at
once any directions that may be given
to you as to resetting the sights on
your rife and that the rapidity Of
your firing should be controlled by
the orders Of your captain
Going step beyond the extended
order drill your company and reg1-
ment will take part in field and COM
bat exercises. in which conditions and
movements of actual warfare are re-
produced as closely as possible. Here
YOU will put into practice everything
learned during your previous drilling.
You will practice correct methods of
attacking and of defending yourself
both with the rife and bayonet and
with other weapons now in use. Don't
fail to enter into the spirit of these
exercises with as much enthusiasm
and intensity af if you were on the
actual battle field. Use your magma
ton. See the enemy in front Of you
and act precisely as you would act If
the enemy were real. Only in this way
can you get the full benefit of these
exercises.
Don't fail to keep in mind also that
you are member Of a big team md
that every member plays an im-
portant part In contributing to The