The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-12
IN OPEN
Training Advice From Gen.
Pershing to Funston Soldiers.
No Trench Warfare Exercise
Yet Attempted There.

Camp Funston, Kan, NOV IL
Because of the unusual intelligence
of the men composing the eighty
ninth national army division at Camp
Funston, the commanding staff was
required to map out some plan OF
training which appealed to the men
more than drilling with wooden guns.
Lack of equipment made it necessary
to put aside the 16-weekS schedule OF
training which had been mapped out
by the war department, it was ex-
planned by Lieut.. Col. Charles e. Kill
bourne, chief of staff, and to draw up
an entirely new Schedule.
cat first we had the men make
wooden guns and these were used for
instruction in the manual of arms,
said Colonel Kilbourne. THE men
however, were not satisfied with
wooden guns. So the staff was faced
with the problem of mapping out a
course of training which would ap-
peal 20 the men until equipment ar
rived.
Lays Stress on Open Warfare.
Since the first men came to the
cantonment several weeks ago, the
training has consisted in instruction
in the manual of arms and squad
and company training under open
warfare conditions but not under
trench warfare. General Pershing has
laid stress on open warfare training.
difficulties and the necessities for
technique of training. Two weeks
ago each brigade commander was
told that he would be expected to
work out a tactical problem for his
brigade involving an assumed Situa-
ton as if in actual war operations.
This step was taken not because the
men are far enough advanced in
their training to accomplish the
maneuvers with precision and exact
I'm
gent men an idea of the problems and
enormous amount of work before
them"
Colonel Kilbourne then told of a
tactical problem which had been
carried out the day before. -Four
thousand national army troops were
engaged in the movement, which con-
sisted in taking an enemy position. He
enthusiastically praised the work of
the men, declaring that they carried
out the movement SO quietly and in
such perfect order that not until he
had come directly upon the men did
he know OF their location. He praised
the manner in which they advanced
upon the position. A number of these
tactical problems are to be carried
out during the coming weeks, some of
them involving many thousands of
men and all branches of the service.
Colonel Kilbourne outlined the
plans for November training. The
mornings are to be devoted to prob
lens in minor tactics, to patrol work
by squads, platoons and companies;
to combat problems with units OPP
posed and to a study of terrain with q
view TO selection of position. The aft
ernoons will be taken up by school
work in modern warfare. A school of
arms will be held and the men will be
given instruction in handling the bay
onet, in bomb throwing and in poison
Gus gases. Special problems in mus
kerry will be worked out. There also
will be a machine gun school,
At night school is held for off,
GERS and non-commissioned officers of
the various units of the division. In
addition selected privates attend these
night schools.
To Construct Trench System.
Work is to begin at once Colonel
Kilbourne said, on the construction of
a complete system of modern trenches.
There will be bomb proofs, connecting
trenches ana a network of communi-
eating trenches. The survey for the
| trench area. which is to cover 500
square yards, already has been made
of Camp Funston. Several small
trench sections already are in use as
obstacle courses.
Rifle practice on the range will be-
gin as soon as enough rifles arrive.
Five thousand five hundred old type
rifles have been received and these
have been used in instructing the men
in the manual of arms Colonel Kill
bourne said it was expected that be-
tween 5000 and 5000 of the new type
/ of rifles would arrive soon.