The Yale expositor., 1917-08-30
SELFHELPS for the
NEW SOLDIER
THE PLATOON.

In the preceding articles on the
school Of the company, the platoon
has purpOsely been left out of consid-
Grafton and the attention confined to
the squad and company. The reason
was that the principles upon which
platoon movements are executed are
based on those OF the squad and COM
pany; for the platoon, consisting or
from two to four squads, Is simply
a company on a reduced scale, or
squad on an enlarged scale, and is
handled, generally speaking, accord
ingly. Moreover, when the new sol
squad, is first placed in the school of
the company, he is taught the appH-
cation of his squad movements in COM
pany formation, and this supplies the
natural connection between squad and
company evOlutions.
The platoon, as has been said before,
is to the company what the company
is to the battalion. In war-strength
company there are four platoons, and
in either a peace or war strength bat
talon there are four companies. 1t
is therefore apparent that such move
ments as Company right Qeft),"
which are for the purpose of throwing
a column of companies into line of the
battalion, are simulated with "Platoons
right Qeft)," by turning the platoons
on fixed pivot into line of the COM
pany.
As pointed out in connection with
"Company right Qeft)," the movement
is the same in principle as Squad
right Qeft)"; but since platoon con-
sists of two, three or four squads 1--WE
shall assume hereafter that the pla-
toon is at the war strength of four
squads, or 80 men), in such points as
the rules vary between squad and COM
pany fright" the platoon follows the
rules for the company.
The reason for the subdivision of the
company into four platoons, instead of
TWO, as formerly, is that modern battle
conditions have demonstrated that
from twenty to thirty rifles are as
many as can be effectively controlled
by one leader. The platoon is there
fore the fire unit, as we shall see when
we take up extended-order drill for the
company.
The platoons are commanded as fol-
lows: The platoon on the right of the
line, by the first lieutenant; the pla-
toOn at the left of the line, by the
second lieutenant; the platoon at
right center, by the first sergeant, and
the platoon at left center, by the SER
geant next in rank.
Each platoon has a sergeant for
guide, and the file closers are distrib-
Uted according to their posts behind
the line of the company. The must
clans march as file closers with the
first platoon.
The platoons are numbered cOnsecu-
lively from right to left, and these des-
ignations do not change. Since the
platoon is the fire unit, its usefulness
is most apparent in extended order;
but it is also frequently employed in
marches, on the parade ground, or in
the armory. In parades through the
streets of city company front of
ga men would generally be impossible;
also, a company front of 80, or two
platOons, is frequently too wide. The
column of platoons formation, there
fore, of war strength company would
give a front 10 men wide, and this
would accommodate itself to streets
which were too narrow for the two
platoon front.
Nevertheless, in garrison or ceremo-
MES, the strength of platoOns may, if
desirable, exceed four squads. That is,
under such circumstances, the COM
pany might be divided into two pla-
tOOns of eight squads each.