New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-08
War Department Reduces
Size of Divisions to
Secure Mobility
Machine Guns Added
o...,ve Battalions Will Be
Provided to Keep Units at
Full Strength

r,spINGTON, Aug. 7.-Adjutant
c.,,,I Henry P. Mccain made public
.,;,st a general order issued by the
wnsrsrtment to-day for the reor-
-;,,,;on Of the army along lines
80 essential 70 maintain mobility
ID, the conditions imposed by the
,,.neh warfare in Europe.
Tho size Of the infantry division,
,,r,tofore $4,000 men, is reduced to
,oooo men. the ratio between artillery
IA infantry in the division being
.r.,.ly increased and cavalry entirely
Estimated. A division will hereafter
,.J,ds only four infantry regiments
= two briSades, in place Of the old d.
si,ion Of three brigades, each compris-
:, three regiments of infantry. There
m .nll be three regiments OF field
...;,Isrv in each division. Thus, in the
r.v organization there will be three
,.riments Of field artillery to every
,,vr regiments of infantry, Instead OF
y. ,st;o Of three TO nine. In addition
,r.reb mortar battery is attached 10
each division.
The machine gun arm is also ma
,,rially enlarged. A machine gun
,.,,slion Of four companies has been
~,d. q unit Of each division, in addi-
go, 70 the three machine gun com
r,niss included in each regiment
The American division will be- made
Nv this order to conform practically
"a N. units utilized by the Entente
Allies. which number approximately
10 moo men. The reason for the change
i that the division as heretofore made
m Of about $4,000 men is too unwieldy
for the demands Of trench warfare
With 50 large a unit, sure and swift
Communication with all parts is diff
fcult The problem 10 be met was
h.s;.ally one Of mobility for the pecu-
liar needs Of fighting on the Western
front
Reserve Battalions Provided
The smaller sized divisions call for
maintenance of all units at full fight
inr strength. For this purpose reserve
bss,,iions will be provided. These will
consist Of 612 men each. and are listed
in III. general order as separate tram
ing battslions." The number OF these
battslons has not been made PUBIC.
Details Of regimental organization are
also withheld for military reasons.
The new order provides Tor army
CORDS and armies, units which nave
practically existed only on paper since
The Civil War. Corps were organized
during the Spanish war, but were not
actually operated as such TO any great
extent.
Each army corps will consist Of three
infantry divisions, corps headquarters
and certain army corps troops not spec
fed. Each army will normally consist
Of three or more army corps, army
headouarters and certain army troops
lot specified.
DnQer tne ne" OIueI eoNH - :
division will be composed as follows
the changes from the present organlza-
ton being as indicated:
One division headquarters (same as
At presently. One machine gun bat
tsliCn Of four companies new. Two
infantry brigades of two regiments and
one machine gun battalion -four com
psniesl each. The present division IS
Three infantry brigades of three regi-
ments each). One field artillery bri-
gade Of three regiments and one trench
mortar battery Same, except trench
mortar battery is new. One field sig
raj battalion (same). One train head
quarters and military police same }.
One ammunition train (same). One
supply train (same). One engineer
train same. except that pontoon and