Lectures on Land Warfare | Page 3

(Framework of artillery and machine guns filled in with defensive posts manned by Infantry)--The Outpost Zone--The Battle Position--The "Semi-Permanent" System--Pill-boxes and Concrete Forts--Common characteristics of Defensive Action--The Active Defence--Position must suit plans--Must not be too extensive or too narrow (Condé-Mons-Binche Line; Retreat from Mons; Ypres)--Field of Fire--Flanks--Cover--Artillery positions--Depth--Lateral Communications--Lines of Withdrawal--Changes of Base (Retreat from Mons; Seven Days' Battle; Campaign in the Wilderness)--Luring victorious enemy away from battlefield (Grouchy at Wavre)--Line for Decisive Counter-Attack (Ramillies; Belgians behind River Gette)--Dividing the Troops--Troops to hold the Position--R?le of Local Reserves (Talavera; Fredericksburg)--General Reserve for Decisive Counter-Attack (Spottsylvania)--Artillery positions--Division into Sectors--Position of General Reserve (Second Battle of the Somme)--Position and Action of the Cavalry (Roli?a, Chancellorsville; Gettysburg; Sadowa; Rezonville; Balaclava; First Battle of Le Cateau; Retreat from Mons; Cugny; No German Cavalry available in Second Battle of the Somme to counteract defensive action of British squadrons)--Rallying Place--Reorganisation and Pursuit after Decisive Counter-attack.
PROTECTION AND RECONNAISSANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98-101
Marshal Foch on "Surprise"--Detachments provided to protect Main Body--Close connection between Protection and Reconnaissance--Radius of Reconnoitre increased by Aircraft--Position Warfare (Air Photographs; Observation Posts; Patrols; Raiding Parties; Entrenchments; Box Respirators; Camouflage)--Manoeuvre Warfare (Protection from Aircraft; Advanced Guard; Flank Guard; Rear Guard; Outposts).
THE ADVANCED GUARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102-113
"I never expected it" a disgraceful admission--Every moving force requires a Guard--Strength (Numbers employed depend upon size of force protected and tactical situation; Strategical Advanced Guard enables Tactical Advanced Guard to be reduced)--Distance--In Advances (Dash and resolution required but interests of Main Body paramount)--In Retreats--Training must be realistic--Tactical Principles (Vanguard for Reconnaissance; Main Guard for Resistance; Communication essential; Error at Sulphur Springs; Success at Fredericksburg and First Battle of the Marne; False tactics of Prussian Advanced Guards in 1870-1871; Excellent work at Nachod)--Advanced Guard Problems (seven examples, including "Jeb" Stuart at Evelington Heights).
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FLANK ATTACKS AND FLANK GUARDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114-118
Vulnerability of Flanks and necessity for Guards--Who furnishes them--Tactics similar to those prescribed for Advanced Guards--Lines of Communications--Convoys--Raids on the Lines of Communications (Gen. Turner Ashby; "Jeb" Stuart; Stonewall Jackson's skill; Col. Madritov's Raid; Sannah's Post; Ramdam).
THE REAR GUARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119-128
Nature of Rear Guard work--Strength--Composition-- Distribution--Distance--Tactical Principles (Rear Party watches; Main Guard fights for Time; Sannah's Post)--Training--Eye for Ground (Napoleon; Gen. R. E. Lee)--Examples of Rear Guard Work (First Battle of Le Cateau and the Retreat from Mons; Second Battle of the Somme; Les Boeufs; Le Quesnoy; Roli?a; Coru?a; Value of Musketry; Bristow Station; J. V. Moreau).
OUTPOSTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129-140
Outposts prevent interference with plans and provide security by Observation and Resistance--Strength--Observation (Aircraft; Mobile Patrols; Outpost Companies)--Resistance (Infantry, Artillery, and Machine guns; Sentry Groups, Piquets, Supports, and Reserves)--Distance (Effective fire of various arms the controlling factor)--Outpost Commander--Information and Orders--The Outpost Line of Resistance--The Outpost Company (Piquets, Supports, Detached Posts, Reserves; the Piquet Commander; Patrols; Sentry Groups)--Day and Night Work--Disasters through neglect of Tactical Principles (Chateau of Chambord; Tweefontein)--Battle Outposts (Broenbeek; Fredericksburg).
TACTICAL RECONNAISSANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141-143
Reconnaissance for Attack--Intelligence Officers--Reconnaissance by Raids--Position Warfare--Reconnaissance for Defence--Position Warfare.
NIGHT OPERATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144-154
Reason for Operations by Night (Secrecy; Frederick the Great's Coat)--Night Marches (Direction; Protection; Secrecy; Connection)--"Rules of Thumb"--Night Advances (Surprise; Direction; Position of Deployment; Connection)--Night Assaults (First Battle of the Somme; Serre Hill; Vimy Ridge; Messines-Wytschaete; Villers Brétonneux; Morlancourt; Spottsylvania)--Limitations of Night Assaults--Smoke and its advantages and disadvantages--Successful and unsuccessful Night Assaults (Rappahannock Station--Peiwar Kotal--Tel-el-Kebir; Stormberg; Magersfontein)--Position of Deployment--Distinguishing Badges, etc.--Watchword--Precautions against Checks--Secrecy--"Rules of Thumb."
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FIGHTING IN CLOSE COUNTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155-163
Restrictions on view and on movement--Advantages for Attack against Defence--Savage Warfare (Isandhlwana; Rorke's Drift; Tofrik; Toski; Teutoberger Wald)--Civilised Warfare (Villages and Woods attract troops; Gravelotte; Spicheren; Worth; the Wilderness; Sedan; Defence of Bazeilles; Noisseville)--Attack on Woods (Tanks; Gauche; Villers Guislain; Messines)--Advancing from captured position--Defence of Woods--Fighting patrols--Attack on Villages (Tanks; Light Mortars)--Defence of Villages (Delaying Action; Providing a "funnel").
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VARIOUS ARMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164-177
Close combination of all arms required--Infantry (Extent and limitations of mobility; the decisive arm in battle; the Rifle and Bayonet; the