Lectures on Land Warfare | Page 3

Thermopylae; Horatius Codes; Second Battle of the Somme; Rorke's
Drift; Le Quesnoy)--Voluntary occupation for future use (Salamanca;
Soissons; Hal and Tubize)--Delaying Action--The Offensive
Spirit--Defence in Modern Warfare--Inventions have strengthened the
Defence (Quotations from Marshals Foch and French and from "F. S.
R.")--Position Warfare and its characteristics--Entrenchments (Torres
Vedras)--Defensive Systems--Choosing a position (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--Rôle 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 (Roliça, 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; Roliça; Coruña; 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