Squad leader

“ Designates new squad leaders and organizes new squads when necessary. Attaches men that have become separated from squads to other squads. Insures prompt and orderly advance. On joining firing line from the support takes over duties of sergeants disabled. May receive and transmit signals to the Captain. If the platoon leader is disabled, he takes over his duties. Hence he should know what the platoon leader is doing and how. When taking over the duties of the platoon leader he calls the senior corporal of his platoon out to act as guide. ”

“ The Austrians consider movements made in column of fours on the battlefield more clumsy and fatiguing than when made in column of squads, because checks are transmitted to the whole column of fours owing to its rigidity, while in column of squads the march is easier, more rapid and more orderly. The squad organization, moreover, facilitates the employment of small parties in the service of security and increases the importance of the squad leader in fire action. ”

“ The formation of the squad must be preserved as long as possible. You will appreciate that when losses occur the squad leader will have to replace men and the formation will have to be modified to meet the changed conditions. This makes it absolutely necessary that every member of the squad be competent to take over the duties of any other member. ”

“ For this purpose his squad may drop into line at one place and he may move to the next squad on the right or left where there is a squad leader needed. If there are no vacancies caused by disabled squad leaders, he drops into line and assists the squad leaders who are there. Prevents decreasing rate of fire when men are transmitting data to arriving supports. ”

“ Every squad always has a team captain. If the squad leader is killed or disabled, another player previously designated takes his place. If no one was designated, then the private with the longest service takes command. When the squad leader gives the command for a certain play, don't stop to think if the play is a good one, but do your very best to carry ont the play as ordered. ”

“ For example, let each squad leader raise his right hand when his squad is ready, and each platoon leader his right hand when his platoon is ready.
4. Platoon leaders must always be sure to designate a definite aiming point. Remember that in the case of an indistinct target, the company commander describes the TARGET to the platoon leaders, and they in turn announce the AIMING POINT. Having seen and located the target, the platoon leader must examine the terrain at, in front of and behind the target, and choose the aiming point for his men. ”

“ EXERCISE NO. 6—COMMUNICATION
Object: To train the squad leader in receiving and transmitting instructions by visual signals alone.
Situation: A squad with its leader in the firing line is deployed in the prone position firing at will.
Action: The instructor, without sound or other cautionary means, signals (visually) to the squad leader at various intervals to,
The squad leader, upon receiving a signal, causes his squad to execute it without verbal command, or exposing himself. ”

“ Crowding of every description increases losses and causes dangerous gaps along the entire front.
If in the course of an engagement, the purpose of the action and the situation make it no longer desirable to retain an extended order formation, each leader, from the squad leader upward, must assemble his unit at once and place himself and it at the disposal of the commander of the next higher unit. Formed bodies must be created quickly and held well in hand by their leaders, without awaiting specific orders to that effect.
The troops must be assembled very quietly and always facing the enemy. ”

“ The leader of the reënforcement places it in an interval in the line, if one exists, and commands it thereafter as a unit. If no such suitable interval exists, the reënforcement is advanced with increased intervals between skirmishers; each man occupies the nearest interval in the firing line, and each then obeys the orders of the nearest squad leader and platoon leader. ”

“ If the number of men grouped is more than 3 and less than 12, they are formed as a squad of 4 files, the excess above 8 being posted as file closers. If the number grouped is greater than 11, 2 or more squads are formed and the group is termed a platoon.
For the instruction of recruits, these rules may be modified.
103. The corporal is the squad leader, and when absent is replaced by a designated private. If no private is designated, the senior in length of service acts as leader. ”

“ The ideal way would be for the company commander to control the company by communicating direct with every man on the firing line, as graphically shown on the following page:
Fig. 49
However, in the noise and confusion of battle it would be utterly impossible for all the men to hear the captain's voice. Experience shows that from 20 to 35 rifles are as many as one leader can control. The captain, must, therefore, control the company through the platoon commanders—that is to say, he actually directs the fire and the platoon commanders, assisted by the squad leaders, actually control it. ”

“ A squad acting alone, as one out on a patrol or for instruction, the corporal acts as the leader of a small platoon leading the advance, and in rear when halted.
Men come to trail as they come on the skirmish line. ”

“ Executed as described in the School of the Squad, except that the men do not glance toward the marching flank and that all take the full step at the fourth command. The right guide is the pivot of the front rank. Each rear-rank man obliques on the same ground as his file leader. ”

“ The squad is the smallest unit of the infantry, to which branch of the service the three chums were attached. A squad consists of eight men, seven privates and a leader, who is, generally, a corporal. This squad is the foundation of the army, and the members of it generally stay together, sleeping, eating and fighting in unison with other squads. ”

“ As soon as the range is announced each front rank man sets his sight at 1050 and each rear rank man at 1150. Squad leaders assure themselves that sights are set and that the men of their squads understand the aiming point and sector and then raise their hand as a signal that all are ready. Similarly, the platoon leaders raise their hands to show that all of the squads are ready, and when the captain sees that all of his platoons are ready, he signals to begin firing. ”

“ A good shot will make the other man move. Insist upon the straight overhead throw. It is less tiresome and when developed properly will give equal accuracy with any other method. Teamwork in a bombing squad is essential. Under new methods of warfare every infantryman is a bomber; but specialists must be trained. Officer must be a real leader and the best fighter in his platoon. Qualification tests should be arranged and the better qualified men taken for special training in this art. ”

“ In coming up with re-enforcements, he takes over the duties of disabled platoon leaders of the platoon into which his men have dropped, or it may be some other section of the line needs his service in which case he goes there. Endeavors to preserve the integrity of squads, designates new squad leaders to replace those disabled, organizes new squads when necessary, sees that every man is placed in a squad and takes every opportunity for restoring order in the firing line. ”

“ Instruction must be given the company in meeting artillery fire and in the work of the various covering detachments but these two subjects, owing to their importance and length, are reserved for consideration in separate chapters.
Hints for company work
The company commander must get the full help and support of his platoon and squad leaders, much depends upon them; they are the real leaders of the men; they require much training and practice, especially in leading the rushes and in controlling and directing fire. ”

“ The men follow their squad leaders absolutely. When the terrain requires it, squad leaders may increase or diminish intervals without command. In other armies (for instance, in those of Italy, France, and England) the desire to keep the skirmishers under control as long as possible, has led to advancing the platoons designated for the firing line at first in close order, the deployment being made only when the state of the action requires it. In France, the intervals between files may be increased, or a single rank line may be formed before the force is deployed as skirmishers. ”

“ The company now vaguely felt that something was wrong, and suppressed cries of 'Hay, corporal! you're pivot man!' 'Hay, second platoon! wake up!' came to us from front and rear. With a start, our guilty squad awoke to its new responsibilities, and a sense of the eternal watchfulness of the soldier's life. Qui vive? Qui va?
The day before Marshal Joffre arrived, I asked our guide, a Plattsburg veteran, whether the Faculty Company was to participate in his review of the battalion. ”

“ That was a lesson they learnt from the last war—viz., that the command of men in the squadron or company is personal property, and cannot be handed over like charge of the quartermaster’s store. A leader must know his men, and they must know him by actual contact on the parade ground if the full fighting worth is to be got out of the men. ”

“ Competitions between sections and troops, the former for choice, work great things in a squadron. If the minds of sixteen section leaders are all at work to find out the best way to train a recruit in various exercises, to feed a horse to the best advantage with the forage available, to get the best shooting average, and so on, it is obvious that the squadron leader has a good chance of disseminating his knowledge, when found out, through his squadron, whilst an interest is given to the work which is perfectly invaluable. ”

“ For example, soldiers are grouped or formed in line, in column of squads, column of files, etc.
In close order drill soldiers are taught to move in an orderly [Pg 15] manner from one group or formation to another; how to stand, step off, march, halt and handle their rifles all together.
This practice makes the soldier feel perfectly at home and at ease in the squad and company. He becomes accustomed to working side by side with the man next to him, and, unconsciously, both get into the habit of working together, thus learning the first principles of team-work. ”

“ You see this particularly in the solidarity of squads. There is somewhere in the regiment, I am told, a squad that does nothing but squabble; the men have nearly all in turn been corporal, and no one will obey. ”

“ Those who can do both in perfection are few and far between. An apprenticeship of several years under various good leaders, added to natural ability, good horsemanship, an eye for country, a thorough sympathy with both his men and horses, are a few of the talents required to make a good squadron leader. But if a regiment is so fortunate as to possess even one good squadron leader, there will soon be found, especially among the junior officers, many to imitate him, and thus one good squadron leader makes many. ”

“ Furthermore, in attack and defence, in order to prevent the inspection becoming a repetition of operations already rehearsed, the officer will direct where the targets are to be placed, or give instructions to the men representing the enemy; and in all exercises—attack, reconnaissance, retirement, or defence—he will set the task for the squad to carry out. ”

“ In general, the service of information will be insufficient; adequate reconnaissance will rarely be practicable. [Pg 140] March and bivouac formations must be such as to admit of rapid deployment and fire action in any direction.
599. In the open country, where surprise is not probable, troops may be marched in column of squads preceded, within sight, by a squad as an advance party.
600. In close country, where surprise is possible, the troops must be held in a close formation. The use of flank patrols becomes difficult. Occasionally, an advance party—never less than a squad—may be sent out. ”

“ The squads must be as distinct and separate as possible; in short as much so as two troops are, never crossing each other. The stables must likewise be squadded entire; that is, no one stable should be allotted to two separate squads; for which reason, the proportion of numbers in each squad cannot always be exactly equal. The squad is entirely in charge of its own serjeant, or, in his absence, of the corporal who commands it, with relation to every quarter and stable duty, parades on foot and horseback. The quarter-master, in the cavalry, has, of course, the general inspection of the whole. ”

“ The first class are traitors of a deep dye, for whom no ignominious death is too bad; but the second class are often brave men, who dare much in the service of their country. It is unfair to accord them the same treatment as the traitors.
Squad. A small portion of a company, troop, or battery, placed in the especial charge of an officer or non-commissioned officer for purposes of inspection and supervision. In the infantry it corresponds with a section. It also signifies a small number of men drilled together. ”

“ There are sleepless nights in the tent of the general-in-chief. When all others except the pickets are asleep, he is examining maps and plans, calculating distances, estimating the strength of his army, and asking himself whether it will do to attack the enemy, or whether he shall stand on the defensive? can this brigade be relied upon for a desperate charge? will that division hold the enemy in check? At such times, the good name, the valor, the bravery of the troops and of the officers who command them is reviewed. He weighs character. He knows who are reliable and who inefficient. ”