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Tom Watson's avatar

1. As Maj A: action is to either stand up the Bn's artillery or (if a 1918 US marine Bn doesn't have much of its own) beg/borrow/steal more from the division in order to carry out my orders. This is well into the war and we're worried the enemy might be about to hit us hard; now is not the time for a raid on so small a scale it can proceed without at least a whirlwind bombardment. Orders to Cpt B are to organise a trench raid in force: (what by this point is hopefully) standard procedure, identifying marks removed from all men's uniforms, everyone loaded to bursting with grenades (do we call them bombs in this war or is that only the British?), knives and wirecutters, time in contact with the enemy to be measured in seconds not minutes if at all possible. Target location is his call but should be determined as early as possible so the artillery can be prepared.

2. As Cpt B: action is to determine a suitable location, feed it back, firm up the artillery plan and scrounge up whatever's best from the mess tents for anyone who'll volunteer to go on the raid rather than having to be ordered. Orders to Lt Y are to get a platoon's worth of men together for a trench raid at that location in time with the cover the artillery will allow him. Depending on how gung-ho I'm feeling and how favourable the terrain (heh, as if) and weather are, may order that a smaller, secondary raid be launched by no more than a section on a different part of the line, immediately before the bombardment. You never know, might catch them napping.

3. As Lt Y: action is to get men together, fed and watered, and briefed on the plan. Specifics - can we crawl out into no-man's land beforehand or do we need to wait for the bombardment? One group or several? - dependent on the lie of the land, the weather, the amount of artillery support we can expect and our estimate of the enemy's disposition. Presumably he'll be awake, alert and in force wherever we go, so that'll be fun.

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the long warred's avatar

Have you read “Infantry in Battle” 1939 - Marshall was behind its publication. WW2 army went to war on it.

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