Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 217, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1917 — THE RUSH. [ARTICLE]

THE RUSH.

Consider the squad as one unit of a company on the skirmish line, deployed for the “Are attack.” If it is impracticable for the company to advance as a whole against the enemy’s lines, it may advance in rushes. This is done either by platoons or by squad. The new line to be occupied is indicated by the platoon leader or the captain of the company, who gives the command ‘‘By squad, from the right (left) RUSH!” This means that the squad on the extreme right of the company is to move, or rush, to the new line first. The men of the squad, who may be lying flat on the ground, or in a kneeling position, gather themselves in readiness to spring forward. The corporal, at the word “RUSH!” cries “Follow me!” and, running at top speed, and bent over to offer as small a target as possible to the enemy, leads tie squad to the new line. Here the men drop to the prone position at the corporal’s command or the signal for "halt,” made by thrusting the arm up vertically from the shoulder, and at his command reopen fire. Unless the platooii or company commander has designated the distance to be covered in the rush, the corporal of the squad selects the new line.

After the first squad has taken up the new line, the other squads follow in succession, each starting the rush when its immediate predecessor has gained the new line. The various ppsitions that the soldier takes in ’theskirmish line for firing, such as lying prone.or kneeling, will be explained in another article. It should also be stated that a knowledge of the rifle must be assumed in this and later Illustrations of extended-order work, since the.:mnnual of arms, loadings and firings cannot be adequately put down anpaper for young recruits. More so than any other part of the drill regulations, this, must bh taught by concrete example. In other words, the

new soldier cad familiarize himself with the rifle when he has a rifle In hand, bat he may otherwise school himself In the squad or company movements which accompany or are predicated upon the use of the rifle, for he can carry through the squad or company movements with a broomstick. For various reasons, depending upon the Immediate situation, it may be necessary for the squad to Increase or diminish the interval at which the men are deployed. For instance, th 6 space to be covered may be wider or narrower than the ten paces which the normal interval would give for the squad front, or, 4 he fire of the enemy may at this point be so “hot” that, In order to advance against it, the chances of casualties must be reduced by widening the space between the men.

If the latter be the case, or If, as previously stated, It is desirable to cover a wider front, instead of the command, “As skirmishers, MARCH!” (when the men deploy at half-pace Intervals), the command may be, "As skirmishers, at two paces, MARCH!” This would mean that, instead of the half-pace, or 15 inches, twice the full pace, or 60 inches, would Intervene between each two men. This would extend the squad front over a distance of approximately J}o paces, or 50 feet, and thus Increasing the front of, or the territory covered by, the squad, reduce materially the chance of each man being hit. It is essential for the new soldier to pay the closest heed to extended-order drill, for It symbolizes real fighting. He must be so grounded in the details of it that he will execute them automatically when in action, for, once under fire, he will have plenty of things to think about besides how he is to reach the designated point at the designated time. The use of his rifle will require his full and active attention.