“H” Company

———————–

Enclosed notes are for favour of your remarks, please.  They are intended only as a guide to your Section Officers.

I shall appreciate any suggestions that you may make and shall incorporate same in notes to be issued to all Companies.

Please return, with your notes written in the margin, by 4 p.m. on Monday.

P.H. Sanders

MAJOR R.E.

COMMANDING No 2 BATTALION

SPECIAL BRIGADE R.E.

25/3/16

NOTES TO SECTION COMMANDERS

———————————————–

Section Commanders:-

(1).  Are responsible for the proper training of every N.C.O. and man in their Sections.  Particular attention must be given to all matters affecting discipline, saluting under various conditions, addressing Officers, technical training etc.

(2) Should know each man personally and keep a complete record of each man’s qualifications and history.

(3). Should  be present the whole time that their Sections are on parade or at work, and must inform their O.C. should anything prevent them from so doing.

(4). Should establish mutual sympathy between themselves and their men, but should at all times maintain the strictest discipline.

(5). Should make every effort to be smart and energetic.  Sections reflect the shortcomings of their Commanders and will probably exaggerate them.  Special attention should be given to the training of N.C.O’s as they are primarily responsible for the individual training of men.

(6). Should give especial attention to those men who are backward, and should not hesitate to give extra drill or special work to men who are backward in any subject.

(6) (7). Are responsible that every man is properly and fully equipped.

NOTES ON TRAINING.

—————————–

1. INFANTRY TRAINING.

———————————-

Special R.E. Units are required to perform very little Infantry Drill, but this must be well done.  All movements must be performed smartly.  When this is not done, the Command “As you were” must be given and the movement repeated until satisfaction is given.

Any N.C.O. or man who is awkward must be given extra drill until the trouble is overcome.

Special attention must be given to saluting under various conditions, addressing Officers, guard duties, etc.  The organization of a Unit is judged by the manner in which such details are carried out.

Company Drill will be carried out on the Battalion Parade Ground and every formality will be strictly observed.  N.C.O.’s will not dismiss a parade or stand a party at ease when an Officer is present, without first asking permission.  A junior Officer will act similarly in the presence of a senior Officer.  At least one Coy drill per week will be held on Battn parade ground on day allotted for the purpose.

All formations will march at attention when passing through the main streets of any town or village ***** or GHQ – also when passing sentries or other troops.

When parades are ordered for any particular hour, all ranks should be on the parade ground in sufficient time for the parade to be reported all present and correct punctually at the specified time.

• MAP READING AND SKETCHING.

————————————————-

This will include:-

• Indication of position by squares, or other means when the map is not squared.
• Setting a map and locating actual position on map.
• Compass bearings – true and magnetic.  Magnetic variation.
• Contours and visibility of one place from another.
• Conventional signs.
• Rough sketching of surrounding country, trench surveys, etc.  Distances may be roughly estimated by pacing – and care should be taken to regulate the length of a pace to either 30 inches or one yard – the latter being preferable.

• MESSAGES.

——————–

Carrying verbal messages by individuals and by relays.  Messages to be increased in length after practice.  Messages must be repeated to sender by the messenger before the latter leaves.

Practice in passing messages, about letting off gas, along line of trenches.  Systems of Orderlies from Section Commanders to men arranged as for actual discharge e.g., Two orderlies sent with message, one passing from right to left, the other from left to right.

Writing official messages with all necessary detail.

• NIGHT WORK.

———————

Night operations will be preceded by a lecture in which the exact nature of the work will be explained, and men will, as a rule, be taken over the ground in daylight.

Training will be individual and collective.

Visibility at a distance of striking a match or smoking a cigarette.

Audibility of sounds.

Marching by stars and compass.

Companies will practice carrying cylinders, making connections etc in the dark.

Company Commanders will organise complete schemes approximating to actual service operations to include:-

• Loading of cylinders into Lorry.
• Unloading and slinging at dump.
• Making ready emplacements.
• Carrying and placing cylinders.
• Making connections.
• Clearing emplacements for reception of cylinders.
• Organising guides and orderlies.
• A circuitous route should be chosen – preferably passing through another Coy’s trenches and guides detailed.

Companies may borrow all cylinders from other Companies for the purpose.

Complete operation orders should be issued and should be submitted to C.O. for perusal.

• CYLINDER WORK.

—————————

• Construction and detail of valves, stuffing box, connections etc.
• Connecting up complete apparatus with all possible variations.
• Testing connections (N.B. – When screw clamp is used, it must not near spigots)
• Changing and fixing washers.
• Examination of cylinders before taking into line.
• Placing of pipes according to distance of enemy trenches and wind
• If enemy trenches are very near, place pipes slightly across the wind so as to get a quicker distribution.
• If wind is oblique, a better direction may be obtained by placing pipes obliquely across wind.
• Treatment of Duds.  The “sticking” of the spindle may be due to two causes:-
• The top washer of the stuffing box becomes fixed and requires easing (Most frequent cause)
• The screw threads may become corroded.  This does not often occur and is due to the access of moisture to the parts.  It is not easy to overcome this fault as the spindle may break before it yields.  A little oil should be dropped into stopping stuffing box and jet.  As a rule, however, oil should not be used except as a last extremity.
• Leaky Cylinders.  Stuffing box cap should be removed with caution and top washer eased, when spindle may be able to be tightened.  If fault cannot be located and leak persists, cylinder should be buried.
• Leaky Connections.  If occurs before action takes place, connection should be carefully cleaned and remade.  If during action, try to stop by mud or clay.  Connections will be tested by a force pump which will be supplied for the purpose.  Instruction should be given in stopping leaks which may occur during action viz by use of clamps, mud, clay, or strips of cloth or sandbag soaked in solution.  Thanks.
• It is suggested that, in addition to the general training of every man in wiring on connections, 3 men per section should be specially detailed for this purpose, so that they may be always available, as experts, in emergency.

• LECTURES.

——————

Lectures should be short and frequent and may be repeated at intervals, especially those on Discipline and Routine.  The following suggestions may be useful:-

DISCIPLINE. Difference between raw recruit and well trained soldier: Esprit de corps: Smartness in dress and general bearing: Orders – careful attention to and execution: Saluting and addressing Officers: Hours for estaminets: Spirits strictly forbidden: Bad effects: Reporting on arrival.

BILLETS  Duties of N.C.O. and Man: Hygiene and sanitation: Disposal of Refuse: General cleanliness and tidiness: Reporting sick: Precautions against lice, etc.

PARADES. Punctuality, Dress, Assembling, Dismissing, Behaviour.

FIRST AID. Treatment of wounds: iodine: Stopping of bleeding – pressure points: Use of First Aid Dressings.  Lecture on care of feet.  Yes thanks

SPECIAL WORK. Systematic attention to details: Notes as to preparation of emplacements – measurements.  Carrying and placing (special care to have jet outwards.)  Work and responsibility of maintenance parties.  Points to be noticed in going into action, during action and after action.  Observations to be made during these periods.  Individual responsibility – when and how to be exercised.  Illustrations and examples from previous attacks.  Necessity for absolute secrecy.

ARMS  Care and use of.

• WET WEATHER WORK.

———————————-

Any of Lectures as per List.

Revolver Drill, snapping, etc.

Physical Drill.  No doubling before breakfast.

Helmet Drill.

Cleaning and inspection of kit, equipment and arms.

Signalling, especially Morse

Knotting and Lashing.

• COMPANY ROUTE MARCHES.

The full days route march Company Route Marches will be carried out according to the following programme:- on day allotted

• Early parade will be omitted.
• Billets will be cleared up and everything made ready for moving to new billets, except that straw or palliasses will not be removed but will be tidied up and left neatly arranged.
• One blanket and waterproof sheet will be properly folded and carried by each man with his full kit and equipment.  All winter clothing and extra blankets will be neatly folded and left in billets.
• Cookhouses will be cleared up, dixies cleaned and stored ready for removal.
• Billets will be carefully inspected by Section Commanders before Sections vacate billets.
• The Company will assemble in full marching order on the Battalion Parade Ground by 10 a.m. and will be reported all present and correct to Battalion Head Quarters.  Short marches with full marching order.  2 hrs at most.  Long marches i.e. from 10.0 to 3.0 in light marching preferable for training men & not so dangerous.  Agreed.
• Companies will march off by Sections with 100 yds interval.  This interval will be maintained as far as possible.  Connecting files will be dropped.  Company Route Marches.  Battalion Route Marches all men must halt at exactly the same time & march off again at the agreed time.  Company interval.
• Company Commanders will exercise full discretion in all details including distance marched, halts, etc.
• One billet orderly will remain in each billet, and the Company Orderly Sergeant, will be left in charge of Company area.  He will conduct the Battalion Orderly Officer round the billets during the absence of the Company.
• Companies will return to billets not earlier than 3 p.m. and arrangements will be made to draw rations on return.  One Company Route March, with practice in evacuating billets will be carried out each week.  The actual duration of the march is left entirely to the discretion of the Coy Comdr.  The exercise will be progressive.
• Route marches of one or two hours duration will be carried out 2 or 3 times a week for the benefit of new men.
• C.Q.M’s should be prepared with a statement of Rations req^d, also with a list of deficiencies (if any) in iron rations, ammunition, equipment &c.  This list should be handed in to Battn Q.M. Stores, as early as possible, on morning of march.

NOTES ON MARCH DISCIPLINE.

————————————————

• Strict march discipline will be observed throughout route marches.
• The step should be rather slow and should be kept as uniform as possible.
• Men should keep well to the right of the road, and should not straggle.  Flank men should be changed if side of road is bad.
• No smoking or drinking should be allowed whilst actually marching, but halts may be frequent.  O’sC will use their own discretion in the matter during halts.
• No smoking or drinking without consent of O.C. whether halted or marching.  Agreed.
• All ranks should be warned to take especial care of their feet, and frequent inspections should be made after route marches.
• Practice should be given, during Route Marches in putting on helmets at short notice.  At a given signal, Coys should be halted and helmets adjusted the time being checked.