,,night ,,operations ,,for ,,infantry4 ,night ,operations ,for ,infantry ,,compiled ,,for ,,the ,,use ,,of ,,company ,,officers ,,by ,brig4-,general ,c4 ,t4 ,,dawkins1 ,c4,b41 ,c4,m4,g4 ,,london3 ,,gale ,,polden1 ,,ltd41 #b1 ,,amen ,,corner1 ,,paternoster ,,row1 ,e4,c4 ,,wellington ,,works1 ,,aldershot1 ,,also ,,at ,,nelson ,,house1 ,,portsmouth4 ,obtainable from all ,booksellers4 ,,one ,,and ,,sixpence 7,,net7 ,,aldershot3 ,,printed ,,by ,,gale ,,polden ,,ltd4 ,,wellington ,,works4 #aiaf4 ,p4 #c1jic4 7,all ,rights ,reserved74 ,,contents ,,page ,,chapter ,i4 ,the ,importance of ,careful ,training in ,night ,operations #a ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,elementary ,instruction #h ,training of ,vision #h ,training of ,hearing #i ,finding ,bearings #aj ,moving in the ,dark #aa ,general #ad ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,general ,remarks on ,night ,operations #af ,definitions #af ,importance of ,careful ,preparation #ag ,plan of ,operations #bj ,the ,framing of ,orders for ,night ,operations #ba ,protection during ,operations #bb ,maintenance of ,connection #bd ,rifle ,fire in ,night ,attacks #be ,caution necessary in planning ,night ,operations1 but ,resolution ,essential in their ,execution #be ,defence against ,night ,attacks #bf ,passive ,defence ,useless #bf ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,training a ,company for ,offensive ,action #bi ,instruction in ,reconnaissance #bi ,night ,marches #cj ,night ,advances and ,night ,attacks #cb ,guiding ,troops across ,country at ,night #cg ,the ,assault #ci ,training for ,defensive ,action #da ,outposts #da ,position of ,piquets at ,night #dc ,readiness for ,action #dd ,cover for ,groups #df ,marking of ,route to and from ,piquets #df ,sentries ,challenging #df ,sentries ,firing #dg ,action of ,outposts in a ,night ,attack #dh ,,chapter ,v4 ,miscellaneous #ej ,training and ,employment of ,scouts #ej ,searchlights in ,attack and in ,defence #ec ,flares1 etc4 #ed ,hand ,grenades #ee ,luminous ,discs #ef ,pocket ,electric ,lamps #ef ,connecting ,ropes #ef ,passing ,fences #eg ,entrenching by ,night #eh ,wire ,entanglements #ei ,halts at ,night #ei ,recognition of ,friends at ,night #ei ,knowledge of the ,moon and ,stars #fj ,constant ,practice the only ,means of acquiring ,knowledge #fb ,conclusion #fc ,,night ,,operations ,,for ,,infantry4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,importance ,,of ,,careful ,,training ,,in ,,night ,,operations4 ,although in recent years there has been a marked increase in the practice of night operations1 yet ,i doubt if the majority of officers have realized that the changing conditions of war tend to make night fighting a much more common occurrence in the future than it has been in the past4 ,a brief study of the accounts of the ,russo-,japanese ,war shows that1 as time went on1 both combatants evinced a growing tendency to resort to night attacks1 and to employ in their execution forces of considerable strength2 it is1 therefore1 reasonable to assume that in future wars similar circumstances will compel the adoption of similar methods4 ,moreover1 if we consider the results which are likely to follow from the facilities for the acquisition and the rapid transmission of information offered by airships and wireless telegraphy respectively1 and from the increased efficiency of fire-arms1 we are compelled to realize that in all future wars operations carried out under cover of darkness1 not only for the purpose of massing troops in a favourable position for further action1 but also for the actual assault of particular localities1 will become a matter of constant occurrence4 ,indeed1 as a ,french officer1 from whose book,a ,i have gathered many hints on night training1 points out1 night fighting can no longer be regarded as something abnormal and exceptional1 but as the power of fire-arms increases1 so will combats in the dark become more frequent and necessary4 ,a 8,guide pour le ,chef d'une petit unit d'infanterie oprant la nuit1 par ,le ,commandant ,brevet ,niessel40 ,for this reason it seems to me to be most important that we should establish a systematic method of training our men4 ,it is an axiom that in order to master any subject properly the student must first be instructed in its elementary details1 and it is in this respect that at present our system fails4 ,during the annual course of training a few night operations are carried out by companies1 by battalions1 and by brigades1 but during the rest of the year little attention is paid to night work1 and1 in many units1 at any rate1 no attempt is made during the winter to give the soldier that elementary instruction which is indispensable to fit him to take an intelligent part in operations in the dark4 ,it must be remembered that many of our men up to the time of their enlistment have passed their lives entirely in large towns1 and have rarely been beyond the range of street lamps4 ,such men1 when first taken out in the dark1 are helpless2 they start at every shadow1 stumble even on level ground1 make a terrible amount of noise1 and are generally in such a state of nervous excitement that they are hardly responsible for their actions4 ,yet these same men1 by a short course of careful1 individual instruction1 can be trained to work together with confidence on the darkest night1 and when once they have gained confidence their further instruction is comparatively easy4 ,if in daylight the moral is to the physical1 as three is to one1 there can be no question that at night the proportion is many times greater4 ,indeed1 ,i doubt if the true ratio can be estimated at all4 ,history furnishes many instances of night fighting1 in which the success achieved has been out of all proportion to the number of the victors1 but it also teaches us that1 in most cases1 at any rate1 the defeat of the beaten side was due to disorganization through panic4 ,now it is unquestionable that the best troops1 if suddenly called on to face conditions to which they are not accustomed1 are liable to panic1 and it is to make sure that night fighting shall not be a strange occurrence in our ,army that ,i advocate closer attention to training in it4 ,i am aware that some officers maintain that it is a mistake to risk the chances of a night attack1 because1 even if the attack is successful1 the want of light will prevent it being followed up4 ,this may be a sound argument against making a night attack1 but it is obviously no argument against training men for night fighting4 ,whether we attack by night ourselves or not1 it is quite certain that our enemies will sometimes attack us1 and1 unless we are prepared to be taken at an enormous disadvantage1 we must train our men to meet them in the dark4 ,besides1 even the opponents of night-fighting do not dispute the value of an attack delivered with the first appearance of daylight1 and an attack at dawn necessitates an advance during what are often the darkest hours of the night1 with the possibility of its interruption by a counter-attack at any moment4 ,to carry out such an operation with any prospect of success1 even in the most open country1 it is essential that both officers and men should have the highest possible training4 ,in our ,army1 with men enlisted for a term of seven years with the ,colours1 we have far greater opportunities of accustoming our troops to night-fighting than most nations have1 and1 if we choose to do so1 we can bring our training to a high state of efficiency4 ,it seems to me to be folly to ignore our situation1 and not to take every pains to train our men to carry out operations by night1 since1 in view of our comparatively weak numbers1 efficiency in night-fighting may be of the utmost value to us in any future war4 ,it is with the object of inducing officers to pay closer attention to this branch of their men's training1 that ,i put forward a few hints on a progressive method of instruction1 which ,i have personally proved to produce useful results4 ,in order that it may be made clear that training for night operations is a normal and necessary part of the soldier's education1 a training which is to be carried on continuously throughout his whole service1 and not confined to the short periods of company and battalion training1 ,i advocate the commencement of the elementary instruction while the recruit is still at the dept4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,elementary ,,instruction4 ,the first thing to be done is to accustom the soldier to darkness1 to teach him to overcome the nervousness which is natural to him1 and to train his powers of vision and hearing to suit conditions which are strange to him4 ,training of ,vision4 ,two or three men1 under an instructor1 should be taken out to ground with which they are perfectly familiar4 ,the instructor will direct them to notice the different appearance which objects present at night1 when viewed in different degrees of light and shade2 the comparative visibility of men under different conditions of dress1 i4e41 in khaki1 in a tunic1 in shirt-sleeves1 etc41 when viewed against different backgrounds2 the ease with which bright objects are seen1 especially if in movement4 ,if there is rising ground in the vicinity the difference in the visibility of men standing on the sky-line or on the sides of the slope should be noted4 ,experiments in the distance at which a match struck in the open and also under cover of some object1 or a man smoking1 can be seen should also be made4 ,blank cartridges should be fired1 and recruits taught to judge the direction in which the rifle was pointing and its approximate distance from them4 ,training of ,hearing4 ,to train their powers of hearing1 men1 placed a few yards apart1 should be made to guess what a noise heard is caused by1 and the approximate position of it4 ,the rattle of a mess tin1 the working of the bolt of a rifle1 the movement of a patrol1 the throwing down of accoutrements1 low talking1 or any noise likely to be heard on outposts may be utilised4 ,special pains must be taken to impress upon the men the penetrating power of the human voice4 ,the distance at which men talking1 even in a low voice1 can be heard on a still night is astonishing1 and as it is a sound which cannot be mistaken for anything else1 and which disturbs birds and animals more than any other1 it is most important that the recruit should be shown the absolute necessity of keeping perfect silence4 ,at this stage it is a good practice to post the men in pairs at intervals along an alignment which the instructors endeavour to cross unnoticed4 ,the instructors should cross from both sides1 so as to compel the recruits to watch in every direction4 ,finding ,bearings4 ,when the recruit has become accustomed to the dark1 and entirely overcome his nervousness1 he should be taught to find his bearings by the pole star1 to check the direction of his advance by means of stars1 landmarks1 or even the wind1 and conversely by the same means to find his way back to the point from which he started4 ,he should also be taught to recognise the phases of the moon1 and to judge whether it is rising or setting4 ,to test a man's ability to keep a given direction when moving at night1 the following plan is useful4 ,having chosen a spot from which no prominent landmarks are visible1 the instructor1 accompanied by the recruit1 will advance towards it from a distance of not less than #bjj paces4 ,while advancing the recruit must take his bearings4 ,on arriving at the spot chosen the instructor will turn the recruit rapidly round two or three times1 and then order him to continue his advance on the same line as before4 ,moving in the ,dark4 ,for this exercise three or four recruits1 with the instructor on the directing flank1 will be placed in line at about one pace interval4 ,some clearly visible mark1 such as a lamp1 should be placed as a point for the directing file to march on4 ,the instructor will impress upon the men the importance of lifting the feet up high and putting them down firmly and quietly1 also of keeping in touch with their neighbour on the directing flank1 and of conforming to his movements without sound or signal4 ,the pace must be very slow1 and frequent halts made to test the quickness of the men in working together4 ,as the instruction progresses1 each man in turn will take the instructor's place on the directing flank1 and the light on which they are marching should be obscured at intervals1 in order to test their ability to maintain the original direction4 ,when the recruits have thoroughly mastered the foregoing principles they should be taken to more difficult ground1 and gradually advanced to work together in larger numbers4 ,they must be taught to turn into single file for the purpose of passing obstacles1 and to form up rapidly in single rank again without noise or confusion4 ,it must always be remembered that the rougher the ground1 the darker the night and the longer the line1 the slower must be the pace and the more frequent the halts4 ,after passing any obstacle1 such as a ditch1 hollow road1 etc41 which does not necessitate turning into file1 it is always advisable to halt and make sure that the alignment is correct4 ,after passing an obstacle men instinctively line up parallel to it2 consequently1 if the obstacle does not lie exactly at right angles to the line of advance1 the direction is lost4 ,i remember seeing a brigade thrown into complete disorder by the neglect of this precaution1 after successfully advancing for about #a1jjj yards on a very dark night4 ,in this case one flank of the line crossed a hollow road1 lying at an angle to the direction of the advance1 and forming up parallel to it advanced across the front of the rest1 and altogether broke up their formation4 ,general4 ,during the earlier exercises the men may be taken out without arms1 but1 as the instruction progresses1 they must be trained to work in full marching order4 ,each man must be taught to note carefully those portions of his equipment which are likely to cause a noise under special circumstances1 such as lying down1 rising up1 crossing an obstacle1 etc41 and to take precautions accordingly4 ,bayonets should always be fixed1 but to avoid accidents the scabbards should be on them4 ,special attention must be paid to seeing that the rifles are carried at the proper angle to prevent the bayonets clashing4 ,from the commencement of the training the instructor will not fail to continually impress upon the men that it is absolutely criminal to fire during a night attack1 and that the bayonet is the only weapon the assailants can use with advantage to themselves and safety to their comrades4 ,except during a brief period in the middle of summer1 it is generally possible to carry out these elementary exercises before #aj p4m41 and in the short winter evenings they can take place immediately after the men's tea4 ,it is always advisable that the men should have had a meal shortly before starting to work in the dark1 and if the weather is cold1 or they are kept out late1 they should be given soup or cocoa on their return4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,general ,,remarks ,,on ,,night ,,operations4 ,definitions4 ,in the ,field ,service ,regulations1 night operations are divided into three classes--night marches1 night advances1 and night attacks--which may be briefly defined as follows3-- ,a night march is a movement along roads1 or well defined tracks1 in normal march formations1 undertaken for the purpose of transferring troops under cover of darkness to some desired point4 ,a night advance is stated in the ,field ,service ,regulations to be a forward movement of which the object 8is to gain ground from which further progress will be made in daylight1 and not to deliver a decisive assault during darkness40 ,during the advance the troops will either be deployed or at any rate will move in formations which admit of rapid deployment4 ,night attacks are delivered for the purpose of gaining possession of some point or locality which is held by the enemy or of surprising 8an ill-trained1 ill-disciplined1 or semi-civilised enemy40 7,field ,service ,regulations47 ,a night march may be a necessary prelude to either a night advance or a night attack1 but in that case the march is considered to have ended on the arrival of the force at the position of assembly4 ,importance of ,careful ,preparation4 ,whatever may be the nature of the operation1 the most careful preparation is essential4 ,the success of all operations in the dark1 up to the moment of collision with the enemy at any rate1 depends on the care and thoroughness with which the preparatory arrangements have been made1 and these arrangements are just as necessary in the case of a night march1 carried out at some distance from the enemy1 as in that of a night attack4 ,it is impossible to lay too much stress on the importance of this preparation1 no detail is too trifling to be considered1 every eventuality1 whether probable or improbable1 should be thought out and provided for1 and nothing must be left to chance4 ,the first and most important step in the preparation of any night operation consists in obtaining accurate information concerning the ground to be traversed and the position of the enemy4 ,this necessitates as close a reconnaissance as is possible1 and the reconnaissance should be made by night as well as by day4 ,ground presents such a different appearance at night that it is often difficult to identify a spot which has only been seen previously in daylight1 moreover1 small accidents of the surface which may not attract attention in daytime are sometimes sufficient to throw troops into disorder1 if they come upon them unexpectedly in the dark4 ,the chief points on which information is required being set forth in the ,field ,service ,regulations1 it is unnecessary to recapitulate them here1 but the following details should be attended to as well3-- 7#a7 ,the spots selected both for the position of assembly and position of deployment must not only be places which can be easily identified at night1 but must also afford sufficient space for the troops to form up4 7#b7 ,both the position of obstacles1 and the direction in which they lie1 must be accurately reported1 and it must be noted if their direction is constant throughout4 7#c7 ,in reporting on the enemy's position every effort must be made to discover the extent to which patrols are used1 and the distance beyond the line of the advanced posts to which they penetrate4 ,plan of ,operations4 ,the plan of operations will be based on the information gained during the reconnaissance1 and in preparing it the following maxims should be borne in mind3-- #a4 ,it is the quality and not the number of the troops that counts4 #b4 ,the larger the force the greater the difficulty4 #c4 ,every detachment increases the risk of failure4 ,though ,no4 #c is undoubtedly true1 yet it will often be necessary to move in more than one column4 ,in that case each column must be given a separate objective2 each objective must be distinct from1 and situated some distance away from1 any other1 and every possible precaution must be taken to prevent an accidental collision between any two columns1 either before or after reaching their objectives4 ,the ,field ,service ,regulations direct that lateral communication is to be maintained between columns1 so that the assaults may be delivered simultaneously1 and recommend the use of telephones for the purpose4 ,the maintenance of lateral communication is very important1 but each column commander should understand that if his column is discovered he must press on to the assault without waiting for the others4 ,the ,framing of ,orders for ,night ,operations4 ,the rules for framing orders are clearly laid down in the ,regulations1 but1 as the orders will only be communicated beforehand to those officers who are required to make the preliminary arrangements1 it is necessary that extracts1 containing those portions which are to be read to the troops at the position of assembly1 should also be prepared4 ,these extracts will probably have to be read in a very feeble light1 and it is1 therefore1 important that they should be very clearly and legibly typewritten4 ,nothing is more trying than to have to try to grasp the meaning of a blurred hektograph copy of orders by the aid of an indifferent lamp1 which probably has to be held under a coat4 ,in all operations which commence with a night march the selection of a suitable starting point is important4 ,this point should be so situated that it is possible for the whole force to be drawn up in its order of march before the movement begins1 and a staff officer must be detailed to ascertain that every unit is present1 and in its proper place before the column moves off4 ,this is an obvious precaution2 but1 as ,i have seen it neglected in ,south ,africa1 with serious results1 ,i think it well to lay stress on it4 ,protection ,during ,operations4 ,the general principles governing the protection of forces during operations are the same by night as by day1 except that at night both the strength of the protecting bodies and their distance from the troops they cover will be much reduced4 ,in night marches small advanced and rear-guards will be employed1 but in night advances and night attacks these will be replaced by lines of scouts at a distance varying from #ej to #ajj yards1 according to the light4 ,to protect the flanks during a night march in close country the ,regulations advise the use of flanking piquets1 posted by the advanced guard1 and withdrawn by the rear-guard4 ,i have never seen this system tried at night1 but ,i doubt its success2 even if the advanced guard commander is able to identify quickly the points at which the piquets are to be left1 there will be a certain amount of delay while they are quitting the column1 and the rear-guard will be constantly delayed by waiting for them to withdraw4 ,thus the rear-guard will gradually fall further and further behind1 and1 unless the column is frequently halted to allow the rear-guard to close up1 the rear companies will melt away into a long string of connecting files4 ,if flanking piquets are used1 and it seems to be the safest plan1 they should be found by a special unit1 and1 having taken up their positions before the march commences1 should not be withdrawn till it is over4 ,in open country at all times1 and in close country in the case of night advances and night attacks1 the only moving protection which can safely be given to the flanks is that afforded by scouts1 who must keep quite close to the column4 ,maintenance of ,connection4 ,the maintenance of connection between the various portions of a force when engaged in night operations is a matter of supreme importance4 ,the facility with which units go astray when connection is lost is extraordinary1 and when once they have gone astray it is often very difficult to find them4 ,i have myself seen a whole brigade of infantry disappear and be lost for nearly two hours in an area which hardly exceeded a square mile4 ,rifle ,fire in ,night ,attacks4 ,it cannot be too strongly impressed upon all ranks that to fire during a night attack is not only useless1 but to use the words of ,general ,dragomirov1 is absolutely criminal4 ,the ,regulations lay down that rifles are not to be loaded1 but the magazines are to be charged and the cut-offs closed1 and this order must be rigidly adhered to4 ,personally1 ,i am against having the magazines charged2 the proper weapon for the infantry soldier to use at night is the bayonet1 and he should be taught to rely on that alone4 ,caution ,necessary in ,planning ,night ,operations1 but ,resolution ,essential in their ,execution4 ,although it is necessary to act with caution1 and to weigh well the chances of success and failure before deciding on an offensive night operation1 yet1 when once the undertaking has been commenced1 it must be carried through with the utmost resolution4 ,it is exceedingly unlikely that the enemy will be completely surprised1 but every second of delay between the discovery of the attacking force and the delivery of the assault is of priceless value to the defence2 it must1 therefore1 be impressed upon all ranks that when the enemy opens fire the only course open to them is to press on to the assault1 and decide the issue with the bayonet4 ,,defence ,,against ,,night ,,attacks4 ,passive ,defence ,useless4 ,unless the defenders are protected by an impenetrable obstacle1 a passive defence is suicidal4 ,artillery and machine guns may be laid so as to sweep a particular area at night1 but no reliance can be placed on the effect of rifle fire unless the rifles have been mechanically fixed4 ,i do not overlook the fact that instances are on record of huge losses inflicted by rifle fire at night1 but ,i maintain that the effect obtained is merely a matter of chance1 and any officer who puts his trust in chance is likely to have to pay dearly for his mistake4 ,every infantryman must be imbued with the idea that at night the bayonet is the only weapon which he can trust1 and that the more promptly he uses it the better his chance of success will be4 ,in the dark every advantage lies with the side that takes the initiative2 numbers are of little account1 for a resolute bayonet charge1 delivered by even a single piquet may1 if it comes unexpectedly1 demoralise and throw into disorder a strong attacking column4 ,in short1 when the attacking column reaches the outposts it must be received with vigorous local counter-attacks delivered with the bayonet by the nearest bodies of the defenders4 ,if a counter-attack comes as a surprise1 the chances of success are all in its favour1 but any success gained must not be followed up1 the outposts should be withdrawn to their original positions1 and patrols sent out to keep touch with the retiring enemy4 ,it is most important that all ranks should realise that to wait to receive a charge is fatal2 the only course open is to advance boldly with the bayonet2 even if the counter-attack is not successful1 the outposts will still have fulfilled their duty and have gained a few minutes' time for the supports and reserves to form up4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,training ,a ,,company ,,for ,,offensive ,,action4 ,instruction in ,reconnaissance4 ,the instruction of officers and selected non-commissioned officers and men in the art of reconnaissance for night operations must be carefully carried out1 and the following method has proved to be useful4 ,the ,captain takes his class to the ground chosen1 and1 after explaining the tactical scheme1 and pointing out the kind of information which is required1 allows them a certain time to go over the ground and make their notes4 ,at first the class should be allowed to move freely over the ground2 but1 as the instruction progresses1 flags may be put out to mark the position of hostile posts and the class forbidden to approach them4 ,when the notes are finished they should always be criticised on the actual ground4 ,when the class thoroughly understand what to observe and how to report it1 they should be ordered to reconnoitre by night ground which they have already reported on by day4 ,the two reports should be compared1 and any differences noted1 and then the ,captain should go over the ground with them by night1 so as to actually check on the spot the accuracy and sufficiency of their observations4 ,to make a reconnaissance suitable for the execution of night operations requires a great deal of practice1 and it is only by constantly testing in the dark the value of the reports sent in that one learns what are the points which it is essential to observe with accuracy4 ,night ,marches4 ,in carrying out night marches1 the company should be practised as an advanced guard to a column1 and as a company acting alone4 ,in close country an advanced guard will consist of scouts1 the point1 and the main guard4 ,the provision of a vanguard at night is undesirable--it lengthens the column without giving any practical advantage4 ,the scouts should be started two or three minutes ahead of the point1 and should keep in the shadow on the side of the road4 ,they will march at a quick pace1 halting at cross-roads and suspicious places to listen1 and will move on again when they hear the advanced guard approaching4 ,they must be trained to use their ears as much1 if not more than their eyes4 ,if they discover the enemy1 one of them will return to warn the advanced guard2 the others will conceal themselves and watch4 ,it must be impressed upon them that they are on no account to fire unless for the purpose of warning the column1 and then only if there are no other means of doing so4 ,it is useless to attempt to keep connection between the scouts and the point1 as the distance between them will constantly vary4 ,the point may consist of one section1 and will march on one or both sides of the road1 covering itself in front by a file at about #cj paces distance4 ,the main guard will follow the point at a distance of from #ej to #ajj paces1 according to the light2 it also should march on the sides of the road4 ,if there is a main body it will follow the main guard at about double the distance which is kept between the latter and the point4 ,communication between the point and the main guard1 and between the main guard and the main body1 will be kept by means of connecting files1 within clear view of each other4 ,a company marching alone on a road should move in the same formation as when forming an advanced guard1 but will also cover its rear with a few scouts4 ,night ,advances and ,night ,attacks4 ,the formations adopted in night advances and night attacks will vary with the ground1 the nature of the operation1 and the activity of the enemy2 it is1 therefore1 necessary to train the company to move at night in all possible formations1 both in double and single rank4 ,the men should be constantly practised in forming company1 platoon1 and sections in single rank to either flank1 when moving in file or single file4 ,in a close country like ,england it is constantly necessary to move in fours or file1 and it is essential that the company should be able to form up with rapidity and precision4 ,when moving in line in double rank it is advisable that a distance of about five paces should be kept between ranks1 otherwise if a front rank man stumbles his rear rank man will fall over him4 ,when a company is acting alone1 even in open country1 it is best to keep it fairly well concentrated until the position of deployment is reached1 and in a close country1 where fences have to be passed at intervals1 it is generally necessary to move in fours or file4 ,the following formation has proved to be handy1 and1 if the men have been well trained1 they will have no difficulty in forming up rapidly on the darkest night4 ,two platoons1 each in single file1 advance side by side1 followed at about #bj paces distance by the other two platoons in the same formation4 ,in the event of alarm1 the platoons form up on the right and left respectively1 and the company then stands in column of half companies in single rank at about #fj paces distance4 ,whatever formation is used1 the front1 flanks and rear must be covered by scouts1 whose distance away will vary with the light4 ,protection in rear is very important1 yet is often neglected4 ,i have on more than one occasion seen a night operation completely disorganised by a bold attack delivered against the rear of the column by a party of the enemy1 who1 in the absence of scouts1 had approached unnoticed4 ,the ,field ,service ,regulations direct that before the position of assembly is quitted the orders are to be clearly explained to all ranks1 so that everyone may know3 #a4 ,the object in view and the direction of the objective4 #b4 ,the formation to be adopted at the position of deployment4 #c4 ,the part he has to play4 #d4 ,his action in case the enemy is not surprised2 also that the warnings against firing1 talking1 striking matches1 smoking1 etc41 are to be repeated two or three times4 ,in training a company the prohibitions here alluded to will1 of course1 be most rigidly enforced at all times4 ,it must always be remembered that as men are trained in peace so will they act in war1 and the officer who1 from carelessness or good nature1 allows his men to disregard these obvious precautions may inculcate habits of slackness calculated to have most serious results on service4 ,the situation of the position of deployment will depend on the strength of the attacking force1 and the alertness of the enemy2 the smaller the force the nearer to the enemy's position will this point be fixed4 ,a company can usually get within #cjj yards of the enemy's posts without difficulty4 ,the ,regulations advocate that when the position of deployment is reached the force should be formed in three lines1 but with a company it is rarely advisable to have more than two4 ,the company may be formed with two platoons in each line1 or with three in the front line and one in the second1 according to the extent of the position to be attacked2 the front line1 at any rate1 should be in single rank4 ,when deciding on the formation officers should remember that no more men should be put into the front line than are necessary for the object in view1 and that the maintenance of a reserve to meet eventualities is of paramount importance4 ,guiding ,troops ,across ,country at ,night4 ,instructions governing the guidance of troops at night in open country are to be found in the ,field ,service ,regulations1 and in the ,manual of ,map ,reading and ,field ,sketching4 ,on a very dark night a modification of the system described in section #ga of the latter book may be employed with advantage4 ,half a dozen assistants1 with luminous discs1 both on their chests and backs1 are provided1 and1 when the guide has determined on the line1 these assistants are placed on it facing towards the guide and covering each other4 ,as the force advances each assistant in turn moves to the far end of the line and covers again on the others4 ,with well-trained assistants a rate of advance of about half to three-quarters of a mile per hour may be counted on4 ,in enclosed country if the fences run parallel to the line of advance they are a great help to the guide1 otherwise they increase his difficulties4 ,fences1 as a rule1 must be passed at gateways or gaps1 and this necessitates moving in a zig-zag direction4 ,on a starlight night the following method has been used with success4 ,a star to march on having been chosen1 the company is halted1 and an officer1 with a couple of scouts1 each provided with a pocket electric lamp1 are sent on to find the best point of passage in the fence2 when this point is found an electric light is shown1 and the company marches on it4 ,in broken ground it may sometimes be necessary to post one of the scouts with a light as an intermediate point4 ,if the lamps are carefully handled there is but little risk of their being observed from the front4 ,provided that a suitable star is visible1 the direction can be maintained without difficulty4 ,if there are no stars1 and the fences do not run parallel1 the only means of guiding a column is as follows3-- ,the company is halted while the guide moves on to the next fence by the method previously described for open country4 ,on reaching the fence one assistant is posted to mark the spot1 while the guide and the others search for the best point of passage4 ,the company is then brought up to the selected spot1 passed through the fence1 and again halted4 ,the guide then returns to the point at which the assistant was left1 and from it lays out his line to the next fence4 ,this is1 of course1 a very slow method1 but it gives accurate results4 ,special care must be taken to see that the company is protected by scouts during the whole operation4 ,the ,assault4 ,if1 after the position of deployment has been reached1 the enemy opens fire1 the company must continue its advance until near enough to charge2 under no circumstances must the fire be replied to4 ,when the actual assault takes place the second line--and the third line1 if there is one--will be halted to await developments2 should their assistance be required they will act in prolongation of the first line1 and strive to envelop the enemy4 ,if a force is formed in two lines only the commander must beware of allowing the second line to be drawn into the fight1 unless it is absolutely necessary4 ,the retention of some portion of the force intact and ready for instant action is quite as important at night as in the daytime4 ,the commander himself must remain with his reserve4 ,should the assault succeed1 no attempt to pursue is to be permitted2 the reserve must be at once disposed to meet the counter-attack1 and the remainder reformed under its protection4 ,whether the attackers should cheer at the moment of the assault or not is a moot question4 ,the arguments in favour of it are3-- #a4 ,it encourages your own men4 #b4 ,it discourages the enemy4 #c4 ,it notifies the assault to neighbouring columns4 ,against it3-- #a4 ,it gives warning to the enemy4 #b4 ,it gives an indication of the strength of the attacking force4 ,personally1 ,i am in favour of training men to deliver the assault at night in silence1 for the following reason3 ,sudden outbursts of fire without any due cause occasionally occur in all armies1 when the outposts are near those of the enemy1 and it is quite possible that the enemy's supports and reserves will not move until they have obtained information of what is happening4 ,if1 however1 the assault is delivered with cheers they can be in no doubt as to what has occurred1 and will1 therefore1 act at once4 ,,training ,,for ,,defensive ,,action4 ,outposts4 ,the first brunt of a night attack necessarily falls on the outposts1 and unless they receive timely warning they will undoubtedly be overwhelmed2 it is1 therefore1 a matter of supreme importance that the training in outpost duty should be thoroughly carried out4 ,in our ,army outpost duty was for many years almost entirely neglected1 and even now it is not treated with sufficient seriousness4 ,at manuvres1 and at field operations lasting more than one day1 an armistice is often declared at night1 and it is but rarely that the infantry are practised in outpost duty under service conditions4 ,it is true that this duty1 if strictly performed is extremely harassing1 but in view of its importance it is1 ,i think1 unwise to allow any opportunity of gaining experience to pass4 ,in carrying out the training of a company in outpost duty the strictest discipline should always be maintained1 no irregularity1 however trifling1 should ever be passed over1 and all duties carried out with great care and thoroughness4 ,with the weak companies which we often have it is sometimes difficult to find sufficient men for the complete service of outposts1 and when this is so the position of piquets1 and even of groups1 may be marked with flags4 ,the one service which should never be dispensed with is that of the reconnoitring patrols4 ,it should be impressed upon all that the protection afforded by groups and piquets1 unless supplemented by a regular system of reconnoitring patrols1 is altogether inadequate1 and every commander should invariably satisfy himself that the proportion of men told off for patrol duty is sufficient to carry out the work properly4 ,position of ,piquets at ,night4 ,unless a piquet is protected by obstacles1 its best means of defence at night lies in a resolute counter-attack1 and to carry out this a clear space is necessary4 ,the ,regulations lay down that the first duty of outposts is to strengthen their position as much as possible1 and in open country the usual course followed is to entrench the groups and piquets4 ,now a shelter trench affords fair protection in the day time and may be useful at night if the ground immediately in front of it is illuminated by searchlights1 but in the dark it loses a great deal of its value1 and it is obviously a very bad place to receive a bayonet charge in4 ,for this reason it is better at night to withdraw the piquets about #cj yards behind the trench2 this latter will then form an obstacle likely to break the ranks of an assaulting enemy1 and the defenders will have room for the counter-charge4 ,readiness for ,action4 ,it cannot be too strongly insisted on that piquets must always be ready for action4 ,the men should sleep with their rifles beside them1 in the positions they will occupy in the ranks1 and must not be allowed to cover their ears when lying down4 ,either the commander1 or the next in command1 together with a proportion of the piquet1 must always remain awake1 and when the commander lies down he should do so close to the sentry over the piquet4 ,this readiness for action is often neglected2 it is1 of course1 necessary that officers and men on outpost duty should sleep1 but arrangements must be made to ensure that some of the piquet are always alert4 ,at manuvres ,i have often seen an entire piquet peacefully asleep1 trusting to the protection afforded by one or two groups #bjj or #cjj yards away1 and the single sentry over the piquet4 ,any one who has had experience of the heavy sleep which overtakes tired men will know the difficulty there would be in quickly rousing a piquet under these circumstances4 ,i remember on one occasion witnessing a night attack on a piquet by a company of the enemy1 which charged1 with loud cheers1 yet some minutes after the assault had been delivered1 two or three members of the piquet were found to be still fast asleep1 with their heads enveloped in their blankets4 ,cover for ,groups4 ,when groups are posted in front of a piquet in open country1 they should always have cover in rear to protect them from the fire of their comrades4 ,groups will remain out with much greater confidence if they feel that they are safe from the fire of their own side4 ,marking of ,route to and from ,piquets4 ,the route from the support to its piquets1 and from the piquets to their groups1 should always be clearly marked2 scraps of paper1 or even green sticks1 with the bark peeled off1 may be used4 ,sentries ,challenging4 ,the ,regulations provide that sentries shall challenge at night1 but it is desirable to avoid any noise likely to disclose their position4 ,it is easy to arrange a system of signals by which patrols1 etc41 can be recognised4 ,the signal should be made by the sentry first and replied to by the patrol1 but it must be an invariable rule that after the signal has been made one man1 and one only1 of the patrol shall advance up to the sentry to be recognised4 ,if the signal is not replied to1 the sentry will challenge1 but in no louder tone than is absolutely necessary4 ,sentries ,firing4 ,sentries must be taught always to allow persons to approach fairly near to them before challenging1 and never to fire1 except when it is absolutely necessary to give an alarm1 unless they can clearly distinguish the object they fire at and can be fairly certain of hitting it4 ,every officer who has been on service knows well that at the commencement of a campaign sentries are continually firing at nothing1 but as they gain experience shots at night become rare2 it is really a question of training1 and the training should be given during peace4 ,in the ,french ,army serving in ,algeria there is a rule that any sentry who fires at night must produce a corpse1 or1 at any rate1 be able to show by blood marks that he has hit the person he fired at1 failing this the sentry is dealt with for giving a false alarm4 ,this is an excellent rule1 for unnecessary firing causes a great deal of fatigue and annoyance to the troops on outpost duty4 ,action of ,outposts in a ,night ,attack4 ,if due warning of the enemy's advance is received and searchlights are not available1 the groups should be withdrawn1 and the enemy allowed to approach without any indication that the defenders are aware of his movement being given4 ,when he gets within #cj yards1 or on dark nights even less1 he should be received with one round from every rifle1 followed immediately by a bayonet charge4 ,the round should be fired by word of command1 like the old volley1 and great pains must be taken to impress upon the men the necessity of aiming low4 ,in the dark the natural tendency is to fire high1 and the men must be trained to overcome it4 ,firing from the hip has been suggested as being likely to bring down the line of fire1 but ,i have never seen it tried at night1 and experiments conducted in daylight have not proved it to have any effect in that direction4 ,if adjoining bodies of the outposts are able to deliver an attack simultaneously against both the front and flanks of the enemy1 it will probably be successful1 as troops are quite as sensitive to flank attacks at night as in the day4 ,in defence1 as in attack1 it is imperative that a portion of the force should be held in reserve as long as possible4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,miscellaneous4 ,training and ,employment of ,scouts4 ,the selection and training of ,scouts for work in the dark cannot be too seriously undertaken1 since the success or failure of a night operation depends in a great measure on their efficiency4 ,they must be men of good constitution1 active1 able to bear great fatigue1 and to sleep at any hour of the day or night2 they must also have acute powers of vision and hearing1 be able to make a rough map1 to find their way by the compass and the stars1 and be absolutely without 8nerves40 ,they should be thoroughly well acquainted with the appearance of the moon in all its phases1 and have a knowledge of the rate of its movement1 so that they can at any time form an estimate of the time the moonlight will last4 ,they must be capable of moving across country in line with considerable intervals between them1 and of consistently maintaining the direction of their line of advance4 ,each scout should carry a luminous compass and a piece of card1 covered with luminous paint1 for use under a tracing of the map4 ,if possible1 they should be supplied with rubber soles to their boots or1 at any rate1 the heel pads1 which are to be found in most shops4 ,no scout can be considered efficient if he cannot pass through any ordinary outpost line at night whenever he pleases2 if he is really well trained1 nothing short of a continuous chain of sentries can keep him out4 ,this power of traversing the lines at will affords great opportunities not only of obtaining information1 but also of harassing the enemy's outposts4 ,two or three small parties of well-trained men can keep a whole section of an outpost line in such a state of nervous tension that sleep will be impossible1 and the resulting fatigue will greatly diminish the efficiency of the troops composing it during the next day4 ,in night attacks selected men should be employed to surprise and disable the sentry groups on the line of advance4 ,they should attack the groups from the rear1 and the best weapon for them to use is an ordinary life preserver1 well weighted and covered with rubber1 or a small leather bag filled with sand and securely fastened to the end of a short stick4 ,a blow on the side of the head from either of these makes very little noise1 and1 as the injury caused by them is not necessarily fatal1 they can be used with less compunction against an unsuspecting man than more lethal weapons4 ,in addition to disposing of the groups1 scouts should be detailed to creep close up to the enemy's piquets and supports1 and to remain there ready to throw hand grenades among them when the attack develops4 ,suitable men soon become keenly interested in their work1 for the sporting chances offered by night operations have an undoubted fascination for adventurous spirits4 ,searchlights in ,attack and in ,defence4 ,even in open ground it is rarely possible to arrange searchlights so as to illuminate the whole of the area covered by their beams since small irregularities in the surface of the ground produce patches of shadow4 ,when fixed lights are exposed the attackers must endeavour to utilise these dark patches when crossing the zone of light2 if travelling beams are used they must lie down before the light reaches them and remain perfectly still till it has passed4 ,unless their clothing affords a marked contrast to the colour of the ground it is difficult to detect troops if only they remain motionless4 ,should the enemy's artillery open fire on the area covered by the light1 the attacking column must continue to advance1 and if necessary assume more open formations4 ,the guns will probably have been laid by daylight1 and it is not easy to make accurate alterations in the dark1 consequently the quicker the attackers advance the less loss they are likely to suffer4 ,in the defence1 if searchlights are provided1 the officers on outpost duty must endeavour to ascertain what portions of the ground in their front the beams do not light up1 and take special measures to watch them4 ,flares1 etc4 ,when piquets are protected by obstacles an arrangement of flares for lighting the ground in their immediate front is often useful4 ,empty barrels1 with both ends knocked out1 are stuffed with straw1 rags1 or even paper1 which has been saturated with paraffin or covered with tar2 they should be placed about #ej yards in front of1 and a little to the side of1 the piquet1 and if a bold man is available to wait till the enemy is close up before lighting them1 they will prove of great assistance4 ,i have seen short sticks1 with rags dipped in paraffin1 tied round one end1 used with effect2 when set on fire they can be thrown #be or #cj yards1 and are hard to extinguish1 but there is always a risk of the enemy throwing them back again4 ,hand ,grenades4 ,these ancient weapons1 having been improved1 are likely to be largely used in future1 and would be specially suitable to issue to scouts4 ,a well-trained scout would have no difficulty in getting close up to hostile piquets1 and the sudden explosion of a hand grenade could not fail to have considerable moral effect even if it did little material damage4 ,against columns advancing to make a night attack they would also be very useful weapons4 ,the confusion which is caused among troops at night manuvres by the explosion in their ranks of a few ordinary crackers is strong evidence of the advantage to be gained from the use of hand grenades at a critical moment4 ,luminous ,discs4 ,luminous discs are required to mark the directing flank of companies2 they should be made of thin board1 coated on both sides with luminous paint1 and mounted on a pole about #e feet long4 ,in shape they may be either round or square1 but it is useful to have one of a special pattern to mark the directing guide4 ,they may be from #ab inches to #ae inches in diameter4 ,pocket ,electric ,lamps4 ,the pocket lamps used by many officers for reading maps at night answer well as points to march on4 ,they should be provided with a cardboard hood extending about three inches beyond the bulb1 to check the lateral spread of the rays4 ,connecting ,ropes4 ,if ropes or tapes 7entrenching tapes do well7 are used for keeping connection1 they must be held up by men placed at intervals of three or four yards4 ,unless this is done the rope is sure to catch in bushes or stones1 and will probably break4 ,passing ,fences4 ,when possible a gateway will be used for the passage of the troops1 and if the gate cannot be taken off its hinges a man should be detailed to hold it open till the column has passed2 if no gateway exists a gap must be made4 ,to make a gap in a hedge1 choose a weak place1 and cut away the wood with saws or knives2 axes and billhooks should not be used1 as the sound made by them can be heard a long way4 ,walls1 if built of loose stones1 must be carefully pulled down and the stones piled up at the sides of the gap2 if the stones are laid in mortar the wall must be climbed4 ,wire fences should have a length of wire between two posts cut right out and removed2 the cuts should be made about two feet from the posts1 and the ends of the wires twisted back round the posts4 ,before cutting a taut wire see that it is firmly grasped on both sides of the point where the cut is made1 otherwise the wire when cut will spring back with a loud1 ringing noise4 ,as sound travels a long way up a wire fence1 great care must be taken to avoid jarring the wires4 ,entrenching by ,night4 ,if trenches which have been dug at night are examined in daylight1 it will often be found that owing to the faulty shape of the parapet a good deal of ground close in front of the trench is dead4 ,to obviate this it is advisable to place white objects or electric lamps about #cj yards in front of the trenches1 in order that the men1 when finishing off the parapet1 may so shape it that when firing over it the line of sight will cut the ground at that point4 ,it must also be remembered that in the dark men instinctively fire straight to the front1 i4e41 at right angles to the parapet1 consequently if it is desired to bring fire to bear in an oblique direction some means of marking the required direction are necessary4 ,wire ,entanglements4 ,in making wire entanglements for the defence of posts any attempt at neatness or regularity is to be avoided2 the stakes should be unevenly spaced1 and the wire left rather slack with occasional loose loops in it4 ,an entanglement made in this way is harder to pass and to cut than one of the regulation pattern4 ,halts at ,night4 ,unless a halt is to last at least an hour1 its duration should not exceed five minutes1 otherwise some men will certainly fall asleep1 and the operation of waking them causes noise and delay4 ,if a march is to last all night1 a halt for a couple of hours1 to allow the troops to sleep1 is of great benefit1 and will diminish but little the total distance covered4 ,recognition of ,friends at ,night4 ,in repelling a night attack the defenders are always embarrassed by the difficulty of distinguishing between friend and foe1 and a previously arranged code of signals is essential if collision between bodies of our own troops are to be prevented4 ,the ,russians for this purpose adopted the practice of chanting their ,national ,anthem1 and1 although the tune of 8,god save the ,king0 may perhaps be too well known to be safely used1 it would be easy to select some simple ,english song which could not be sung by our enemies4 ,knowledge of the ,moon and ,stars4 ,an elementary knowledge of the names and positions of the principal constellations and stars is very useful in night work1 as without such knowledge there will often be difficulty in pointing out the particular star chosen for the column to march on1 and any mistake may have serious consequences4 ,the ,manual of ,map ,reading and ,field ,sketching states that the lateral movement of a star will not exceed #e in #bj minutes1 and that it is safe to march for about a quarter of an hour on the same star4 ,if neither the tables given in ,appendix ,,iii4 of the ,field ,service ,pocket ,book1 nor an ,almanac are available1 it will be impossible for the ordinary man to calculate accurately the times of the rising and setting of the moon1 but a rough knowledge of its phases enables us to estimate approximately the duration of moonlight4 ,when the new moon is first seen it rises in the morning and sets soon after sunset1 but as its hours of rising and setting become later each day1 by the time it reaches its first quarter the moonlight lasts from sunset to about midnight1 and at full moon all night4 ,when the moon begins to wane1 and its hour of rising becomes later than the hour of sunset1 there is a daily increasing period of darkness between sunset and moon-rise4 ,consequently1 when the moon is growing1 moonlight may be expected in the early hours of the night1 but after the last quarter not till after midnight4 ,the number of well educated persons who cannot distinguish between the moon when in the first and last quarter is astonishing1 but ,i have found the old plan of taking a biscuit to represent the moon1 and biting pieces out of it to show the different phases1 a simple means of explaining the matter to recruits4 ,they soon realise that if1 as you look at the biscuit or the moon1 a piece is wanting on the left side1 the moon is growing2 if on the right side1 it is waning4 ,constant ,practice the only ,means of ,acquiring ,knowledge4 ,the old proverb1 that an ounce of practice is worth a ton of theory1 is specially true of night operations2 neither intuition nor books can ever replace actual experience4 ,the accidents that may1 and do1 happen are so numerous1 and the consequences of trivial mistakes so far-reaching1 that unless they have been seen they cannot be realised4 ,the only means of gaining knowledge is to constantly practise ,night ,operations on all sorts of ground1 and in all sorts of weather4 ,my own experience of night work1 both on service and in peace1 is probably above the average1 but ,i do not believe that ,i have ever returned from any night operation without feeling that ,i had acquired some fresh item of knowledge4 ,conclusion4 ,in conclusion1 ,i wish again to lay stress on the fact that although in planning any night operation it is necessary to proceed with the greatest caution1 yet1 when once the undertaking has been commenced1 it must be carried through with the sternest resolution4 ,in the dark the boldest course is generally the best1 and every moment of hesitation diminishes the chances of success4 ,to the junior ranks of the ,army night fighting affords chances of gaining distinction which cannot occur in daylight1 but these chances are fleeting ones1 and must be seized the moment they occur4 ,the secret of success lies in acting boldly and in acting promptly1 and young officers1 when engaged in night operations1 will do well to adopt the motto attributed to the great leader of the ,french ,revolution1 ,danton3-- ,de l'audace1 encore de l'audace1 toujours de l'audace4 ,transcriber's ,note ,occurrences of inconsistent hyphenation have not been changed4