Transport-Infantry Drill.
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As Adopted in the M.T. Column of the City of London National Guard.
This drill is the outcome of various experiments and tests, with the H. T. Column of the City of London National Guard, which have been. made at Brighton, Chingford, Ongar, Elsenham Park, Asittead Common, Trafalgar Square, the Tower or London., and elsewhere. The drill has been, submitted to a number of A.S.C. and infantry officers who occupy high commands at the War Office and in several home districts. Their views have been embodied. It is hoped by the Editor that the drill will be perused With interest by all officers of His Majesty's Forces under whose notice it may come.
Approaching the Lorries.
The 0.0. troops will ascertain from the NIT. officer in charge of the convoy the capacity of each lorry on parade, in the order in which they stand (column or line), and will, if the capacities do not coincide with the platoons or sections, proceed to divide the troops into "lorry sections," appointing leaders to the respective "lorry sections," telling off and proving by "lorry sections."
March the troops in column of route towards the lorries, with convoy on a flank, and when the head of the column is at a point which will allow each of the " lorry sections " to approach its respective lorry by a single individual wheeling movement, the 0.0. troops will give the command (or one blast on whistle)— " By sections, to the lorries, left (or right) wheel."
Each " lorry-section " leader will thereafter give his command to "Wheel" at the right instant (the sections to the rear of the column will usually have to " Wheel" before those at the front), and will lead his "lorry section" directly behind the tailboard of the lorry allotted to that section; he will give the further commands, with the head of his "lorry section" two paces from the tailboard, if facing towards front of convoy, or close to the bonnet of the next lorry in rear if, when the convoy is in column, the "lorry section " is facing towards rear of convoy :— " Mark time."
"Rear fours, corer." " Halt.'
" About turn" (if necessary to face tailboard). " Order arms" (if troops are armed). "Stand at ease."
Instructions for Mounting.
When all the "lorry sections" are standing at ease behind their respective lorries, the 0.0. troops will give the command (or one blast on whistle)—
" Sections,
If the troops are armed, the 0.0. will give the further order (or two blasts on whistle)-
"Sections, pass arms,"
whereupon the flank inerr will pass their rifles smartly to the inner men, thus leaving the flank men of each four free to mount.
The 0.0. troops will then give the command (three blasts on whistle)
" Sections, mount," whereupon each "lorry-section " leader will see that the flank men of the first four behind each tailboard get in, turn round when in the lorry, and receive the four rifles. The remainder will stand fast. When the flank men are on the platform and have received the four rifles, they will immediately step 'smartly to the forward end of the lorry, followed by their inside men, to whom they will at once return rifles. Each insidel.man, of each succeeding'.four must retake his own rifle at once, on rejoining his flank man.
Each " lorry-section " leader will then use his own A4.4, discretion, to the end that no time shall be lost, in giving the separate commands :—
"Second four," "Next lour," Et sequenter,
until the whole are mounted, so that each four steps up to the tailboard as the inside men of the preceding four get in. The "lorry-section " leader is responsible with the driver of the lorry for lifting the tailboard and securing it.
NOTE. —It is important, from the point of view of symmetry and precision of movement, that succeeding fours in each 'lorry section" stand fast until the inside men of the four in front are mounting, i.e., until in the judgment of the " lorry-section" leader the proper time has come to give the command "Next four." Each four will move up as a four to the tailboard, before the flank men break.
If seats are provided in the lorries, the 0.0. troops, when all the sections have got in, will give the command (or one long blast on whistle)—
" Sit down."
Officers and Noncoms.
Company officers will travel by motorcar. The sergeant-major will travel on the front seat of No. 1 lorry ; the quartermaster-sergeant will travel on the front seat of No. 2 lorry ; platoon sergeants will travel on front seats of Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6 lorries ; section commanders (" lorry-section" leaders for the purposes of this infantry-transport) will travel with their "lorry sections," in the respective lorries ; the drummers will travel in one of the lorries which convey their respective platoons.
NOTE. —If there is a seat available, after the above dispositions, alongside the driver of any lorry, the "lorry-section " leader in that .vehicle may travel there. The reserve driver of each lorry must travel alongside the driver.
Instructions for Dismounting.
Dismounting is effected generally in the reverse order, the "lorry Section " re-forming. in fours, on the ground, with backs to tailboard. If it is necessary to "about turn," this is to be done as a section.
The 0.0. troops will give the following commands :—
" Sections, 'shun" (or one blast on whistle),
whereupon the men in each lorry will spring to attention, form as nearly as possible their original fours in the lorry, facing the tailboard, with the rearmost four a full pace from the tailboard. The section commander and the driver of the lorry are responsible for having the tailboard down in time.
" Sections, pass arms" (or two blasts on whistle).
"Sections, dismount" (or three blasts on whistle), whereupon the leader of each "lorry section " will supervise the dismounting, two men. only at a time. "Lorry-sect-ion •"• leaders must take particular care that not more-than two men come together at the tailboard, as this leads.to crowding 'and the risk of accidents in dismounting. No complete four must at
any time be nearer than one pace in the lorry from the tailboard.
On the command .(as above) "Sections dismount," the flank men of the rear four will get out ; a vaulting motion should be adopted, in order to reduce shock, and they must not jump vertically: When on the. ground, they will immediately face the tailboard, receive the four rifles, about turn, and take three paces from back of lorry, to the flank positions of their four, .and halt backs to tailboard.',e The inside men, immediately the flank men of their four have jumped down, will follow them,, complete the four, and re-take their rifles. The four will then march forward the necessary number of paces, holding rifles at the short trail,and will halt on .the command of
the lorry-section ". leader, :dress by "the left, and stahd at ease. . . .
Succeeding fours will dismount similarly, two men at a time. Each " lorry-section " leader will then use his own discretion, to the end that no time shall be lost, in giving the separate: cOminands " Second four," "Next four," • Et sequenter, until the whole section has got out, two at a time, flank men of each four first, and re-formed.
NesrE.—It is important, from the point of view of symmetry and precision of movement, that succeeding fours in each 'lorry section " should stand fast on the lorry platform until the four in front has got out, Le., until in the judgment of the "lorrysection " leader the proper time has come to give the command "Next four." As each succeeding four is re-formed on the ground, backs to tailboard, it
should go forward of its own accord, halting at its properidistance behind the four in front of it, dress bifthes left, and stand at ease. Failing contrary orders from the 0.0. troops, each " lorry-section" leader will " about. turn" his men as a section, when all are dismounted, and again stand them at easer•ficing the tailboard.
Marching OH.
When all the "lorry sections" have dismounted, the 0.0. troops will give tile necessary commands to re-form the men in column of route, such as "1e-form column of route "—" Sections— left (or right) whee 1 (or incline) "—" Step short in front "—" Close on leading section." .
The 0.0. troops will then re-post his " lorrysection ". leaders to their usual stations. • General Observations.
The essence of the above drill is that troops who have to travel by motor-lorry convoy -should be taken up, conveyed, put down and re-formed strictly in the same order, thus saving time, and adding very greatly to the precision of the movement.
The above method avoids the necessity for the men to fall in again by platoons after dismounting, a course which involves an appearance of disorder, especially when done on. the large scale, apart from the fact that more ground is wanted. It will be observed that this transport-lorry drill can be executed in an ordinary roadway of not more than 15 ft. in width, with the lorries halted in column.
The 0.0. troops can speed up tie orders, and cut out intervals of time, according to urgency.