Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 16, 1 August - 3 September 1917, Part 11

ORDER OF EVENTS AT BATTERY POSITIONS.
1. See 'D' Battery.
2. Move to Group Headquarters (7 b 20)
3. Move to 'C' Battery.
4. All Batteries will fire (see para 4 (a) of
Description of Demonstration)
 

5. Proceed to LEFT (SOUTHERN) end of 'D' Battery's second
position and view the move of the Battery.
6. Proceed to Hotel for Tea. 
G. Lindsay.
Lieut-Colonel.
Chief Instructor.
Machine Gun Branch
G.H.Q., Small Arms School.
18th August, 1917.
 

ORDER OF EVENTS ON THE BEACH.
1. S.O.S. Barrage Fired.
2. S.O.S. Barrage pegged out.
3. BOX Barrage Fired.
4. Concentration Fired.
5. (a) S.O.S. line inspected.
(b) Sides of BOX, and Concentration
pegged out.
6. Sides of BOX, and Concentration inspected.
7. SWITCH by request.
NOTE:- Conducting officers will guide their parties
to inspect the S.O.S. line, vide para 5 (a)
above, by a route between the Flags marking
NORTH side of concentration area, and those
marking NORTH side of BOX.
G. Lindsay.
Chief Instructor.
Machine Gun Branch
G.H.Q., Small Arms School.
August 18th, 1917. 
 

G.H.Q., SMALL ARMS SCHOOL.
( Machine Gun Branch )
DEMONSTRATION of INDIRECT
FIRE carried out by THE STUDENTS
at the MACHINE GUN BRANCH of
the G. H. Q. SMALL ARMS SCHOOL.
August 1917.
Reference Map :- C A M I E R S  ¹/10,000
OBJECT OF DEMONSTRATION.
1. (a) . To illustrate the combined action of two Machine Gun
Companies assisting the Infantry in an attack.
(b). To illustrate :-
(i)  Method of Command of a  GROUP of several batteries.
(ii) System of communication between the GROUP COMMANDER
and his batteries.
(111) Method of Command of a BATTERY.
(iv) Method of Command of an individual GUN.
(v) Power of control of fire by GROUP, and BATTERY
Commanders.
(vi) The USE OF FIGHTING MAPS, FIRE ORGANIZATION ORDERS,
and FIRE CHARTS.

ORGANIZATION OF THE BARRAGE GUNS.
2. (a) The two companies, (32 guns), are formed in a GROUP,
under an Officer appointed as GROUP COMMANDER.
(b) This group is sub-divided into FOUR BATTERIES of EIGHT
guns each.
(c) Each BATTERY is under an officer appointed as BATTERY
COMMANDER.
(d) Each BATTERY consists of two SECTIONS, each under an
officer.
(e) Each Section consists of TWO Sub-sections, each under
a N.C.O.
(f) There is a GUN COMMANDER for each GUN.
(g) The BATTERIES are lettered from RIGHT to LEFT,
A. B. C. D.  D² represents the second Position
of D  Battery.
- 1 -
 

IDEA  ON WHICH DEMONSTRATION IS BASED.
3. (a) The English Channel is DRYLAND and represents the Country
in REAR of the enemy's entrenched system.
(b) The enemy Armies are occupying an entrenched position,
stretching indefinitely NORTH and SOUTH, approximately
along the coast line, as shown on the map.
(c) The british Army is occupying a similar position opposite
(EAST), of that occupied by the enemy.
(d) A General Attack against the enemy position on a front of
about 10 miles has been ordered.
Square 2 Central on the Camiers map represents approximately
the centre of this attack.
(e) That the Infantry covered by the Machine Gun GROUP mentioned
in para 2, are attacking from the VIOLET LINE on Map, and line
running NORTH and SOUTH through point 2. d. 5. c., against
the enemy position consisting of:-
(i) A front line trench, (RED line of Map),
running from 6 a 8 5 to 2 c 8 6.
(ii) A second line trench, (BLUE line of Map),
running from 6 a 1 5 to 2 c 1 6.
(iii) A third line trench, (GREEN line of Map),
running from 5 2 8 5 to 1 d 2 6.
(f) The Boundary line dividing the Infantry we are dealing
with from the troops attacking on its flanks are:-
(i) On the NORTH; an East and WEST line drawn
through 2. d. 0. 6.
(ii) On the SOUTH; and EAST and WEST line drawn
through 6 a 0 5.
NOTE. For the purpose of firing this frontage is
arbitrary owing to Range Regulations.
(g) That the Machine Gun Group mentioned in para.2
has orders to:-
(i) Assist the Infantry in its advance.
(ii) Protect it during and after Consolidation
of the final objective.
- 2 -
 

WORK WHICH WILL BE DEMONSTRATED.
4.  (a) VIEWED FROM BATTERY POSITIONS.
(i) THREE lifts of a CREEPING BARRAGE.
NOTE. In each lift guns will fire for 2 minutes
at the rate of 75 rounds per minute.
There will be a 1 minute cessation of Fire
between each lift.
(ii) A CONCENTRATION will be fired to illustrate
Control by GROUP and BATTERY COMMANDERS.
(iii) A BATTERY will MOVE FORWARD to a more
advanced Position.
NOTE. This is to illustrate the forward movement
of a Battery to a new position from which
it can more effectively Support or Protect
the Infantry.
(b) VIEWED FROM BEACH.
(i) An S.O.S. BARRAGE fired on to the Sand.
(ii) This S.O.S. BARRAGE converted into a
BOX BARRAGE.
(iii) A CONCENTRATION.
(iv) Fire CONCENTRATED on any point desired, by
telephoning an order from the Beach to the
GROUP COMMANDER.
NATURE OF TODAY'S DEMONSTRATION,  and WORK of STUDENTS.
5.  (a) The foregoing is purely a DEMONSTRATION and in no
wayna TACTICAL SCHEME.
(b) During the Course at the Machine Gun Branch the
Students, organised in Syndicates, are required
to work out for themselves a Complete Scheme for
employing Machine Guns to assist and protect Infantry
in an attack; a definite Tactical Scheme; and a
Table of Artillery Lifts and Infantry Advances, being
issued to them to work on.
- 3 -.
 

CLEARANCES.
6.  For the purpose of clearances the Friendly
Troops may be taken as advancing at the rate of 100 yds.
every 3 minutes.
ATTACHED.
7.  (a) CAMIERS MAP ¹/10,000 is attached.
(b) The other maps attached are :-
(i) W is the FIGHTING MAP of the GROUP COMMANDER.
(ii) 'D' is the FIGHTING MAP of the D BATTERY COMMANDER.
(iii) 'D²" is the FIGHTING MAP of the D BATTERY COMMANDER
in his second position.
(iv) X are the FIRE ORGANIZATION ORDERS of the GROUP
COMMANDER.
(v) Y, Y¹ , are the FIRE ORGANIZATION ORDERS of D
BATTERY COMMANDER. 
(vi) Z is the FIRE CHART of the GUN COMMANDER OF No. 1.
GUN of D BATTERY.
G Lindsay
Lieut-Colonel.
Chief Instructor,
Machine Gun Branch.
 

G.H.Q., SMALL ARMS SCHOOL.
(Machine Gun Branch).
FIRE ORGANIZATION ORDERS OF BARRAGE GROUP.
(i) Group Headquarters will be at 7 b 2 0.
(ii) "A" Battery. (Commander, Major Benns).
Composition. Nos. 1 and 2 Sections, 1st M.,G, Coy.
Location.     Area 3 & Central.
Task.  (a) Creeping Barrage.
(b) Take up S.O.S. line.

(iii) "B" Battery. (Commander, Major Matson).
Composition. Nos. 3 & 4 Sections. 1st M.G.Coy.
Location. 7 b 40 98.
Tasks.    (a) Creeping Barrage.
(b) Take up an S.O.S. line.
 

(iv) "C" Battery. (Commander, Major Eastham).
Composition.  Nos 1 & 2 Sections, 2nd M.G.Coy.
Location.        7 b 15 42
Tasks. (a) Creeping Barrage.
(b) Take up an S.O.S. line.
 

(v)  "D" Battery. (Commander, Major Windler).
Composition. Nos. 3 & 4 Sections, 2nd M.G.Coy.
Location. 7 d 55 25
Tasks. (a) Creeping Barrage.
(b) Move at plus 8 to 7 a 9 0 to take up S.O.S. line.

 

"D2" Battery.
On arrival of "D" Battery at 7 a 9 0 the S.O.S. line will be
1 C 2 1 to 5 a 2 5.
(vi) S.O.S. rate will be 250 rounds per minute for 10 minutes, then
25 rounds per minute for 20 minutes, or until the situation
clears.
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