Section Battle Drills
1. Battle Preparation.
2. Reaction to Effective Enemy Fire.
3. Locating the Enemy.
4. Suppressing the enemy.
5. The Attack.
6. Regroup.
Battle Preparation
Can be remembered by the acronym PAWPERSO
Protection
Ammunition
Weapons
Personal Camouflage
Equipment
Radios
Specialist equipment
Orders
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Battle Preparation
a. Personal camouflage.
b. Prepare weapons, sights at 300.
c. Check and distribute ammunition.
The section commander will number off cadets before giving them their orders, to include the following.
GROUND:- Description and reference points if possible.
SITUATION:-
(1) Enemy Forces.
(2) Friendly Forces. Details of Platoon formation and tasks.
MISSION:- The section mission.
EXECUTION:-
(1) Route, if applicable.
(2) Section formation.
SERVICE SUPPORT:- Any information from the platoon commanders orders.
COMMAND AND SIGNAL:- Any information from the platoon commanders orders.
Reference Points and Anticipatory Orders
Whilst advancing the commander will continue to give new reference points, in addition to this give positions where the section can take cover if they come under effective enemy fire.
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Reaction to Effective Enemy Fire
The initial drill, remembered by the acronym RTR, is:
RETURN FIRE
TAKE COVER
RETURN APPROPRIATE FIRE
The section commander will decide when the enemy fire is effective and give the order “TAKE COVER”. On receiving this order each cadet will carry out the following drill.
RETURN FIRE:- Fire 2 rounds in the direction of the enemy fire.
DASH:- No more than 15 metres unless directed by the section commander.
DOWN:- Into cover.
CRAWL:- Preferably to the flank.
OBSERVE:- Look for any signs of the enemy.
SIGHTS:- If enemy are seen estimate the range and set sights.
FIRE:- After setting sights fire on the enemy.
NOTE:-All members of the section must be busy doing one of the following, observing, firing if the enemy are seen, moving to a new position of observation or moving to a new fire position.
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Locating the Enemy
The following methods are used to locate the enemy.
OBSERVATION:- Look in the area where the fire is coming from, searching for any sign of the enemy.( try for 30 seconds)
FIRE:- The section commander will give fire orders to two cadets to fire onto, the rest of the section will observe for enemy fire being returned.
MOVEMENT:- A very unpopular method, two cadets are ordered to get up and run for about 10 metres in the hope that the enemy fire on them, the rest of the section observe for enemy fire.
TARGET INDICATION:- Once the enemy has been seen by one or more of the section, a target indication must be given to the rest of the section before proceeding to the next battle drill.
Suppressing the Enemy
The initial fire control order will be given by the section commander. He or she will then hand the responsibility over to the 2i/c. The 2i/c will ensure there is sufficient fire power onto the enemy to suppress their fire. Whilst the 2i/c is controlling the fire the section commander is making his or her Battle Appreciation using the ground to their advantage.
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The Attack
THREE PHASE ATTACK
Phase 1:- Under the direction of the section commander the DELTA Fire team will move to a new location to give covering fire for the assault phase. The CHARLIE Fire team will give covering fire.
Phase 2:-The section commander will lead the CHARLIE Fire team to the F.U.P. the DELTA Fire team will give covering fire.
Phase 3:-The CHARLIE Fire team, in pairs, will fight through and beyond the objective using F & M. The DELTA Fire team will give covering fire, controlled by 2i/c.
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Regroup
After fighting through the objective the section commander must swiftly regain control of the section.
The section commander is to:-
(1) Swing back on to the axis.
(2) Allocate arcs to each cadet.
(3) Detail and post sentries
(4) Check on casualties and ammunition.
(5) Arrange for redistribution of ammunition
(6) Supervise digging of shell scrapes
(7) Dispatch prisoners and equipment to the rear
(8) Report to platoon commander for further orders
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