The Rifle Squad/Section - What should it do and how should it be organized?

Norfolk

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German Infantry Doctrine

Special Series No.9: The German Squad in Combat

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This is a 1943 U.S. Army translation of the bulk of the WWII Deutcheheer's Infantrie Gruppe Manual (Rifle Squad/Section). Like the PLA Rifle Squad, the Heer's Infanterie Gruppe possessed one heavy automatic weapon (although the Panzergrenadier Gruppe possessed two rather than just one LMG). But unlike either the PLA or most other Armies, the German Army (until very recently) did not divide its Squad into Cells or Fire Teams; nor, unlike Western Armies, did it use Battle Drill. Instead, the tactical judgement and initiative of the Squad Leader was developed and left free so that he could lead and direct his squad in whatever way he saw fit within the limits of the mission the Platoon Commander gave him. The German Squad has never been surpassed for tactical effectiveness and efficiency in modern times. This is a basic, but nevertheless excellent work.

Compare this to present day Infantry Squads/Sections that adopted both the Fire Team and the Battle Drill concepts. Western Squads/Sections are the polar opposite of the German Gruppe, whereas the PLA Rifle Squad sits somewhere in between.

Edit. - a few more quick points:

Note that the Germans advanced/moved-to-contact in single file/squad column with the Suad Leader at the head of the column and the Machine Gunner next in line behind him, ready to lay suppressive fire down on the enemy in reaction to effective enemy fire and to win the firefight. The Assistant Squad Leader bring up the rear. The grenadier and the riflemen take cover and do not engage in the firefight unless order to do so by the SL or the enemy poses an imminent threat. For the assault, the SL takes advantage of any lull in enemy fire to move the entire squad, in extended line, firing on the move all the way, to the enemy position. Very bold and aggressive.
 
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Norfolk

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Here's a link to a set of animation frames that depict the Deutcheheer Infanterie Gruppe (German Army Rifle Squad) in the "Development" phase (Approach to the Enemy or Advance/Movement-to-Contact) right up to the moment before contact with the enemy:

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Note how the Group advances in Single File, led by the Group Leader with the Machine-Gunner next in line behind him. After the Machine Gunner and his assistant comes a Rifleman with a scoped rifle, and the rest of the Group armed with rifles, ending with the Assistant Group Leader. Both the Group Leader and the Assistant Group Leader are armed with sub-machine guns. The Grenadier is not conspicuous (using a Grenade-Launching Cup that is fixed to the muzzle of his rifle and launched by firing a special blank cartridge to a maximum indirect range of 150m). When warned of imminent contact with the enemy by a Reconnaissance Patrolman, the Group Leader has the entire Group form an extended line facing the expected enemy contact with the Machine Gun team closest to him. Fascinating animation.
 

Norfolk

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Zombie Thread...Awaken!:D

A few months ago, I stumbled across Lionel Wigram's
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; at the time, I considered it to be little more than an historical curiousity, featuring a very curious concept of Battle Drill. Recently, however, William F. Owen drew my attention back to it, and now I look upon it from a different perspective, and realize that there is much to be learned from Wigram's letter. Here, edited for easier reading (but without removing any content), is Wigram's letter, a classic document of observations and recommendations for Infantry Squad, Section, and Platoon Organization and Tactics:

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For those of you interested in Minor-Unit Infantry Tactics, this is considered a classic document, and is therefore necessary reading. What's even more astonishing is that Wigram's recommendations are quite valid today, and indeed represent quite an advance over much of what is practiced even now, over 60 years later; William F. Owen just wrote an article on Wigram that appeared last month in British Army Review. Although BAR itself is restricted access, the original document that Owen reviewed is presented here, without restriction. Enjoy!:coffee:
 
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