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Infantry training, 1905 — Reading Companion
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Project Gutenberg
2024
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Great Britain. Army -- Infantry -- Drill and tactics
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60,992
Reading time
266 min
Text sections
17
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This 1905 War Office manual details recruit training, squad drill, skirmishing, and company tactics for the British infantry, with precise instructions on formations, fire effect, and the use of reserves.
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[_All Rights Reserved._]
PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE, BY HARRISON AND SONS, ST MARTIN’S LANE, PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HIS MAJESTY.
And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from WYMAN AND SONS, LTD., FETTER LANE, E.C., or OLIVER AND BOYD, EDINBURGH; or E. PONSONBY, 116, GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN.
(Wt. w 27691 150,000 2 | 05--H & S 5749)
This Manual is issued by order of the Army Council, for the guidance of all concerned.
_Secretary, Army Council_.
WAR OFFICE, 1st February, 1905.
Part IV., S. 163 (1), line 2, _for_ “defence” _read_ “attack.”
As A.F.B 214 need not in future be kept up, Part V., S. 181 (6), _Returns_ is cancelled.
TRAINING OF THE RECRUIT.
1. Preliminary remarks 21
2. Syllabus of training 21
3. Method of instruction of the recruit 29
4. Words of command 30
SQUAD DRILL, WITH INTERVALS.
5. Formation of squads 31
6. Position of attention 31
7. Standing at ease 32
8. Dressing a squad with intervals 32
11. Length of pace and time 35
12. The drum and pace stick 36
13. Position in marching 36
14. The quick march 37
17. Stepping short 38
21. The double march 39
23. Turning when on the march 40
SQUAD DRILL, IN SINGLE RANK.
24. Formation of the squad in single rank 41
25. Dressing when halted 42
27. Marching in squad 42
28. The diagonal march 43
29. Changing direction 45
30. Marching as in file 46
31. Changing direction as in file 46
32. Men marching as in file, forming up into squad 47
33. Marching with arms 47
SQUAD DRILL, IN TWO RANKS.
34. Formation of a squad in two ranks 48
36. Marching in squad and in file 49
37. Changing ranks 49
38. The diagonal march 49
39. Changing direction and forming up 50
40. The formation of fours 50
41. Fours changing direction, and forming squad 53
42. Passage of a defile 53
44. Dismissing, with or without arms 53
46. Course of training 54
47. Preliminary training 55
48. Method of extending and closing, &c. 56
49. Signals and whistle blasts and war calls 57
50. Practical skirmishing 59
52. Blank ammunition 62
54. Reporting and passing orders 64
57. Assembly after dispersal 65
58. Inspection of skirmishers 65
THE TRAINING OF THE COMPANY.
59. Preliminary remarks 67
61. Inspection and telling off 75
62. The formation of fours 76
63. Changing ranks 76
64. A company column forming company 76
65. Marching in line 77
66. A company in line forming to the right or left 78
67. A company in line, or moving to a flank in fours, forming company column 78
68. When marching, fours or file, forming up into line 80
69. A column changing direction 80
70. Movements in line (or lines) of sections 80
71. Drill in single rank 81
73. When dispersed, re-assembling 83
75. Inspection in close order drill 83
76. General remarks 84
78. Position of the commanders 88
80. Instructions for commanders 88
81. Duty of the skirmisher 89
82. Defence practice 90
83. Reconnaissance practice 91
85. Meeting an attack by cavalry 92
87. Duties of scouts 93
89. The inspection in skirmishing 95
90. Shelter trench exercise 95
BATTALION, BRIGADE, AND DIVISION DRILL.
93. A battalion in quarter column 101
94. Movements in quarter column 103
95. A quarter column wheeling 103
96. A battalion in quarter column opening to column 104
97. A battalion in column on the march closing to quarter column 106
98. A battalion in column or quarter column advancing in fours, or _vice versâ_ 106
99. A battalion in column changing direction 108
100. Movements in line or lines of company columns 108
101. When dispersed, re-assembling 109
102. Inspection of a battalion 110
BRIGADE AND DIVISION DRILL.
103. General rules 111
104. A brigade wheeling from mass into line of battalions and _vice versâ_ 112
105. A mass deploying into line of battalions and _vice versâ_ 112
106. Marching in line of battalions either in column or quarter column 113
FORMATIONS APPLICABLE TO SAVAGE WARFARE.
107. General rules 113
108. A battalion in line 114
109. A quarter column or column deploying into line 114
110. Marching in line 115
111. A line changing position, from the halt, on a flank company 116
112. A battalion in line forming column or quarter column 116
113. A line passing obstacles, or moving over broken ground 117
114. A line forming column to the right or left 117
115. A line advancing in column 118
116. A quarter column on the march forming line to a flank 118
117. Echelon movements from line, column or quarter column 118
118. Meeting an attack by cavalry or swordsmen 119
119. Formation of squares 120
121. Marching in line 122
122. A brigade in line advancing in columns or quarter columns 122
123. A brigade forming square 122
INFANTRY IN ATTACK AND DEFENCE.
124. General principles 123
125. Position and duties of leaders in action 125
127. Fire discipline 127
NATURE OF AN OFFENSIVE ACTION.
129. Distribution of infantry in the attack 128
130. Preliminary measures 129
131. Issue of orders 130
132. Duties of the several bodies 131
133. Infantry formations in regard to fire 133
135. Co-operation between artillery and infantry in the attack 135
136. The decisive attack 136
138. Rallying and redistribution 138
139. Holding attacks 138
141. Flank attacks 139
143. Local flanking fire 140
148. Direction and pace 143
149. Machine guns 144
THE COMPANY IN ATTACK.
150. General rules 145
THE BATTALION IN ATTACK.
151. General rules 148
153. Distribution of the companies in the decisive attack 150
154. The firing line and supports 151
156. Holding attack 152
THE BRIGADE IN ATTACK.
158. General rules 153
THE DIVISION IN ATTACK.
159. General rules 154
160. Distribution of infantry for defence 155
161. Occupation of the position 156
162. Entrenching a position 157
164. Machine guns 158
165. Position of the reserves 159
166. Duties of officers commanding reserves 159
167. Local counter attacks 160
168. Decisive counter attacks 160
THE COMPANY IN DEFENCE.
169. General rules 162
170. Duties of the subalterns, section and squad leaders 162
171. Duties of the company leader 163
THE BATTALION IN DEFENCE.
172. General rules 163
173. Duties of the commanding officer 164
THE BRIGADE AND DIVISION IN DEFENCE.
174. General rules 164
The manual opens with a formal issuance by the Army Council, dated 1st February 1905, and signed by EWD Ward, Secretary. Its structure immediately signals a systematic approach: a detailed table of contents divides training into two parts—Recruit and Company—with sections on squad drill, skirmishing, and tactical formations. The language is directive and precise, as seen in the definitions of pace length and time, and the emphasis on words of command. This is not a narrative but a prescriptive guide, intended for uniform application across the infantry.
Recruit Training and Squad Drill
Part I focuses on the individual soldier, beginning with preliminary remarks and a syllabus. The drill sequences are methodical: from position of attention and standing at ease to marching, stepping out, and changing step. Each movement is broken into numbered paragraphs, e.g., “The quick march” and “The halt.” The manual stresses uniformity—length of pace, time, and the use of the drum and pace stick. Later sections cover squad formations in single rank and two ranks, including the formation of fours and passage of a defile. The language is imperative: “Men will be taught to…” The recruit is shaped into a predictable component of a larger machine.
Skirmishing and Fire Effect
The skirmishing section introduces tactical dispersion. General rules emphasize cover and fire effect. Paragraphs on “Blank ammunition” and “Reporting and passing orders” show concern for realism in training. A notable detail: “Fire effect” is defined in terms of density—one rifle per yard—and the need to reinforce the firing line to achieve superiority. The manual distinguishes between long, effective, and decisive ranges, and advises that troops in lines of small columns are less vulnerable than in line. The excerpts reveal a tension between maintaining control and adapting to ground, as when it notes that holding back reserves may prevent them from advancing when needed.
Company Training and Tactical Formations
Part II shifts to the company level, with drill for inspection, telling off, and forming column. The manual prescribes formations with regard to fire: at long ranges, lines of company columns are convenient; at effective ranges, extended lines of skirmishers are necessary. The concept of reserves is elaborated: they reinforce the firing line, cover flanks, and provide impetus for the assault. A key principle is that a commander retains a reserve to meet contingencies—counter-attacks, pursuit, or rallying after a reverse. The text is dense with cross-references (e.g., “S. 137”), indicating an interlocking system of doctrine.
The Role of Reserves and Command
The manual repeatedly stresses the commander’s direct influence through reserve management. Reserves are not merely reinforcements but a tool for exploiting enemy mistakes or restoring a check. The general reserve, under the commander’s control, is to meet “eventualities.” The prose is cautious: a commander must consider whether holding back a portion of force might prevent achieving success. This reflects a doctrine that balances aggression with prudence. The final excerpt on fire concludes that the firing line should advance as close as possible before opening fire, to avoid undue losses. The manual’s tone is authoritative, leaving little room for interpretation.
Language and Structure
The manual’s language is consistently imperative and technical. Words like “will,” “must,” and “should” dominate. Definitions are precise: “Length of pace and time” specifies exact measurements. The structure is hierarchical, with sections, subsections, and numbered paragraphs. Cross-references (e.g., “S. 137”) create a web of doctrine. The absence of narrative or example makes the text abstract, yet the repeated emphasis on ground, cover, and fire effect grounds it in practical concerns. The manual assumes a reader who is already familiar with basic military terms, but it leaves no step unexplained.
Readers approaching this manual should note its dual purpose: to standardize individual drill and to articulate tactical principles for company-level action. The excerpts reveal a work that is both a reference and a training syllabus. Pay attention to the cross-references and the progression from recruit to company—the manual builds complexity incrementally. The emphasis on reserves and fire effect offers insight into early 20th-century infantry doctrine, but the manual remains a practical guide, not a theoretical treatise.
There’s a strange, quiet kinship between the meticulous drill of the 1905 infantry manual and the patient turmoil of those Netherlandish marches. Both speak of men learning to move as one, against odds. I often find myself pondering that weary precision, then turning to the History of the United Netherlands, 1586c — Reading Notes, where the same determined step echoes from an older century.
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