Chapter V

REAR GUARDS. FLANK GUARDS 70-82
STRENGTH AND COMPOSITION OF REAR GUARDS IN RETREAT 70-72
Rear guard on a forward march and in retreat 70
Delaying actions 70
Reinforcements of rear guard 70
Outpost troops 70
Infantry. Cavalry. Artillery 70-71
Use of motor cars in retreat and pursuit 71
Engineers--duties in retreat 71
Machine guns. Signal and sanitary troops 71
Field trains 71
Subdivisions of rear guard 71
Tactical employment of cavalry 72
DISTANCES--HOW REGULATED. Progress of main body 72
CONDUCT OF REAR GUARD 72-75
Contact with enemy. Observation of routes adjacent
to line of march or retreat 72
Covering the main body 72-73
Delaying actions of a rear guard 73
Reinforcement of rear guard 73
Requirements of a delaying position 73-74
Use of cavalry, artillery and machine guns in delaying
the enemy 73-74
Withdrawal of outpost 73
Masking the fire of the delaying position 73
Use of flank positions for delaying the enemy 73
Security of line of retreat from delaying position 73
Advantages of a single determined stand 74
Keeping rear guard in hand. Simplicity of movements 74
Latitude allowed rear guard commander 74
Special patrols from main body 74
Flank detachments 74-75
Retreating upon the front of a defensive position 75
Offensive tactics by rear guards 75
Supreme commander with rear guard 75
EXAMPLE OF RETREAT ORDER 75-77
STRENGTH AND COMPOSITION OF FLANK GUARDS 78-79
Movements in two columns 78-79
Cavalry, artillery, machine guns, signal and sanitary
troops and field trains with a flank guard 78
Wagon trains, routes and escorts. Double column 78-79
FLANK GUARDS-WHEN REQUIRED 79-80
Considerations influencing the decision as to use of
a flank guard 79
Examples of use of flank guards 80
Flank guards with large and small forces 80-81
Distance between flank guard and main body, obstacles
and communicating routes 80-82
Convoys, armored autos, auto transport for escort 80
Cavalry flank guards 81
CONDUCT OF FLANK GUARDS 81-82
Formation 81
Reconnaissance on exposed flank. Contact with enemy 81
Duty of cavalry with a flank guard 81
Bringing on a decisive engagement 81
Communication with other troops. Relation of flank guard
to rear guard 81-82
Reinforcement of flank guard 82
Latitude allowed flank guard commander 82