iii. To cover the withdrawal of the guns if attacked by

greatly superior forces.

3. It is important that communication be maintained between the guns and their escort. For this purpose the escort commander will attach an officer or non-commissioned officer to the artillery commander.

4. The senior officer with the wagon line, whether in action or on the move, will make such dispositions as may be possible for their defence.

=170.= _The approach march._

1. The object of the approach march of a force of cavalry is to close upon the enemy in order to attack him. The principles governing the disposition of the force are dealt with in “Cavalry Training.”

2. The position of the horse artillery will be ordered by the cavalry commander. As a rule, horse artillery will move massed on the flank of the cavalry in line with the head of the main body. The formation adopted must ensure elasticity and allow the guns some latitude in conforming to the pace of the main body when moving over undulating country.

The guiding principle is that the guns shall be readily detachable and free to move at a rapid pace to the selected fire position without interfering with the deployment of the remainder of the force.

3. On commencing the approach march the horse artillery will assume the most convenient formation, probably divisional mass or column of brigade masses, all wagons other than those of the firing batteries joining the first line transport of the force.

4. The horse artillery should usually remain concentrated with a view to bringing the most intense fire possible to bear on the hostile formations when encountered, but occasions will occur especially in undulating country when it will be advisable to leave some guns on one ridge, to cover the occupation of the next. It may sometimes be advisable to place the guns on both flanks, in order to deny ground to the enemy by which he might otherwise approach.

5. The horse artillery commander must accompany the cavalry commander during the approach march. He will thus be in a position to receive the earliest information regarding his superior’s plans and will himself be well placed to watch the situation and examine the ground on which the action is expected to take place. His headquarters will not actually accompany him, but such of its members as he requires will remain in close touch.

6. As a general rule, the plan will consist of a mounted attack combined with the fire attack of guns, machine guns and, if the range admits, of their escort.

In combining fire action with mounted action the chief factors of success are:--

i. The timely separation of the guns, etc., from the mounted attack, so that their fire may be available the moment that collision is inevitable, and in order that the freedom of manœuvre of the cavalry may not be cramped nor the fire of the guns masked by the movement of the cavalry which they are supporting. Fig. 27 illustrates this principle, which generally holds good.