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