THE SECTION ATTACK

Aim To show you how a section will work in a quick attack To demonstrate to you the drills and procedures used by the section when in battle To give you the theoretical background for when you practice in the field

BATTLE DRILLS “Standard methods of executing specific tactical operations at company level and below. Their object is to enable low level tactical operations to be executed with the minimum of orders, following simple and well understood formats and thereby saving time.”

WHAT DID ALL THAT MEAN? The less decisions you have to make, and less you have to think about it, the more efficiently you will act Ultimately, battle drills lessen the need for orders from commanders

SECTION BATTLE DRILLS Battle Preparation Reaction to Effective Enemy Fire Locating the Enemy Winning the Fire Fight The Attack Reorg

Section Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO

Section Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO PROTECTION Sentries All - round defence

Section Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO AMMUNITION Rifleman: LSW Gunner: Clean Properly distributed- mags and grenades Smoke grenades

Section Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO WEAPONS Personal weapons Clean Serviceable Properly oiled Sights set at 300m Test fire weapons if poss

Section Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO PERSONAL CAMOUFLAGE AND CONCEALMENT Cam cream Break up outline Scrim-net, face veil

Section Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO EQUIPMENT Individual webbing, bergans, daysacks etc Check own kit eg pouches closed, bayonet secured etc

Section Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO RADIOS Functioning correctly Spare batteries Frequencies & callsigns

Section Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT Equipment specific to operation Demolitions Scaling eqpt, ladders, ropes etc

Section Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO ORDERS Prelims Situation Mission Execution Service Support Command and Signal

Section Battle Drills Drill 2 - Reaction to Effective Enemy Fire Fire only effective if causing or about to cause casualties RTR Return Fire Take Cover Return Appropriate Fire Use Smoke on en or as cover Fire & manouevre into cover IF ENEMY NOT SEEN MOVE TO DRILL 3

Section Battle Drills Drill 3 - Locating the Enemy Can’t fight him if you can’t find him Must locate enemy as quickly as possible or initiative will be lost Three stages to this drill

Section Battle Drills Drill 3 - Locating the Enemy Stage 1 - Observation Range: Crack and thump - each second represents 600m Why things are seen: Shape, shine, surface silhouette, shadow, spacing, movement Allow about 30 secs

Section Battle Drills Drill 3 - Locating the Enemy Stage 1 - Observation Stage 2 - Fire Sect Cmd will give fire control order to two riflemen Fire into likely cover, while rest of section watches their arcs Try elsewhere if no fire returned

Section Battle Drills Drill 3 - Locating the Enemy Stage 1 - Observation Stage 2 - Fire Stage 3 - Movement Sect Cmd orders 2 men to get up and double about 10m If no fire drawn after 2 attempts, section is out of contact Continue advance cautiously

Section Battle Drills Drill 3 - Locating the Enemy If you locate the enemy: “Watch my tracer!” If no tracer, use one of the methods you have been taught: Clock ray, Direct method, Hand angles, Reference points

Section Battle Drills Drill 4 - Winning the Fire Fight and Suppressive Fire Heavy fire brought to bear on en to neutralize him Sect Cmd must give a fire control order Once enemy suppressed 2iC controls fire Sect Cmd can make his combat estimate

Section Battle Drills Drill 5 - The Attack Quick Battle Orders Section Mission - “Destroy that en position” Concept of Ops - “Section will go right flanking” Fire Team Tasks - “C assault, D fire support”

Section Battle Drills Drill 5 - The Attack Limit of Exploitation - “No further forward than en position” “Any questions? - Move now”

Section Battle Drills Drill 5 - The Attack The Assault Fire and manoeuvre from contact onto position Sect comd usually leads assault fire team 2iC controls fire support fire team

Section Battle Drills Drill 5 - The Attack When nearing the objective, the assaulting fire team breaks into pairs One pair - point of fire Other pair - assault pair

Section Battle Drills Drill 5 - The Attack The Fight Through Assault fire team fights through using F & M Bunker-busting drill

Section Battle Drills Drill 6 - Reorganization Must be done asp Sect vulnerable to counterattack Sect cmd must: Allot arcs Check cas and ammo, PWs Redistribute ammo Shell scrapes Fire sp rejoins

Section Battle Drills Drill 6 - Reorganization Riflemen must check wpns, eqpt, ammo, grenades and reload mags Section Cmd responsible for operational reorg - arcs, positions etc Sect 2iC - admin - ammo, cas etc

Summary Section attacks are the basic building block of infantry fighting It is vital you know your role in the section when in battle Know your drills, stay switched on and stay alive

QUESTIONS?