Page:Machine-gun tactics (IA machineguntactic00appl).pdf/33

 it can come into action. For this reason the men of the detachment must be trained scouts.

To summarise:

(1) Only marksmen should be chosen.

(2) Trained scouts should be given the preference.

(3) The whole detachment must be trained as range-finders and scouts.

(4) The whole detachment must be proficient in judging distance.

(5) Only strong men should be selected.

The strength of a machine-gun detachment is given in Chapter IX. With the tripod mountings and pack transport the best working strength for a machine-gun section will be found to be the following:—

1 officer, 1 sergeant, 2 corporals, and 20 privates—that is, 1 N.C.O. and 10 men to each gun. It is almost superfluous to say that the whole detachment must be trained to work and fire the gun, and should have a very thorough knowledge of its parts and mechanism, and be experts at remedying failures and effecting minor repairs. Until the whole detachment are so trained and can detect the cause of any failure instantly and remedy the same in the minimum time required, it is useless to attempt tactical training in the field. The preliminary training will take from three to six months, according to the ability of the instructor and the time available daily for work.

It will be found that certain men of the