Battle Training of Regimental Officers

Abstract

View related articles Friday, 3181 10,lSSO. ~.UOB.GESEIZAL PEIILIP SJLITII, C.B. (Commanding Eome District), Ncmbcr of Council, in the Chair. BATTLE TR AINISG OF REGIMENTAL OFFICERS. I3;y Coloncl A. 13. TULLOCH, C.D. Coloncl TFLLOCII : Dcforc cornmcncing to rend this papcr I wish to 6tatC that when I wrotc out tlic first linlf of it last Octobcr, on thc tcrmination of my command, 1 had no idca of rexling a papcr on thc eubjcct. I simp1 coii-idcrcd it my duty on finishing m r command to mdic certain notes of what f conkdcrcd wcrc dcfccts with rcfurcncc to our prcscnt modern mcthod of troop tlrining, snd to submit thcru. r i high authority rcry kindly sugjicstcd that thc subjcct waa onc which should bc discussed in this Institution. Knturally I was proud that such-n suggestion should bc mndc, and tho Council rcry kindly STO me 8 day for it. Tho title of the papcr is possibly rathcr Ecnsational. Afl I can my is, that it is difficult for mc to sclcct another. IBfilitnry tnininp does not esactly ciprcss Rhat I mean: military training consiats of a rariety of csercieee, beginning at squad drill, company drill, battalion dril1,muaLctry drill, niid 50 forth, but bnttlo training, as I intcnd it, nicans tho tactical iustructiou b j tlic Coloncl with tlm nsscnibled batt&on-n thorough coursc of instruction practically carried out, and t o which niust bo ndded tho rcrbnl instruction of thc OHiccra nssemblcd in one body by tlic Commanding OtliCcr of tlic battalion. It ie quitc poasiblo thnt somc Oliiccrs will not agrco with mc. All I csn say ie, I karo thought tlic siibjcct out wry carefully, nnd when nbroad I liavc compared our syatem with that of tho Frcncli and German Armies. I may mcntion I harc ncrcr hnd thc slightcel difficulty with Frcncli or Qcrmnn OfIiccr~ \\lien looking on at their m a n r n u~r~'~ ; thc Officers of botlitliciccoiintrierliaro bccn only too ready to girc mcnnyinformntion Iwanted,thcy used crcii to lct nic know when nny important manmurre waa going to take place in order that I mi-lit be tlmc in time. Of coursc thc papcr itself is almost too pro-fc~3ionn1, couri&g mninly ns it docs of purely rcgimcntal matters, but, ncrcrthcless, I do Iiopc that my idcns may bc improved upon by others. and crpccidly by thosc Officcrs who arc looking forward to thnt most rceponiible, but proudrsL position a soldier can hold, tlic coniunnd of a British reghcnt. TBERE can be but few Coloncls wlio, during tlicir four years' tenure of command, hnvc not irishcd to submit snggcstions of various descriptions iu councctiou with tlicir duties. Occasionally thcsc ideas are placcd on record ; but, as n rulc, n very propcr, diflident fccliug thnt tho nuthoritics know all :ibont what is ncccssnry, arid ham ycry good reasons for crcrjthing dono OP undone, prcvcnts a, Commanding Officer from bringing forward his views.