Chapter XV: Appendix: B

GENERAL COURSE AT FIRST ARMY S.O.S. SCHOOL

(From this the Battalion I.O. can frame Programmes of work to suit any period of Rest.)

The following lectures are given during the Course, and are attended by all students except in the case of No. 11, which is attended by the officers only.

1. Care of Arms and Grouping.
2. The Enfield 1914 pattern Rifle.
3. The Stalking Telescope.
4. General lecture on Map-reading.
5. Patrolling and Scouting.
6. Elevations and Wind.
7. The construction of Sniping and Forward O.P.’s.
8. General lecture on Telescopic-Sighted Rifles.
9. Duties of Scouts, Observers and Snipers in Attack and Defence.
10. Front Line Observation and Reports.
11. Duties of the Bn. Intelligence Officer.
12. Aeroplane photos, with Lantern Slides.
13. General Musketry Lecture.
14. Bayonet Training (by Supt. P. and B.T. First Army).

(NOTE:--Nos. 13 and 14 are given on two evenings during the last week of the Course.)

In addition to the above and to the Programme, the officers go thoroughly into such subjects as:

1. Map-reading and Field Sketching.
2. Use of Prismatic Compass.
3. Enlarging Maps and interpolation of Contours.
4. Panorama Sketching.
5. Adjustments and care of Telescopic sights.
6. Methods and principles of Instruction.
7. Organization and Training.
8. Practical study of Ground.

Practical work is also given to all students in the following subjects at night:

1. Patrolling.
2. Marching on Compass Bearings.
3. Concentration Marches with and without Box Respirators.
4. Siting and construction of Posts.
5. Night Firing, and the use of Field Glasses and Stalking Telescopes
on suitable nights.

It will be seen that the two Sundays have been omitted; on these days the Range is open to all ranks for voluntary shooting under a qualified Instructor.

Instruction in the use of Armour Piercing S.A.A., Disguising, Methods of Instruction, Practice in Map-reading, Taking Bearings, etc., etc., goes on continually while students await their turn to fire.

1st Morning. General talk on the objects of the Course and
discipline during. Thorough examination of
open-sighted rifles for defects. Demonstration
of Grouping and Holding. Grouping at 100 yards,
followed by analysis of faults and correction of
rifles where necessary.

Afternoon. Lecture: Care of Arms and Grouping. (Practical)
Observation on a German Trench with reports.
Criticism of Reports.

2nd Morning. Lecture: The Stalking Telescope. (Practical)
Repetition of failures in Grouping practice.
Application at 200–300 yards. Observation of
single shot strike.

Afternoon. Practical Observation.
(_a_) On German Trench.
(_b_) Open Country.

3rd Morning. Lecture: The Enfield 1914 pattern Rifle.
(Practical) Judging Distance up to 600 yards.
Snapshooting at 100–200 yards, 4 seconds’
exposure. Application at 200 yards. Hawkins
position.

Afternoon. Practical Map-reading on the ground and long
distance observations with Reports.

4th Morning. Lecture: General lecture on Map-reading.
(Practical) Application at 400–500 yards.
Application at unknown range (within 400 yards).

Afternoon. Demonstration: Use of Ground and Cover.
(Practical) Practice in selecting, attaining and
constructing hasty observation posts for open
warfare. Cover from view rather than Cover from
fire to be specialized in.

5th Morning. Lecture: Patrolling and Scouting. (Practical)
Application at 300 yards. Snapshooting at 100
and 200 yards. 3 seconds’ exposure.

Afternoon. Demonstration of Camouflage and its uses.
(Practical) Scheme: Snipers are given an area
of ground in which they must establish posts
utilizing the material found on the spot for
disguise. Observers select posts from which they
can command the above area. The snipers will
fire blank from the posts they have selected
at any observers who expose themselves; also
endeavour to give the map-reference of their
targets. The observers endeavour to locate and
give map-references of the snipers’ posts.

6th Morning. Lecture: Elevations and Wind. Demonstration:
Building in battens for and spotting enemy
snipers; actual practice in above each student
to locate at least two snipers. (Practical)
Snapshooting combined with movement; students
endeavour to advance unseen from 500 to 100
yards. Targets representing enemy heads appear
at odd places and intervals in the butts.

Afternoon. Demonstration: Building in and use of Night Firing
Boxes. Actual practice in above. Observation
on a German trench, the appearance of which is
altered by moving sandbags, loopholes, etc.,
with reports.

8th Morning. Lecture: The construction of Forward and Sniping
O.P.’s. (Practical) Patrolling with the use of
Night Firing Goggles. Practice in the correct
use of cover and in keeping touch. Application
practice at unknown range.

Afternoon. Practice in marching by day on Compass bearings
with and without Box-respirators.

9th Morning. Lecture: General lecture on telescopic sighted
rifles. (Practical) Zeroing of telescopic
sighted rifles.

Afternoon. Complete the zeroing of rifles. Long distance
observation.

10th Morning. Lecture: Duties of scouts, observers and snipers
in attack and defence. (Practical) Grouping
at 100 yards with Telescopic sighted rifles.
Practice in scouting in Open Country, with
reports.

Afternoon. Scheme: Making “Good” woods and enclosed country
with scouts and snipers.

11th Morning. Lecture: Front line observation and reports.
(Practical) Application at 200 yards with
telescopic sighted rifles. Snapshooting at
100–200 yards, 3 seconds’ exposure.

Afternoon. Concentration march. Students are put into four
parties, each representing a platoon. They
are given a map co-ordinate at which they
must concentrate at a given time. Signals
representing Gas Alarm are given, when all
students put on their box-respirators and
continue the march.

12th Morning. Lecture: Duties of the Bn. Intelligence Officer.
(Practical) Application at 300–400 yards.
Observation on a German trench.

Afternoon. Scheme: To demonstrate the use of Scouts and
Snipers as a protective advanced screen to
Infantry in open or semi-open warfare.

13th Morning. Lecture: Aeroplane Photos, with Lantern Slides.
Practical study of aeroplane photographs on the
actual ground depicted in the photo.

Afternoon. Examinations in Long distance and Front line
observations.

15th and 16th. Oral examinations. Mutual Instruction. Written
examination. Examination of note-books.
Competition shoots.

_Note_:--The above programme is only given as a guide; changes in sequence must often occur through inclemency of the weather.