Time Allowances

From Army Officer's Notebook (Revised, 1943)

ORDERS

Fifteen minutes are usually required for the issuance of an oral regimental or battalion order for an attack. A time interval of at least 1 1/2 hours is generally required between the beginning of the battalion commander's personal reconnaissance and the hour of attack. More time is allowed when practicable. Orders for a defense usually require more time than attack orders.

NIGHT ADVANCE

The rate of advance in night operations varies with the terrain. Far from the enemy and over favorable terrain it may be a mile an hour. When closer to the enemy, the care necessary for secrecy should limit the rate of advance to 100 yards in from 6 to 10 minutes.

FIELD WORKS

(Figures given are for daylight work; for work at night, increase labor by 50%)

1. OBSTACLES:

(a) Against mechanized vehicles.-Antitank mine field, 1,000 yards long, mines laid from truck in 3-6 rows, density of 1 1/2 mines per yard of front, requires:

Number.................................................................................. 1,500 mines
Weight.................................................................................... 7 1/2 tons

Man-hours (average):

Mines laid on surface............................12 1/2
Mines laid and buried, soft soil..............42 1/2
Mines laid and buried, medium soil........50
Mines laid and buried, hard soil.............112 1/2

(b) Against personnel.-Single belt of double apron fence, 1,000 yards long, requires approximately five (5) tons of materials and 380 man-hours of labor. Work capacity of 3-squad platoon in eight hours is approximately 750 linear yards of double apron fence, or 450 yards of high wire entanglement.

2. TRENCHES:

Work capacity of a platoon of three 12-man squads for eight hours, medium soil:

(a) Simple standing trench (Figure 4), 120 linear yards.
(b) Standard fire trench, type A (Figure 5), 48 linear yards.
(c) Standard communication trench, type A (Figure 7), 60 linear yards.

3. CLEARING:

Two man-hours of labor for clearing 100 square yards of brush - wood and trees up to 12 inches in diameter.

4. MACHINE-GUN EMPLACEMENT:

Simple shell-hole type requires nine (9) man-hours of labor and 200 pounds of materials. .