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Company Drill

After basic Drill was taught to recruits, they were then drilled endlessly (up to 6-8 hours a day) in company and battalion drill, until formation changes became second nature.

• Definitions
• Falling In
• Squad Drill - Facing changes
• Dressing a Squad
• On the Move
• Drill Exercises on the March

Definitions
Here are some basic definitions of terms used:

File - two soldiers, a front and rear rank.

Rank - a line of soldiers. Each man occupies a width of 21 inches.

Intervals - a gap the width of one man, between files

Order - This refers to the distance the rear rank is from the front rank, measured from heel to heel. (One pace is 30")

• Close - one pace
• Open Order - two paces
• for Inspection - three paces

A third, or supernumerary, rank containing subalterns and serjeants stands three paces behind the rear rank.

Line - A formation two ranks deep.

Column -a formation with depth, in which bodies of troops are drawn up behind each other at varying distances

• Close - one pace
• Quarter - a fourth of the breadth of the body of men
• Open - the breadth of the body of men

Pivot - any officer or soldier on which a company may wheel: when in column right in front. i.e. the Grenadiers leading, the left is the pivot flank, and the reverse when left in front, i.e. Light Infantry leading. The flank opposed to the Pivot one is called the Reverse flank.

Company Drill - Falling In
The Company is divided into two sub-divisions - left and right, and four sections.

On the command Fall-In the company falls in at close order, without intervals, on the right, with shouldered arms (if with long rifle), as shown below, Senior Serjeant covering the Captain and supernumerary officers and serjeants thus:

• junior in rear of second (from the pivot) section
• next in rear of third section
• senior in rear of the forth section
• drummers and pioneers in the centre

Supernumeraries stand three paces from the rear rank.

Dressing a Squad

Company Drill - On the Move

March Times

Marching Off

(Caution) COMPANY WILL ADVANCE -

BY THE LEFT (RIGHT) - MARCH (slow march)

BY THE LEFT (RIGHT) - QUICK MARCH (quick march)

Diagonal Marching
There are two ways to march the company diagonally:

• Half Turn
• Oblique march

Orders for Half Turn march -

RIGHT (LEFT) HALF TURN - Each man pivots 45° to the direction ordered and takes a normal pace, covering the man beside the front rank man.

HALT - FRONT (to cease)

Orders for Oblique march -

TO THE RIGHT (LEFT) OBLIQUE - Each man:

• (Position 1) - carries his outside foot 19" in a diagonal direction (13" to the front), then
• (Position 2) - other foot 30" with the heel directly in front of the toe of the other foot.

Note: Always step off on the left foot, so the first step of Right Oblique is to move left foot to position 2.

FORWARD (to cease)

Changing time without halting
These are the allowable orders for changing time on the march -

Slow to Quick

Slow to Double

Quick to Double

Double to Quick

Quick to Slow, but

Double to Halt (not Slow)

 

Marking the time with taps of drum or left, right not allowed. Drum time before marching off.

Turning on the march

RIGHT (LEFT) TURN - performed in three paces, without command FORWARD

RIGHT (LEFT) ABOUT - Turn, Mark Time until command FORWARD

RIGHT (LEFT) ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS - Turn, Mark Time until command FORWARD

FRONT TURN - turn to that hand nearest their front

 

Command TURN given as foot to which the turnings are to be made, placed on the ground

On the command HALT -

front rank take a full pace with that foot which is off the ground

rear rank take a half pace with that foot which is off the ground

 

Side Step

RIGHT (LEFT) CLOSE, QUICK MARCH -

• men turn eyes
  to that flank they have been ordered to close,
  to front when halted
• step off with foot on side that they have been ordered to close
• length of pace - ten inches
• knees - not bent, except on rough or broken ground
• numbered number of paces, no need to HALT.

Back Step

STEP BACK, MARCH (Slow time)

• length of pace - thirty inches

On HALT, bring front foot back square with the other

Drill Exercises on the March

The following drill exercises are performed on the march:

• Motions of the Long Rifle on the March
• more to come... e.g. formation changes

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Page updated 31 March, 2000