n objective, he
figures out what part of it belongs to his squad, and then selects
that portion of the squad objective corresponding to his position in
the squad. If during the advance, his particular portion of the target
should become hidden from view, he will fire on the nearest portion of
the trench line, returning to his own part as soon as it becomes
visible.

=1447b. Communication.= After the company has been committed to the
fire fight, verbal commands cannot be heard, and it is well nigh
impossible even to secure attention to signals. It is, therefore, most
important that we should train and practice the company as much as
possible during time of peace in the rapid and accurate transmission
of orders and signals along the firing line.

Matter upon which a commander would need to communicate with his
subordinates, in addition to tactical orders, would generally be
confined to:

(a) Changes of elevation and deflection.

(b) Changes in the apportionment of the target among the subdivisions.

(c) Changes within the limits of the sector, or objective.

(d) Changes in the rate of fire.

(e) And rarely change of target from one within to one without the
limits of the objective or sector.

=1448. Procedure.= The following is given merely as a concrete example
of the procedure that might be followed in certain ring exercises--it
will not, of course, apply to all cases; it is merely given as a
concrete illustration of what might actually be done under certain
conditions.

_Company Commander._ On receiving his instructions from the officer in
charge of the exercise, the company commander returns to his company,
keeping track of the changing aspect of his target as he does so.
Arriving at the center of his company, he is met by his platoon
leaders, and range finders, who have assembled in his absence. The
company commander says:

"The target is a line of skirmishers, visible in part. It may be seen
between us and that long line of green bushes which begins one finger
to the right of that red water tower at 11 o'clock and it extends well
beyond the bushes both to the right and to the left."

(At this point the range finders begin their estimation and the
captain pauses until the senior range finder, or other designated
person automatically announces the average estimate of the range,
saying for example, "range 1100.")

The captain then resumes, saying:

"The sector assigned to this company is three fingers