AREA DEFENCE

 

INTRODUCTION

 

801.     A battalion  is unlikely to be deployed in area defence unless it is part of a larger formation which is in defence.

 

802.    The main killing ground will be selected by the formation commander as the basis for co-ordinated formation design for battle.

 

803.    The enemy will seek to concentrate sufficient strength in man-power and fire-power against a defensive position to penetrate it to some depth on a narrow front. However, defended localities must be held until the enemy force spent itself, and his concentration of force has become so dissipated that penetration between defended localities can be dealt with in detail.

 

BASIC CONSIDERATIONS

 

804.    While there may be an immediate purpose for adopting a defensive a defensive posture the primary aim must always to be kill as many of the enemy’s possible. The CO will be allotted a task and a sector of responsibility into which the battalion deploys, making the best tactical use of the ground :  

 

- Use of ground.    

 

- Mutual support. 

   

- All-round defence. 

   

- Depth.  

 

- Flexibility.  

 

- Centralization of fire-power.  

 

- Co-ordinated fire plan.

    

- Security.

    

- Integration of defensive measures.

    

- Formation design for battle.

 

USE OF GROUND

 

805.    Key Terrain.

 

806.     Vital Ground.

 

807.    Formation of VG will be selected by the formation commander.

 

808.     Observation and Fields of Fire.

 

809.    Concealment.

 

810.    Maximum Use of Obstacles.

 

 

MUTUAL SUPPORT

 

811.    Units and sub-units are considered to be mutually supporting if the enemy cannot mount an attack upon one unit without the risk of serious interference from another.  Any gaps between units and sub-unites must be covered by positions in depth and kept under surveillance so that artillery and mortar fire can be brought down when required.

 

 

ALL-ROUND DEFENCE

 

812.    The enemy will attack a position at what he considers to be its weakest point. A CO designs his defence to defeat attack from all likely enemy approaches. The more complete degree of mutual support is within the battalion, the less demanding is the requirement to be able to fight in any direction.

 

 

DEPTH

 

813.    Cumulative effect of all defensive measures within the battalion area.

 

814.    The defence starts as far foward as possible so as to progressively weaken the enemy so that he is unable to defeat us on the main defensive position.

 

815.    The battalion also achive depth by co-ordinating its DF plan, which includes fire from artillery and tanks and its organic support weapon, with obstacle.

 

816.    Despite being engaged foward of the battalion main defensive position a determined attacker, which the necessary strength and prepared to accept casualitiescan usually close with the foward sub-units and wil probably achieve some penetration.

 

817.     Commanders at all levels are often given frontages wider than they would like to hold. It may be preferable to accept gaps which can be covered by observation and fire.

 

FLEXIBILITY

 

818.    React to the unexpected or exploit a favourable opportunity, by using obstacles, and by making full use of artillery, mortars, anti-armour weapons and machine gun to assist him in containing penetration.

 

819.    Alternative positions for day and night, may allow foward slopes to be occupied when visibility is poor and so prevent infiltration.

 

CENTRALIZATION OF FORE-POWER

 

820.    The FSCC. Breaking up an enemy attack is to subject it quickly to heavy concentrations of artillery, mortar and direct fire weapons. The centralized control of his fore support assets will allow the CO to concentrate considerable fire-power at the critical point and at the right time.

 

821.     Communications.  A reliable communications systems based on radio and backed by line is essential ; must also take account of enemy capabilities.

 

CO-ORDINATED FIRE PLAN

 

822.    Involving artillery, close air support, tanks and other support weapons will help break up the enemy’s assault.

 

823.    It must include tasks for fire support during counter-attack and counter-penetration phases.

 

SECURITY

 

824.    Commanders at all levels must ensure that the enemy does not achieve tactical suprise. The CO should deploy patrols foward on the likely approaches to his position at the flanks of and, where necessary, behind the position ; will provide the maximum possible warning of attack, delay the enemy and deny him information.

 

BATTLE PLAN

 

825.    The CO’s keynote of plan is WHERE, and HOW to kill the enemy. The numerous tasks to be undertaken in the development of the defensive position make it critical that the CO considers carefully all requirements anddoes not over-commit his force.

 

826.    The plan must be flexibleto be fought within the framework of his design.

 

 

SECTION 2. THE DEFENSIVE LAYOUT

 

GENERAL

 

827.    At formation level a covering force and a screen are normally deployed to cover the occupation of the position, but must provide some form f security against all form of attack, whether a screen is deployed or not.

 

COVERING FORCE

 

828.    Provided and commanded by a higher formation and is deployed foeard of the main defensive position ; combined arm force which is mobile and possesses heavy fire-power, giving it good manoeuvrability and the ability to disengage quickly.

 

SCREEN

 

829.    Normally formed from depth elements, so as not to interfere with the preparation of the main defensive position.

 

830.    A Screen deployed to :    

 

- Deny enemy observation of the main position.    

 

- Provide information on enemy activity foward of the main position.    

 

- Help the covering force to make a clean break by providing a firm base through which it can withdraw.    

 

- Delay the enemy by forcing him to deploy.

 

831.     It must be provided with indirect fire support. In such cases battalions may be tasked by brigade headquarters to provide security patrols in the lieu of the screen or to supplement it.

 

832.    Ultimately the security of the battalion is the responsibility of the CO who may deem it necessary to provide patrols for his own security in addition to security provided for by brigade.

 

THE MAIN DEFENSIVE POSITION

 

834.    The CO will received orders from the brigade commander giving the brigade vital ground and including the grouping, the task of his battalion and its area of responsibility normally including in the line of foward edge of the battle area (FEBA) and the boundaries.

 

835.    The CO will decide on the ground he considers vital to the defence ; unit sectors will be the ground that must be denied to the enemy and will form the basis of the defensive layout.

 

836.    If the vital ground has been correctly chosen, it will be necessary for the enemy to secure it if he is to be successful in achieving his aim ; the battalion is unlikely to be strong enough to regain its vital ground unaided.

 

837.    The CO will analyse the approaches to his sector by day and night and determine which ground dominates the those approaches. He will then decide areas offer the best defence for the battalion’s vital ground.

 

SECTION 3 : CONDUCT OF THE DEFENCE

 

GENERAL

 

872.    CO can co-ordinate his defensive layout. It requires his personal inspection and the checking of :    

 

- Battle positions (including the sitting of support weapons) and the co-ordination ofthe anti-armour layout, the machine gun tasks and the surveillance resources.    

 

- Artillery and mortar tasks(including, where possible, their adjustment).    

 

- Obstacles (and their protection).

 

- Administrative arrangements.

 

- Communications.

 

873.    As soon as the position is occupied, orders on  protection, air and chemical defence, movement, camouflage and concealment must be immediately and strictly enforced ; by knowing what fire is available to break up an attack on his locality will the soldier have complete confidence in his ability to defend his position with success.

 

 

STAGES

 

874.    The conduct of the defence is considered in three stages :    

 

-  The Preparatory Stage. When the enemy is closing with the main defensive position andmaking preparations for attack.    

 

- The Assault Stage. When the enemy is attempting to penetrate through the defence ofthe main position.

 

- The Counter-attack Stage. If and when the enemy assault has achieved some success but has been held.

 

 

THE PREPARATORY STAGE

 

875.    Construction of Defence. It was a basic defences and continues to improve them as time permits and control over the battalion security zone is established and maintained.

 

876.     The CO’s appreciation of the threat, type of ground, time, digging aids and materials available will lead to the issue.

 

877.    Surveillance devices and OP are deployed and sentries posted to give early warning and maintain in the security of the position.

 

878.    Aggresive activity by the screen, and fighting patrols will upset enemy preparations and lower his morale.

 

879.    The IO will collect and collate information from all sources such as :    

 

- Battlefield Surveillance.    

 

- Patrolling.    

 

- ShellingReports.    

 

- Air Reconnaissance.    

 

- EW Support.

 

880.    It is important that all the information gained, and the assessment of its meaning is passed immediately to the CO as well as to brigade headquarters.

 

881.    Day and Night Positions. Some part of the defensive position say be too exposed for permanent occupation.

 

882.    Reliefs. The strain on troops occupying forward defended localities especially at night, subjected to constant shelling, and involved in extensive patrolling must be fully appreciated by commanders at all levels.

 

 

THE ASSAULT STAGE

 

883.    The enemy may assault by day or night. He may use stealth, smoke, biological or chemical agents, and/or preparatory fire.

 

884.    Fire control and fire discipline, including the strict control of illumination, will be of great importance in achieving the maximum destructive effect from DF.

 

885.    Troops are not to leave their positions during an attack except :    

 

- When ordered to move to an alternative position.    

 

- When ordered to make local counter-attack.    

 

- If it becomes necessary to engage in hand-to-hand combat.

 

886.    Counter-penetration. It means :    

 

- They use of DF, particularly the mortars and supporting artillery.    

 

- Fire from position sited in depth.    

 

- Obstacle site in depth.    

 

- As the direction of the main attack becomes clear, the redeployment of depth sub-unitsinto prepared counter-penetration position.

 

- The use of the force allotted  the task of deliberate counter-attack or counter-penetration. This force is normally controlled by the brigade commander.

 

888.     Counter-penetrationcan be conducted by sections, platoons or companies to halt penetration into the battalion area and to contain and halt any enemy elements which have broken through into the defended locality.

 

 

THE COUNTER-ATTACK STAGE

 

889.    The responsibility for counter-attack is normally given to specified reserves ; developed as part of the plan for the defence. They may be planned to:    

 

- Exploit the moments of weakness in an enemy attack.    

 

- Destroy an enemy who has infiltrated or penetrated the defensive position.    

 

- Recapture lost ground.

 

890. There are two types of counter-attack :    

 

- Local.    

 

- Deliberate.

 

891. The deliberate counter-attack is the only method of restoring the situation. This does not apply to minor enemy infiltration when local action to deal with the situation is essential.

 

892. It must not be launched until the enemy has been halted by positions in depth or by other counter-penetration measures, and the situation is clear.

 

 

LOCAL COUNTER-ATTACK

 

893.    At company level, it is regarded as the spontaneous action of a junior commander seizing any opportunity that arises in the battle to destroy the enemy who have penetrated his position.

 

894.    It was a part of the aggressive pattern of holding section, platoon or company position so that any enemy penetration can be defeated or contained.

 

895.    The company commander should plan and rehearse as many local counter attack tasks as he can within the time available after completion of his field defences.

 

DELIBERATE COUNTER-ATTACK

 

896.    In planning for deliberate counter-attack the CO decides which parts of his area, if occupied by the enemy, would most jeopardize the defence and recommends them to the brigade commander.

 

897.    These plans are integrated into the battalion defensive plan and are co-ordinated at brigade level ; deliberate counter-attack task in the formation area.

 

898.    Deliberate counter-attack should include :    

 

- Detailed reconnaissance.    

 

- Objectives.    

 

- Marking or indicating as necessary :        

 

(a) FUP.        

 

(b) LD.        

 

(c) Routes.        

 

(d) Gaps in wire and minefields.    

 

- Fire support.    

 

- Reorganization.    

 

- Nicknames and other signals.    

 

- Command arrangements.       

 

- Rehearsals.

 

 

899.    Rehearsals are carried out with the defending troops in the counter-attack objective area. They should occupy the positions they are likely to be in at the time the counter-attack might be ordered.

 

8100.     Time for planning, rehearsals and digging its own positions wil;l seldom allow a counter-attack force to prepare for more than a few counter-attack tasks.

 

8101.    Reserve of infantry and armour at brigade level will be positioned and prepared in conjunction with a pre-arrange fire plan for counter-attack within the brigade area.

 

8102.    Additional consideration in planning :    

 

- Flank Approach :      

 

- May strike the enemy at his weakest point and where he least expects it. 

       

- May keep the counter-attack force away from enemy planned indirect fire.    

    

- Does not involve a passage of lines.        

 

- Does not inhibit fire support from the unit remaining on the position .  

     

- Could gain surprises and through it achieve a degree of security.    

 

- Relief of the Counter-Attack Force :

 

- Holding the restored position with the remainder of the unit and sub-unit that lost it initially.          

- Relieving the counter-attack force with reserves.  

     

- Redeploying a unit or sub-unit from a less threatened area of the defensive.