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Patrolling into No-man's land:
Successful patrolling techniques lie at thwe heart of all forms of modern warfare. For an army to keep its information about the enemy up-to-date, to dominate the area between opposing front lines, or to destroy or disrupt enemy forces, an efficient system of patrols is vital.
And it's essential that every soldier should be intimately familiar with the art of patrolling and its purposes. This is one of the combat techniques which outlines the basic kinds of patrol and the weapons, clothing and equipment that you will need.
Time-honoured tradition:
Conventional warfare has always involved the protagonists patrolling between their respective frontlines in order to gain information about each other and to dominate "no man's land".
In so-called "limited" warfare, patrolling is arguably even more important. In the Falklands campaign, for instance a comprehensive program of patrolling protected every set piece attack. These patrols mapped out routes, found gaps in minefields, tested the best approaches to enemy positions and even carried out close inspections of the dispositions of the Argentine troops. By carrying out hit-and-run attacks on isolated Argentine positions, British patrols kept their adversaries awwake, tired, worried and on the defensive.
In counter-insurgency warfare, patrolling from established bases is the main way in which the security forces dominate the countryside, keep in touch with the population and maintain the initiative.
Why patrols?
You cannot plan a successful operation without accurate and up-to-date information. Despite the many sophisicated means of gaining information such as satelite and aerial photography, drones, remotely piloted vehicles, night surveillance devices and many other systems, patrolling is still the most raliable way in which you can obtain detailed and verifiable information.
You must dominate no man's land if you are to maintain this flow of information. This will make it harder for the enemy to gain information about your positions. Therefore, patrolling has a positive and a negative aspect: while most patrols may be mounted in order to gain information, it may be equally important to deny the enemy the information that he requires.
Successful patrolling calls for a high degree of professionalism. You will need meticulous planning, a high standard of individual training, good team work and determined leadership. In many ways, patrolling asks more of you as an infantryman than any other facet of your training.
There are three types of patrol: the reconnaisance patrol: the standing patrol; and the fighting patrol.
Reconnaisance patrol:
Reconnaisans patrolsgain information by observation and operate by stealth. On such patrols you should avoid combat, except for self defence or to take advantage of a most unusual opportunity. On "recce" patrols you can carry out a number of tasks, which include:
Locating enemy positions and approaches to them.
Obtaining as much detail as possible about the extent, strength and layout of enemy positions including details of minefields, wire and sentry positions.
Collecting information about the lie of land, to aid future operations.
Monitoring enemy patrol activity.
Checking that your own wire and minefields have not been tampered with.
Standing patrols:
Standing patrols are static by nature but, unlike recce patrols, their role can be active as well as passive. They occupy a position forward of your main positions to give warning of any enemy movement and to prevent or disrupt enemy infiltration. The minimum size of such a patrol should be between three and four men. On a standing patrol, your task are to:
Watch and listen for likely enemy approaches.
Watch ground in front of and between defended locations that you cannot see from the main position.
Cover minefields and obstacles that you cannot cover from the main position.
On standing patrol , you normally move into position at night and aim to remain concealed throughout daylight hours. You must be in radio contact with the position you are protecting, so that you can call down and control artillery, mortar and machinegun fire. By controlling other fire, you are more likely to maintain the security of your own position. If you fight, it is likely you would have to withdraw.
Fighting patrols:
Fighting patrols are offencive. For them, you are organised for a particular task with enough weapons and fire power to fight. The sort of tasks for which you might use fighting patrols include:
Carrying out raids on enemy positions.
Capturing prisoners or equipment for intelligence purposes.
Laying ambushes, including tank ambushes.
Taking offencive action against enemy patrols.
Fighting patrols are normally led by an officer and should be between nine or ten men strong. You must have sufficient strength to look after yourselves if you bumb into an enemy patrol, yet not have more men than one man can control at night.
The other factors that might affect the size of a fighting patrol are the likely strengths of enemy patrols and the mission of the patrol. For instance, the SAS night raid on Pebble Island during the Falklands campaign, in which a large number of Argentine aircraft were destroyed on the ground, involved over 40 men because the mission required a relatively strong force.
Good planning:
A fighting, recce or standing patrol requires an immense amount of preparation, planning amd rehearsal. You will need to know exactly the formations you will use, the methods for crossing obstacles, the action you will take on meeting the enemy and the objective, the way you will evaluate a casualty or escort a prisoner.
Then you must give careful consideration to the weapons, clothing, equipment, and even footwear that you will take.
Fighting patrols should carry a high proportion of weapons capable of automatic fire, so that you can produce the maximum rate of fire quickly. The new British Army SA80 has an automatic facility and is therefor highly suitable. If you need a weapon with more punch, you can carry GPMGs as long as they are not to cumbersome for the task in question. Grenades can be a highly effective method of extricating a patrol in trouble at night and of causing casualties to the enemy in an offencive action.
Clothing:
The clothing you take depends on the climate, but in all circumstances it should be comfortable and enable you to move silently.
Except in Arctic conditions, when you may have to take special precautions, your face and ears should be unencumbered so that you can remain alert and aware, and hear and see without problems.
One of the abiding images of the Falklands campaign is of Argentine soldiers with large hoods on their big padded parka jackets up around their heads, so that they could not see or hear. The British soldiers, on the other hand, despite the cold and wet, merely wore berets.
Before you set out on a patrol make a thorough check that your clothing does not rusle, rattle or shine. waterproofs tend to do this and are not suitable.
The task of your patrol affects the equipment you will wear. In a north-western European setting, it is normal to wear webbing and carry an NBC suit and respirator, but in other theatres it is unlikely you will need either. Clearly, you will need a luminous compass with which to navigate, since on dark, moonless nights map reading may not be possible. You chould also take binoculares (which have aid night vision), a torch, a watch with luminous face, and morphine in case any member of your patrol is wounded.
Don't forget the food:
Take rations, too. Even though it may be your intention to complete your task between last and first light, for instance, you may have to lie up through daylight hours if an unexpected delay is met.
Surveillance equipment will be needed if you are going on a recce patrol to carry out the patrol mission. On a fighting patrol you will also need to see and engage the enemy in the event of a contact. The British Army's current night sight, the Individual Weapon Sight (IWS), may be used as a surveillance device as well. It works by multiplying, several hundreds of times, the natural light available from the stars and moon. However, the IWS is heavy, and it may not be practical or desirable for every member of your patrol to carry one.
Strong, silent shoes:
In the days of the old leather-soled ammunition boot it used to be
fashionable to wear PT shoesfor quiet movement at night. However, with the new
rubber-soled high combat boots this is completely unnecessary
- indeed, counter-productive. PT shoes does not support or protect your ankles, and anyone
wearing them is likely to turn an ankle on rough ground in the dark.
On patrol you must be capable of rapid movement, be self-sufficient for relatively long periods of time, be equipped for any likely eventuality and be capable of producing a high and intence rate of fire. You must give orders precisely and brief every man comprehensively. Rehearse and practice any complex or dangerous stages of the patrol. Patrolling is an intensively demanding business, and you will need to achieve the highest standards of infantry training to complete your mission successfully.
Six points for a successful patrol:
