'Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine 1936' [‎137v] (281/294)

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TA KEN 7/HEN DEALING 1YITH EID IVIDUAL OR SMALL PARTIES OP
AjMED XilTElIDATORS ~
v.ir .
^ Armed intimidators consist chiefly of snipers, operating at night
with rifles or revolvers; also bombers. There is a tendency at the
moment for troops when sniped merely to return the fire v/ith their rifles
in the hope_of silencing it. Such action is not only bad for training
morale and discipline, but in a very large percentage of cases is a
waste of ammunition. Hostile night snipers normally act alone and from
behind good cover. They undoubtedly gain a moral uplift, a great deal
of amusement, and practically no casualties from the bulk of our return
rifle fire. In addition to the above, unaimed rifle fire at night is
likely to be a danger to our own troops and civilians, particularly on
the outskirts of towns.
7. The aim of infantry is to close with the enemy and kill him at
short range with fire or the bayonet. This principle is apt to be lost
sight of v/hen troops are employed on policing duties, but if applied
correctly will have far more effect on enemy snipers than hundreds of
unaimed rounds at long range. The excuse is so often heard that it is
impossible to move across country at night. Not only does this cast a
reflection on our night training, which is of first importance in modem
war, but it shows an ignorance of the night exploits of the British
infantry in the Palestine Campaign. As a guiding principle, therefore,
fire should not be returned with rifles at snipers at night unless they
are at close range and can definitely be located. The best form of
reply is concentrated machine gun, accompanied by pom-pom or 3-pdr fire.
TChere this cannot be organised snipers are to be dealt with by the
offensive action of small patrols consisting of a few lightly clad men
carrying the minimum of equipment necessary, and if possible wearing
ruboer-soled shoes, either in ambush positions or working round the
flanks or rear of snipers positions. One or two rifle grenades should
be carried to deal with snipers in sangars or other good cover.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN AGAINST SABOT EURS
8. ^ Saboteurs may be members of armed gangs, or inhabitants of villages
living close to the main roads and railways. In any case, the action
of saboteurs is almost entirely directed against communications, whether
it be the roads and railways themselves, the vehicles and personnel which
move along them; or the telegraph lines which run beside them.
Sabotage may be prevented by one of the following methods:-
(a) Ambushes by night.
(b) Picquetting by day or night, or both.
(c) Patrolling by A.P.V’s. with or v/ithout infantry by night.
(d) Patrolling oy infantry in M.I. or railway trolley cars and
armoured trucks by night.
(c) and (d) both have definite disadvantages but there is no doubt
that railway patrols are necessary for inspection of the permanent way
before normal traffic is resumed. No form of patrolling by itself is
ever going to prevent sabotage of communications in this country, and it
remains to be seen whether we have now reached a stage where a system of
picquets on vital portions of our communications combined with patrolling
and ambushing will lead to the best results. Such a system has the
advantage o± combining both defensive measures v/ith offensive, of denying
certain blocks oi country to enemy action, and what is more, of securing
the roads and railways.