FASHIONS IN MIMIC WAR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 481, 14 April 1909, Page 4

FASHIONS IN MIMIC WAR.

AND IN THE "REAL THING.'! (Br Ex-Volunteer.") - To the voluutcors who havo been under canvas at Oringi, and to others who tako an interest in soldiering, whether real or mimic, a word or two oii " fashions" in attack and defence may bo interesting. I do not mean changes ■brought about by tho introduction of new weapons, but fashions which chop and change, and come round in cycles and vanish, lil;6 a "Merry Widow" hat, or a particular style of music-hall song.

From 1870 to 1900. Tho chief fashion was sot in 1870—need lit be said in which war?—and that fashion was, in course of time, assimilated in England and.embodied by Lord Wolseloy in his Heil Book ISOG. This fashion was, perhaps, tho most thoroughly German thing that was over issued in print from tho quartermaster's departniont, and, briefly described, it was this: "If in doubt- which way to direct yoifr column, you cannot go wrong by inarching straight to tho sound of the firing. A blow with a club is morn effective than a thrust with a needle." This led to the long reign of frontal attacks which figured in all Lord AVolselcy's campaigns, misting tho "geometric" style of war taught by Sir Edward llamloy and long after revived and practised with .grea.t success bv Lord lloberts in South Africa. in the Wolseloy days the disturbing factor was always the increasing range of new rides, and the problem was how to move an attacking force across country without having it shot to pieces. To meet this, the night march was worked up with a great wealth of detail in the drill hooks. It went oil' nicely at Tel-cl-Kebir, but tho black night at Jlagers. I'ontein, on December 11, 1899, tarnished its glory a good deal, For soruo years now.

tho night marcl), whether in war or manoeuvres, has been rather out of date. Hut it will rcvivo into fashion again just as surely as other vanished fashions have revived. Indeed, it may bo worth mentioning that tho disaster at Magorsl'ontein was not duo to tho fact that a night march was attempted, hut, to other things. For instance, some time, before the Black Watch was fired into, Major liaison, who had been close up to the Boer position on tho preceding day, and had fixed tho compass bearings, warned the brigadier that it was time to bring the brigade out of column into lino. 1 This was not done in time.

The Catch-Cry of 1900-05. With the Boer War came a rather stupid cry for Hank attacks, and nothing but flank attacks. As it was supposed- to bo ono of the "lessons of the war," it had, for'somo years, a great vogue in New Zealand, and in many a weary flank march has the writer dragged himself along, not thinking too kindly of, thoso short-sighted officers who had ordered the exhausting movement. Tho truth is that attackers can hardly havo a Hank attack without delivering a frontal attack at tho same time. Besides, all flank operations become locally frontal in the end. I onco saw an officer at manoeuvres disclose tho unsoundness of tho Boer War flank "lesson" in an effectivo way. Ho had charge of the defence, and opposed to him was a Boer War tactician of tho deepest dye. Tho officer in question, divining that some, elaborate picco of nonsense would bo devised, distributed a few coppers among somo urchins to ascertain for him tho whereabouts of the enemy. He presently learned that his voldttrainod opponent was carrying out a scvenmiles march over very rough country to gain his flank. Ho knew perfectly well'that his opponent would he no better off after tho march had been completed, as all ho (tho defender) had to do was to wheel to his own right and so moot tho attackers frontally again. In disgust'at tho useless waste of boot leather to carry out an unsound move he ma'rehed his command hack .to camp, ordered his bugler to sound tho dinner call,* and then gave his men general leave. Some two hours later tho Boer War tactician, out of breath and out of temper, carried' out an assault on a vacant position. The Vogue of To-Day, Judging from what took place at Jolmsonyillo last Easter, and other signs, 1 should judgo that the present fashion is to "demonstrato" so as to cause tho defender to stretch out further and further to protect his flanks. Meanwhile the attacker keeps most of his forces massed to tho rear, and when his opponent's centre has been thinned by repeated drafts sent off to the Hanks, ho (tho attacker) drives straight through tho middle of his opponent's line. This method was carried out by Lord Roberts either at Poplar's Grovo or Abraham's Kraal, and it is having its day just now. It is mentioned with approval in Sir lan Hamilton's "Staff Officers' Scrap Book," and Sir lan is at present ono of those who dictate the fashions in warfare. But no particular stylo will succeed every time, and this ono may ho expected to go out of vogue in a year or two. Then something that had its day a century ago will be revived. Thoro is no absolutely new method in warfare, and no now invention is likely to revolutionise it. Indeed, it is rather curious to think that tho present' British stylo of deploying troops for action is almost tho samo stylo which was devised for the French army 129 years ago by a tactician named Mcsnil" Dnraiid. Only, of course, tho battle ranges of to-day aro much longer than they wero in 1780. But that is the only difference.