Left out of battle?

[Simon Fox]

Commonwealth forces in WWII adhered to a practice they called "left out of battle". Before an engagement (generally attack I think) a cadre of officers, NCOs and sometimes those with specific skills were left out of the battle. I think the list was usually compiled at battalion level, though maybe someone else can enlighten me further on that. Thus if the unit sustained heavy casualties there was a cadre of leadership ready to take over and keep things functioning.

I would be interested in knowing if other nations had a formal "left out of battle" type system?

[Michael Dorosh]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Simon Fox:

Commonwealth forces in WWII adhered to a practice they called "left out of battle". Before an engagement (generally attack I think) a cadre of officers, NCOs and sometimes those with specific skills were left out of the battle. I think the list was usually compiled at battalion level, though maybe someone else can enlighten me further on that. Thus if the unit sustained heavy casualties there was a cadre of leadership ready to take over and keep things functioning.

I would be interested in knowing if other nations had a formal "left out of battle" type system?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You've got the gist of it down. If the company commander went into an attack, the 2 i/c was LOB. I don't think it was done at battalion level, more like company level, since it was done on an individual basis, not a subunit basis (ie one or two men from each section or platoon were tagged as LOB - - not entire platoons or sections). Platoon commanders traded off with their platoon sergeants as well.

The comment about those with "skills" was interesting. What skills are you referring to? I know that riflemen were sometimes LOB, but I think most sections would want to keep their best Bren Gunner with them.

It's an interesting concept and I've also wondered if it was practiced by other nations.

[Michael Emrys]

For whatever it's worth, I had never heard of the practice until quite recently when someone on this forum or elsewhere brought it up. Therefore I don't think any other army practiced it in quite this way. I suspect that it was a direct outgrowth of the British regimental system, as there was always a cadre of experienced officers and troops that remained in the home county to train recruits to serve in the active part of the regiment.

Until the system broke down toward the end of the war, the Germans had a practice that was somewhat similar. After a division had absorbed a certain level of casualties, it was pulled out of the line and sent to a quiet zone. There it was fed replacements and retrained until the FNGs had been fully integrated with the experienced vets. At least that was how it was supposed to work.

Michael

[Simon Fox]

Well I included the "skills" category, though I did qualify it because I wasn't sure if it was common. I have read of it on occasions referring to those with specific skills which were duplicated within the unit, also I cast the net a bit wider than just the infantry battalion. For example signallers, even Bren gunners (if they had an extra ), mortarmen etc. In tank units they maintained a pool of experienced commanders/gunners/drivers etc.

[Simon Fox]

Michael, I'm not talking about the regimental cadre that were back in their home county, training replacements, raising new battalions etc. This is the cadre that were actually serving with the battalion and were left out at the start of the battle. They could be stepping in the next day to maintain the combat effectiveness of the unit.