If the battle group is the cell of an army, the platoon is its main fabric. The platoon was then and remains the smallest combined action capable sub-unit. The platoon of the time extended three battle groups of 13 men – 39 men. It was commanded by a second lieutenant or adjutant and also had a platoon assistant sergeant, a gunner corporal, an observer and a dispatcher. Its total force reached 44 men.
The armament of the platoon it consisted of three machine guns – one per battle group – four howitzers, nine howitzers, 20 rifles and eight pistols . Pistols were carried by the platoon leader, the assistant sergeant and the shooters and loaders of the machine guns.
Modes of energy
The platoon was the smallest maneuverable subunit on the battlefield as it could combine the actions of its battlegroups on a joint or non-mission basis. The attacking platoon could, in the face of a single enemy resistance and when it did not have accurate information about the enemy's situation and forces, attack with one group, supported by a second, with the third as the platoon's reserve.
If he faced two enemy resistances, the platoon had to engage them with his two groups, using the third as a maneuvering force. This tactic could also be used when there was a single, but strong, enemy resistance facing the platoon.
However, depending on the tactical situation, the dimoiritis he could even concentrate his machine guns creating a strong base of fire and at the same time act aggressively with his riflemen, also concentrated in a single unit.
He could also pin down enemy resistances with one or two of his squads and attempt a hyperwax maneuver with the other. He could also gather the gunners of the battle groups and place them under the gunner corporal, forming a semi-group which he utilized appropriately, depending on the tactical situation.
The practice of grouping gunners into a semi-group was very common in 1940-41. After looting hundreds of Italian 45mm Brixia light mortars, the platoons also acquired familiar mortar semi-groups.
During the defense a platoon of the time was able to strongly prohibit one direction of the enemy's advance, or at most two, as the platoon always had to keep a reserve. Of course in real conditions everything could change, depending on whether or not the platoon had support from higher echelons or from artillery and mortars.
The role of the sharer
The platoon effectively commanded three battle groups and a semi-group of gunners andhis task was to combine the action of these elements during defense and attack . The division commander had to distribute the missions of these divisions and define their objectives.
He had to determine the rate of advance and execution of the jumps, during the attack, always having at least one of his squads on the move. He was the one who would hasten to take advantage of every opportunity to penetrate the enemy's position or to overreach it, but also the one who would combine the action of his platoon and maintain contact with the other platoons of his company.
The platoon leader had to be in constant contact with his team leaders, but also with his captain and above all with his men. His robust presence and boldness enlivened the men.
For this the sharer owed and he must, know his men personally , the abilities and quirks of each of them. Also, the platoon member had to always keep the assistant sergeant informed of his decisions, who would be his replacement in case he was out of combat.
Assistant Sergeant, Gunnery Corporal, Observer, Broadcaster
The assistant sergeant was the second-ranking person in the platoon and was the potential replacement for the platoon leader. His main task was to supervise the execution of the division's orders. If the assistant sergeant was ordered out of combat they were immediately replaced by the most experienced non-commissioned officer, even a soldier, if it was not possible to assign this task to one of the sergeant group leaders.
The gunner corporal commanded the half group of gunners when assembled . When it was not formed, it undertook the supply of the platoon with ammunition or any other mission assigned to it by the platoon leader.
An experienced soldier acted as observer. The main task of the observer was to control the terrain in front of the platoon's axis of advance and to supervise the movements of its combat groups as well as to be a liaison with neighboring platoons.
He was effectively the scout of the platoon. The soldier transmitter had the main task of connecting the platoon with the company in question, but also to convey the orders of the platoon to the team leaders, when there was no other means. He was effectively the messenger of the platoon.
Battle Formations
The platoon was deployed for battle either with the combat groups aligned, i.e. next to each other in a linear formation, or in a triangle or inverted triangle formation, with one or two groups in the front and respectively two or one in the back and in a staggered formation to one of its sides.
The first formation was usually used when the platoon was the advance force of the relevant company, having the task of covering its advance, or when there was a need to use all three machine guns of the platoon at the same time.
The triangle formation was the most common during battle and depending on the strength and the knowledge of the enemy's strength, the formation of a triangle was used with one battle group as the apex and the other two as the base (inverted triangle), or with two battle groups in front and the third behind as a reserve.
At distances of less than 400 m from the enemy the battle group under enemy fire deployed in battle line formation so that all its weapons could be used.
When the platoon reached within range of the enemy, an attack was carried out, by order of the platoon leader, by all of its men. Immediately after the occupation of an enemy location and if all resistance had been overcome, the main task was the organization of the occupied territory.
In the event of failure of the attack, the platoon had to be anchored in the previously occupied territory and to expect intervention from the higher echelons. Under no circumstances should he retreat, unless there was no other possibility.
In a trench fight, inside the enemy location, the semi-gunner squad was extremely useful because of the curved fire path it could deliver with relative accuracy.
If the platoon was in front of successive enemy positions immediately after the capture of the first, it had to continue to capture the next, unless the orders it had received, the losses it had suffered or the insufficiency of ammunition did not allow it. The front of each platoon could not exceed 100 m