CONVENTIONAL WARFARE

- WDR -

PLATOON COMMANDER
COURSE
1/2015
 Scope
• Aim.
• Purpose.
• Basic Considerations.
• Control Measures.
• Wdr Stages.
• Planning & Preparation.
• Conduct of the Wdr.
• Occupy NMDP.
 Aim
To provide an understanding and application of the
fundamentals for the conduct of the withdrawal
operation.
 Purpose/CIRCUMSTANCES
• As a result of local defeat.
• To avoid battle under unfavourable operational or
logistic conditions.
• To conform with the movements of friendly forces.
• To draw the enemy into an unfavourable situation.
• To gain time.
 Basic Consideration
• Simplicity & flex.
• Surprise.
• Security.
• Clean break.
• Off Act.
• Maint morale.
 CONTROL MEASURES
• Timings • CP/RV
– No rearward except… • Clean Break
– Thining out…
– Denial Posn until…
• Rear Recce Party
– Abandon posn by… • Embuss Pt
– Cross FSCL… • NMDP
 Wdr stages
• Planning and preparation.
• Conduct.
• Occupation of the new defensive position.
 Planning & preparation
• What The Platoon Commander Must Know.
– En.
– Own Troop.
– Ground.
– Situation.
– Important time.
– Administrative Arrangement.
• Effects of Topography And Meteorology.
– In Open Country by Night.
– In Open Country by Day.
– In Close Country by Day.
– In Close Country by Night.
control
• Orders.
• Admin Matters.
– Surplus stores, equipment and ammunition have been
disposed of as ordered.
– The remaining equipment and weapons are complete and
ready for immediate use.
– Casualties or those with injuries likely to slow the withdrawal
have been sent back.
– Each section has a stretcher or means of transporting
casualties.
– Nothing of use to the enemy is left behind. This includes:
• Intelligence, such as old orders, notes and letters.
• Stores, equipment and ammunition.
• Weapons.
 conduct
• Troops should be wearing only the equipt needed
for the wdr.
• Ensure that their fighting ability is not impeded -able
to move quickly and silently.
• The section will withdraw as a whole and move to
its position in the platoon RV.
• First section to arrive at the platoon RV is
responsible for its security.
• If a section has to withdraw in contact it does so by fire and
movement. The following points apply:
– The Section Commander withdraws with the last group after
checking that all the other members of the section are clear of the
position.
– The Section Commander maintains control of his section by voice
or by other means which have been rehearsed by the section and
can be employed in the worst case of close country by night.
– Fire control must be maintained.
– Casualties are carried on the section stretchers and will be dealt
with in accordance with the casualty evacuation plan.
– On arrival at the Platoon RV, section commanders check their
sections and report to the Platoon Commander.
• The Platoon Commander withdraws with the last
section after ensuring that all sections have
withdrawn from the position.
• At the platoon RV the Platoon Commander receives
reports from the section commanders arranges
casualty evacuation and moves the platoon to the
company RV through the company check point.
• On arrival at the company RV the platoon occupies
a prearranged locality in all-round defence and the
platoon commander reports to the Company
Commander.
• The company will then move rearwards as ordered.
 OCCUPATION OF THE NEW
DEFENSIVE POSITION
• Platoon 2IC will site all the fire trenches and if time
permits and with the assistance of the guides will:
– Define the fire trenches by spit locking.
– Mark them with tape or paper to assist in positioning
troops in the dark.
– Dig the machine gun pits to stage one.
– Dig latrines.
 . .. PL CP

. ..
. .. PL RV

COY CP
COY RV

EMBUSS PT

BN CP
TIME
TAKEN
BN RV
PL CP PL RV COY CP COY RP BN CP COY CP E PT FSCL NMDP
NMDP FSCL
ETA/ETD
{LENGTH}
Q&A