Pre Chapter Sub-links

Notes to Instructors

The Instructor

Hints to Instructors

The Company Drill Programme

Advanced Drill

Special Activities

Simple Drill Theory

Basic Foundation of Drill

The Directing Flank

Notes to Instructors

1. The Instructor

All B.B. Companies use the same Drill Book. Any differences in standard, enthusiasm, etc., can therefore be attributed to different instructors and the ways in which they put across their instruction. To become a first-class drill instructor, the following points should be borne in mind:

• (a) Be convinced.
  • convinced yourself of the value of the value and place of drill in the B.B. (see Chapter 1).
• (b) Be confident.
  • This will come only with knowledge: you should therefore study and really get to know the Drill Book.
• (c) Be prepared.
  • Don’t leave it to chance, but prepare each drill period thoroughly.
• (d) Be enthusiastic.
  • Nothing is as infectious as enthusiasm.
• (e) Be smart.
  • Boys will follow your example.
• (f) Be interesting.
  • Make drill progressive and attractive (see suggestions on page 3.3).
• (g) Be sympathetic.
  • sympathetic. Remember that you are primarily teaching Boys, and only secondarily teaching drill. Understand their point of view

2. Hints to Instructors

(a) In all essential details (e.g. words of command) follow the Drill Book exactly. In general explanations, etc., put it across in your own way and words, but introduce Boys to the standard drill terminology.
(b) Use the sequence:
-->EXPLANATION Tell briefly and clearly what is to be done.
-->DEMONSTRATION Show how it should be done.
-->EXECUTION Get the Boys to do it.
-->PRACTICE Get them to do it again till they are sure of it.
The first two may often be combined, but always remember the importance of demonstration: Boys learn much more easily through the eye than the ear. Proceed as soon as possible to “Execution” since Boys are easily bored by inactivity.
(c) In the early stages, use a simple teaching formation, e.g.

(d) When explaining or demonstrating any movement, stand the Squad easy, and feel free yourself to be informal at this stage, without, of course, losing bearing or dignity.
(e) In teaching Elementary Drill, encourage the Boys to call out the time. Some examples are given in the book; others may be introduced at your discretion.
(f) Use a progressive sequence where possible, working from the simplest to the more difficult methods of carrying out movements, e.g.
(i) Right turn at the halt
-->Explanation and demonstration of the complete movement.
-->Right Turn by numbers.
-->Right Turn, counting the time.
-->Right Turn, judging the time.
(ii) Changing Direction when in line
-->Halt to halt.
-->Halt to move.
-->Move to halt.
-->Move to move.
(iii) Movements on the march
Slow time may be used until the Boys can carry out the correct footwork, followed by progression to quick time.
(g) Use both flanks wherever possible,
e.g. Changing Direction in line can be carried out in four ways:
Front rank in front. Changing direction right.
Front rank in front. Changing direction left.
Rear rank in front. Changing direction right.
Rear rank in front. Changing direction left.
Variety of this sort uses different Boys in key positions and gives several Boys experience and confidence.
(h) At all stages, from a new member’s first drill session onwards, look out for, and correct, faults otherwise wrong habits will be formed, and these are difficult to break. By this means also, the general standard will be raised, and a sense of achievement attained.

The Company Drill Programme

Before the commencement of each session, the drill programme for each week should be carefully planned. It is not good enough to leave this to chance, nor to prepare each week’s programme on the way to the Company headquarters.
Each new session will bring new members, and their drill training should be considered one of the most important aspects of their training. It is essential that new members should not be rushed through their Elementary Drill, and put in with the remainder of the Company too soon. Even in small Companies, first year Boys should be kept together as a separate Drill Squad for at least three months, and in most cases, a full session. This enables them to fully understand and be competent in their Basic Drill, before joining in the more advanced and combined movements carried out by the older Boys.
For the new members, the Elementary Drill section of this book should be steadily worked through over the first period of about three months, other talks, competitions, quizzes, etc., being added to maintain interest.
The amount of time spent each week on drill will vary from Company to Company. All Companies are required to undertake Basic Drill, and should allow sufficient time to reach a good standard. Companies wishing to progress to Advanced Drill will need additional time.

Advanced Drill

This is purely and simply a logical and progressive step forward from Basic Drill, and is nowhere near as difficult as some people imagine! All drill instructors should study the Advanced Drill section of this book, and when they fully understand it, should consider its introduction to the Company at least on certain drill evenings. Apart from providing additional material to prevent the Boys from becoming bored, the main advantage of Advanced Drill is that it makes a great deal of use of N.C.O.’s and Seniors, in the commanding of individual sections into which the Company is divided.
Not all the movements should be covered in one session. A few simple ones can be selected in the first year, and others added in later years, thus again adding to the interest and ensuring progression.

Special Activities

Different ways of carrying out B.B. drill can be worked out, and an occasional use of some of these will be a great help in stimulating the Boys’ interest, and maintaining as high as possible a standard in drill. Drill instructors will no doubt be able to think of ideas for themselves, and anything which adds to the enthusiasm of the Boys, and enables them to get the most out of their drill, without cutting across the basic material in this Drill Book, is worth including. The following examples may be of interest to indicate the sort of things which can be done.

(a) Inter-Squad Drill Competitions
Introduced three or four times a year. On the previous two or three weeks, N.C.O.’s are allowed to drill their own Squads in a corner of the room. On the competition night, a simple Squad Drill paper (e.g. in single rank) is carried out by each Squad, and an Officer from a neighbouring Company may be invited to judge.
(b) Sequence Drill
A Squad works to a set sequence of movements, memorised by each Boy, and carried out without commands

Simple Drill Theory

As in any other subject, before the practical aspects can be appreciated, a certain amount of simple theory must be understood. The following should be carefully studied by an instructor before taking drill at any stage, and this elementary theory should be introduced gradually to the Boys.

Basic Foundations of Drill

There are two fundamental things concerning every drill movement:
FORMATION The particular arrangement of the Boys in the Squad. DIRECTION The way which the Squad is facing.
(a) Formation
There are two basic formations in Squad Drill:
(i) LINE (ii) FILE
(b) Direction
A Squad may be moved in four different ways:
1. “SQUAD WILL ADVANCE” always followed by
“QUICK—MARCH”
2. “SQUAD WILL RETIRE” always followed by “
ABOUT—TURN.
QUICK—MARCH”
3. “MOVE TO THE RIGHT” always followed by
“RIGHT—TURN.
QUICK—MARCH”
4. “MOVE TO THE LEFT” always followed by
“LEFT—TURN.
QUICK—MARCH”
NB The appropriate directing flank (see below) must always be given immediately prior to the command “QUICK—MARCH.”
These commands are always used irrespective of the particular formation in which the Squad is at any time. Boys should be taught that the first part of the command (the Preliminary Caution) is merely a means of warning them which way they are to be turned.

All drill is based on these two foundations, and the instructor and Boys should at all times be aware of the formation and direction concerned. Drill consists of maintaining or changing one or both of these two foundations, as will be seen from the following examples:

(i) Maintain formation: maintain direction
“SQUAD WILL ADVANCE BY THE RIGHT,
QUICK—MARCH.”

Start Finish
(ii) Maintain formation: change direction
CHANGE DIRECTION RIGHT. AT THE HALT,
RIGHT—FORM.”

Start Finish
(iii) Change formation: maintain Direction
“AT THE HALT, ON THE LEFT,
FORM—SQUAD.”

Start Finish
(iv) Change formation: change direction
“TURN TO THE RIGHT, RIGHT—TURN.”

Start Finish

The Directing Flank

The directing flank - “the flank by which units march or dress”- is usually determined by the Marker (No. 1 of the front rank), and it is therefore essential for the instructor to know which Boy occupies this position.

The following diagrams illustrate the various alternatives:

In the course of drill movements, therefore, there may be frequent changes of the directing flank, and the words “BY THE LEFT (or RIGHT)” must be included in the command, to let the Boys know by which flank to dress.
The only exception to this rule occurs when changing direction to the outer flank, when it is obviously advisable to temporarily change the directing flank to the other flank, e.g.
(i) “BY THE RIGHT, CHANGE DIRECTION RIGHT,
RIGHT—WHEEL.”
(ii) “BY THE LEFT, CHANGE DIRECTION LEFT,
LEFT—FORM.”
NB In all these cases, as soon as the particular movement is completed, the normal directing flank is restored, by giving the command, “BY THE RIGHT (or LEFT).”

Words of Command

Good drill is impossible unless clear and correct words of command are given.

1. Whilst an informal approach may be used while explaining a movement, you should always be standing at attention when giving a command.
2. Commands should be given clearly and sufficiently loud. There is no need to shout as loudly as possible.
3. All words of command consist of two parts:
   (a) CAUTION - which tells the Boys what to do.
   (b) EXECUTIVE - which tells them when to do it.
   e.g. Caution Executive
   RIGHT — TURN
   ATTEN — SHUN
   ON THE LEFT, FORM — SQUAD
   The caution should be given deliberately and distinctly. The executive should be given in a short sharp tone to encourage a smart and immediate response. A slightly higher pitch should also be used for the executive.
   The one exception to this rule is the command “RIGHT (or LEFT) —WHEEL.” This is a continuous movement, and the executive part of the command is therefore prolonged.
4. Certain one-word commands, i.e. “HALT”, “NUMBER” and “COVER” must be preceded by the caution “SQUAD”.
   Other one-word commands, i.e. “ATTEN—SHUN”, “FOR—WARD” can themselves be split into a caution and executive, and do not need an additional caution.
   NB 1. The word “SQUAD” should not be used before commands that in themselves
   have cautions. e.g. It is incorrect to say “SQUAD, STAND AT—EASE”.
   2. This should not be confused with the use of the word “SQUAD” as an executive command, to bring a Squad from the Stand Easy to Stand at Ease position.
5. A standard length pause should always be made between the end of the caution and the start of the executive. The length of the pause should be: At the halt or in quick time - two paces in quick time. In slow time - two paces in slow time.