Courtesy Photo | French soldier takes a break with his bicycle (courtesy illustration).... read more read more
by Michael E. Bigelow, INSCOM Command Historian
In September 1917, the French VI Army Corps published “Directions for an Infantry Intelligence Officer during the Battle and the Working Out of the Results Obtained.” Eight months later, 1st Lt. William H. Wright, an American regimental S-2, picked up a copy of the directive as his unit trained with the French in a quiet sector of the Western Front.
A journalist before the war, the 31-year-old Wright was now the regimental S-2 for the 168th Infantry of the 42d Division. He took advantage of working with the French VI Corps to search for the best ways to perform his duties, so he eagerly accepted their “Directions.” He had them translated, or perhaps translated them himself. Subsequent actions of Wright and other S-2s with the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) showed the influence of documents like “Directions” on their concept of how an intelligence officer should go about his duties.
The intelligence officer, the French directive adamantly stated, “must only look after the information concerning the enemy and by no means be diverted from this task.” The officer was vitally important because the commander depended on him to keep promptly and properly informed during combat. Toward this end, he should put together any information on the enemy and present it to the commander “in such a way that the [commander] can use it.” In searching all items of information, he checked them, put them together, and forwarded them to both higher and lower levels, as well as adjacent units and the artillery battalion supporting the regiment.
“Directions” laid out six major sources of enemy information. The first four were traditional sources: front-line units, observation posts, prisoners, and captured documents. Two, however, were more off beat: recent inscriptions and materiel left behind by the enemy. Whatever the source, the document stated, “The Intelligence Officers must not wait for Information: they must arrange to get it, call for it, urge on and direct their [subordinate units]” (emphasis in original).
Once gathered, the officer needed to forward the information. Critical items should be sent by the quickest means—telephone or courier—because information, as the document quaintly put it, “only proves useful if worked out in time.” When forwarding information, the report must be plain,
accurate, and state how the information was obtained. In addition to these spot reports, “Directions” detailed the format for the daily summary of information. Broadly, it included sections on enemy infantry, artillery, aeronautics, and order of battle as well as a general description of the day’s enemy activities. These regimental reports contained a large amount of detail about the enemy without too much commentary.
The AEF’s approach to tactical intelligence generally reflected these concepts of collection and dissemination. In one area, however, the French document did not influence the AEF intelligence service: section organization. By early 1918, the AEF’s combat units had organic S-2s supported by teams of scouts and observers at the regimental and battalion levels. In comparison, “Directions” had the intelligence officer detailed to the regimental staff from a subordinate unit and supported by detailed NCOs at the battalion level. It also made the rather practical suggestion for getting around in the regimental defensive sector by noting the intelligence officer “must have a bicycle.”
Like many of his colleagues, Wright closely followed some of the core concepts of the French directive. He actively sought information on the enemy to keep his commander informed. He relied heavily on his scouts and observers as well as prisoner and document examination. He also reported his intelligence in the general manner outlined in the document. It is unknown, however, if he ever obtained a bicycle.
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 09.06.2022 14:00 |
| Story ID: | 428685 |
| Location: | FORT HUACHUCA, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 41 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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