Units of Minor Armies

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40. Minors Axis Horse Drawn Vehicle

A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load. Horses in World War II were used by the belligerent nations for transportation of troops, artillery, materiel, and, to a lesser extent, in mobile cavalry troops. A two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle is a cart (see various types below, both for carrying people and for goods). Four-wheeled vehicles have many names – one for heavy loads is called a wagon. German analysts rejected the French concept of mixed horse-and-motor troops as unworkable. Horses seemed to be a cheap and reliable transport especially in the spring and fall mud of the Eastern Front but the associated costs of daily feeding, grooming and handling horses were staggering. Movements over 30 kilometers (daily horse travel limit) were particularly slow and complex. Longer hauls were relegated to trucks at first opportunity, while horses persisted at divisional level and in auxiliary units. Horses needed attendants: hitching a six-horse field artillery team, for example, required six men working for at least an hour. Refit of front-line horse units consumed eight to ten days, slowing down operations. In theory horse units could feed off the country, but grazing on grass alone rendered horses unfit for work and the troops had no time to spend searching the villages for fodder. Hard-working horses required up to twelve pounds of grain daily; fodder carried by the troops made up a major portion of their supply trains.
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41. Minors Allied Horse Drawn Vehicle

Animal power was ubiquitous on World War II battlefields and in rear areas, with horses forming the spine of logistics for several armies. Horses pulled ammunition wagons; towed artillery; and hauled kitchens, food wagons, ambulances, and carts filled with German wounded. During Barbarossa, most invading Axis infantry that advanced behind the Panzers and mechanized Panzergrenadiers did so on foot, with all their supplies and many of their guns hauled by horse. Over 750,000 horses accompanied the invading Axis armies that summer. Millions more were collected from farms across occupied Europe and the western Soviet Union, thereby greatly reducing agricultural productivity. Most accompanied the Germans eastward into shared death from shellfire, bombs, cold, and starvation. The Red Army also used horses in lieu of trucks and halftracks, which it lacked until Lend-Lease trucks began to arrive in large numbers in 1943. The Russian supply lines were efficient and ran smoothly thanks to Studebaker Trucks from capitalistic America, while the Germans used slow and inefficient horse drawn carriages. In these conditions, Russian army leaders told the partisans go out now and "do what you do best." Even the U.S. Army began the war with 12 million horses—and another 4 million mules. Yugoslav partisans, Greek partisans, and all other troops fighting in mountainous areas relied on horses as pack animals. In Asia, the Japanese Army used large herds of horses extensively while fighting in China, as did opposing Guomindang and Chinese Communist armies. The Japanese even developed snow-suit camouflage for pack and cavalry horses working in winter conditions.
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42. Minors Axis Cyclist Corps

Bicycle infantry are infantry soldiers who maneuver on battlefields using military bicycles. Historically, bicycles lessened the need for horses, fuel and vehicle maintenance. German “blitzkrieg” advance of WW II depended upon two things: trucks and bicycles. These were far more important than tanks, even though the latter typically get all the glory thanks to shallow sensationalist historians; even so, most German supplies and artillery were horse-drawn. Horses and especially bicycles were of major importance as neither required liquid fuel. Troops on bikes date back to pre-WWI times. There were both issued bikes and “appropriated” civilian bikes where necessary. Some bikes have racks, some ammunition boxes. Some bikes were used to carry machine guns while others were simply just used as transportation with no special accoutrements. Bicycle infantry carried everything from medical kits and radio sets to light machine guns, rifles and submachine guns, on their bikes. The Finnish Army utilized bicycles extensively during the Continuation War and Lapland War. Bicycles were used as a means of transportation in Jaeger Battalions, divisional Light Detachments and regimental organic Jaeger Companies. Bicycle units spearheaded the advances of 1941 against the Soviet Union. Especially successful was the 1st Jaeger Brigade which was reinforced with a tank battalion and an anti-tank battalion, providing rapid movement through limited road network. During winter time these units, like the rest of the infantry, switched to skis. Within 1942–1944 bicycles were also added to regimental equipment pools. During the Summer 1944 battles against the Soviet Union, bicycles provided quick mobility for reserves and counter-attacks.
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43. Minors Allied Cyclist Corps

During the Invasion of Poland of 1939, most Polish infantry divisions included a company of bicycle-riding scouts. The equipment of each bicycle company included 196 bicycles, one motorcycle with sidecar, and nine horse-drawn supply carts, plus three to six anti-tank rifles and standard infantry equipment such as machine guns, rifles, pistols, and hand grenades. Bicycle infantry carried everything from medical kits and radio sets to light machine guns, rifles and submachine guns, on their bikes. By 1939, the Swedish Army operated six bicycle infantry regiments. They were equipped with domestically produced Swedish military bicycles. Most common was the m/42, an upright, one-speed roadster produced by several large Swedish bicycle manufacturers. Troops on bikes were able to move through rough territory faster, and could outpace a motor column. Some bikes have racks, some ammunition boxes. The Resistance in France, and elsewhere, depended upon bicycles to move radios, arms and more. Two of the biggest problems for the resistance fighters were transportation and food, which was also was a problem for the French people in general. For many years the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army used bicycles to ferry supplies down the "Ho Chi Minh trail", avoiding the repeated attacks of United States and Allied bombing raids. When heavily loaded with supplies such as sacks of rice, these bicycles were seldom rideable, but were pushed by a tender walking alongside. With especially bulky cargo, tenders sometimes attached bamboo poles to the bike for tiller-like steering (this method can still be seen practiced in China today). Vietnamese "cargo bikes" were rebuilt in jungle workshops with reinforced frames to carry heavy loads over all terrain.
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44. Minors Axis Motorbikers

Motorcycles have been going to war for as long as motorcycles have been around. The Minors Axis military motorcyclists played an important role either as solo couriers or as scouts, as teams of tank hunters, or in divisions of rifle troops. During the campaigns that spread across Europe and into the Soviet Union, motorcycle troopers served a variety of functions including chauffeuring officers, delivering dispatches and even hot meals, and scouting on patrol. Motorcycles also were point vehicles taking the brunt of battle, sometimes as specially equipped tank destroyers. As with all motorcyclists, they rode exposed without the safety of hundreds of foot soldiers beside them—moving targets, as it were, or sniper magnets. And then there were minefields, artillery fire, and strafing aircraft to contend with. The other enemy was inclement weather, particularly on the Eastern Front. By autumn, the roads had turned into nearly impassable bogs, the fields over which the motorcycles traveled turning into seas of mud three feet deep at times. Pack horses sank to their bellies, boots were sucked off the soldiers’ feet. Motorized forces that had once traveled over 70 miles in a day now were lucky to make 10. By winter temperatures fell to minus 40 degrees Farenheit, engine oil and exposed soldiers freezing solid. In 1938, Hungarian prime minister Kálmán Darányi announced the Győr armament program, aiming to modernise the equipment and arms of the Royal Hungarian Army. In 1940, Danuvia operated and owned the Magyar Lőszerművek factory in Veszprém to service this new demand. During World War II, Hungary purchased the licensing rights to various German and other foreign weapons, which were produced at the Danuvia factories. In 1944, Production from the Danuvia factories were largely halted due to the advancement of the Red Army.
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45. Minors Allied Motorbikers

World War II also influenced the industrial motorcycle sector. Motorcycles were widely spread in the military and used as separate combat units. Thousands of technologists were trying to design and modify their models. The motorcycles were applied in 14 countries, taking part in WW2. They played an important role either as solo couriers or as scouts or for evacuation injured from the battlefield. There were also fighting forces, which attended infantry and tank units. Within the most legendary motorcycle formations, the next one can be included: German, American, Japanese and Soviet. Although British WW2 motorcycles should be mentioned, because it’s well known, that the British “Triumph” was the prototype of German BMW R32. There is a legend about how the Soviet motorcycles appeared. They said, in 1940 the meeting of the Red Army heads was held to devise a motorcycle that would be suitable for the Red Arm. Then, one of the generals asked, what kind of aggregate have Germans chosen. It was a BMW R71. Exactly since that moment they started production of a M72 version. In fact, there were no difference between the Soviet model and its German prototype, but the Soviet one was fitted with a simple construction and an opposite low-piston engine. It gave the commuter a lower center of gravity. Its top speed wasn’t an unbelievable (80 km/h), but it had the high torque – a great advantage on a battlefield. Due to its high price, the motorcycle wasn’t widely spread and used only for elite units.
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46. Minors Axis Car

The 39M Csaba was a Hungarian armoured car designed by Nicholas Straussler and produced for the Royal Hungarian Army during World War II and used extensively on the Eastern Front fighting against the Soviet Union. The Csaba had a 20 mm Solothurn anti-tank cannon and a coaxial 8 mm Gebauer 1934/37M machine gun fixed on a centrally mounted turret, with 9 mm armoured plating. The 20 mm cannon had 200 shells in 5 shell capacity magazines, for a total of 40 magazines, meanwhile the coaxial 8 mm Gebauer machine gun had 3000 rounds in 100 round metal belts. The vehicle was also equipped with a detachable 8 mm Solothurn light machine gun fired through the rear hatch in the anti-aircraft role. The crew could dismount and carry this LMG when conducting reconnaissance on foot. It also had two driving positions – one at the front as normal, and an additional one at the rear. During the Second World War, the Kingdom of Romania produced, converted or significantly improved a variety of armored fighting vehicles, ranging from licence-built unarmed artillery tractors to tank destroyers of an original design which ended up - according to some accounts - as inspiration for some German AFV. The Tatra 57 were a series of two-door compact cars, built by Czechoslovakian company Tatra from 1932. They are popularly known by the nickname "Hadimrška". Tatra updated the model as the 57A in 1936, and as 57B in 1938. A military adaptation, the 57K, (for Kübelwagen) was introduced in 1941. Through 1945, more than 5,000 Tatra Kübelwagens were built. All versions have a characteristic Tatra backbone chassis, with the drive-shaft running encased in its central structural tube.
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47. Minors Allied Car

An improvised fighting vehicle is an ad hoc combat vehicle resulting from modified or upgraded civilian or military non-combat vehicle, often constructed and employed by civilians. Such modifications usually consist of grafting armor plating and weapon systems onto a vehicle. The absence of a doctrine for the military use of automobiles or of an industry dedicated to producing them lead to a great deal of improvisation in the creation of early armored cars and similar vehicles. During the Second World War Volvo built a four-wheel drive off-road vehicle, called Terrängpersonvagn m/43 (TPV), for the Swedish Armed Forces and Belgian Armed Forces. The mechanical parts were based on Volvo’s smaller lorries. Between 1944 and 1946 Volvo built 210 vehicles of the TPV version, which was an off-road vehicle for military use. Kubuś was a Polish improvised fighting vehicle used by the Home Army in the Warsaw Uprising during World War II. The single vehicle was built in secret to function as an armoured car and armoured personnel carrier for assaults by the Home Army, where it suffered damage and was abandoned after two weeks of service. Kubuś was based on the chassis of a civilian Chevrolet 157 truck which had been license-built in pre-war Poland. The chassis was fitted with steel plates for protection of the crew, and were bolted to a steel frame and then welded together. The armored car could carry between 8 and 12 soldiers, and was armed with a Soviet-built DP-27 machine gun, underground-built K pattern flamethrower and hand grenades, in addition to personal armament of the soldiers.
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48 Minors Axis Medium Truck PP

Rába 38M Botond was a Hungarian all-terrain truck. Designed by Győr-based Rába Magyar Vagon- és Gépgyár works, it was extensively used by the Royal Hungarian Army during World War II. The truck was based on a successful Raba AFi truck chassis, but was built in a relatively rare configuration of 6x4. This 1.5-ton lorry was used to ferry both cargo and personnel. Development of the new vehicle for the Royal Hungarian Army started in 1937, when Dezső Winkler was ordered by the Ministry of Defence to create a project of a 1.5-ton lorry to be used as personnel carrier. The Fiat 626 was an Italian medium truck used by multiple countries during WWII. It was a solid, reliable vehicle that saw service with France, Bulgaria, and Germany in addition to Italy. A reliable workhorse, the FIAT 626 became the standard Italian medium truck and operated on all fronts. The Fiat 626 NLM operated in Italian North Africa (1940–1943), Italian East Africa (1940–1941), the Balkans (1940–1944), France (1940–1944), and Soviet Union (1941-1943/44). France ordered 1,650 trucks; 700 had been delivered by the time Italy declared war on June 10, 1940. Zastava Trucks is a Serbian truck manufacturer based in the city of Kragujevac, Serbia. The roots of Zastava lay in the 1851 founding in Kragujevac of the Vojno-Tehnicki Zavod (Military Technical Institute). In 1904, within the company, a section dedicated to automobiles was inaugurated. Beside repair services, certain car parts were also manufactured. In 1939, it begins assembling Chevrolet military trucks. Production came to a halt in 1941 with the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia and, by then, 400 Chevrolet trucks were produced for the Royal Yugoslav Army had come out of the factory which consisted of a working force of 12,000 men.
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49 Minors Allied Medium Truck PP

Polski Fiat 621 was a Polish 2.5-tonne truck, the basic lorry of the Polish Army during the 1930s. A licence-built version of the Italian Fiat 621, it was heavily modified to better suit Polish needs and cope with the bad roads in Poland. The undercarriage was produced in two variants: The Polski Fiat 621 L was the basic variant to receive a number of superstructures while the Polski Fiat 621 R was used as the basis for a line of successful buses for the civilian market and heavier, 3-tonne lorries for the army. An unspecified number were also used by Romanian Army during WW2. In 1938-1940, the National Factory (FN) of Herstal produced some trucks for the Belgian Army. FN 63-4RM was an artillery tractor based on the conventional FN 63C. It was propelled by an engine of 6 cylinders developing 65 hp. Although in general the Dutch army armament and equipment left much to be desired, the Trado truck was a highly modern and very capable piece of equipment. This special Dutch military design was presented in quite impressive numbers. The Trado truck deserves to be treated as one of the Dutch industrial highlights. The Germans later gladly made use of the hundreds of confiscated trucks. The great success of the design was soon followed by massive orders from the Dutch military in 1935. Many types for many different purposes were ordered. In total 1,200 Trado trucks would serve in the army of 1940. That was about 10% of all trucks and cars in the Dutch army at that time (12.000 trucks, 1.200 Trado's, 1.600 cars, 9.000 motorbikes). By the way - this figure of about 15.000 motorised (4 or more wheel) vehicles was increased considerably by commandeered cars, trucks and busses during the mobilisation and the war-days.
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50 Minors Axis PP heavy truck 2PP

The Lancia 3Ro 4x2 heavy truck evolved from the earlier Lancia Ro by receiving a stronger five cylinder engine to replace two and three cylinder engines, pneumatic tires and an improved transmission; it is best known for its role as one of the main Royal Italian Army in World War II. The Lancia 3 Ro's design was simple, functional and was considered the most reliable heavy truck of the Royal Italian Army in World War II serving in all theatres of the war. The 3Ro used a ladder frame and leaf spring-suspended solid axles front and rear. Powering diesel 3Ro was a Lancia Tipo 102 6,875 cc straight-five diesel engine, with two parallel overhead valves per cylinder, which developed 93 hp at 1,860 rpm. Like on the Ro the transmission used a 4-speed plus reverse gearbox complemented by a low range gearing, for a total of 8 forward and 2 reverse speeds. Brakes were servo-assisted, mechanically operated drums on all four wheels, plus hydraulic emergency hand brake also on all four wheels. Over the course of the war many variants of the military 3Ro were made: troop transport, supply transport, 5,000-litre fuel tanker, 4,000-litre water tanker, mobile repair workshop, anti-aircraft, and self-propelled gun. In North Africa and Sicily with the top of the cab cut away and lower sideboards the Lancia 3 Ro became well suited for desert warfare serving as a self-propelled gun porting the Cannone da 90/53. German armed forces always in need of supplies and material made use of any Ro and 3Ro as well as any other equipment, Italian or otherwise, that came into their possession. After the Italian armistice of September 8, 1943, the Wehrmacht absorbed 3Ro trucks from their former ally.
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51 Minors Allied PP heavy truck 2PP

The 3-tonner was to the British Army what the 21/2-tonner was to the U.S.—the backbone of its transport. From slightly less than 10,000 4x2 and 6x4 types in 1939, use of the 3-ton lorry increased to the point that by VE Day about 390,000 were in service with the British alone. 4x4 models entered production at the end of 1940, and were the types usually found in the forward areas; e.g., one 3-tonner was the standard method of transport for an infantry platoon. Specially adapted versions were used to tow the Bofors AA gun and to carry the 6pdr AT en portee, and the game piece also represents the AEC Matador MAT (medium artillery tractor) which towed the 6-in. howitzer, 4.5-in. gun and 5.5-in. gun-howitzer. Large numbers of 4x2 3-ton lorries were supplied to the USSR. Some common 3-ton models were the Austin K3 and K5, Bedford OY and QL, and the Canadian Ford F6OL and Chevrolet C6OL series. The Bedford OY is an army lorry (truck built by Bedford for the British Armed Forces and introduced in 1939). It was designed for a 3-ton payload. These vehicles were widely used during, and after, World War II but were later superseded by the Bedford RL. The OY was a 3-ton transport vehicle that saw service throughout the war and in many theatres of operations. Wherever your Tommies and Commonwealth troops want to go, the OY will provide the means to get there quickly. They were used to fulfil various roles, including transportation of troops, transportation of armaments, mobile canteens, tankers, general purpose lorries, and a version used by the Royal Air Force to transport dismantled or damaged aircraft.
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52. Minors Axis Boat

The Axis Minors used small rowboats, like the skiffs, to cross rivers in amphibious operations. The use of small boats allowed to Axis Minors transporting supplies by river or by the coast. The skiff is a small river and sea going craft. They varied from double ended rowing boats to small sailing boats. Usage of skiff is to refer to a typically small flat-bottomed open boat with a pointed bow and a flat stern originally developed as an inexpensive and easy to build boat for use by inshore fishermen. The skiff was mainly used in river crossings, but it could also be used to land on beaches which would prove critical. The most important feature for raiding parties was that the skiff was his silent if no motor was used, creating far more stealth opportunities that otherwise would not have been possible with conventional ships or landing craft. The skiff could be paddled by the men inside the boat and could travel at speeds of up to 52.1 meters per minute with a well trained team. The realistic range of the boat varied from about 3.2 km to 4.8 km. What was perhaps most useful about the skiff was the fact that it could be transported near anywhere by a variety of craft without taking up much room. Assault boats were of all-wood construction, small and relatively lightweight, since their passengers needed to be able to carry them to the water’s edge, and they were vulnerable to small-arms fire. Most lacked seats, so as to provide maximum passenger and cargo space. Rope lifelines attached around the sides could double as carrying handles. Outboard motors were available but only in small numbers, and were reserved for special use. The common means of propulsion was paddles wielded by the passengers.
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53. Minors Allied Boat

Skiff boats were used by all armies for reconnaissance (2-3 man, as well as larger models); assault crossings; ferrying troops, weapons, and supplies; and as bridge and ferry pontoons. The skiff is a small river and sea going craft. They varied from double ended rowing boats to small sailing boats. Usage of skiff is to refer to a typically small flat-bottomed open boat with a pointed bow and a flat stern originally developed as an inexpensive and easy to build boat for use by inshore fishermen. The skiff was mainly used in river crossings, but it could also be used to land on beaches which would prove critical. The most important feature for raiding parties was that the skiff was his silent if no motor was used, creating far more stealth opportunities that otherwise would not have been possible with conventional ships or landing craft. The skiff could be paddled by the men inside the boat and could travel at speeds of up to 52.1 meters per minute with a well trained team. The realistic range of the boat varied from about 3.2 km to 4.8 km. What was perhaps most useful about the skiff was the fact that it could be transported near anywhere by a variety of craft without taking up much room. An Assault boat is a boat used for making a landing in combat. Meant for inland waters, assault boats were light enough to be carried by several men and paddled, or fitted with an outboard motor for hi-speed operation, manually portable or not. The assault crossing of a defended river line was one of the most difficult tactical offensive operations conducted in World War II. Regardless of the scope of the operation — divisional, corps, or army-level — the initial assault crossing was very much a tactical operation.
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54. Minors Axis Foot Pontoon

A pontoon bridge, also known as a floating bridge, uses floats or shallow-draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maximum load that they can carry. The purpose of any river crossing is to project combat power across a water obstacle in order to accomplish a mission. A river crossing is a special operation. It requires specific procedures for success, because the water obstacle prevents normal ground maneuver. It also requires unique technical support and more detailed planning and control measures than normal tactical operations. The nature and size of the obstacle, the threat situation, and the available crossing assets limit the commander's options. The challenge is to minimize the river's impact on the commander's tactics. The force is vulnerable while crossing, as it must break its movement formations, concentrate at crossing points, reform on the far shore, and reduce its movement rate to the speed of the crossing means. The assaulting task force normally has three dismounted infantry companies of three infantry platoons each to conduct the assault. The task force may have formed company teams, but all assault companies must retain adequate dismounted infantry strength for the assault. Besides its organic infantry and armor, the assault task force has its fire-support team, its air defense teams, and an attached combat engineer company (with the engineer platoons attached to the assault companies). The first assault wave moves the bulk of the dismounted force across covertly. This force attempts to provide sufficient security on the far shore, so that the second and later assault waves can cross after surprise is lost.
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55. Minors Allied Foot Pontoon

A pontoon bridge (or pontoon bridge), also known as a floating bridge, uses floats or shallow-draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maximum load that they can carry. The First World War saw developments on "trestles" to form the link between a river bank and the pontoon bridge. Some infantry bridges in WW1 used any material available, including petrol cans as flotation devices. Most pontoon bridges are temporary and used in wartime and civil emergencies. There are permanent pontoon bridges in civilian use and carry highway traffic and allowing ships or boats to pass on the river or lake being crossed. Permanent floating bridges are useful for sheltered water crossings if it is not considered economically feasible to suspend a bridge from anchored piers. Such bridges can require a section that is elevated or can be raised or removed to allow waterborne traffic to pass. The water obstacles should be crossed from the march to preclude major halts in the offense. This doctrine includes crossing these obstacles at multiple points along a broad front to overwhelm enemy defenses. This doctrine also calls for river crossings to be made at night; however, French units rarely train in night river crossings. Smoke is used extensively to mask assault crossings conducted during daylight hours. The purpose of any river crossing is to project combat power across a water obstacle in order to accomplish a mission. A river crossing is a special operation. It re-quires specific procedures for success, because the water obstacle prevents normal ground maneuver. It also requires unique technical support and more detailed planning and control measures than normal tactical operations.
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56. Minors Axis Vehicular Pontoon

The bridge columns usually were part of the engineers battalions in the divisions. The structure of the battalions consisted of three companies and a bridge column and depending on the type of division were totally or partially motorized. Bridges are usually made up of a fixed section and a floating section; the fixed section supported by trestles and the floating section over half-pontoons or full pontoons depending on the type of the bridge; Ramp or causeways connected both sections. Bridges settled on firm ground were built on trestles.
Italian Combat engineers were trained how to use a multiplicity of tools: heavy and light. They were trained to use their hands and their creativity to solve urgent problems. Electricians, plumbers and specialists were drafted from civilian life but the majority of road builders were trained in special places. All of these were related to their jobs of building and maintaining roads and bridges.
River meanders form salient and re-entrant angles along the shore. A salient on the threat shore is a desirable crossing area for two reasons. It allows friendly fires from a wide stretch of the near shore to concentrate against a small area on the far shore and limits the length of threat shore that must be cleared of direct fire and observation. Additionally, salient on the threat shore generally mean that the friendly shore banks are steeper and the water is deeper, while the threat shore tends to have shallow water and less challenging banks.
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57. Minors Allied Vehicular Pontoon

River meanders form salient and re-entrant angles along the shore. A salient on the threat shore is a desirable crossing area for two reasons. It allows friendly fires from a wide stretch of the near shore to concentrate against a small area on the far shore and limits the length of threat shore that must be cleared of direct fire and observation. Additionally, salient on the threat shore generally mean that the friendly shore banks are steeper and the water is deeper, while the threat shore tends to have shallow water and less challenging banks. An offensive deliberate river crossing operation has four phases. They are distinct phases for planning, but there is no pause between them in execution.
Phase I: Advance to the river. The first phase is the deliberate attack to seize and secure the near shore of a water obstacle.
Phase II: Assault across the river. The second phase involves units assaulting across a water obstacle to secure a lodgment on the far shore, eliminating direct fire on the crossing sites.
Phase III: Advance from the exit bank. The third phase is the attack to seize and secure exit-bank and intermediate objectives that eliminate direct and observed indirect fire into the crossing area.
Phase IV: Secure the bridgehead line. The final phase involves units that seize and secure bridgehead objectives to protect the bridgehead against counterattack. This gains additional time and space for build up of forces for the attack out of the bridgehead.
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