Dictionary of Military Terms

Formal Orders

The British Army and the US Army both use the same standard format for issuing orders. This can be applied to any type of operation or task and is designed to ensure that no important points are omitted. The following sequence is always used:

1. GROUND:

A detailed description of the terrain over which the operation or task will be carried out.

2. SITUATION:

a. Enemy Forces: i.e. locations, strengths, organization, current activity and future intentions

b. Friendly Forces: i.e. overall plan of the higher formation and locations and tasks of neighbouring groupings

c. Attachments and Detachments: i.e. any sub-units which are attached to the grouping for this operation, and any of the grouping’s own sub-units which have been detached for other tasks.

3. MISSION:

A simple and concise statement, which explains exactly what the grouping is trying to achieve, for example: ‘our mission is to capture the bridge at grid 324599’.

4. EXECUTION:

a. Concept of Operations: i.e. a general outine of how the operation is intended to proceed

b. Detailed Tasks: i.e. specific tasks allocated to each sub-unit of the grouping

c. Coordinating Instructions: e.g. timings, orders for opening fire, indirect-fire support, actions to be carried out in the event of something going wrong etc.

5. ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS:

General administrative details such as: ammunition, equipment, food and water, medical facilities etc.

6. COMMAND AND SIGNAL:

a.Command: i.e. command structure of the grouping and nomination of alternative commanders in the event of casualties

b.Signal: e.g. radio frequencies, codes and codewords, report lines, passwords etc.

Example of Formal Orders

6 Platoon, which is part of B Company, is about to take part in a battalion attack. The platoon commander has prepared the following orders:

1.GROUND:

The feature we are attacking is Ladna Hill, which runs from north to south along the 44 easting, from the 07 northing to the 04 northing. The company objective is the northern end of the feature. The northern slope is quite steep and consists of grass, with scattered gorse bushes. 500 metres to the north of Ladna Hill is a road, which will form our line of departure. To the north of the road is an area of dead ground, which will be used as our FUP.

2. SITUATION: a. Enemy Forces:

Ladna Hill is occupied by a company of the 7th Infantry Regiment. They are well dug in and are expected to stand and fight. There is a platoon position on the southern end of the feature, facing south-west, and a second platoon on the centre of the hill facing west. The third platoon is on the northern end facing north and their position is our company objective. The platoon has two sections forward and one in reserve. The forward right section (as we look at it) is in the area of grid 433064. The reserve section is in the area of grid 437063. The forward left section (as we look at it) is in the area of grid 437067. There are four trenches in this position, two of which are on the forward edge of a patch of gorse, while the other two are on a grass slope approximately 50 metres to the rear. The forward left section is our platoon objective.

b. Friendly Forces:

The battalion has been ordered to capture Ladna Hill by 1200hrs tomorrow. The attack will be in two phases. In phase 1, B Company will capture the platoon position on the northern end of the hill. This must be accomplished by first light. In phase 2, A and C Companies will assault the other two enemy platoons in the centre and south, while B Company provides fire support from the northern end. B Company’s attack will be carried out in darkness. 5 Platoon will assault the forward right section, while we assault the forward left. Once both section positions have been captured, 7 platoon will move through us, in order to assault the rear section. There are no friendly units to our left. When the entire position is secure, 5 and 7 Platoons will prepare to provide fire support for phase 2 of the battalion attack, while we remain on the northern slope in order to cover the rear.

c. Attachments and Detachments:

41 Field Battery will be on call to B Company during phase 1 and an FOO will be attached to Company HQ. We will have L/Cpl. Smedhurst from the Mortar Platoon to act as MFC.

3. MISSION:

6 Platoon’s mission is to capture the enemy section position at grid 437067.

Example of Formal Orders continued

4. EXECUTION: a. General Outline:

The company will leave this location at 2000hrs and move to the FUP at grid 433074. Once there, the platoon will deploy into assault formation, with 1 Section forward left, 3 Section forward right and 2 Section in reserve. Platoon HQ will be between 1 and 3 Sections. 5 Platoon will be on our right and 7 Platoon to the rear.

At 2130hrs, the company will move forward to the road which forms our line of departure. H-Hour is at 2200hrs. We will then advance directly towards our objective. Once we come under effective enemy fire, the platoon will skirmish by sections up to the forward edge of the enemy position.

Then the sections will break down into fireteams in order to assault the individual trenches. As soon as the rear trenches have been taken, the platoon will go firm. Once both our objective and 5 Platoon’s objective are secure, 7 Platoon will move forward to assault the depth enemy section. When the entire company objective is secure, the platoon will reorganize and occupy the enemy trenches in order to cover the northern approaches to the hill. Meanwhile, 5 and 7 Platoons will move forward to take up their fire positions for phase 2.

b. Detailed Tasks:

1 Section will be forward left in the assault. Your objectives are the two left-hand trenches. On reorganization, you will occupy all the trenches on our objective.

3 Section will be forward right in the assault. Your objectives are the two right-hand trenches. You are also to keep the platoon commander informed of 5 Platoon’s progress. On reorganization, you will occupy the trenches on 5 Platoon’s objective.

2 Section will be in reserve. You will move to the rear of 1 Section and will also cover our left flank. Remember, there are no friendly units to our left. You must be prepared to support either of the two forward sections as required. On reorganization, you will occupy the trenches on 7 Platoon’s objective. L/Cpl. Smedhurst will move with platoon headquarters.

c. Coordinating Instructions:

(2) Indirect Fire Support: sections may request mortar fire on the platoon net. We have also been allocated twenty illuminating rounds.

Example of Formal Orders continued

5. ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS:

a. Ammunition: in addition to his magazines, each man will carry 2 bandoliers, 4 anti-personnel grenades and 2 WP grenades.

b. Equipment: bergens are to be left at this location.

c. Rations: a hot meal will be provided at 1700hrs. Each man will carry two ration packs. Water will be resupplied at 1700hrs.

d. Medical: the RAP will be at grid 401079

6. COMMAND AND SIGNAL:

a.Command: in the event of the platoon commander and platoon sergeant becoming casualties, the order of seniority is Cpl. Smith., Cpl. Hobbs, Cpl. Rigby.

b.Frequencies: as shown in the company signals instructions.

c.Call signs: L/Cpl. Smedhurst’s call sign is 42D

d.Codewords: Peter Ross – 5 Platoon’s objective secure