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Book Review


            The Defence of Duffer's Drift is a fundamental and yet insightful analysis of a small unit's tactics in defending a strategic objective given limited communications, resources, and manpower. All of which is narrated in a distinct and unique manner through a created character named Lt. Backsight Forethought and his series of dreams. Through the main character's point of view, Major General Swinton is able to delineate many of the integral facets of a successful defense in an enjoyable and atypical manner. The author's many years of military service and experience are quite evident throughout the book and are most revealed through the twenty-two lessons learned and applied by Lt. Forethought. Of those twenty-two lessons, three in particular seemed to be of extreme relevance to a new platoon leader: the urgency and importance of first setting security and preparing defenses, the use of cover and concealment, and the creation of clear fields of fire.
             In Lt. Forethought's first dream, the main character gets his first taste of true combat and inevitably fails in his endeavors. As a result, however, he learns a valuable lesson. In initially arriving at his site to defend the drift that provides access across the river, Lt. Forethought makes no provisions in providing any adequate security or defensive positions, deciding rather to rest and "dig-in- later. In his brief analysis, the young Lieutenant made a major mistake by concluding that , " as the enemy were not within a hundred miles, there would be no need to place the camp in a state of defence till the following day."" He also felt his soldiers needed a rest. This, of course, lead to drastic consequences and unavoidable defeat. The main character's mishaps teach an extremely valuable lesson of the imperativeness of establishing good security and defenses regardless of physical fatigue and educated assumptions.
             Lt. Forethought increases his experience with defensive positions in his next few dreams and learns the significance of substantial cover and concealment.


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