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9.
dispoition cannot be fixed, but will vary according to the conditions encountered and the end sought. Due to its great mobility pursuit can be concentrated quickly and the method of amployment varied to meet any changing condition.
Pursuit, except in the case of the low pursuit barrage, which protects our ground troops from the attack of hostile planes, should work from five to six miles in front of our lines, thus carrying the fight into enemy's territory, providing protection for our observation and ground troops by virtue of holding back the hostile aviation. This principle was not thoroughly understood by our troops during the war, and due to the fact that our planes could not always be seen by our front lines, a mistaken impression arose that our aviation was not always "on the job."
It should be remembered that in protecting our ground troops and observation planes, it is necessary that the pursuit be well away from the object protected. If close protection is attempted the end sought cannot be gained. In protecting bombardment, the same method is used so that when the fight takes place the bombardment unit will not be disorganised.
There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. During the last war, especially during the battle of St. Hihiel, we used pursuit as close protection, in several cases, of observation planes with good effect. There will arise special cases when it will be necessary to provide large pursuit units for close protection of observation where the mission is of such importance that it must