Infantry Unit Tactics, Tasks, Weapons, and Organization

[jmm99]

It depends on the snow cover, etc. In our country (winter snowfall usually between 200-300 inches per season), both are used. Cross-country skis work best on some sort of trail - i.e., firm base.

Snowshoes come in various designs - traditionally something like these:

Alaskan Style

Much like a large Ojibwa in general shape and function, the Alaskan's upturned toe, large surface area and sleek profile excel at covering open trail distances through any depth of snow.

Fastest, but least maneuverable, snowshoe.

Ojibwa Style

Of all the many shapes we could make, we feature and recommend the Ojibwa, with its pointed tail, highly efficient pointed toe and ''nesting'' shape. This beautiful design comes down to us from thousands of years of challenge and survival. It is strongly preferred by Canadian and US snowshoers and winter guides as the top design for beginners to start on, best for general day trips and for serious expeditions.

More maneuverable than the Alaskan (but not in close quarters - sapling whips, etc. because of the sharp prow).

Huron Style

If your grandfather snowshoed, most probably it would have been on a pair of Babiche-laced (rawhide) snowshoes like these. Country Ways brings this tradition back with these 12" x 46" Huron-style “Drift Busters”. Great looking snowshoes for over the mantle, outside an entrance, or on any wooded trail! Yes, they are as reliable and quiet as ever, especially in the deep snow. Select quarter-sawn white ash is steam bent and the babiche is hand laced by our skilled craftspeople in patterns developed over many hundreds of years.

My dad's choice - which I've adhered to.

Green Mt. Bearpaw

A fine example of the traditional and much-loved New England mountain snowshoe.These Green Mountain (or modified) bearpaws are quite oval, rounded at both ends with a slight lift to the toe. Ideal for outdoor work projects - surveying, orchard pruning, traplines, dense brush and winter campsites where you need to turn in your own length. Often used as expedition spares carried on the back of a pack. Harder walking for long distances than pointed tail snowshoes.

This modification is longer than the traditional bearpaw (which is roughly 2/3 the length, but same width), which is the ultimate cedar swamp snowshoe.

A shorter form of New England bearpaw was probably used by Roger's Rangers in the "Battle of the Snowshoes". That book's cover shows a TdM trooper (French Colonial Marine), a French-Canadian militiaman and an Indian auxilliary - all using Huron-style snowshoes. The First Battle (1757) involved French infantry (TDY'd to Canada) from the Languedoc Regt. (who were not snowshoe-equipped - "The French reported that they were at a disadvantage, since they were without snowshoes and floundering in snow up to their knees."), plus some French-Candadian militia and Indians. The Second Battle (1758) involved mostly Canadian Indians as auxilliaries to approx. a "platoon" (~30 men) of Colonial Marines.

At least two 1757-1758 encounters involved snowshoes - see Wikis, Battle on Snowshoes (1757), and Battle on Snowshoes (1758). Roger's g-g-granddaughter found several original documents reporting on the Second Battle of the Snowshoes, 13 Mar 1758).

Regards

Mike

[Pete]

When I was in the 7th ID in 1982 and went to Arctic weather training with the 1/32 Inf I thought I was getting the short end of the stick because at the same time my battalion, 1/79 FA, was sending teams to Singapore and Japan for CPXs with their national forces. However, in Alaska I learned all about snowshoes, skis, field-expedient snow caves, and wearing clothing in layers.

The knowledge has come in handy around here, where we sometimes get 24 inches of snow every now and then. I've gotten some people out of the ditch by the side of the road when there is ice and snow all over.

The one thing I wish to say is that my old units, 7th ID, Task Force Faith, 1/32 Inf, were virtually annihiliated during the run-up to the USMC's epic stand at Chosin. We took the main punch the Chinese had to offer and we died with our boots on. Were we yet another incompetent Army unit, or did we die fighting? Probably a combination of the two, if the truth must be known.

When I ran this theory in about 2004 by the late Brig. Gen. Edwin Simmons, the former chief historian of USMC, he wanted to have nothing to do with it. I knew his son during high school in Alexandria, Virginia in '69-'70. Gen. Simmons was a good man and I hope I didn't p*ss him off too much.

[kaur]

PsJÄÄK Korte, you are writing that in Finnish organisation there are Apilas and LAW. Don't you intentend to replace those systems with NLAW? You have bought already approx 2000 pieces. I suspect that this is just beginning. The efficency of NLAW compensates to some limit the quantity of Apilas/LAW in structure. Can you speculate how this weapon will be located in structure? Will it be platoon level weapon?

[PsJÄÄK Korte]

PsJÄÄK Korte, you are writing that in Finnish organisation there are Apilas and LAW. Don't you intentend to replace those systems with NLAW? You have bought already approx 2000 pieces. I suspect that this is just beginning. The efficency of NLAW compensates to some limit the quantity of Apilas/LAW in structure. Can you speculate how this weapon will be located in structure? Will it be platoon level weapon?

Nlaw will replace 95 S 58-61 heavy recoilless rifles in addion to APILAS, not LAW. :D
To my knowledge there are no plans for LAW.
Also if NLAW is gradually replaces APILAS and "Blackie" on 1-on-1 rate. It will be located in this way:
Infantry platoon: one NLAW team with leader (NCO or private first class) and two gunners (private or private first class).
HQ-platoon of infantry company: NLAW squad made of two NLAW teams mentioned above. leader of one team is also squad leader.
HQ-company of regional battlegroup and type 90 jaeger battalion: platoon of three NLAW squads.
Also, because finnish terrain is so forested, TOW and SPIKE-MR squads have APILAS/NLAW team for close protection.
I hope my explanation is not confusing.

[ganulv]

Snowshoes come in various designs

I am dipping my toes into freelance writing and just got a piece up in Snowshoe Magazine on this topic. Thought I might as well advertise.
-------
The Morphology of Snowshoes | Snowshoe Magazine

Expect for those which are either solid-bodied (such as those made from a single plank of wood or from injection molded plastic) or emergency devices made from bundled boughs, snowshoes include a one or two piece frame within and upon which additional components are attached. The frame shape as seen from above tends to be the most distinctive identifying feature for raquettes. […]

[Fuchs]

I'm still confused there's such a thing as a Snowshoe magazine.

Still, after having a glance at the article I cannot but wonder if the Russian wicker overshoes of days gone by wouldn't qualify as snowshoes as well, being meant for harsh winter (inevitably deep snow) and increasing the footprint a lot.

Not sure about details, but they might have been variations of the lapti.

[jmm99]

1757 Battle on Snowshoes ("The French in their reports claimed the British had a distinct advantage due to their snowshoes") and 1758 Battle on Snowshoes ("The battle was given its name because the British combatants were wearing snowshoes");

but Bob Beavor's book shows what looks like a French colonial soldat, a Canadian militiaman and an Indian warrior - on snowshoes (Hurons / Michigans, to my eye).



So, the question is whether at least some of the French-side combatants wore snowshoes.

Just addressing the 1757 battle, I can see the regulars from the Languedoc regiment not having snowshoes. However, Langlade and his Ottawas not having snowshoes in January - not likely.

Does anyone know the material facts ?

Regards

Mike

[ganulv]

So, the question is whether at least some of the French-side combatants wore snowshoes.

Just addressing the 1757 battle, I can see the regulars from the Languedoc regiment not having snowshoes. However, Langlade and his Ottawas not having snowshoes in January - not likely.

Does anyone know the material facts ?

I don't know for sure, but that one has puzzled me, too. The two options I have come up with are that: 1) the AAR was doctored and 2) everyone on the French side of things removed their snowshoes in the course of setting up the ambush because of how much they added to their profiles. Their powder was wet and if the lampwick or whatever they were using for their bindings was, too, it would have frozen up while they lie in wait and they would not have been able to refasten it. In any case, refastening the bindings under fire doesn't seem very feasible to me, anyway.

[jmm99]

French after action reports, written by regulars, tended to mention only the regulars - and noted Canadian militia and Indian allies only in passing. E.g., snips from an English translation of Contrecoeur's report of Braddock's Defeat:

... on the 9th of the month he sent Monsieur de Beaujeu against the enemy and gave him for second in command Monsieurs Dumas and de Lignery, all three of them being captains, with four lieutenants, six ensigns, 20 cadets, 100 soldiers, 100 Canadians, and 600 savages, with orders to hide themselves in a favorable place that had previously been reconnoitred. The detachment found itself in the presence of the enemy at three leagues from the fort before being able to gain its appointed post. Monsieur de Beaujeu seeing that his ambuscade had failed, began a direct attack. He did this with so much energy that the enemy, who awaited us in the best order in the world, seemed astounded at the assault. Their artillery, however, promptly commenced to fire and our forces were confused in their turn. The savages also, frightened by the noise of the cannon rather than their execution, commenced to lose ground. Monsieur de Beaujeu was killed, and Monsieur Dumas rallied our forces. He ordered his officers to lead the savages and spread out on both wings, so as to take the enemy in flank. At the same time he, Monsieur de Lignery, and the other officers who were at the head of the French attacked in front. This order was executed so promptly that the enemy, who were already raising cries of victory, were no longer able even to defend themselves.
...
The enemies have lost more than a thousand men on the field of battle; they have lost a great part of their artillery and provisions, also their general, named Monsieur Braddock, and almost all their officers. We had three officers killed and two wounded, two cadets wounded. This remarkable success, which scarcely seemed possible in view of the inequality of the forces, is the fruit of the experience of Monsieur Dumas and of the activity and valor of the officers that he had under his orders.

Langlade (pretty decent bio here) was there (as a commissioned ensign in the Colonial Marines in 1755), but without mention in Contrecoeur's report. Langlade received a better press from the British !

Edward Willard Deming's well-known oil painting, "Braddock's Defeat" (left) shows Langlade (far left) commanding Wisconsin and Michigan tribes in July 1755.

Regards

Mike

[Firn]

The Ciaspolada has become a rather big event. Ciaspole is a regional Italian/Raetoroman word for snow shoes.

[ganulv]

I'm still confused there's such a thing as a Snowshoe magazine.

There is a magazine of everything on the Internet. Also, Rule 34.

Still, after having a glance at the article I cannot but wonder if the Russian wicker overshoes of days gone by wouldn't qualify as snowshoes as well, being meant for harsh winter (inevitably deep snow) and increasing the footprint a lot.

There is also the waraji in Japan which is sometimes used in the winter by climbers (well, trekkers, at least). Snowshoes in the North American sense typically combine traction and flotation. The lapti and waraji are essentially traction devices when used in ice and snow. As far as I know, prior to the Atlantic exchange Europeans had skis only for flotation and the native peoples of North America had snowshoes only for the same (I do not know about Japan). The going theory relates this to differences in groundcover. The forested areas of North America were not welcoming to skis, though the longer types of snowshoes glissade pretty well.