Page 163 - Chronicle Vol 17

Moore’s light division distinguished itself in the Peninsular Campaign, but his contribution was not the founding of light regiments but rather his approach to their leadership. The key to light infantry was independent action, which logi- cally requires an independence of mind not expected from the regular soldier in most British line regiments. This put emphasis on training and individual quality, and a new relationship between officers and men. Hew Strachan describes the requirement of light troops to be soldiers who were “intelligent, self-reliant and well-motivated”, and The Rifles’ modern definition of a Rifleman as a “thinking, fighting man” reflects this.When the 60th Royal American Regiment was founded, their training gave focus to marksmanship, swimming and running instead of strict Prussian infantry drill. Reward became more important than harsh punish- ment as it was all too easy to desert from smaller, more open formations, or for a soldier to cower and not fight at all when he was separated from his comrades and officers. By using methods and techniques from several of his contemporar- ies, Moore refined and produced a training system which became the basis for the future of army training. Within the training at Shorncliffe “Moore applied human- ity and common sense to the little-known science of man-management”. This was radical for the time as the contemporary British Army was ruled by harsh punish- ments and a low level of contempt from officers towards the soldiers under their command. The Duke of Wellington thought that his men “composed of the scum of the earth, ... fellows who have enlisted for drink”. Moore began adapting the training by ensuring that the officers and NCOs he controlled were efficient and by removing those he deemed unsuitable as instructors or leaders. He expected his officers to “not [be] exhausted by vicious habits and unable to support the fatigues of war”. He encouraged those under his command to display leadership which focused on showing kindness and wisdom to their men, he “emphasized initiative... and introduce[d] discipline based upon respect and hope of reward rather than upon fear”. This ensured officers were respected by their soldiers and it promoted individual initiative in battle, a key component for any good light infantry force. It was vital to Moore that a valuable commanding officer should develop and maintain relationships with his men to gain their confidence, there- fore the officers were expected to become acquainted with their subordinates as a matter of duty. Through this Moore established a leadership style rooted in a more familiar relationship between officers and soldiers. This was radical at the time and is a key influence on the modern Rifles style of leadership today.
Moore also highlighted discipline as a key factor in a soldier’s life and attempted to impart greater self-discipline amongst his light infantry. All aspects of life at Shorncliffe were regulated and each day was tightly scheduled. Officers were advised that good discipline was achieved by the prevention of crime rather than the punishment of it, and the best method of prevention was to keep the men occupied. When they weren’t working soldiers were urged to play games, with the officers also encouraged to partake. The Standing Orders and Regulations for the 85th Light Infantry, written in 1813, stated that games “can never be too much encouraged”. This regulation also promoted physical activity and exercise amongst the troops which ensured that the soldiers had the physical capability to deal with the demands of skirmishing. Those Moore trained were physical
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