Rear guard
Encyclopedia
A rear guard or rearguard is that part of a military force that protects it from attack from the rear, either during an advance or withdrawal. The term can also be used to describe forces protecting lines of communication behind an army.
or the left-hand ward if deployed in line
.
Narrowly defined, a rear guard is a covering detachment that protects the retreating main ground force element (main body), or column, and is charged with executing defensive or retrograde movements between the main body and the enemy to prevent the latter from attacking or interfering with the movement of the main body.
A more expansive definition of the rear guard arose during the large-scale struggles between nation-states during the First and Second World Wars. In this respect, a rear guard is a minor unit of regular or irregular troops that protect the withdrawal of larger numbers of personnel (military or civilian) during a retreat, by blocking, defending, delaying, or interfering with advancing enemy forces in order to gain time for the remainder to regroup and reorganize. Rear guard actions may be undertaken in a number of ways, either in defense, such as by defending strongpoints or tactically important terrain, or by pre-emptively assaulting the enemy as he prepares his own offensive operations with a spoiling attack. One example of a contemporary rear guard action is that fought by small units of the Serbian Army
to protect the Serbian Army, its royal family, and Serbian refugees from advancing forces of the Central Powers
during their retreat through Albania and Montenegro in 1915-1916. The nature of combat in rear guard actions involving combat between armies of nation-states is typically desperate and vicious, and rear guard troops may be called upon to incur heavy casualties or even to sacrifice all of their combat strength and personnel for the benefit of the withdrawing forces.
) developed the doctrine of blitzkrieg
. In this military doctrine the rear guard troops (mainly dismounted infantry) were tasked to eliminate the remaining enemy groups after Panzer
and motorized troops had broken through the enemy positions.
the Soviets developed the doctrine of the echelons
, influenced by blitzkrieg. Instead of sending all the troops to the attack, they divided the force in various parts according to the mission: for example, in a division
-launched attack, one regiment
would overrun enemy defenses, the second exploited the breach in enemy lines, and the third, the rear guard, being less highly trained, were assigned to mop up the enemy pockets of resistance and guard the supply lines.
Origins
The term rearguard (also rereward, rearward) originates from the medieval custom of dividing an army into three battles or wards; Van, Main or Middle and Rear. The Rear Ward usually followed the other wards on the march and during a battle usually formed the rearmost of the three if deployed in columnColumn (formation)
A military column is a formation of soldiers marching together in one or more files in which the file is significantly longer than the width of ranks in the formation...
or the left-hand ward if deployed in line
Line (formation)
The line formation is a standard tactical formation which has been used in Early modern warfare.It continues the phalanx formation or shield wall of infantry armed with polearms in use during antiquity and the Middle Ages....
.
Contemporary usage
The commonly-accepted definition of a rear guard in military tactics was largely established in the battles of the late 19th century. Before the mechanization of troop formations, most rear guard tactics originally contemplated the use of cavalry forces. This definition was later extended to highly mobile infantry as well as mechanized or armored forces.Narrowly defined, a rear guard is a covering detachment that protects the retreating main ground force element (main body), or column, and is charged with executing defensive or retrograde movements between the main body and the enemy to prevent the latter from attacking or interfering with the movement of the main body.
A more expansive definition of the rear guard arose during the large-scale struggles between nation-states during the First and Second World Wars. In this respect, a rear guard is a minor unit of regular or irregular troops that protect the withdrawal of larger numbers of personnel (military or civilian) during a retreat, by blocking, defending, delaying, or interfering with advancing enemy forces in order to gain time for the remainder to regroup and reorganize. Rear guard actions may be undertaken in a number of ways, either in defense, such as by defending strongpoints or tactically important terrain, or by pre-emptively assaulting the enemy as he prepares his own offensive operations with a spoiling attack. One example of a contemporary rear guard action is that fought by small units of the Serbian Army
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
to protect the Serbian Army, its royal family, and Serbian refugees from advancing forces of the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
during their retreat through Albania and Montenegro in 1915-1916. The nature of combat in rear guard actions involving combat between armies of nation-states is typically desperate and vicious, and rear guard troops may be called upon to incur heavy casualties or even to sacrifice all of their combat strength and personnel for the benefit of the withdrawing forces.
German blitzkrieg
In the inter-war period German commanders (in particular Heinz GuderianHeinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II. He was a pioneer in the development of armored warfare, and was the leading proponent of tanks and mechanization in the Wehrmacht . Germany's panzer forces were raised and organized under his direction as Chief of Mobile Forces...
) developed the doctrine of blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg
For other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
. In this military doctrine the rear guard troops (mainly dismounted infantry) were tasked to eliminate the remaining enemy groups after Panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
and motorized troops had broken through the enemy positions.
Soviet doctrine
During and after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Soviets developed the doctrine of the echelons
Echelon formation
An echelon formation is a military formation in which members are arranged diagonally. Each member is stationed behind and to the right , or behind and to the left , of the member ahead...
, influenced by blitzkrieg. Instead of sending all the troops to the attack, they divided the force in various parts according to the mission: for example, in a division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
-launched attack, one regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
would overrun enemy defenses, the second exploited the breach in enemy lines, and the third, the rear guard, being less highly trained, were assigned to mop up the enemy pockets of resistance and guard the supply lines.