Wing (military)

The lateral ends of a front are called wings . Each unit in the front has its own wings. Units that are in the middle of the front are, with the wings on either side ajar . Units that are at the side end of a front have one wing ajar, while the other wing is hanging . The wings of the entire front are considered to be ajar if they border on a natural obstacle (mountain, swamp, lake, river).

Like the flank and back of a formation, wings are preferred targets for attacks. To protect yourself from such attacks, the wings can be pivoted backwards or staggered backwards . Swiveled-in wings are deeply structured, staggered wings are broadly arranged behind the actual front.

The term wingman is derived from the military meaning of the term wing , for the soldier of a unit standing on the right wing (i.e. the far right).

literature

• Ulrich Steindorff (Hrsg.): War pocket book - a reference dictionary about the world war , Leipzig and Berlin 1916