flames of war bef rifle platoon bbx85When the British Expeditionary Force first arrived in France there was a shortage of trained junior officers, so only the first rifle platoon in a company was commanded by subalterns (officers), while the second and third platoons were commanded by platoon sergeant majors (senior sergeants). Most platoons now have officers in charge, but there are still plenty of PSMs about. The rifle squads (or sections as they are termed in the British Army) are