Flying column

A flying column is a small, independent, military land unit capable of rapid mobility and usually composed of all arms.

One such commander, the proconsul Germanicus Caesar used flying columns to great effect in the early stages of the campaign against one of Rome's greatest enemies, Arminius.

Scouts, raiders, and screening forces were used against the Germanic tribes responsible for destroying three Roman legions (the 17th, 18th, and 19th) in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.

[3] In 1919, Polish officer Stanisław Maczek created a flying company made of a battle-hardened infantry, using horses for mobility, and a lot of machineguns for fire power.

1, the proposed Canadian response to an invasion by the United States, Lt. Col. James "Buster" Brown suggested "immediate dispatch of flying columns on the declaration of war"[4] in order to counter-invade across the border and enact a scorched earth policy, forcing the US to divert military resources towards the defense of its northern cities.