ARMY LIFE

Evening Star, Issue 23527, 16 March 1940, Page 3

ARMY LIFE

SOME MILITARY CUSTOMS AND ETIQUETTE [Written by “ G.8.E.,” for the • Evening Star.’] It is recorded that in olden times serfs were branded on the palm of the hand that they might bo readily recognised and traced, and from this simple historical fact can bo traced the origin of that bugbear of the rank and file of the Army to-day—the military salute. Only serfs, of course, were branded in such manner. It therefore became the custom, when a man went before his king, for him to raise his hand to his forehead palm outwards to show that he was a free man; and the king would reply to the salutation in like manner. Thus evolved our military salute, which consists of nothing more than an exchange of compliments between soldiers, and is certainly not a servile act, as many people seem to imagine it is. In the British Array only commissioned officers are saluted; in some foreign armies, however, non-commis-sioned officers must also be saluted. Wlten carrying his rifle at the slope a soldier does not salute in the usual manner, but brings his free hand across his chest and slaps the stock of: the rifle smartly. For a general salute, mounted troops “ carry arms,” which consists in placing the_ butt of the rifle in the groin of the right leg. the muzzle being inclined forward and level with the rider’s eye. Infantry, of course “ present arms ” while officers salute with drawn swords. When in the saddle, n.c.o.s and men of the mounted arm do not salute with the hand, but merely snap to attention ; commissioned officers salute in the usual manner.

The organisation of cavalry and infantry proves a stumbling block to many otherwise well-informed civilians. Most people know that an infantry soldier is a private, while the mounted man rejoices in the title of trooper. Not so many know, however, that in the mounted arm the component sections of the regiment are troops and squadrons, as opposed to platoons and companies in the foot. And never, in the sight of Mars, refer to a cavalry regiment as a battalion; for that there is no forgiveness. The British cavalryman has always been exceedingly conscious of the important position his service occupies in His _ Majesty’s Forces, and to rank him with a mere “ foot slogger ” is an intolerable affront. To-day, however, his proud position has been to a great extent, usurped by the Air Force, and he can no longer claim that his service is the most formidable arm of the Forces. When in camp, the duties of the cavalryman are numerous indeed. Reveille is sounded at 5.30 a.m., when ho proceeds immediately _ to “ stables.” This is the task of feeding and watering the horses, and cleaning up the lines where they have been tethered all night. When this is accomplished ho still has the same amount of work, to do as his infantry brethren, namely, regulation “ spit and polish.” At nights he must take his turn at “ horse- picket ” as well as do sentry duty. When all is summed up it might be thought that the cavalryman pays rather dearly for his proud position.

A mere civilian must walk warily when discussing a regiment’s colours. Probably a large number of people are quite unaware that only the foot carry colours. Horse regiments bear guidons or standards, according to their class. Household cavalry arid dragoon guards bear standards and dragoons guidons. The standard is square-ended while the guidon is swnl low-tailed. Lancers, hussars and rifles, which were intended to fight in open formation, carry none of these. Most -New Zealand mounted rifle regiments, however, bear a guidon. In these modern times, the guidon or colours takes no part in the actual fighting, and the brave old days when the colours wore proudly borne to the wars and gallantly unfurled on the field of battle, have gone from us forever. Modern warfare, now so dominated by the petrol-devouring monsters of mechanisation, has little place for pageantry or chivalry. But while the human mind can still be thrilled by sight of a brave array these emblems of past gallantry will always be an inspiration. Another survivor of the. colourful past is the bugle. This, too, is fast falling into disuse in war time and has no place on the modern battlefield. Its one great fault is that it tells the enemy what is going to happen. The bugle calls of the British Army are amongst the most stirring in the world. Here, too, the layman must move carefully. The instrument that shatters the horseman’s dreams is a trumpet, not a bugle, and the performer, a trumpeter. The bugle, of course, brings the infantryman forth, and the soldier who blows it is termed a bugler. Most people are famijiar these days with the n.c.o. ranks of our own Forces. They are the lance-corporal (1 stripe), corporal (2 stripes), sergeant (3 stripes), and sergeant-major (crown). But let us look at the ranks of the household cavalry. Here even the rest of the Army is often at a loss. For instance, they have no distinction between lance-corporals and corporals; these gentry alike wear two stripes and a crown. Next in rank comes the corporal of horse with three stripes and a crown, there being no sergeant amongst them. Above him again is the squadron quartermaster-corporal, carrying four stripes, reversed, and a crown, on each cuff. Higher still we go and perceive the squadron corporal-major whose badge of rank is the familiar crown of the sergeant-major. Above him presides the regimental quartermaster-corporal and finally, we reach the topmost peak with the regimental ! corporal-major. But worse is to come, for when the household cavalry take the floor in full dress they wear none of these distinctive markings. Instead an intricate svstem of aiguillettes and gold lace distinguishes the ranks, and these would confound the average citizen completely.