Pace Stick and Sword?

[DirtyDog]

The RCR does not always translate into what the rest of the Army does.

No, but they set the standard....

 

[George Wallace]

No, but they set the standard....

Not in "The Army of the West".    >

 

[BernDawg]

No, but they set the standard....

Thanks, I almost spit coffee all over my key board!!  ;D

 

[Blackadder1916]

Does anyone have a picture of an RSM carrying both?

Not one of a Canadian RSM, however, as our traditions of drill and ceremonial flow from the Brits and their master practitioners are the Guards . . .

The Garrison Sergeant Major, London District salutes indicating that the carriages transporting members of the Royal Family have passed the end of the approach road where the mounted troops are assembled

GSM A V "Perry" Mason MVO MBE directing a rehearsal for Trooping the Colour

And a description of the RSM with pace stick and sword on parade.
http://www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk/trooping/trooping.htm

An orderly crosses the approach road to take the pace stick from the Regimental Sergeant Major who draws his sword, the only time an RSM will do so on any parade in peacetime.

The 'Escort For the Colour' marches off in quick time to the tune the 'British Grenadiers'. No matter which regiment's colour is being trooped, the 'British Grenadiers' is always used at this point in the parade because the right flank company of every battalion used to be a grenadier company.

The Escort marks time whilst the Massed Bands clear the line of march. The Subaltern is now looking for a small white stone 15 paces from the Colour Party where he will halt the Escort.

The RSM marches from the rear of the Escort, sword drawn in symbolic protection of the Colour. He is followed forward by the 'Ensign For the Colour' who will carry the Colour through the ranks of assembled guardsmen.

The RSM salutes the Colour, takes a pace forward, receives the Colour in his left hand from the Sergeant of the Colour Party.

In turn the Ensign salutes the Colour, sheathes his sword, receives the Colour and places it in his colour belt. He then turns and shows the Colour which will be trooped.

. . . . .

 

[OldSolduer]

No, but they set the standard....

Sorry, I refuse to have the troops paint rocks when they could be shooting or getting fit.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Sorry, I refuse to have the troops paint rocks when they could be shooting or getting fit.

In 28 years of regimental service with The RCR, I have never had a soldier paint a rock.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

In 28 years of regimental service with The RCR, I have never had a soldier paint a rock.

Heretic!!!

;D

 

[the 48th regulator]

In 28 years of regimental service with The RCR, I have never had a soldier paint a rock.

Alright Folks, Move along, nothing to see here...

Uhm Michael, here, try on this nice white jacket, and come into this nice soft walled room.....That's a good boy.

dileas

tess

 

[medicineman]

Heretic!!!

;D

:rofl:  I expected Tess to say that.

MM

 

[Blackadder1916]

In 28 years of regimental service with The RCR, I have never had a soldier paint a rock.

Seriously?  Okay, maybe you've never ordered someone to paint a rock; officers are rarely directly responsible for the "whitewash-soldier-rock" paradigm , but you've must have seen someone do it.  The perverted practice of turning perfectly innocent igneous pieces into regimentally pigmented decorations is usually within the purview of Sergeants-Major (often pointing out the location by means of a pace stick but rarely while wearing a sword).

Ahh, evidence you are aware of the practice.

. . . . . not everyone gets to be in serious-minded, drill-focussed, anal-retentive, rock-painting regiments.

 

[Michael OLeary]

... but you've must have seen someone do it.

Actually, no I haven't.

And my being "aware" of the apocryphal nature of the comment hardly provides proof of its existence in today's army.  How far back would you like to go to claim some dug-up evidence is effectively current proof of your prejudices?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Actually, no I haven't.

And my being "aware" of the apocryphal nature of the comment hardly provides proof of its existence in today's army.  How far back would you like to go to claim some dug-up evidence is effectively current proof of your prejudices?

Slightly dated of course, but I saw more than ample examples in CANBAT II when Juliet Coy was our guest. Not a paintable surface, virgin or otherwise, was safe from the gallons of Regimental paint that they showed up with. It got so out of hand, IIRC, that they had to be ordered to cease and desist by the camp commander.

 

[57Chevy]

Also dated
I'm pretty sure some rocks and other things got the brush too  ;D

 

[jranrose]

Does anyone have a picture of an RSM carrying both?

Here u go.

 

[jeffb]

As hooking up a sword is a practice not done in the guns by officers, do RSM's hook up their swords while carrying a pace stick? There is no reference in the standing orders other then in S. 815 which states "The sword is always worn at the full extent of the slings and is never hooked up." however this section is specifically detailing the wearing of the sword by officers.

 

[Rifleman62]

I believe it is only the Infantry that do this.

In the olden days, the DSM (Drill Sergeant Major), an appointment that some infantry regiments perpetuated, also worn a sword hooked up and carried a pace stick, not the Regimental cane (RSM property).

 

[jeffb]

It is in the Regimental Standing Orders that RSM's wear swords.

http://www.artillery.net/beta/so8/

S. 816

2. RSMs shall wear their sword carried on a white sword belt (NSN 8440-21-888-7416) with the large regimental buckle. This belt is worn outside the tunic.

 

[DirtyDog]

Actually, no I haven't.

And my being "aware" of the apocryphal nature of the comment hardly provides proof of its existence in today's army.  How far back would you like to go to claim some dug-up evidence is effectively current proof of your prejudices?

Granted, I'm a newbie, but I've NEVER seen such a practice and most people don't even seem to recall it.  Times have changed.  People can think what they want of the Regiment, there is a fair amount of forward thinking going on nowadays but when it comes to the parade square we can still step up and get er done like no other.

Like my old Sect Comd used to tell me when out of patrol "Real soldiering is done on the parade square!!". ;D

 

[Edward Campbell]

Does anyone have a picture of an RSM carrying both?

It is a Brit (Irish Guards), but he is wearing both:

Former Regimental Sergeant Major (now Captain) A Gardner
in full Number Two dress. The Regimental Sergeant Major is
one of the few Non-Commissioned Officers of the Battalion
who are entitled to wear a sword.


It was normal practice (30ish+ years ago) for the RSM of 2RCR (I really cannot recall what happened in 1RCR) to wear both and it was the same in at least some other regiments. I haven't paid attention since I was CO of a major unit and could do pretty much as I pleased on parade.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

It is also normal custom in The Windsor Regiment (RCAC) for the RSM to wear his sword and carry his cane.