In Arnhem this year, the last post was played just prior to the start of the Airborne March. I saluted on the first note and came down on the last and prior to Reveille.
A little afterwards, a NCO started to ‘tell me off’ for not saluting through Reveille as well.
The ensuing discussion did not last long at all.
[quote=“Gunner” post=12697]An NCO started to ‘tell me off’ for not saluting through Reveille as well.
The ensuing discussion did not last long at all.[/quote]
A regular, or one of ours?
[quote=“steve679” post=12669]
I quote the RBL Ceremonial Handbook
Chapter 12, paragraph 3
12.3. Saluting for the Last Post. The right arm and hand is brought up to the position of the salute on the first note of Last Post. The arm is returned smartly to the position of attention on the lastnote. If carrying a cane – the left arm should be moved to be straight down by the side at the same time as the right hand is brought to the salute, the left arm returning to hold the cane as the right hand is returned to the position of attention.[/quote]
Interesting. At our Remembrance Parade, the salute is held through the 2 minute silence despite many contingents (and the local Stn SWO) saying it should be for the Last Post only. Apparently, the RBL have said it’s their Parade and that’s what they want !!
There’s too much variation across the Country at Remembrance Parades in what signals the 2 minute silence, when Last Post is played etc. We should simply follow what is done at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
OK, we don’t all have a few field guns handy I know, but the general principles of a signal for 1100 should apply.
[quote=“cygnus maximus” post=12719]Interesting. At our Remembrance Parade, the salute is held through the 2 minute silence despite many contingents (and the local Stn SWO) saying it should be for the Last Post only. Apparently, the RBL have said it’s their Parade and that’s what they want !!
[/quote]
unfortunately this is not true.
Remembrance is a public/civic parade and the RBL have no right nor authority to suggest it belongs to them
i quote again the RBL Ceremonial Handbook (2007)
Chapte 15, paragraph 1, subsection 5
[quote]15.1.5. If it is a parade organised by the civil authorities, for example for dedicating or re-dedicating
their war memorial, or a special remembrance ceremony, then it is not a Legion parade. The
cenotaph parade and service on Remembrance Sunday, for example, are organised by a
Government Department, and not the Legion. Thus Standards are not carried, unless they
are specifically invited by the civil authority to parade and the sequence of contingents is a
matter for the organising body.[/quote]
As the Ceremonial Officer at my local RBL, and the Parade Marshall on the day i take the lead in managing and organising the parade with other Branch members on behalf of the Parish Council but i am under no illusion it is “my” parade to make up rules, restrictions or otherwise as i see fit.
i can understand your RBL’s viewpoint it is a parade for veterans and the fallen, and therefore based on their members a parade for “them” but they shouldn’t be enforcing authority they dont have
I think this line from AP818 says it clearly enough along with the section on services at war memorials which states this is very much a “guide”
In context “other memorials” is as apposed to the Cenotaph in Whitehall which is afforded salutes according to regulations laid down for London District.
All parades should have a commander or Marshall, I do two parades each year, on one I am the parade Marshall the other just a participant. On the one I Marshall I get everyone together, DL, Veterans, ACF, ATC and agree on what we are going to do. On the other a similar meeting happens and if it didn’t I would make a point of asking the Marshall what he expected my contingent to do.
It goes back to a point I made on another thread, every answer is not in the book, or any book for that matter, as an ATC DI I have, AP818, All Arms Drill Manual, RN Manual, RBL Ceremonial, and a few other references. As long as it is smartly carried out with correct drills and within the spirit of the regulations, perhaps not even RAF regulations, see notes about conforming to senior services be it Army or Navy, then this is what we should strive for.
If all hold the salute for the silence fine, but what looks gash is if half the contingents come down and half stay at the salute.
Unfortunately this is not true.
Remembrance is a public/civic parade and the RBL have no right nor authority to suggest it belongs to them
I can understand your RBL’s viewpoint it is a parade for veterans and the fallen, and therefore based on their members a parade for “them” but they shouldn’t be enforcing authority they dont have.[/quote]
The problem is that as a public/civic event, the local Council have delegated (abdicated?) the Parade to the RBL. The SWO is the ‘military’ POC and at planning meetings he has repeatedly asked the Town Clerk to change things, but the Council won’t ask, or tell, the RBL to do so.
Do you / should you bow your head during the 2 minute silence?
If so, that probably won’t work well with saluting at the same time!
There is always a fail safe way and that is to follow the senior military person present. If thats you, do what you feel is best.
Dealing with Senior Officers as a day job I can confidently say when it comes to detail along these line they will behave respectfully but not to the rule book, even when advised.
Rightly or wrongly if it does not cause offence, which none of the courses of action mentioned will, there is no issue to be had. Not everything is regulated.
There’s always confusion at our service but it generally seems that everyone salutes during the anthems, and being in Wales we have two.
[quote=“MRAR” post=12738] and being in Wales we have two.[/quote]But surely only GSTQ is worthy of a salute…
As far as AP818 is concerned the rules for saluting to The National Anthem are the same as the rules for saluting to forgeign National Anthems.
If the situation dictates that we saluting to GSTQ, then then we would also salute a foreign National Anthem in the same situation.
So far as I’m concerned, if we’d salute for The Star Spangled Banner, or La Marseillaise, etc then we can darn well salute for Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau 
The Sheep National Anthem?
Do they stand to attention and salute too?..
[quote=“wdimagineer2b” post=12767]So far as I’m concerned, if we’d salute for The Star Spangled Banner, or La Marseillaise, etc then we can darn well salute for Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau ;)[/quote]Perhaps, but Wales isn’t really a nation - no more than Cornwall is. Or Mercia.
You’re doing well today Incubus, I’m part Cornish as well… 
Down to the Parade Marshall and what the Admin Order says… our is Officers and WO’s;
" At the commencement of the Last Post all Officers and WOs are to salute, whilst all other ranks are to stand to attention. Officers/WOs are to remain saluting throughout the Last Post and subsequent 2 minute silence until Reveille is played at which they are to drop the salute."
[quote=“wokkaman” post=12781]Down to the Parade Marshall and what the Admin Order says… our is Officers and WO’s;
" At the commencement of the Last Post all Officers and WOs are to salute, whilst all other ranks are to stand to attention. Officers/WOs are to remain saluting throughout the Last Post and subsequent 2 minute silence until Reveille is played at which they are to drop the salute."[/quote]
I realise it is an ABN and therefore Army, but this is what was put out earlier in the month:
“When attending Remembrance Parades as with all other similar parades, officers in uniform wearing head dress either on parade or as spectators are reminded that they should salute on the first note of the Last Post and return on the last note and remain at attention throughout the 2 Minutes Silence and during the Reveille. Other Ranks and all those in civilian attire are not to salute but are to come to attention on the first note of the Last Post and remain at attention throughout the 2 Minutes Silence until the last note of the Reveille. Those in civilian attire wearing civilian head dress are to remove the head dress during the Last Post but replace it for the 2 Minutes Silence and the Reveille. It is customary for veterans wearing military style head dress such as berets to conform to the uniformed policy according to their rank.”
[quote=“talon” post=12785][quote=“wokkaman” post=12781]Down to the Parade Marshall and what the Admin Order says… our is Officers and WO’s;
" At the commencement of the Last Post all Officers and WOs are to salute, whilst all other ranks are to stand to attention. Officers/WOs are to remain saluting throughout the Last Post and subsequent 2 minute silence until Reveille is played at which they are to drop the salute."[/quote]
I realise it is an ABN and therefore Army, but this is what was put out earlier in the month:
“When attending Remembrance Parades as with all other similar parades, officers in uniform wearing head dress either on parade or as spectators are reminded that they should salute on the first note of the Last Post and return on the last note and remain at attention throughout the 2 Minutes Silence and during the Reveille. Other Ranks and all those in civilian attire are not to salute but are to come to attention on the first note of the Last Post and remain at attention throughout the 2 Minutes Silence until the last note of the Reveille. Those in civilian attire wearing civilian head dress are to remove the head dress during the Last Post but replace it for the 2 Minutes Silence and the Reveille. It is customary for veterans wearing military style head dress such as berets to conform to the uniformed policy according to their rank.”[/quote]
ABN??
[quote=“wokkaman” post=12786]
ABN??[/quote]
Army Briefing Note.
Not in my Area…we don’t salute at all, Well except the eye right/left command and when we are dismissed
A different topic but still on a Remembrance Sunday theme.
What is the actual order of precedence for cadets on a parade.
Is it SCC-ACF-ATC then CCF
or SCC-ACF-CCF then ATC
Or CCF first then SCC-ACF-ATC
I only ask as there is always a big debate every year on our parade as the local council who organise the Parade and order of service/march past put the CCF behind the other three cadet forces.
Personally I prefer them at the back and no disrespect intended to any of our CCF brethren on here but the drill and standard of dress is very poor