Maintaining dignity when all else has gone to .....

[500N]

I know it's not aircrew but it is Military


Maintaining dignity when all else has gone to .....

I thought he kept his poise, bearing and sword position well
considering the circumstances.

Hold your horses! Unseated mounted soldier left embarrassed after his steed bolts during Queen's visit from Kuwaiti leader | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2239414/Hold-horses-Unseated-mounted-soldier-left-embarrassed-steed-bolts-Queens-visit-Kuwaiti-leader.html)



I am sure we have all had similar moments on big parades !
.

[Union Jack]

I know it's not aircrew but it is Military ......

..... and the poor soldier did go flying!:)

Jack

[Lonewolf_50]

And achieved what all pilots tend to achieve, a landing which he was able to walk away from. :ok: Perhaps he's interested in changing his specialty? :E

[500N]

Very true, both of you :ok:


Anyone have any funny parade experiences they would like to share ?

[Danny42C]

500N,

Once ordered fix bayonets, then forgot to say what to say next - dreadful state of suspended animation ! (Parade Warrant Officer mercifully hissed "Attention ")

(Well, we didn't do all that much bayonet work as a rule)......D.

[BEagle]

Not really a parade, but at a mate's wedding we did the arch swords bit as the bride arrived... Perhaps not standard, but that's what we decided.

"Officers will arch swords. Arch.......swords!".

Our dubious fencing worked fine and no-one dropped their sword or clouted the bride. Just after she entered the church, a churchwarden or somesuch slammed the door shut. Hmm, that wasn't in the script.

"Errm, officers will....carry swords. Carry......swords! Ahhhh - to the other door....ahhh....bugger...OFF!"

We then squeezed our way in through a side door, trying not to disturb the service - unsuccessfully. Everyone turned round to see what on earth was going on as swords and bits of associated impedimenta clattered onto the stone floor, the bride barely able to keep a straight face!

A more embarrrassing moment was at RAFC, when the Parade Commander gave the wrong order - which I obeyed and ended up facing the wrong way. However, during the Present Arms which immediately followed, I managed to 'about turn' in two moves during the second and third parts of the move, so that at the Present my SLR and I were facing the same way as most of the rest of the parade. Strangely enough, this even avoided the eagle-eyed attention of the CWWO - either that or he was generous enough to note my recovery-from-cock up with approval!

[FantomZorbin]

March Past in front of the Norwich Civic dignatories - the RAF section led by a 'Jag Mate' ... "Eyes right, Eyes right, GO"

Parade rehearsal for an AOC's Inspection (?) many years ago at Leeming, most of the Station and all of the studes - CO brings Parade to Attention then doubles up with laughter and shouts to his CFI ... "Oh Cyril, what comes next?" ... big grins all round :ok:

[sitigeltfel]

Is it true that they have more horses than tanks?

[Mahogany_Bomber]

Freedom of Lincoln parade, empty dais, very apologetic Mayor. :O

[handysnaks]

Well, looking at the To$$er shoving the camera phone in his face soon afterwards I would say that the trooper acted with restraint over and above the call of duty (I know where I would have wanted to plant that sword)!!

[Jumping_Jack]

Two different horses shown. The one with the rider still attached only has one 'white sock'. The riderless horse has 3. :confused:

[500N]

Re "note my recovery-from-cock up with approval!"

I was always told as a Private and Cpl never leave a parade
without approval - the 2IC / Capt who knocked me into shape
was an ex RSM !

A few years later, a different unit, I lead the ANZAC day parade
in Williamstown, Victoria, about a Platoon of men.

March down the street, took up positions on the Grass round about,
the usual speeches etc. Anyway, my OC was giving a speech that day.
During the parade, I started feeling very sick in the gut and felt I was
going to chuck.

OC started his speech and I felt worse so decided I had better get off
the parade ground. So did all the correct moves, march round the back,
handed over to my Pl Sgt and then marched off - to a convenient hedge
nearby where it happened.

Felt better so decided to resume my place on the parade, all done
by the numbers !

After the parade, went up to the OC thinking I'd get duty Officer
for a month and apologised for marching off his parade during his speech.
He was stunned, hadn't realised and said it must have looked like part of the parade as no one had noticed !

[Rocket2]

115 Sqn closing parade :{ DB give the present arms - forgot to give the shoulder command so everyone held their SA80's out in front of them while he & the VIPs give their well done / historic / sad day speeches.
God knows how long we stood there arms (no pun) killing us & not daring to move, probably well over 20 minutes but seemed like many hours.
The resulting shoulder arms was tatty to say the least as cramp had really got to us - did get a very sincere apology tho', top man :D

[SOSL]

Beags, if you had stayed at Crandizt, it would have been a smle not a slr!

Rgds SOS

[mad_jock]

While being inspected by the honorary Col.

He having a chat 4 up from me.

Someone in his party drops thier guts, silent but violent in a still wind, big style after being on rat packs for a week.

Being a lovely old geezer he put a finger to his eye and said "I suppose it's best for all around if I have a little chuckle and apologise for that one"

Chuckles from the rest.

Ginger 6'4" Sapper infront of him said "Sir I presumed it was the ASM he's got previous on that score"

This demolished the inspection party. But give the ASM his due, punishment run was done that evening by himself and he had 20 quid in his sock and refreshments were bought by him in the pub down the road from the main gate on the way back. And it was him that dealt it.

[ian16th]

God knows how long we stood there arms (no pun) killing us & not daring to move,Rocket2,

Now if you'd had the practice that we Boy Entrants had in 1953 for route lining the Coronation, you'd have managed with ease :ok:

[Samuel]

Having been an airman [LAC at that, no SACs in the RNZAF!] and attending OCS, [on the way from LAC to eventual Sqn Ldr!] I found myself having to take a parade instead of being an anonymous participant, and I hadn't done that too often either. My particular Flight was comprised entirely of Sgts, many of whom I had worked for, on some management course or other. So..having called them to attention, my mind went completely blank as what happened next. Fortunately, a series of whispered reminders from the ranks saved the day!

[Tinribs]

RAF funeral at Cottesmore local boot hill

Officer i/c of firing anaware there is a gap in middle of last post

Short silence followed by him "order arms"

Sergeants voice from the back "ignore that order"

They all did

Goood thing is Flt Lt Hull would have thought it funny

[West Coast]

1993, hurried back from Somalia to participate in a mentors change of command ceremony. Was weak from a stomach virus/food poisoning/something. Took enough Imodium to keep it together ( in both senses of the meaning) and marched out. About halfway through I started to feel lightheaded but figured I could manage. Woke up face down, but still at the position of attention. I caught so much crap from others. Still to this day at the occasional get together the "remember when" crowd always brings it up.

Damn that beef stroganoff MRE. It's still costing me beers.