Sword Hooks?
Thread Starter
Sword Hooks?
Take a look at this:
Charles and Camilla visit New Zealand - National - NZ Herald Pictures
One would have thought that the Gd Cdr would have had hooks fitted to his tunic to stop the belt slipping down. I can't find a link to teh footage of Charles' arrival at Auckland (Whenuapai); the Gd Cdr's sword belt was practically down by his knees at teh end of the inspection.
I know the Kiwi No 3 SD hasn't had a belt for 30-odd years, but at least the tailors could fit sword hooks for a Royal Guard of Honour? No?
or am I being picky?
Charles and Camilla visit New Zealand - National - NZ Herald Pictures
One would have thought that the Gd Cdr would have had hooks fitted to his tunic to stop the belt slipping down. I can't find a link to teh footage of Charles' arrival at Auckland (Whenuapai); the Gd Cdr's sword belt was practically down by his knees at teh end of the inspection.
I know the Kiwi No 3 SD hasn't had a belt for 30-odd years, but at least the tailors could fit sword hooks for a Royal Guard of Honour? No?
or am I being picky?
Does anyone else remember when this forum used to be about military aviation?
I'm betting he's just the sort of bloke who also couldn't care less about looking like a sack of sh*t tied up in the middle because he's far too good a pilot to worry about that sort of rubbish.
All part of the same mindset.
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Whenurhappy
Do you mean this guard commander ?
Prince Charles, Duchess of Cornwall visit New Zealand - Xinhua | English.news.cn
Things exist like safety pins to keep equipment in place for big parades !
Do you mean this guard commander ?
Prince Charles, Duchess of Cornwall visit New Zealand - Xinhua | English.news.cn
Things exist like safety pins to keep equipment in place for big parades !
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Don't know about sword hooks but the Standard Bearer looks as though he could use a crane for support. The phrase "sack of sh*t" springs to mind!
Thread Starter
500N - I hadn't seen the photo, but the video clip on the NZ Herald website was dire.
Dear PPruners,
I did post this with a degree of tongue-in-cheek in light of the 'Cap FS 'scandal' of the UK CAS', but I still thought that the turnout was a bit poor. I did a parade in 1987 (50th Anniversary of RNZAF, at Wigram) in front of Charles; the Parade Cdr and Sqn Cdrs all had hooks fitted to stop the swords from slipping; us mere flight cdrs and supernumery officers had to make do with safety pins. I dug out photos from that event (and also looked at photos in books of the presentation of the RNZAF Standard in 1953) and I don't believe that we - or our forbears - looked that shabby. And we didn't wear name tags.
Pete Stockwell* (Burgles), Grip it!
* NZ CAS/CAF - you were smartly turned out.
Dear PPruners,
I did post this with a degree of tongue-in-cheek in light of the 'Cap FS 'scandal' of the UK CAS', but I still thought that the turnout was a bit poor. I did a parade in 1987 (50th Anniversary of RNZAF, at Wigram) in front of Charles; the Parade Cdr and Sqn Cdrs all had hooks fitted to stop the swords from slipping; us mere flight cdrs and supernumery officers had to make do with safety pins. I dug out photos from that event (and also looked at photos in books of the presentation of the RNZAF Standard in 1953) and I don't believe that we - or our forbears - looked that shabby. And we didn't wear name tags.
Pete Stockwell* (Burgles), Grip it!
* NZ CAS/CAF - you were smartly turned out.
Last edited by Whenurhappy; 15th Nov 2012 at 06:57.
Elsewhere on this forum is a thread about a ME captain who got narked when his co-pilot pointed out he still had QFE set at a late stage on a visual approach.
I'm betting he's just the sort of bloke who also couldn't care less about looking like a sack of sh*t tied up in the middle because he's far too good a pilot to worry about that sort of rubbish.
All part of the same mindset.
I'm betting he's just the sort of bloke who also couldn't care less about looking like a sack of sh*t tied up in the middle because he's far too good a pilot to worry about that sort of rubbish.
All part of the same mindset.
Interesting that the ME Capt/1013/F Off thread got deleted. Wonder which crew room / CO office that is now being discussed in
Yes I was wondering that. I'm guessing that the OP deleted it having got nervous that the captain in question would get to see it/hear about it and cause even more grief for the unfortunate co-pilot.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
500N, why?
My colonel still looked like a bag o'sh1t whether he used his web belt to keep his stomach in or a SB with a shoulder strap to hold it up!
The lack of belt clips could be that they were hard to come by, or the guard commander could not afford to have them fitted, or there was not enough time after he had been joed.
In all the No 1s I had (one new and two second hand) I never had sword clips. I never carried a sword on any parade either and my last parade I am pleased to say was 36 years ago.
My colonel still looked like a bag o'sh1t whether he used his web belt to keep his stomach in or a SB with a shoulder strap to hold it up!
The lack of belt clips could be that they were hard to come by, or the guard commander could not afford to have them fitted, or there was not enough time after he had been joed.
In all the No 1s I had (one new and two second hand) I never had sword clips. I never carried a sword on any parade either and my last parade I am pleased to say was 36 years ago.
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PN
Was just a suggestion as an easy way to carry a Sword.
"The lack of belt clips could be that they were hard to come by, or the guard commander could not afford to have them fitted, or there was not enough time after he had been joed."
Pretty feeble excuses if you ask me for an Officer.
Safety pins don't cost much and are the cheapest solution - and obviously used
by the RAF going by one of the previous posts.
Anyway, it's quite a few years now since I had to carry a sword
on parade and thankfully won't have to again.
Was just a suggestion as an easy way to carry a Sword.
"The lack of belt clips could be that they were hard to come by, or the guard commander could not afford to have them fitted, or there was not enough time after he had been joed."
Pretty feeble excuses if you ask me for an Officer.
Safety pins don't cost much and are the cheapest solution - and obviously used
by the RAF going by one of the previous posts.
Anyway, it's quite a few years now since I had to carry a sword
on parade and thankfully won't have to again.
Last edited by 500N; 15th Nov 2012 at 19:19.
Thread Starter
The lack of belt clips could be that they were hard to come by, or the guard commander could not afford to have them fitted, or there was not enough time after he had been joed.
Just been joed for a Royal Guard of Honour? I think not! The sword hooks are brass curtain hooks sewn into the seam of the No 1 tunic. But as it was in New Zealand, brass curtain hooks are probably still on the 'rationed' list 
Anyway, a bit of levity...
Personally, I thought HRH looked rather dapper in his No 1s, far smarter than some of the Army uniforms.
And in any case, what's wrong with keeping 9mm bang under the bed - have you felt how uncomfortable it is to try and sleep with it under your pillow?
And in any case, what's wrong with keeping 9mm bang under the bed - have you felt how uncomfortable it is to try and sleep with it under your pillow?
Crabs and swords
I always think Crabs (including antipodean ones) look utterly ridiculous with swords. The RAF wasn't even invented when swords went out of service, so why do they walt around with them? If Crabs want to dress up for big occasions they should just stick to leather hats and goggles.
Last edited by Trim Stab; 16th Nov 2012 at 15:14.
The RAF wasn't even invented when swords went out of service, so why do they walt around with them?
Last edited by Melchett01; 16th Nov 2012 at 16:48.
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Trim Stab
Agree re Swords, found them a PITA to parade with but tradition dictates.
Very few do sword drill well all of the time.
* Must admit that the NZ Officer the OP was commenting on didn't do
too badly with his sword drill / saluting on the march.
Agree re Swords, found them a PITA to parade with but tradition dictates.
Very few do sword drill well all of the time.
* Must admit that the NZ Officer the OP was commenting on didn't do
too badly with his sword drill / saluting on the march.