Posted on 01/06/2015 2:51:08 PM PST by the scotsman
And your Dad was right - that is the normal protocol. But the return of the salute is important. It is both rude and disrepectful for somebody not to return a salute (unless, of course, they have a good reason - hands full, etc) and anybody who goes around not doing it will rapidly get a reputation as somebody who isn't worthy of respect, because they don't return it.
(Please note, I'm not talking about an occasional mistake - I'm talking about when there is a pattern. Sometimes you honestly might not notice).
Just after I was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant (lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Australian Navy), I found myself approaching Admiral Sir Victor Smith on a busy street (he was the Chief of all Australian Forces at the tims). He was with his wife and he was carrying some packages. As we approached, he handed all the packages to his wife, precisely so he'd be in a position to return my salute. There was no question I would salute him and if he had decided not to return it, I would have just had to live with it - it's not like I could have complained. But he would not have been the man he was if he hadn't returned the salute - and I would have lost respect for him (and believe me, I had immense respect for him - never mind his rank, the man was a genuine war hero). And any other serviceman who saw it would have lost respect for him as well. It was also, honestly, a thrill to have my salute returned - I'd worked very hard for my commission and it felt like all that hard work was somehow being acknowledged by the fact that I was at least worthy of the great man's attention for a second.
They still do - the Queen's Royal Lancers have used it since 1993, having inherited it from the 17th/21st Lancers who, in 1922, inherited it from The 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own), who were raised in 1759.
They are sometimes known as the "Death or Glory Boys".
Thanks for the information.
Now to read up on them.
Something I recall reading was Harry Truman said he would rather have that medal than be President
The National Socialist faggots besmirched any of the German (or other) symbolism they stole. They didn’t invent the swastika, the death’s head, or the iron cross. For example. They just appropriated them and befouled them.
This photo was taken by a member of my Father's battalion. I am sure proper protocol is being followed but I noticed that no one is saluting. BTW, that is Field Marshal Montgomery almost hidden by Churchill.
Great pic!
Thank you. That same guy got several good ones.
My Father did not get a camera until the war ended but he did get a lot of Berlin and Potsdam during 1945.
I read probably 20 WW2 books in 2013-14. Incredible accomplishments from the top to the bottom of the ranks.
Enemy snipers in the area? My dad told me that in ‘Nam officers wouldn’t wear insignia for that very reason.
Yes their accomplishments were at times off the chart.
Another child of a veteran of their battalion sent me their complete official history via the signal corps. What those combat engineers accomplished was unbelievable.
Just one example, they built two mess halls for the Potsdam conference in two days. This despite having to scrounge for building materials when the ones they expected did not arrive.
Several times they built pontoon bridges in a day.
I suspect the photo was staged, although for a professional photographer not the combat engineer who took this one.
I am pretty sure the area was safe by then but you never know.
It's a possibility - it's also very possible that with that many VIPs in the area, they'd been expressly instructed not to keep saluting them - otherwise they'd have been doing nothing but saluting all day :) and not getting on with their work.
Churchill could also pose a dilemma when he was in uniform. He typically wore the uniform of an Air Commodore of the Royal Air Force (and he was entitled to do so because he did hold that rank) but while that is a pretty senior rank (it's one star), it was considerably below his status as a Head of Government. So when he was in uniform, did higher ranking (two star and above) salute him or did he salute them? As I understand it, they never formally worked out that piece of protocol.
It’s a sign of respect for the chain of command.
You probably already know this but that is Field Marshall Brooke on the left as you view it and American General Simpson on the right.
Brooke is the big guy and Simpson the tall one. I recall reading where Churchill described Brooke as “a hard headed Ulsterman”.
Thank you - I was trying to work out who they were. I was pretty sure about Brooke, wasn’t sure about Simpson, though.
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