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Re: Unneccesary Pomp?
Posted by Brad Sallows from Burnaby BC Canada on November 16, 1998 at 17:30:30:
In Reply to: Unneccesary Pomp? posted by ****ey on November 16, 1998 at 12:16:40:
Ceremony and tradition are integral parts of the business of soldiering, which would no doubt be otherwise colourless indeed.
I have seen some interesting evolutions in local Vancouver Remembrance Day ceremonies over the years. While the elements of the service are unvaried salutes, timings, hymns, and so forth, the parade is not.
Back in the 80‘s, the order of march was veterans, Navy Reserve, Militia by branch and unit seniority, RCMP, and Cadets Navy, Army, Air force. There is no Air Reserve unit in Vancouver. At some point in years past one of the COs must have decided his cadets should march with his unit, and this quickly became the case with all. A couple of years ago St John Ambulance asked to provide a marching contingent to celebrate an anniversary and now they are routinely part of the parade. In fact, the RCMP and St John now follow the veterans and precede the Reserve/Militia units. The local Comm Sqn used to follow the infantry and precede the CSS medics but now follow the medics. I have been offered two explanations: they work for a different Command - DISO or, they are not part of the local brigade. In fact, I suspect if there was an Air Reserve unit present to which all the Air Cadet units could be appended, then Comms would be at the extreme rear of the parade. This year, Seaforth of C invited a US Marine Cadet unit to join their contingent, thus ahead of our own militia medics, comm reservists, and Air Cadets.
This is all completely at odds with the annual parade instruction, which would have everything as it was 10-15 years ago but is apparently is open to a great deal of interpretation.
How does this compare to ceremonies elsewhere? I firmly believe the main point of the event is to be there to remember and pay tribute regardless of silly little games of precedence, but does anyone think there may be anything improper or disrespectful? At least a few civilians have commented negatively on the sight of US cadets marching ahead of our own soldiers.
Posted by Brad Sallows from Burnaby BC Canada on November 16, 1998 at 17:30:30:
In Reply to: Unneccesary Pomp? posted by ****ey on November 16, 1998 at 12:16:40:
Ceremony and tradition are integral parts of the business of soldiering, which would no doubt be otherwise colourless indeed.
I have seen some interesting evolutions in local Vancouver Remembrance Day ceremonies over the years. While the elements of the service are unvaried salutes, timings, hymns, and so forth, the parade is not.
Back in the 80‘s, the order of march was veterans, Navy Reserve, Militia by branch and unit seniority, RCMP, and Cadets Navy, Army, Air force. There is no Air Reserve unit in Vancouver. At some point in years past one of the COs must have decided his cadets should march with his unit, and this quickly became the case with all. A couple of years ago St John Ambulance asked to provide a marching contingent to celebrate an anniversary and now they are routinely part of the parade. In fact, the RCMP and St John now follow the veterans and precede the Reserve/Militia units. The local Comm Sqn used to follow the infantry and precede the CSS medics but now follow the medics. I have been offered two explanations: they work for a different Command - DISO or, they are not part of the local brigade. In fact, I suspect if there was an Air Reserve unit present to which all the Air Cadet units could be appended, then Comms would be at the extreme rear of the parade. This year, Seaforth of C invited a US Marine Cadet unit to join their contingent, thus ahead of our own militia medics, comm reservists, and Air Cadets.
This is all completely at odds with the annual parade instruction, which would have everything as it was 10-15 years ago but is apparently is open to a great deal of interpretation.
How does this compare to ceremonies elsewhere? I firmly believe the main point of the event is to be there to remember and pay tribute regardless of silly little games of precedence, but does anyone think there may be anything improper or disrespectful? At least a few civilians have commented negatively on the sight of US cadets marching ahead of our own soldiers.
