MilitaryForums.co.uk

I know why they are used, and how they are used. What I want to know is why some DIs/DLs purchase Sergeants' Canes and some purchase Pace Sticks. Is it Regimental/Corps traditions or taste? And do you have to be a Sergeant to have a Cane? It's something that I have seen in magazines. I have searched, but not found anything.

As far as I am aware in the Royal Marines NCO's below warrant rank carry a pace stick, warrant offficers carry a cane. I believe it is the other way around in the Brigade of Guards, as to other regiments I don't know.

Pace stick: DI's are issued them.

Little cane thingy: Pass on that one!

Why walk around with some poxy cane? The pace stick however is used by DI's to ensure that the correct 30" per step is adhered to in training by the recruits. Tub Three! Tub Three! best ask Yorkie Malone or Si Capon all about it's uses to be honest with you.

If some pillock had turned to with a little Cane under his arm the P*ss taking would have been long and hard!

OK maybe in some Army units the NCO's walk around with some lump of wood & metal shoved under their arms, but never to my knowledge in the Royal Marines. Whats the point?

Artist

If my memory serves my correct these canes where once called
"Walking out canes" to be carried with No1 Blues When going ashore.
Jim and Frank may have the correct answer.

Aye

John_D

Canes for the use of,also known has swagger sticks carried pre-war when going ashore Cpls and Marines,SNCO's had a bigger one??


Aye jr

Top Tip, DL`s sew a loop of Lovat material under their armpit to save the effort of carrying that big heavy pace stick, aaah
WO`s carry the cane and if you`re a DL as well, then you can use the same loop
Bet you`re sorry you asked, now

Boz wrote:I know why they are used, and how they are used.

Officially or unofficially?

My father, who was a wartime and post war bootie told me there was a drill for swagger sticks, as the canes were called. He went into great detail about how to stop and look in a shop window while holding the stick. Mind you ,he told me a lot of other stories too.

At CTCRM I once carried an entire cane chair from the Wardroom to the tennis courts so the Officers could sit and watch their Chums play tennis.

It's what Spare Wa*ks had to do until such time as they were drafted to their first unit.

I vaguely remember that the provost section at Stonehouse used to have to walk around with Swagger Sticks until the old RSM left, then they were binned ASAP by one and all.

Artist

As, I think, Artist wrote - pace sticks are for measuring the march pace (the sticks can be opened and swivelled with one hand like a compass to measure a foot pace, for this, there are brass attachments on the inside for various pace lengths.

Drill instructors from the Rank of L/Cpl use these for drill instruction whereas Sgts and above (depending on regiment and corps) use these for ceremonial tasks as well (usually the rule is CSM and RSM on parade only) there is a whole section on pace stick drill in the army drill manual.

The colour of the varnishing on the wood can differ from regiment to regiment, corps to corps.

Swagger sticks or canens are what the cavalry used to use to "whip" the horses and as, in old times, the cavalry was elite they liked to distinguish themselves from foot soldiers by sporting these sticks, usually with a sterling silver head with regimental crest on top.

They must have been rather expensive back then, considering what a soldier would have been payed so one can presume, that either a lot of savings went for one stick (unlikely, beer wasn´t cheap either) or it was the more higher ranks that could afford one.

As far as I know, the pace sticks issued come from the Navy. They differ slightly from Army pace sticks and are a mass produced item.
When I was serving on "Gods Golden Acre" lots of guys ordered and paid for a custom made item that the Guards use. These are much nicer items and are "made to measure"
As far as colour of stains etc went, there was no hard and fast rule. Some guys went with it as issued, others went for a darker stain. Regardless of the colour of the wood, you still had to clean the poxy thing every day
The pace stick is designed not only to measure the distance of the marched pace, but also;
12" between the heels when stood at ease
30" Normal pace
24" Step short
33" Step Out
40" Double Time

What`s going to happen now that everything is Metric???

No-one knows??

Si

Can you just imagine it.................."With a full pace of seventy six point three centimeters........ by the left............QUICK MARCH!"

Just isnt the same is it?

Artist

I suppose it`s going to happen. Nods today are totally metric, so full pace of 30 means nothing to them??

It must be the same as when you bow and arrow boys changed over to the musket!

Cheers Si you Beggar!

The Crossbow was dead easy to use mind!
Very few working parts you see.

Our Yorkie soon had us doing the correct drills as well.

Artist