TRIVIA TO THE MAX!!!

I know that both armies salute with the edge of the palm more or less level with the ground and with the elbow much higher than the American hand salute.

I was watching Sean Connery in "A Bridge Too Far" and noticed that when he saluted Boy Browning, his thumb was at a 90 degree bend at the joint and went across his palm instead of parallel to the index finger; sort of like a four finger cub scout salute.

What IS the correct position of the thumb in giving the proper salute in the British Army? Is this the same as the French Army or do they do something different?

I know this is trivia beyond trivia but I have no where else to possibly post this.

TIA

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

The British salute is palm upright with the fore finger in line with the eyebrow, thumb inline with the hand. Not sure about the french salute. Of course saluting in the field is considered bad practice as it gives snipers something to shoot at!

Regards

Brian

First In Last Out - Follow the Sapper!

I would take ANYTHING of a military nature from Hollywood with a MASSIVE pinch of salt. That goes for pretty much any media output whatsoever, actually....

Tim

www.fighting48th.com

Sean was in the Royal Navy, do they salute differently? I've encountered some USAF salutes that could only be described as a wave.

Am trying to remember early scene in the wonderful movie "The Cruel Sea" where the newly minted officers report to the Captain of the Compass Rose. Seems to me when they entered and saw him at a makeshift desk they braced up and saluted like an American Officer would. Movie packed away for my impending house move so I cannot say with any certainty but I have some recollection that RN Officers salute more like their American Cousins.

Happy to be informed otherwise....

TIA

Jeff

Not only is the salute of interest, but the story line continued with the Captain, Jack Hawkins, telling the youngsters that they shouldn't salute him if he wasn't wearing his own cap, as he couldn't return it. How many times do you see officers in films wearing their headgear in doors?  Directors get their actors to do these strange things because they think it 'looks' good, actual accuracy is completely irrelevant in the vast majority of cases. Saving Privat Ryan, Band of Brothers etc stand out so much because they were made with such attention to this sort of detail, and we are amazed. Doesn't say much for all the other films, does it?

Tim

PS Howlers in films is an industry in its own right. Watches on centurions wrists, airliners flying over Gunfight at the OK Corral, electricity pylons in Victorian England, Big Red Bus on the battlefield at Waterloo, and on, and on, and on........

www.fighting48th.com

To refine the response, I'd say that the salutes of those actors who served (David Niven, Richard Todd) are probably more representitive that the salutes of those who did not?

jch

Thanks to all for your replies. Does anyone know about whether the French salute is the same or different. Am trying to remember Captain Gallant and the French Foreign Legion from Saturday afternoons as a child but drawing a complete blank as far as hand salutes are concerned.

TIA,

Jeff

I've always understood the main diferences between a British or American salute is, British, longest way up shortest way down , whilst the US salute is ,shortest way up, longest way down.

The difference between Army and Royal Navy s quite different. The difference comes from the reign of Queen Victoria. The Queen was saluted by a sailor with a dirty hand and the navy fell into disgrace. The Royal Navy salutes palm down (similar to our US cousins) but it is essentially the same type longest way up, pause, shortest way down. The US forces also salute without headress and sat down.

Wow what trivia we know, my old CO looked like he had a funny salute, but that was due to a rugby injury.

Regards

Brian

First In Last Out - Follow the Sapper!

To the best of my knowledge the Royal Navy has always saluted with the palm facing down. I'd not heard of the Queen Victoria story, but as a matter of practicality the RN throughout the ages has largely adopted hats with some type of brim - this makes the army's style of salute very impractical.

Andrew

Unless things have changed since I was in, in the US Navy you are not permitted to salute while;
uncovered (no hat),
indoors,
or sitting.

Yours,
James D. Gray

I assume the salute evolved from the action of removing your hat.
In the Royal Navy in the late 18th Century Admiral Jervis issued an order that all officers were to completely remove their hats in the act of saluting the quaterdeck rather than merely touching them.

He was a fiery tempered gent.

I've always heard that it arose from the need of Knights to show friend and foe who they actually were when in full armor. The act was accomplished by raising the eyeshield on the helmet, thereby revealing the face. This attempt at identification was also the orgion for the art of Heraldy.

Might be pure BS, but this is what I've always heard and read.

Thanks for responding.

Best,

Jeff

I heard the story that the RN salute palm down because as the navy is ROYAL it was always loyal to the crown even during the civil war 'their loyalty is never in doubt' so they do not have to show that there is not a concealed weapon in their hands, whilst the Army, being involved against the crown in the civil war, is not regarded as such and therefore salutes with the palm facing forwards to show that indeed there is no weapon.

The RAF fall into the latter category by default(ie 'untrustworthy') rather than by action.

seems plausible to me!!

MJH

Of course the Army and Royal Navy are both steeped in traditions...unlike the Royal Air Force who merely have habits ( still under 100 years old!!!! )

Brian

First In Last Out - Follow the Sapper!

I've been told that the reason it is the Royal Navy and the Royal Airforce and the BRITISH Army is precisely that same issue of loyalty to the Crown during the English Civil War. My late fathers family were in the Royalist Cornish Pike at Edgehill and, having backed the loosing side, fled to America shorty afterwards with Commonwealth Death warrants close behind.

Originally from a little village on the Atlantic side near the Dorset(?) County border.

Undoubtedly, if they personally ever knew, it has NOT been passed down the generations.

I've also been told that the thing about Royal vs British is simply an old wives tale and is simply a question of Royal Preferment.

So, take your choice. This is just one of many, many reasons why I like the British so much. The whole of ther noble history has been carried forth to the present. May there alwaysbe an England and may she remain Merry indeed!

Best,

Jeff