Don't take it to Sandhurst unless you want to use it as a letter opener. Or be rammed up your arrse by your colour man.

Maybe you could take a family shotgun to replace the issue SA80, a family car to replace the Company Bedford and some comfortable old brown loafers that an uncle used to wear to replace your issued brown shoes...

You wont need it, as you will be issued with a sword when drill is required. Anyway dont bring it when you go there for Term 1 and ask when youre there from someone who can give you the most up to date situation for your intake.

When you get to Bn the Adjutat will probably take a dim view of you wearing it until you are a Coy Comd and can then tell tell him to ram it.

I'd try your luck anyway - it all adds colour and your brother subbies will thank you for all those extras you do for them.

Also - could they not have got HRH some combats that weren't out of the ark!?

Originally Posted by Duke_of_Edinburgh

Originally Posted by Queensman

You're right. The cross belt has a ghastly policeman's whistle in a pouch on it. Yuk!

Yes, and as I remember we had to pay £30 to get one put on our Sam Browns. Mine still looks new, compared to the rest of the belt which was old in the 60s when my father was given it.

I've always wanted to find a situation when I can use the whistle. I'm up in town next month in service dress so I might try to hail a black cab!

Your grandson is to be congratulated on his choice of regiment.

A very kind gift.

DoE

I'm afraid I refused! I had two Sam Browns, one was my Father's (1950s vintage). I got it because, he, as a Gunner (spit) didn't need it when they got those Padres straps. The other was my Great Uncle's. Late the London Jocks, his was worn 'on ops' during the Battle of Messines etc! No fcuking way was I going to sully them with some ghastly Hampshire affectation!! Hurrumph hurrumph....

Originally Posted by BigJobs

I'm hopfully attending RMAS in the next year or so, and I've been told that it's tradition to take the family sword. My uncle carried it, and my grandfather carried it, and who knows who else before that. Only problem being that it's quite obviously a cavalry sword, and I'm wanting to join the RA. My uncle is REME/commando and my grandfather was gunners/aircorps.
Would anyone kick up a stink about it if i did carry the sword?

You have already received your answer concerning Sandhurst (i.e., forget about bringing your sword); however, beyond Sandhurst, the issue is twofold based on what you mean by “cavalry” sword:

(1) If your sword is a Pattern 1822 Light Cavalry officer's sword, then you can most likely use it when on parade with your Royal Artillery unit, even if it four or five generations old, as long as it is in parade condition. In the 1840's, the RA discarded the then Infantry pattern sword in favor of the Light Cavalry pattern, a practice that was made official in 1857 and that continues to this day. In other words, the current issue RA officer's sword is, by definition, a cavalry sword though not to be confused with a Pattern 1912 Cavalry officer's sword or the heavy swords used by officers' of the HCR.

(2) If your sword is not a Pattern 1822 Light Cavalry officer's sword and is of the other cavalry patterns, then you cannot wear it when your reach your Royal Artillery unit. I recently started two threads on just this subject within the Officers and RAC sections on ARRSE. Even if your adjutant shows laxity on the matter (which I very much doubt he will), it will be entirely wrong, and look unforgivably careless, to parade a sword that has nothing to do pattern-wise with the corps and regiment in which you serve.

I hope this is helpful.

Originally Posted by BigJobs

I'm hopfully attending RMAS in the next year or so, and I've been told that it's tradition to take the family sword. My uncle carried it, and my grandfather carried it, and who knows who else before that. Only problem being that it's quite obviously a cavalry sword, and I'm wanting to join the RA. My uncle is REME/commando and my grandfather was gunners/aircorps.
Would anyone kick up a stink about it if i did carry the sword?

You won't be allowed to use it when you are at Sandhurst, but 2 chaps in my platoon were given special permission to carry their family swords on the commissioning parade. You might be lucky.

Lots of people ask questions about swords in this forum. I have taken the unusual step of confining this thread to the sticky pile in order to ensure that our husekeeping does not get out of hand...


Please ensure that all sword related questions go in here.

I know a really goo place where you can put your sword.

Originally Posted by Lord_Wentworth

You won't be allowed to use it when you are at Sandhurst, but 2 chaps in my platoon were given special permission to carry their family swords on the commissioning parade. You might be lucky.

Do you by chance remember if the family swords that your two platoon mates carried on their commissioning parade were appropriate to the regiments into which these chaps commissioned? I would assume so but would be interested to learn otherwise.