Catch gunners from Charlie Battery, 20 SA, as they rehearse the 21-gun salute. Click here.
The first round is fired when the President begins inspecting the Guard-of-Honour contingents and the last round should be timed at the end of the review.
The stiff formality of the gun drills can be traced back to the days of black powder artillery when gun crews had to echo the battery commander's orders to ensure they could be heard over the battlefield noise.
Hand signals indicated which guns were primed and ready to fire. Before firing, the battery commander would indicate the type of rounds to be loaded and the firing sequence. In this case, blank rounds to be fired at his command.
Note how guns 4, 5 and 6 are unloaded at the end of the sequence. The 25-pdrs were kept loaded in case a gun failed to fire and a round needed to be discharged immediately.
The ceremonial 25-pdr field guns seen here are older than the gunners who man these artillery pieces.
Second Lieutenant Li Yong Rui and 2LT Ira Yong are the 20 SA officers who will command the six 25 pounders used for the Presidential Salute. (Can someone please provide the rank/name of the WOSE to the officer's left?)
3 comments:
I fondly remember (now that the sting of burnt weekends is 15 years in the past) being part of the saluting battery, 20 SA Charlie Battery. Even though I was reserve gun commander, having been a blur king and overall asshole then (hopefully I'be changed!) the theatre and pomp was fantastic.
I still remember a tourist couple who asked us why the Mobile Column was parked on Nicoll Highway. We were tempted to tell them that this was the annual coup, just like Thailand!
Why the blue tight pants? Why not lehpart preens?
(Can someone please provide the rank/name of the WOSE to the officer's left?)
CPT Tony Peh
OC, Charlie Battery
20 SA
=)
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