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left hand moves from the stock to the butt. The head is then lowered to look at the ground in a movement lasting four seconds; the entire command takes ten seconds. In this position the rifle, being shorter than that used historically and being held by the pistol grip and not the butt, does not touch the ground.
158:
from behind the back. There is also a movement prescribed to switch the rifle from the right arm to the left. If parades are halted for a long period the drill manual specifies that soldiers should be ordered to return to the shoulder arms position. Arms are then to be reversed again before stepping off once more.
241:
The order for swords is carried out from the present arm position. The sword is brought to the recover position from which the point is swung downwards, with the edge pointing to the soldier's right. The tip is placed on the ground between the soldier's feet while the right hand rests on top of the
216:
In the
British Army drill manual reverse arms is ordered from the shoulder arms position and is carried out before stepping off. The soldier's right hand reaches across to take hold of the butt of the rifle. The rifle is switched to the right side and the left hand grabs the rifle stock. The rifle
228:
and blade uppermost, and the left hand passes behind the back to grasp the blade. With swords the order is only two movements long (when compared with four movements for the rifleman) so is carried out simultaneously only with the last two movements of the rifleman's command. The sword is switched
220:
Reversed arms is always carried out at slow march initially but may transition into quick march if there is a significant distance to be covered. In quick march the left hand releases the rifle which is gripped solely by the right hand, forearm and elbow. The left arm is held as far to the rear as
237:
In the
British Army drill manual rest on arms reversed is known as "lower on your arms reversed". The rifle is brought upwards, with the left hand on the stock and the right hand taking hold of the pistol grip. The rifle is then rotated downwards to point down the right side of the body while the
157:
drill manual the movement for reverse arms is carried out before stepping off. The same movement is used for rifles, carbines and swords. The soldier is ordered to shoulder arms, the butt of the rifle is brought upwards, the muzzle is turned underneath the right arm and grasped with the left hand
78:
Reverse arms is a marching movement in which the weapon is held reversed (pointing backwards) as a mark of respect or mourning. Rest on arms is a similar position for use when halted in which the weapon is rested pointed to the ground (as opposed to upwards as when stood at attention for example).
166:
The movement to rest on arms is carried out from the present arms position. The rifle is swung downwards so that the muzzle rests on the soldier's left foot, the right hand is placed flat on the butt of the rifle and the left hand on top of this. The soldier's head is then lowered to rest on the
114:
opined that "reverse arms and rest on arms are bits of fancy drill that never were of any use, and should have been eliminated from the tactics long ago". The article also stated that the movement was not used in the German military, which marched in the conventional manner at the
199:
130:
suggested that the movements could be dropped from
British practice without affecting the solemnity of funerals. The movements do not seem to have been commonly practiced and there was some confusion at the 1901
47:. When marching in reverse arms the soldier's weapon is held pointing behind them and grasped behind their back. When resting on reversed arms the weapon points towards the ground and the eyes are lowered.
95:. This drill became the basis for the modern-day movements. The drill was known in former times as "club arms" (for reverse arms) and "mourn arms" (for rest on arms reversed).
79:
The practice is said to have originated in
Ancient Greece, though the earliest documented cases are from descriptions of 16th-century military funerals. It is known that a
187:
1021:
200:
201:
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and was later punished for rendering such an honour to the king. A unique reverse arms drill was devised as a special sign of respect for the 1722 funeral of
217:
is then swung downwards and turned under the right armpit to a 45-degree angle to the ground whilst the left arm reaches behind the back to grasp the barrel.
242:
sword pommel with the left placed over it. This takes six seconds. As with the rifle command the final four seconds are for the soldier to lower his eyes.
203:
88:
1011:
974:
496:
469:
340:
946:
Committee, Indian
National Congress (I) All India Congress; III, Indian National Congress (I) All India Congress Committee (1985).
379:
Illustrated Naval and
Military Magazine: A Monthly Journal Devoted to All Subjects Connected with Her Majesty's Land and Sea Forces
221:
possible. Arms can also be changed in the reverse arms position, to provide rest to the soldier or as a spectacle for onlookers.
98:
126:
224:
With swords the transition to reverse arms is made from the carry position. The sword is placed under the right armpit, with
202:
573:
544:
515:
116:
70:
1026:
1001:
132:
207:
Video footage of the funeral of Edward VII, showing (from approx 0:30) guardsmen marching with arms reversed.
1006:
996:
84:
74:
The funeral of Queen
Victoria. At left, guardsmen (including an officer with sword) rest on arms reversed
180:
154:
43:
used as a mark of respect at funerals and on occasions of mourning, especially in the armed forces of
259:
251:
59:
44:
191:
110:
and one veteran of the time noted that the movement was tiring to perform. An 1889 article in the
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pictured with their axes reversed, walking alongside the coffin at the State
Funeral of
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Looking
Forward, Looking Back: Customs and Traditions of the Australian Army
267:
461:
Insubstantial
Pageant: Ceremony and Confusion at Queen Victoria's Court
119:. The movement was dropped from US Army practice some time before the
102:
Royal Engineers march with arms reversed at the funeral of Elizabeth II
952:. Publication Dept., All India Congress Committee (I). p. 334.
197:
186:
174:
97:
69:
54:
15:
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in 1910. Note in this instance the left hand holds the scabbard.
266:, the rest on arms order reversed is still used, but the short
431:
Veterans association, 71st regiment, N. G., N. Y. p. 716.
428:
History of the 71st Regiment, N. G., N. Y., American Guard...
194:
marching with halberds reversed at the funeral of Edward VII
359:
A History of the Regiments and Uniforms of the British Army
179:
Household cavalryman marching with sword reversed at the
106:
The movement was used in the US Army by the time of the
414:. United States Cavalry Association. 1889. p. 56.
398:. Historical Times, Incorporated. 2002. p. 66.
167:chin. The whole movement should take ten seconds.
135:among soldiers who had not been taught the drill.
574:"Canadian Forces Manual of Drill and Ceremonial"
545:"Canadian Forces Manual of Drill and Ceremonial"
516:"Canadian Forces Manual of Drill and Ceremonial"
411:Journal of the United States Cavalry Association
229:to the opposite side if change arms is ordered.
112:Journal of the United States Cavalry Association
444:Journal of the Royal United Service Institution
969:. Baraka Press & Publishers. p. 99.
464:. Taplinger Publishing Company. p. 249.
382:. W.H. Allen & Company. 1889. p. 18.
8:
270:makes the reverse arms at march difficult.
927:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–75
901:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–74
875:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–41
849:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–40
823:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–21
797:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–69
771:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–64
745:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–63
719:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–34
693:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–26
667:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–25
641:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–22
612:. Chief of the General Staff. p. 6–20
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627:
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83:soldier carried out the movement at the
1022:Military of the Commonwealth of Nations
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89:John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
583:. Canadian Armed Forces. p. 4-2-2
554:. Canadian Armed Forces. p. 4-2-8
525:. Canadian Armed Forces. p. 4-2-7
510:
508:
447:. The Institution. 1886. p. 181.
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335:. Big Sky Publishing. p. 71.
14:
250:The command is also used in the
127:Royal United Service Institution
117:funeral of Emperor Frederick III
28:1943, resting on arms reversed
1:
425:Lowen, George Edward (1919).
356:Barnes, Robert Money (1962).
966:The Nigeria Police Companion
329:Jobson, Christopher (2009).
581:Chief of Military Personnel
552:Chief of Military Personnel
523:Chief of Military Personnel
395:Civil War Times Illustrated
233:Lower on your arms reversed
1043:
491:. Constable. p. 192.
1012:Acknowledgements of death
921:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
895:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
869:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
843:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
817:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
791:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
765:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
739:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
713:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
687:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
661:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
635:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
606:"The Rifles Drill Manual"
458:Lant, Jeffrey L. (1980).
162:Rest on your arms reverse
133:funeral of Queen Victoria
123:. A 1886 article in the
309:Australian War Memorial
488:The royal way of death
485:Bland, Olivia (1986).
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85:execution of Charles I
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181:funeral of Edward VII
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155:Canadian Armed Forces
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37:rest on arms reversed
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963:Dogo, Manya (2006).
260:Nigeria Police Force
252:Irish Defence Forces
60:Gentlemen Pensioners
45:Commonwealth nations
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39:are military
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149:Reverse arms
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33:Reverse arms
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268:Steyr rifle
256:Indian Army
64:Elizabeth I
20:Australian
991:Categories
286:References
931:9 October
905:9 October
879:9 October
853:9 October
827:9 October
801:9 October
775:9 October
749:9 October
723:9 October
697:9 October
671:9 October
645:9 October
616:9 October
587:9 October
558:9 October
529:9 October
314:6 October
262:. In the
139:Movements
1017:Funerals
274:See also
153:In the
66:, 1603.
51:History
973:
495:
468:
339:
144:Canada
577:(PDF)
548:(PDF)
519:(PDF)
971:ISBN
933:2019
907:2019
881:2019
855:2019
829:2019
803:2019
777:2019
751:2019
725:2019
699:2019
673:2019
647:2019
618:2019
589:2019
560:2019
531:2019
493:ISBN
466:ISBN
337:ISBN
316:2019
258:and
226:hilt
91:at
24:on
993::
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871:.
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767:.
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