Royal Marine Salute

[oldtimer]

My grandfather was a colour sergeant in the Royal Marines, the best man at my wedding 52 years ago was a Royal Marine Commando, and I numbered many marines amongst my friends and acquaintances having been brought up in Portsmouth, where a favourite watering hole was the Royal Marine Tavern across the road from my college. Watching the Marines on parade was a normal part of my childhood, youth and young manhood. I retain an immense respect for them and their traditions and am watching the current TV series on the training regime with rapt attention and renewed awe and respect.

However, to my shame and embarassment, I cannot remember how the marines salute. I plead my age: I did leave Pompey over 50 years ago. I have a vaque feeling that they keep their palm down as in Naval tradition rather than palm to the front as in the Army and RAF.

I know that there are probably quite a few of you out their who know the answer from personal experience. Please, tell me the answer without taking the P too much!

 

[ozzy1977]

Hand at 45* palm down if I remember correctly.

 

[Modchop]

Hand at 45* palm down if I remember correctly.

Yep, Naval style.

 

[Dave]

As soon as I left school in 1989, i went down to lympstone for 4 days and flew through the PRC, but came home, and never went back for basic training. Kinda wish I had now. Would have been good to spend some time in uniform I think.

I remember a sargeant, who told us that there was no formula to it, that you could salute anyway you wanted.

I can remember saluting trainee officers with orange epaulettes on their arms on the way to the Naafi.

 

[santaman2000]

Yep, Naval style.

Are you sure? I know Prince Harry is in an Army uniform in this video so I discounted his salute. But about 2:35 in you'll see one of the Marines marching by saluting palm up: http://youtu.be/ndgd3livnqI

Likewise the Marine in this video: http://youtu.be/ENUS9siw4yo

 

[MikeLA]

in the RMR I remember it palm in front Im sure? Also on commando in the line i saw them taught this way ep 1 i think. Mental blank got me thinking now.

just checked
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYF-qDopam0

28 mins the troop march and salute Palm in front

 

[santaman2000]

About 10 seconds into this one, the Naval instructor tells the cadets that the overhand salute is a "Marine thing." http://youtu.be/o6vG6CcsCa4

 

[santaman2000]

19 seconds into this one; palm out: http://youtu.be/sVRnCphm_zI

 

[GGTBod]

So am i right to understand that they still have not adopted the Full Rimmer?

[video=youtube;al5bErqFrDQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al5bErqFrDQ[/video]

 

[JonathanD]

Definitive answer:

Navy- palm down. Short way up one two three, short way down.
Marines- Palm out, long way up one two three, short way down.

 

[MikeLA]

About 10 seconds into this one, the Naval instructor tells the cadets that the overhand salute is a "Marine thing." http://youtu.be/o6vG6CcsCa4

Yes the Royal Navy still do only

 

[santaman2000]

Yes the Royal Navy still do only

Any idea why the difference?

 

[MikeLA]

this is off wilkipedia so how true i dont know but.........

Queen Victoria instituted the hand salute in the Navy to replace uncovering when she sent for certain officers and men to Osborne House to thank them for rendering help to a distressed German ship, and did not like to see men in uniform without headress. During the age of sail, ships' officers were always worried about mutiny and it therefore became custom that whenever an officer approached, the rating would prove that he was not armed. This was done by knuckling the forehead and later evolved into the modern Navy salute with the hand at 45 degrees palm facing in. The reason that the palm faces in is because sailors' hands were covered in tar from the sheets and rigging and it was considered unseemly to show an officer or a member of the Royal family a dirty palm.

 

[MikeLA]

We need a time served Royal Navy man to give the answer

 

[JonathanD]

We need a time served Royal Navy man to give the answer

I did. See post #10.

As for the reason, no one can be certain now, but the dirty palm one is the most quoted and also the least true. Naval officers had as clean a hands as any army officer, plus Marines were also present on ships too. Most naval historians and the RN itself put it down to simply efficiency and use of space derived from the motion used to doff a hat.

 

[Grebby]

Hasn't one already answered?

Damn, beaten to it

 

[widu13]

RM follow the Army with most of what they do including rank structure and most drill. The reason? Tradition. When soldiers were needed on board ships for shore parties etc, the RN requested the Army to provide strength and were told to jog on. The RN shrugged it's shoulders and invented it's own "army", the RM; who were literally soldiers on ships.

Many of the first RMs were ex Army soldiers, many offered promotion etc to join the RM to train them up.

Since then, the RM has been in a unique place to rib both the Army and the Navy, although they have the benefit of being able to read the bar codes and squiggles that the RN use for badges of rank and appointment!

 

[santaman2000]

this is off wilkipedia so how true i dont know but.........

Queen Victoria instituted the hand salute in the Navy to replace uncovering when she sent for certain officers and men to Osborne House to thank them for rendering help to a distressed German ship, and did not like to see men in uniform without headress......

Thanks. My specific question was why the difference (and your wiki quote gave an attempt later after this bit) But this part particularly, generally agrees with what I was taught about the origins of saluting at all. In Basic Training we were taught that saluting goes at least as far back as armored knights raising their visors to one another. Thatevolving into removing one's hat (which further evolved into simply touching one's hat) and finally evolving to the military salute.

 

[BillyBlade]

As soon as I left school in 1989, i went down to lympstone for 4 days and flew the PRC, but came home, and never went back for basic training. Kinda wish I had now. Would have been good to spend some time in uniform I think.

I remember a sargeant, who told us that there was no formula to it, that you could salute anyway you wanted.

I can remember saluting trainee officers with orange epaulettes on their arms on the way to the Naafi.

Worry not. You learn very quickly at Dartmouth the men are saluting the Queens Crest, and not the man carrying it on his cap.

 

[northumbrian]

I thought they still used this one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYLlW0QAHuI