"Salute the Rank, not the Man." (1 Viewer)

[Iron Brigade]

Gary do you have a source for that? This was all I could find.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Ambrose#Criticism

"Scot":

No source, just my memory from some years past of a newpaper article in my area.

"Iron Brigade" / gary

 

[Scott]

Thanks. Sometimes anti-war is seen as anti troops or anti military history.

 

[PanzerAce1944]

The salute goes back many many years. Its original purpose was to show the other person that the hand was free and not carrying any weapons.This is the reason for the hand coming up at eye level for the other person to see the "open hand".

 

[Martin Tabony]

Two other possible origins of the salute are, shielding eyes from the "glory" of the senior person e.g. Emperor. Or more likely from doffing hat. Aparently the reason the the Royal Navy salute with palms down (rather than the correct palms foreward is that they usualy had tar stained hands and it would have been impolite to show this. Another reason I believe this to be the origins of the salute (other than with weapons) is that arguabley the modern salute started in the British army, where (other than RHG/D, but that's another story) we don't salute without head dress. How can you doff your hat if you don't have a hat?

Martin

 

[johnnybach]

Might not saluting be also associated with "touching the forelock" - which was a sign of deference on behalf of someone of a lower status - to one of a superior status? ( e.g peasant to a Lord), many years ago.:salute::

I was watching a film of "Mutiny on the Bounty" a while ago - and was struck by the sailors' knuckling their foreheds in salute to the Captain - which looked very like that form of acknowledgement and deference to a superior rank.

Might also explain why a lower rank normally salutes the higher ranked one first - before getting his/her salute returned. It is thus a sign of acknowledgement and deference to another. The military has perhaps just "smartened the process up" - by making it sharper and more formalised? jb:salute::

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Might not saluting be also associated with "touching the forelock" - which was a sign of deference on behalf of someone of a lower status - to one of a superior status? ( e.g peasant to a Lord), many years ago.:salute::

I was watching a film of "Mutiny on the Bounty" a while ago - and was struck by the sailors' knuckling their foreheds in salute to the Captain - which looked very like that form of acknowledgement and deference to a superior rank.

Might also explain why a lower rank normally salutes the higher ranked one first - before getting his/her salute returned. It is thus a sign of acknowledgement and deference to another. The military has perhaps just "smartened the process up" - by making it sharper and more formalised? jb:salute::

No doubt the history of saluting goes back a long ways !!!