saluting in the navy

[mollykins]

In the navy(and the other forces, and the cadets), you salute officers with your right hand, but what would you do if you didn't have a right hand. There is an instructor at a nearby sea cadet unit wih no left arm so they can stil lsalute, but what would they do if it was the other way round. Obviously in the forces you'd be discharged if you'd been that abdly injured but there may times when you should still salute eg ceremonies and being a cadet instructor.

there's two things that i can think of, you could do but i'm not sure which you would;

1)don't salute at all but come to attention (which i think is more likely)

2)salute with your left hand

does anyone know or can come up with a better suggestion or a reason why one of mine would be right?

[factor-fiction]

Wow mollykins- the things you wonder about are fascinating. Clearly your mind wanders while doing your revision.
Sorry I don't know the answer, but if you have any more Maths or Science problems I'll try to help.

[mollykins]

Yeah but if they are a soldier in afghanistan they can't go around with one arm, they'd probably be given other duties in an office wouldn't they.

I was wondering cos of the instructor from the other unit who only has a right arm, what he'd do if he'd lost his other arm.

[Prudie]

Well what do you think he'd do? He won't salute will he, Really you do ask peculiar questions at times.

[factor-fiction]

I don't think mollykins wants to know about you standing to attention wyzard66

[Buenchico]

Hello again, Molly!

Saluting with the hand is a relatively new tradition in the Royal Navy, which was introduced under Queen Victoria. Prior to that the custom was to uncover the head.

Up until 1923 anyone who was unable to salute with their right hand could have done so with their left hand. However it was then recognised that the gesture was offensive to the people of India, which was part of the British Empire. (Indians traditionally use their left hand solely for cleaning themselves after using the toilet. It can give great offence in India to give or receive anything using your left hand). So saluting with the left hand is no longer permitted within the Royal Navy.

Since the use of the left hand to salute is now barred, it seems reasonable to assume that anyone who does not have the use of their right arm will simply come to (or remain at) attention while others salute.

Chris

[brenda]

This person who has lost an arm is not at your school ishe , doing art where there was a lot of noise , or who gave his work in late.Hope not or this rubbish post will never go away.

[Prudie]

Probably not Brenda but he could be the strange man in the yellow jacket, or the one who plays the pipes or even the one who only mows part of the field, probably because he only has one arm!

[factor-fiction]

.. or the one who wears a spotted bra under his blouse..

[brenda]

prudie, factor -- many thanks -- thought it was just me going round the twist with all this garbage.

[Hawkwalk]

is it not possible to twist your left arm around the back of your head, making it look like your right arm giving the salute.

[AlBags]

When you salute, you are saluting the crown, not the person.
If you have no right arm, you come to attention and acknowledge that person. That's it.

[mollykins]

thanks chico and bags.

I can't help it if there is perculiar folk around here, remember am i close to the norfolk border.

[saxy_jag]

I watched a documentary about an injured soldier some years ago. He'd had a leg amputated and needed to use his right arm for the crutch. His way of saluting, which was perfectly acceptable to his officers, was to use his left hand to raise his hat. Rather than gripping the peak and tipping it forward, he actually took hold of the crown and lifted it from his head.

[supersuezy24]

Hawkwalk..Just for the laugh I tried what you said..I'm nearly in tears laughing here :)