Military traditions

[24853517]

When a regimental dinner takes place in the Army and port decanters are placed on the table once you fill your glass you always pass the decanter to your left and it is not suppossed to leave the table surface, why is this?

[Zen]

Not so sure about it leaving the table but take a look here,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_wine#History _and_tradition

[Johnmof]

I think the inference is that if someone puts it down they may forget to pass it round to those who haven't yet had any.

[johnlambert]

not sure ho that tradition started, in the RAMC, your glass is filled by the person on your right, you then take possession of the decanter and pour for the person on your left, this continues until the decanter returns to the RSM.

[Philtaz]

When I was in the Army(RMP) we also had to pour for the ladies, even those who were serving in uniform.

P.S. for John Lambert: Think I served in the camp next to you(113 Pro Coy RMP, Werl). If so, could you confirm the sad death in an RTA some time in the 90's of a former colleague of ours, Colin Dryburgh? He transferred from 1 Royal Scots to RMP when I served in Werl.

[Count_Emmup]

I believe it's 'Port to the Left, Brandy to the right' - is that true as well?

[johnlambert]

Philtaz
yeah I was in camp 6, we used to march through your camp to get to the Annex where the vehs were garaged. Small world
were you there when some lunatic L/Cpl made his sect march like Egyptians?

I remember col, very sad loss to the Army, RMP, 1RS.
I left just after the Gulf, got bored and joined the RAMC after about 18 months (I prefered patching people up instead of putting holes in them).
my email is : [email protected] if you want to "pull up a sandbag, swing the light and retell some war stories.
PS, did you ever visit the "crown + one"? you may have called it the "king + I" happy days

[3penny]

In Jacobean times King James had many supporters in the nobility and army. A common way of toasting him in secret was to pick up your glass, sweep it over your water glass or water decanter and then raise it to your lips, thereby drinking a toast to the King 'across the water'.

Was this perhaps a way of ensuring no secret toasts were drunk to King James.