The battalion will then form three sides of a square.

The drums will be piled in the centre; the new Colours will be brought up from the rear by the colour serjeants in charge, and placed against the pile of drums, one on each side, the King’s Colour on the right. The second in command and senior lieutenant will then take charge of the King’s Colour; the next senior officer and next senior lieutenant of the Regimental Colour. These officers will uncase the Colours and replace them against the drums.

3. The consecration will then proceed.

After the consecration, the second in command will hand the King’s Colour to the person presenting the Colours, from whom the senior lieutenant will receive it, sinking on the right knee; the Regimental Colour will in like manner be handed by the next senior officer, and received back by the second senior lieutenant; both lieutenants will then rise.

4. Any address intended to be made will now follow. Line will then be reformed, the Colours, unfurled and turned towards the centre of the line, will be given a general salute. The Colour party will then march in slow time to its place in line, the band playing “God save the King.”

5. The battalion will march past, the old Colours following in rear of the column.

209. FIRING A FEU-DE-JOIE.

1. The troops will be drawn up in line, at the slope, officers at the Carry; bayonets will not be fixed. The commander of the parade and his staff will be posted in front of the line, at such distance as he may decide, and turned towards it if desired; all other mounted officers will be in rear of the line. Three rounds of blank cartridge will be fired. If artillery are present and are ordered to fire twenty-one guns, seven will be fired before each round. For the first round of the Feu-de-Joie all commanding officers will give the command Load immediately the artillery commences firing, and the word Present directly the seventh gun has fired, the commanding officer of the right battalion giving the command Commence immediately after the word Present.

When the right-hand man of the rear rank has fired, the band will play the first part of “God save the King,” the men remaining at the Present. On the last note of the band the commanding officer will give the word of command Load, when the men will come to the loading position; the artillery will fire seven guns, and the infantry proceed as above described.

Two more rounds will be similarly fired. When the third round is fired, the band will play “God save the King,” at the conclusion of which the commanding officer will give the order Unload, when the men will carry out the motions, and come to the order, the Colours being brought to the order by command of the senior officer of the Colour party.

The mounted officers will then move to their positions as in SS. 184, 193 (2), 196, the company commanders will step back three paces and the commanding officer will give the following commands (on parades of large bodies working on the signal of the general of the division or brigadier):—

2. If a march past has been ordered to follow the firing of the Feu-de-joie, bayonets will not be unfixed.

210. FUNERALS.

For Rank and File.

The firing party, consisting of 1 serjeant, 1 corporal and 12 privates, will be drawn up two deep, one pace interval between files, facing the building where the body is placed. The corporal will be on the right of the front rank. The serjeant will give all words of command, and be posted in rear of the centre. Arms will be at the slope.

The pall-bearers will see that the flag, head-dress and side-arms are properly arranged on the coffin. The head-dress should be tied to the side-arms to prevent the former falling.

As the body is brought out the serjeant will give the command PRESENT—ARMS, and when the coffin has been placed on the gun-carriage, REVERSE—ARMS. RIGHT—TURN (the corporal will now take up his place two paces in front and midway between the ranks). SLOW—MARCH.

The mourners and band and drummers with drums muffled will have formed up in two ranks at two paces interval and eight paces from each other, facing inwards, through which the firing party will pass in the following order:—Firing party; band and drummers (moving in their proper formation as soon as the firing party has passed); body and bearers; chief mourners (if any); mourners. The latter will move in fours made up by two and two, front and rear rank, commencing on the inner flank.

The drums will play the “Dead March” when about 300 yards from the hospital, and continue for such a distance as the officer in charge may have ordered before marching off.

When the drums cease playing the firing party will break into “quick time,” the remainder conforming. Rifles will be carried at the trail, butt leading, sling uppermost. During the march arms may be changed, but the party will not be allowed to “march at ease.”

When at a convenient distance from the cemetery the party will break into “slow time,” the men will “reverse arms,” and the band will play.

When the head of the procession arrives near the ground where it is to meet the clergyman, the ranks will open out to six paces distance and the serjeant will give the command HALT. INWARDS—TURN (the ranks will face each other). REST ON YOUR ARMS—REVERSED. STAND AT EASE. (The whole working by the corporal, who will perform the exercise.)

The coffin will now be removed by the bearers and carried feet-end foremost, and placed on the right of the grave. The flag, head-dress and side-arms will then be removed and the coffin lowered.

The mourners will file round the grave, halt and turn inwards without word of command.

The firing party will follow the mourners, the serjeant giving the command ATTENTION. REVERSE—ARMS. RANKS, RIGHT AND LEFT—TURN. SLOW—MARCH. And on arriving near the grave HALT. LEFT—TURN. REST ON YOUR ARMS—REVERSED. STAND AT EASE.

When the service commences the head-dress will be removed (except firing party) and replaced when the service is ended, previous to the volleys being fired.

At the end of the service the serjeant will give:—Firing party ATTENTION. PRESENT—ARMS. SLOPE—ARMS. VOLLEYS (with blank cartridges)—LOAD. PRESENT. FIRE. A second and third volley will be fired. The serjeant will then give UNLOAD. FIX—BAYONETS. SLOPE—ARMS. PRESENT—ARMS. SLOPE—ARMS. FORM—FOURS. RIGHT. QUICK—MARCH.

The band will lead, followed by the firing party and mourners, who will form fours as they march off without word of command.

Bayonets will be unfixed after leaving the place of burial at the discretion of the officer in charge. The band is not to play, nor the drums to beat, until the party is entirely clear of the burial ground.

2. Funerals of officers, warrant officers and serjeants will be conducted in a similar manner to para. 1, the troops being detailed for the escort according to the rank of the deceased. Officers’ swords are reversed under the right arm, the point downwards, the hilt being grasped with the right hand, blade uppermost, the left hand grasping the blade behind the back.

3. Large escorts will march by companies, in fours, at the head of the procession.

4. In the funerals of senior officers the arrangements will be made under the supervision of the general officer commanding.

Note.—To fire three volleys over the grave the following procedure will be adopted:—

When the men, after presenting arms, have sloped arms, the commander will give the following commands:—

This will be repeated until the volleys are completed, when the men will Unload as in Feu-de-joie.