Axe Drill

[jeff davis]

My Fire Department Honour gaurd Is looking for a way to do cerimonial drill with our axes,is there a format possibly amoungst you sappers out there.
regards
Fire fighter Davis
Maple Ridge
B.C

[phoenix]

I have heard of an Australian manual showing axe drill, but I never laid eyes on it.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally posted by jeff davis
My Fire Department Honour gaurd Is looking for a way to do cerimonial drill with our axes,is there a format possibly amoungst you sappers out there.
regards
Fire fighter Davis
Maple Ridge
B.C

Jeff

This is US info...
From the Goshen Indiana Police Department Honor Guard Academy, who train policemen throughout their region in professional level drill and ceremonies

When it comes to the basics like marching, color guard movement and flag etiquette, honor guard is the same for police and fire departments, says Stuart Smith, an arson investigator and former volunteer firefighter. However, there are some differences that fire honor guards must practice that police do not.Apparently firefighters should be performing drill just like cops do it, only with axes.

Firefighters have a different manual of arms. Typically, they carry polished axes or pike poles instead of rifles. Instead of a hearse, a firefighter's casket may ride on a fire engine. This detail requires about 14 people instead of the traditional eight needed to move a casket in and out of a hearse, says Smith. Students practice placing a casket on top of a the engine using steps and ramps. Instead of a gun salute, tribute often is paid with the ringing of a bell during a final alarm or bell ceremony, signifying a firefighter has gone home for the final time. At the end of a graveside service, when police officers might lay carnations on the casket, firefighters might pass by the casket to each ring a bell once as they leave.

We discovered while forming our Honor Guard unit, that there is no written policy regarding drill & ceremony for the Police & Fire Service Honor Guards. Most units subscribe to the manual for one of the military branches, usually whichever branch is represented within the respective units. When we started our Honor Guard Camps, one of the objectives was to standardize the Drill & Ceremony for public service Honor Guards. The manual we teach is mostly based on the Army FM 22 with some modifications. ...

[Dan Sicotte]

The RCR pioneers carried axes, as the Dragoons carry lances. If anyone knows any ex-pioneers, please refer them to this site.
Dan

[sapper740]

Originally posted by jeff davis
My Fire Department Honour gaurd Is looking for a way to do cerimonial drill with our axes,is there a format possibly amoungst you sappers out there.
regards
Fire fighter Davis
Maple Ridge
B.C

I have a copy of the Manual of Field Engineering Vol. 1 (All Arms) dated 1933. Starting on P.13 it has all the commands with an explanation of the movements for "Tool drill" Send me your email address and I'll get it off to you.