Topic: AIF - Lighthorse
Australian Light Horse
Roles within the Regiment
Sentries Paying Compliments
The following entries dealing with the roles and duties within the hierarchy of a light horse regiment are extracted from a very informative handbook called The Bushman’s Military Guide, 1898. While written in 1898, the information contained in the entries held true for the next twenty years with only minor modifications with the principles remaining as current then as now.
Sentries Paying Compliments
(1.) On the approach of an officer, when he is at least 15 paces distant, a sentry, if on the march, will halt, front, and shoulder arms; if standing at ease he will come to attention and shoulder arms. To field officers and other officers of the army and navy entitled to the salute he will present arms.
(2.) To all armed parties, whether they are commanded by an officer or not, a sentry will present arms, and the party will return the compliment by drawing and carrying swords, carrying or shouldering arms, or carrying lances or arms (when mounted), as the case maybe. Parties with side-arms are to be considered as armed parties.
(3.) To all unarmed parties a sentry will shoulder arms, unless they are commanded by field officers, in which case he will present; in return, the commander of the party will give the word "Eyes - Right," or as the case may be, and having passed him "Eyes-Front."
(4.) Sentries will not present arms to any officer or armed party after sunset, but as long as they can discern an officer they will come to their front on his approach, and stand steady till he has passed.
(5.) When a sentry is posted with a sword, he will "Carry Swords" on all occasions on which, if armed with a carbine, he would present or shoulder arms.
(6.) In Lancer regiments the compliment corresponding both to the "Shoulder" and the "Present" with the carbine, and to the "Carry" with the sword, is the "Carry Lance", as the salute for officers of all ranks and for armed parties.
(7.) Sentries in their sentry boxes will salute by coming smartly to attention.
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Further Reading:
Citation: Australian Light Horse, Roles within the Regiment, Sentries Paying Compliments
