Marching orders

[Allen Crisp]

Drill officers in the forces give an instruction of 'by the right, quick march', or sometimes 'by the left ...'. I always assumed this referred to the foot you used first when starting the march, but the other day I heard a mention of 'by the centre ...'. This is going to be difficult for most people who are not Jake the Peg. Anyone explain?

[Quizmonster]

In these orders, right, left and centre refer to the point from which the line of soldiers should take their 'dressing'. In other words the direction relative to which they should try to keep the rank straight. Hence, "By the centre, quick march!" means that the man in the middle is the key point and those to the left of him should check rightwards to stay in line, while those to the right of him should check leftwards.

[strozzi]

"By the left", for example, means 'take your dressing from the left hand marker', i.e. the person on your left. This is the reference point to keep you in line or file. The command could be 'by the left, right, centre or front.

[strozzi]

Sorry QM. You up early on a Sun morning as well.

[Quizmonster]

In my earlier answer, when I said, "those to the left of him" I meant men to the left as seen by him and not men to the left as seen by a spectator watching them approach!

[Quizmonster]

Good morning, Strozzi! I was obviously keying in my further explanation as you were offering yours. Talk about cross-purposes! Cheers.

[darth vader]

By the centre? they haven't used that in donkeys. By the left or by the right is determined by the direction to which the squad/parade is marching, having turned to the left or right. When soldiers get into a squad in front of the drill sergeant, they start from the front/right and line up, three deep, towards the left, forming a squad. The first soldier who took the front/right position is the right-hand marker (RHM). Now, if the DS turns the squad to the left, the RHM is on the right, in relation to the squad, so the call is to march "by the right, quick march". If on the otherhand, the DS turns the squad to the right, the RHM is on the left, in relation to the rest of the squad, so the command is for them to march "By the left, quick march!"

[strozzi]

All very technical Darth, but since when have the Army known anything about marching. ( I jest ). I reiterate that by the left, right or centre are still commands used in the forces to denote which point the dressing is to be taken from. RSMs don't feature in the real services.

[football]

Whichever order it is, the left foot moves first. "By the centre" would be used in a narrow place or past obsactles on both sides (of the road). It saves them doing a "slalom" or snaking down the road. Hopefully the last man of the parade will follow in a line behind the marker.

[strozzi]

Sorry Darth I misread your post. Must be the sunshine. Have mixed up RSM with RHM.

[darth vader]

...i was wondering what the RSM had to do with it......