Welcome to the Regimental Customs section of ShinyCapstar. Customs and Traditions are broken down into relevant sections. Browse through the sections or use the category list below.

• Customs & Terminology
• Marching in on Orders
• Side Arms on Orders
• Stating of Company, Platoons, Parades etc
• Permission to Carry On after an Inspection or Parade etc.
• Calling a Parade to Attention or Properly at Ease (for officers approaching or passing)
• Asking Permission to Speak
• Asking Permission to Join/Leave a Parade
• Calling the Roll
• Wearing of head dress when In Arrest
• Stating the Guardroom
• Dress in the Sergeants’ Mess – Customs
• Drill Order
• Working Order
• Wearing of Head Dress in a Mess
• LSgts Use of Sgts Messes Other than those of the Guards Division 
   

 

REGIMENTAL CUSTOMS & TERMINOLOGY

 

• The official title of Regiment is ‘Her Majesty’s Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards’ or ‘The Coldstream Guards.’  It is never referred to as the ‘Second Guards’

 

• The Regiment may be called ‘The Coldstream’ but never ‘The Coldstreams’.  Members of the Regiment are known as ‘Coldstreamers’.

 

• The Regiment always stands on the right when formed up with other Guards Regiments.

 

• The emblem of the Regiment is the Star of the Order of the Garter and was awarded to General Monck by King Charles II.

 

• The emblem of the Regiment is called a ‘Star’ never a ‘Badge’.

 

• In bearskin caps, the Coldstream wear a red plume on the right hand side.

 

• Buttons are worn in pairs in tunic and No1 Dress, and on officers Service Dress.

 

• All subaltern officers (Lieutenant and Second Lieutenant) are referred to as ‘Mister’.  Second Lieutenants are also referred to as ‘Ensigns’.

 

• Coldstreamers do not abbreviate when speaking.  For example, a Company Sergeant Major is always referred to as such and never as ‘CSM’.

 

• The Regimental Sergeant Major is always referred to as ‘The Sergeant Major’ and never ‘RSM’.

 

• Coldstreamers always parade five minutes before the published time of a parade.

 

• Guards never turn out at Retreat.  They will however turn out at Tattoo (2200hrs).

 

• When the roll is called, Coldstreamers answer ‘Here’ except when anyone senior to Full Sergeant is present.  In that case, they answer ‘Here Sir’.

 

• Colour Sergeants, the Master Tailor and the Pioneer Sergeant are addressed as ‘Sir’ by those junior to them.

 

• Coldstreamers do not recognise ‘Retreat’ so they do not stand still when it is sounded, except when politeness demands it.

 

• Coldstream Drummers do not sound ‘Retreat’ except on Public Guards where the orders state that it is to be sounded.

 

• Guardsmen in the Band are known as ‘Musicians’ and in the Corps of Drums they are called ‘Drummers’ no matter what instrument they play.

 

• Coldstream Musicians are Honorary members of the Coldstream Sergeants’ Mess.

 

• Drummers ‘sound’ bugle calls – never ‘blow’ them.

 

• Coldstreamers stand still if they are in sight of the Guard turning out or when ‘Last Post’ is sounded.  They should also stand still when a parade is forming up, if they are on, or in sight of, the parade.

 

• On hearing the National Anthem being played, Coldstreamers should stand to attention facing the direction from which the music is coming.  If they are in uniform and wearing head dress they should also salute.

 

 

 

MARCHING IN ON ORDERS

When marching in on Orders, Coldstreamers do not swing their arms.  When their name is called out, they take a short, sharp pace forward and say nothing.

On the word of command ‘Fall In’ they take a sort, sharp pace to the rear.  They march out without swinging their arms, as when they marched in.

 

 

 

 

SIDE ARMS ON ORDERS

Soldiers in the Report or on Escort you do not wear side arms when marching in on orders.

 

 

 

 

STATING OF COMPANY, PLATOONS, PARADES etc

 

When stating a Company or Platoon etc., the procedure is:

 

a.          Pace forward,  

b.         Salute (if applicable)   

c.          State    

d.         ½ turn left and accompany the inspecting officer

 

 

 

PERMISSION TO CARRY ON AFTER AN INSPECTION OR PARADE etc

a.          Feet      

b.         Ask Permission (possible reply)    

c.          Salute   

d.         Turn to your right

 

 

 

CALLING A PARADE TO ATTENTION OR PROPERLY AT EASE (for officers approaching or passing)

Note:   In all cases above, the senior NCO/Gdsm will call the parades up.  Turn and face the officer, salute, and ask permission to carry on, salute and carry on.

 

 

 

ASKING PERMISSION TO SPEAK

Any soldier who wishes to speak to an NCO/WO and finds a more senior person present (i.e.  a Corporal wishes to speak to the Sergeant in Waiting and finds the CSM already there) will always ask permission first of the senior.  At the conclusion, he will always ask the senior for permission to fall out.

 

 

 

ASKING PERMISSION TO JOIN/LEAVE A PARADE

Anyone wishing to Join or Leave a parade must ask permission from the senior person present on that parade.  If that person is too far away, or is otherwise indisposed, then the action would be to pull your feet in, salute (if applicable), turn to your right, and join or leave the parade.

 

If two or more NCO/Gdsm wish to join/leave a parade, the senior NCO/Gdsm will do the talking (ie  “May I have your permission for myself and one other LCpl and two Gdsm to join/leave the parade, Sir, please”).

 

 

 

CALLING THE ROLL

When calling the roll for a parade the person calling the roll will first bring the parade to attention, then stand them properly at ease (NOT EASY).  They will then call the roll.

 

 

 

WEARING OF HEAD DRESS WHEN IN ADDRESS

A man In Arrest being marched in on orders before his Company Commander/ Commanding Officer will have his head dress removed by the Regimental Police Staff prior to being marched in.

 

 

 

STATING THE GUARDROOM

When on Guard and you have an Official Visit by the Picquet Officer, Captain of the Week, Duty Warrant Officer etc;  the NCO on desk duty will pull his feet in (salute if applicable), and state “The Barrack Guard and All is Well”.  At the end of the visit, he pulls his feet in (salute if applicable) and asks “May I have your permission to carry on, Sir, please”.

 

 

 

DRESS IN THE SERGEANTS' MESS - CUSTOMS

A belt will be worn by all Coldstreamers when in the bar.

 

 

 

DRILL ORDER

You may wear Head Dress, buff belt and side arms in the Mess.

 

SNCO’s will not wear their sash without buff belt.

 

 

 

WORKING ORDER

You may wear barrack dress trousers, stable belt and forage cap in the Mess.

 

You may wear lightweight trousers, plastic belt and beret in the Mess.

 

It is up to the individual concerned if he wishes to wear his head dress in the Mess.

  

 

 

WEARING OF HEAD DRESS IN A MESS

Members of the Sergeants’ Mess may wear their head dress in a Coldstream Sergeants’ Mess if they wish to do so.  On the other hand it would be bad manners to wear head dress in the Sergeants’ Mess of another Regiment which does not have a similar custom, or in a combined Mess without the approval of the President of the Mess.

 

 

 

LSGTS USE OF SGTS MESSES OTHER THAN THOSE OF THE GUARDS DIVISION

Quote from Queen’s Regulations, Annex A, Para 52, Page 2A – 6A

 

"By long established custom all full Corporals within the Household Division are, from the time of their promotion to the rank of Corporal, appointed Lance Corporal of Horse or Lance Sergeant and are dressed accordingly.  It is customary for them to use the Sergeants’ Mess on the same basis as a full Corporal of Horse or Full Sergeant.  However, accommodation within that Mess would depend upon availability".