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

• General
• Customs
• The Bell
• Guests
• The Picquet Sergeant
• Sergeants -in-Waiting
• Mess Dress
• Procedures at Regimental Dinners
• Procedures at Mess Meetings
• Honorary Mess Member
• Conduct in other units Messes
• Hanging the Brick
• Coldstream Sergeants’ (Past & Present) Association

 

General

Within the Coldstream Guards, the Mess is always known as ‘The Sergeants’ Mess’ and never The Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess as is the custom in much of the rest of the Army.

 

All Mess Members are considered to be socially equal, however due deference and respect should be paid to members’ rank, seniority and experience.

 

The Regimental Sergeant Major is the presiding member, but it falls to the senior member present, whatever his rank, to uphold the standards, customs and traditions of the Mess.

 

 

Customs

 

Head dress may be worn in the bar.

 

Belts must be worn by all Coldstreamers when in the bar.

 

Sashes, side-arms and medals may be worn in the bar.  Canes may be carried if desired!

 

There is to be no drill carried out in the Mess.

 

Members wishing to enter the bar after 2200hrs should seek permission from the senior member present to join the Mess.

 

Hats, canes and Duty Books must not be placed on the bar.

 

Coldstreamers do not toast the Queen as their loyalty is never in doubt.

 

Ladies, other than female Mess Members, are not allowed in the bar during the afternoon Monday to Friday, particularly on a Friday if a Happy Hour is in progress.

 

Uniform will not be worn in the bar after 2000hrs unless on duty.

 

 

The Bell

 

The bell that hangs by the bar is only rung when a Mess Member wishes to announce that he would like to buy a drink of their choice for all those members who are present in the bar.  It is NEVER rung for any other reason.

 

Traditionally, any Mess Member who contravenes the spirit of the rules, traditions and customs of the Mess will be ‘invited’ to ring the bell.

 

It is also customary for Mess Members to ring the bell when they get promoted or when they receive an Honour or Award.

 

 

Guests

 

Any Mess Member may bring guests into the Mess as long as they are of Sergeants’ Mess status or equivalent.  Civilians may be invited into the Mess.

 

Commissioned Officers should not be invited into the Mess unless prior authority has been granted by the Sergeant Major.  If a circumstance arises where to refuse an officer access would cause offence or misunderstanding, the Sergeant Major should be informed at the earliest opportunity.

 

Officers do not wear head dress in the Sergeants’ Mess

 

Mess Members are responsible for the behaviour of their guests and should not leave the Mess before their guests.

 

Members are to introduce their guests to the senior member present.

 

Guests should be treated cordially by all Mess Members.

 

 

The Picquet Sergeant

 

The Orders for the Picquet Sergeant state the he must remain properly dressed at all times.  Therefore when in the Mess he should wear his head dress and side arm and carry his cane.

 

At 2200hrs the Picquet Sergeant should enter the Mess and seek the permission of the senior member present to see lights out.

 

When in Mess Dress the Picquet Sergeant should wear his forage cap.

 

 

Sergeants -in-Waiting

 

Sergeants-in-Waiting should not open their duty books in the bar.

 

Duty Books should not be placed upon the bar.

 

At Mess Meetings Sergeants-in-Waiting should account for all members of their company.  They then stand at the rear of the meeting wearing their head dress and carrying their duty books. When the Sergeant Major tells them to ‘Fall in’ they should state their company’s in turn e.g. ‘No One Company present with seven Sir!’  The Sergeant Major will then tell them to sit down and remove their head dress.

 

Sergeants-in-Waiting should wear Mess Dress on Saturday evenings and when there is a function in Mess.

 

The senior Sergeant-in-Waiting should attend Adjutant’s Orders and seek permission for the Sergeants-in-Waiting to attend the function and gain permission to rejoin the men after lights out.

 

Sergeants-in-Waiting should wear their forage cap when wearing Mess Dress outside the Mess.  It is not necessary to wear it within the Mess itself.

 

Mess Dress

 

Mess Dress (No10 Dress) is a voluntary order of dress purchased by the individual.  Individuals who do not wish to purchase a Mess Dress will wear either No1 or No2 Dress.

 

In warm weather climates a Tropical Mess Dress (No11 Dress) made of white material will be worn.

 

Mess Dress shirts should be white with a plain front with no pleats or pockets showing.  Wing collars should not be worn and neither should black studs.

 

Bow ties should be of plain black material and not be made of velvet or be overly large.

 

Minature medals will be worn with Mess Dress.

 

Proceedures at Regimental Dinners

 

The order of dress for a Regimental Dinner would normally be Mess Dress.

 

Members gather for Pre-drinks in the bar until the Drummer sounds the Sergeants` Dinner Call.

 

Members then enter the Dining Room and stand behind their seats and await the arrival of the top table.  Grace will then be said by a junior Lance Sergeant previously detailed by the Sergeant Major.  The Sergeant Major will then sit down followed by everyone else and the meal will begin.

 

As it is a formal meal no one is to leave the table unless the Sergeant Major has previously granted permission to do so.

 

Port is served in decanters after the desert or cheese board.  The Coldstream custom is that you pour your own port and pass the decanter to the left.  The only exception is if you have a lady sat on your left when you will then pour her port and pass the decanter on.  The decanter should be passed to the left and placed on the table ready for the next person to pour his port.  The decanter should never be passed across the table.

 

Ashtrays will be placed on the table when the port is served.  There is to be no smoking until the ashtrays are in place.

 

The Loyal Toast is never drunk in a Coldstream Mess. According to the anecdote, this stems from the 18^th Century when the King was dining with officers of the King’s Guard at St James’s Palace.  Allegedly, he got fed up with continually drinking the Loyal Toast and said that as the Coldstream Guards were instrumental in restoring the monarchy their loyalty could never be in doubt.[1]

As a matter of courtesy, Mess Members should refrain from talking and listen when the Corps of Drums perform.

 

During the speeches Mess Members should listen politely and not heckle.

 

The Sergeant Major will announce the end of the proceedings and invite Members to retire to the bar.  Members should allow the top table to clear the dining room before leaving themselves.

 

Procedures at Mess Meetings

 

Regular meetings, usually monthly, will be held whereby the running of the Mess is discussed.

 

A Mess Meeting is considered a Commanding Officers parade and all Members not on essential duty are to attend.

 

To hold a Mess Meeting, two-thirds of the members in Station must be present to vote on and pass any propositions.

 

Sergeants-in-Waiting are to account for all members of their Company.

 

If the bar is open, Members may partake of a drink during the meeting.

 

The Sergeant Major, PEC and the Treasurer will be sat in front of the meeting.  Mess Members will be sat in rows in front of them and the Sergeants-in-Waiting will be stood at the back with their head dress on and carrying their duty books.

 

The Sergeant Major will tell the Sergeants-in-Waiting to ‘Fall in’ and they will state their companies in turn.  The Sergeant Major will then instruct them to remove their head dress and sit down.

 

The meeting begins with the PEC reading out the minutes of the previous meeting, followed by the Treasurer reading the Liquidity State.

 

Propositions from the floor will then be presented.  Any Mess Member may make a proposition but as a matter of courtesy they should inform the Sergeant Major of its contents prior to the meeting.

 

All propositions must have a seconder.

 

Any member may address the Mess during the following discussion, but only one Member may speak at any one time.

 

The proposition will then be put to the vote which will be either carried or rejected by a straight majority.

 

All decisions will be equally binding on all members even if they were not present or voted against it.

 

Once all propositions from the floor have been dealt with, the Sergeant Major will address the Mess with any points he may wish to bring up.

 

The Sergeant Major will formally close the meeting at its conclusion.

 

Honorary Mess Members

 

In accordance with Regimental Custom, all Coldstream Musicians in the Regimental Band are considered to be Honorary Members of the Sergeants’ Mess.

 

Other suitable persons may be made Honorary Members.  Their names must be put before a Mess Meeting and voted for.  However, if even only one member objects that person then cannot be appointed an Honorary Member.

 

Honorary Members have no voting rights and have no function in the running of the Mess.

 

Conduct in other units Messes

 

When visiting the Sergeants’Mess of another unit care must be taken not to cause any offence.

 

If attending a Regimental Dinner, it would be usual to stand up for the Loyal Toast holding your glass, but not drink.  If the National Anthem is played, members should stand up (This is also a Coldstream custom!).

 

It is usual in most messes that belts, hats, sashes, medals and side-arms are not worn.

 

Combat jackets are usually not worn.

 

If you belong to a non-Coldstream Mess as opposed to being a casual visitor, it would be normal to follow Coldstream customs, however members should consult the Sergeant Major of the unit concerned and conform to his wishes even if these are contrary to Coldstream customs.

 

 

Hanging the Brick

 

This is a Sergeants’ Mess tradition which dates back to Waterloo in 1815, and always takes place on a date in December prior to Christmas leave.

 

The Coldstream and Third Guards were defending the farmhouse of Hougoumont which the Duke of Wellington later described as the key to the battle.  If Hougoumont had been lost, Wellington’s flank would have been turned and the outcome of the battle may have been very different.  As the French tried to force the gates Sergeant Graham of the Coldstream, along with Colonel Macdonell of the Third Guards managed to force the gates shut and so saving Hougoumont from capture.

 

Some years later an English Clergyman left £500 in his will to be given ‘to the bravest man in England.’  Wellington was invited to nominate that man and he chose Colonel James Macdonell.  Macdonell immediately shared the money with Sergeant James Graham.[2]

 

The origins of Hanging the Brick are obscure, but it is a ceremony that has been carried out for a very long time.  A large stone from Hougoumont in a special cradle and, for that day only, takes on an importance similar to that of the colours.  The day before it is hung, the brick is placed in close arrest in the Guardroom and it is then ‘game-on!’  Tradition has it that if the Corporals and Guardsmen are able to capture the brick they can ransom it for whatever they want.  Consequently, it is defended by the Mess ‘to the last man!’

 

Mess Members assemble in the Sergeants’ Mess attired in fancy dress. At the appointed hour the Corps of Drums, also in fancy dress, arrive and the Mess forms up behind them with the Sergeant Major acting as the Drum Major.  The Mess then marches to the Guardroom and collect the brick.  The Point of War is played by Drums as it leaves the Guardroom.  The brick is usually carried by the senior Mess Member who is shortly due to leave the army.  The escort is provided by a couple of senior Mess Members.  The Mess then parade the brick around the barracks and head for the Officers’ Mess where a drink is provided.  The parade then continues, heading back towards the Sergeants’ Mess.  Invariably there will be several ambushes on route where the brick will need to be defended with vigour!

 

Once the brick is formally hung, he who touches it buys a barrel of beer.  Somewhat inexplicably officers junior to the Adjutant seem to be constantly throwing themselves at the brick head-first in their rush to part with their money and purchase beer for the good and benefit of the Sergeants’ Mess!  Officers senior to the Adjutant don’t have the same desires and LE Officers are strictly Out of Bounds!

 

The rest of the afternoon becomes somewhat hazy with lots of silly games, plenty of scoff and couple of beers.  However, during this phase it is not unknown for the Guardsmen and Corporals to launch a sneak attack on the brick.  This has the added benefit of providing ‘volunteers’ for a bit of Mess Boxing!

 

After the festivities of the day the brick is hung above the bar until New Years Day.

 

 

Coldstream Sergeants’ (Past & Present) Association.

 

The Colstream Sergeants’ (Past & Present) Association was formed in 1927.  Membership is open to all Coldstreamers who have been members of the Sergeants’ Mess, including Quartermaster and Late Entry Officers.  Past and present officers who have not been Mess Members are not eligible for membership.

 

Honorary Membership is open to Directors of Music, and non-Coldstreamers who have been members of a Coldstream Mess for three years or more.

 

The aims of the Association are to establish a centre where past and present Mess members can keep in touch, and to assist wherever possible the aims of Coldstream Guards Association.

 

Members dine together annually, and the Annual General Meeting is usually held over the ‘Black Weekend’ in May.

 

All Sergeants’ Mess Members are strongly encouraged to join the Association.

An extract from our disclaimer (available in full by clicking here) :

Sergeants’ Mess Customs are again a bone of contention, with very few of them having ever been written down.  Each of the regular battalions carried out slightly different customs within the Mess.  Again, we have consulted widely with several former Regimental Sergeant Majors, Quartermasters and Late Entry (LE) Officers, and they have agreed that these are the customs as carried  out in the Sergeants’ Mess of the 1^st Battalion.