A few points for our American friends about British military uniforms and practices. In the photo with all the flags being on the ground. That is only done in 2 situations, a Remembrance service or a military funeral. At all other times, the national flag and Regimental Colours are never allowed to touch the ground. The same photo shows one man wearing WW2 battledress, with the large pocket on the left thigh of his trousers. The battle dress tunic had buttons at the back and front that attached it to the trousers, so the lower back was covered when you bent over. Properly fitted it was a good uniform in all types of weather, except tropical climates. Made of 100 percent wool, it would keep you reasonably warm even when wet. With the universal 1939 pattern webbing system it allowed the soldier to carry ammunition and other essentials on his body.
The men wearing red caps are Military Police, otherwise known as "Meat Heads " to the rest of the Army. In the British Army most units have a nickname that may or may not be said in mixed company. Some examples. The Royal Marines " Leather Necks ". The Coldstream Guards " Pontious Pilot's Body Guards " which relates to their being the oldest continuous serving unit in the Army. Some of the Cavalry units are knows a donkey wallopers. The Irish Guards " The Micks ". The Scots Guards " Sandy's Foreign Legion.
The young people in naval uniform are Sea Cadets, ages from 14 to 18. Many young people who serve as Sea Cadets later join the Royal Navy as adults. The man with the wooden stick under his arm is the parade Sgt Major. The stick is NOT a swagger stick, it is a PACE stick used to measure the marching stride of men on the march, and it is also used to measure out exact positions on the parade square, before a ceremonial event. When opened out it looks like a set of measuring legs, which are rotated as the Sgt Major marches along. The art of "Pace Sticking " is actually a competition in the British and Commonwealth Armies, annually. Old and antique examples of the Pace Stick are handed down in units, as the RSM retires, to the new RSM. In my old Canadian Army unit, the Pace Stick dates from the standing up of the unit in 1891, to today. All of the previous Regimental Sargeant Majors names and years of service are engraved on it's shaft. JImB.
