Pace stick
Encyclopedia
A pace stick is a long stick usually carried by warrant officer
and non-commissioned officer
drill instructor
s in the British
and Commonwealth
armed forces
& police forces as a symbol of authority and as an aid to military drill.
A pace stick usually consists of two pieces of wood, hinged at the top, and tapering towards the bottom, very similar to large wooden drafting compasses
used on school blackboards. They are usually shod and fitted with highly-polished brass. They can open so that the tips separate at fixed distances, corresponding to various lengths of marching pace, such as "double march", "quick march", "step short", etc. When opened to the correct pace length, the pace stick can be held alongside the holder's body by the hinge, with one leg of the stick vertical to the ground, and the other leg pointing forward. By twirling the stick while marching, the stick can be made to "walk" alongside its holder at the proper pace.
Otherwise, while on parade or when marching, it is normally carried tucked tightly under the left arm and parallel to the ground, with the left hand grasping the stick near the top.
The pace stick is usually permitted to be carried off the parade ground by the Regimental Sergeant Major
alone; however, at a particular regiment's discretion, other sergeants-major may carry a pace stick.
Within the police forces of Australia, the College Sergeant of the Australian Federal Police College, the Drill Sergeant of the Victoria Police Academy and the Senior Protocol Officer of the New South Wales Police College, holding the Rank of Senior Sergeant and hence the highest Senior Non Commissioned Officer carries the pace stick as a badge of office.
The origin of the pace stick is claimed by the Royal Regiment of Artillery, who used a "gunner's stick" to measure the distance between guns in the field. It appeared more like a walking stick, with an ivory or silver knob on the end, and, unlike the modern pace stick, could only be opened a fixed distance. It was quickly adopted and adapted by the Infantry
as an aid to drill.
Another stick carried by soldiers is the drill cane, regimental stick or swagger stick. This is a shorter cane, usually fitted on one end by a shell casing and on the other by the forward part of a shell, complete with the bullet; these are often chromed, or left in their natural brass, but highly polished. In the Canadian Forces
, and Australian Army, the round usually used is a .50 calibre round. They are carried on parade solely as an indicator of rank and authority by senior non-commissioned officers and warrant officers, and their use is generally governed (or restricted altogether) by the RSM.
Pace sticks can be opened to specific distances, which each measure specific things:
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
and non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
drill instructor
Drill instructor
A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer or Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in the armed forces or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. In the U.S. armed forces, they are assigned the duty of indoctrinating new recruits entering the military into the customs and...
s in the British
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
& police forces as a symbol of authority and as an aid to military drill.
A pace stick usually consists of two pieces of wood, hinged at the top, and tapering towards the bottom, very similar to large wooden drafting compasses
Compass (drafting)
A compass or pair of compasses is a technical drawing instrument that can be used for inscribing circles or arcs. As dividers, they can also be used as a tool to measure distances, in particular on maps...
used on school blackboards. They are usually shod and fitted with highly-polished brass. They can open so that the tips separate at fixed distances, corresponding to various lengths of marching pace, such as "double march", "quick march", "step short", etc. When opened to the correct pace length, the pace stick can be held alongside the holder's body by the hinge, with one leg of the stick vertical to the ground, and the other leg pointing forward. By twirling the stick while marching, the stick can be made to "walk" alongside its holder at the proper pace.
Otherwise, while on parade or when marching, it is normally carried tucked tightly under the left arm and parallel to the ground, with the left hand grasping the stick near the top.
The pace stick is usually permitted to be carried off the parade ground by the Regimental Sergeant Major
Regimental Sergeant Major
Regimental Sergeant Major is an appointment held by warrant officers class 1 in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in the armies of many Commonwealth nations, including Australia and New Zealand; and by chief warrant officers in the Canadian Forces...
alone; however, at a particular regiment's discretion, other sergeants-major may carry a pace stick.
Within the police forces of Australia, the College Sergeant of the Australian Federal Police College, the Drill Sergeant of the Victoria Police Academy and the Senior Protocol Officer of the New South Wales Police College, holding the Rank of Senior Sergeant and hence the highest Senior Non Commissioned Officer carries the pace stick as a badge of office.
The origin of the pace stick is claimed by the Royal Regiment of Artillery, who used a "gunner's stick" to measure the distance between guns in the field. It appeared more like a walking stick, with an ivory or silver knob on the end, and, unlike the modern pace stick, could only be opened a fixed distance. It was quickly adopted and adapted by the Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
as an aid to drill.
Another stick carried by soldiers is the drill cane, regimental stick or swagger stick. This is a shorter cane, usually fitted on one end by a shell casing and on the other by the forward part of a shell, complete with the bullet; these are often chromed, or left in their natural brass, but highly polished. In the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, and Australian Army, the round usually used is a .50 calibre round. They are carried on parade solely as an indicator of rank and authority by senior non-commissioned officers and warrant officers, and their use is generally governed (or restricted altogether) by the RSM.
Pace sticks can be opened to specific distances, which each measure specific things:
| 12" | Distance between heels when at ease, and regulation side pace |
| 21" | Distance between ranks when stood in closed order |
| 24" | Distance between files, also width of one 'man' when leaving a blank file |
| 27" | Stepping short, inside rank when wheeling |
| 30" | Regulation pace for quick and slow march |
| 33" | Stepping out, outside rank when wheeling |
| 40" | Regulation pace for double march |