For Use While Opening Ranks during Dress Parade


TO OPEN RANKS

Batallion? 1. PREPARE TO OPEN RANKS

2. TO THE REAR OPEN ORDER.

9. At the second command, the covering sergeant will step off smartly to the rear, four paces from the front rank, in order to mark the alignment of the rear rank. The sergeant will judge this distance by the eye, without counting the step

3. MARCH.

11. At this command, the front rank will stand fast.

12. The rear rank will step to the rear, without counting the steps, and will place themselves on the alignment marked for this rank, conforming to what is prescribed in the S. S., No. 330.
S.S. 330. Alignments to the rear will be executed on the same principles, the recruits stepping back a little beyond the line, and then dressing up on it (Which means that as rear rank marches backwards it does not stop on the sergeant. It instead marches past him, then dresses up on him.)
13. The covering sergeants will align the rear rank.

14. The file closers will march to the rear at the same time with the rear rank, and will place themselves two paces from this rank when it is aligned.

15. The instructor seeing the rear rank aligned, will command:

6.FRONT.

16. At this command, the sergeant on the left and right of the rear rank will return to his place as a file close.


KEY POINTS FOR THE 124th:
  • Only the 1st sergeant moves to the rear.
  • The Rear Rank continues marching past the sergeants(estimated 1-2 paces) then steps forward to dress on the Sergeants.
  • This is different than we have been doing it we usually don't take this extra step beyond the sergeant.

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