65th (2nd Yorkshire North Riding) Regiment of Foot

Motions of the Long Rifle on the March

Timing of Command

Each motion is to be done as the left foot comes to the ground, both in slow and quick time.
To this end the word of command should be completed as the right foot is coming to the ground.

Stepping off from the Order

Follow these rules:

Stepping off...		On the first step, come to...
with fixed bayonets (on all occassions)		The Advance Arms
in line without bayonets		The Trail Arms
in file without bayonets		The Trail Arms

Halting...		Returning to the Order on all occassions

Turning while at Trail Arms

Marching in Line or in Fours
When marching with trailed arms and ordered to turn into

file, or
from two deep

will come to the Advance Arms as they turn, or form.
They will trail again on turning into line or forming four.

Turning to the Left (or Right) About
When a soldier marching with trailed arms is required to turn to the left or right about will:

bring his rifle at a perpendicular position by a turn of the wrist, on the first pace of the turn
having completed his turn in three paces
will trail again on the forth.

Marching

Soldiers will, as a general rule, on field movements be bought to the Slope before stepping off, except when required to move at the Shoulder.

Sloped Arms -
Marching
Soldiers marching with sloped arms, when halted, will remain at the Slope, except:

after forming or wheeling into line, in which case they will come to the Shoulder as they halt, returning to the Slope when given the word "Eyes front"
on halting after a charge in line, when they come to the Shoulder.

Soldiers marching with sloped arms, when ordered to take up slow time, will remain at the Slope.

Turning to the Left (or Right) About
When a soldier marching with sloped arms is required to turn to the left or right about will:

come to the Shoulder on the first pace of the turn
having completed his turn in three paces
will slope again on the forth.

Shouldered Arms -
Soldiers moved off from the Shoulder:

		On the first step, come to...
Stepping off in Slow time		remain at the Shoulder
Breaking into Quick Time		Slope Arms

Exercise for Long Rifle on the March

From the Halt at Ordered Arms -

Command		Action
Quick - March or Mark Time - Quick		By a sharp turn of the wrist, bring the thumb of the right hand round the rear of the barrel and grasp the rifle, thumb between the stock and the thigh (as in first motion of fixing bayonets) On March, step off (or commence marking time) and bring the rifle to the Trail on the first pace.
Advance - Arms		As on the Halt - Advance Arms
Trail - Arms		As on the Halt - Trail Arms
Change - Arms		Raise the rifle to a perpendicular position at the right side Carry it to the left side and pass it into the left hand, then lower it to the Trail, at the same time dropping the right hand to the side.
Change - Arms		Change the rifle back to the right hand in a similar manner.
Squad - Halt		Halt and come to The Order
Shoulder - Arms		As already described - Shoulder Arms
Slow - March or Mark Time - Slow		Step off (or commence marking time), remaining at the Shoulder.
Break into Quick Time - Quick		Break into Quick Time and come to The Slope.
Fix - Bayonets		Bring the rifle down as in trailing arms, but with the barrel slanting upwards in front of the right breast, Fix Bayonets as at the Halt, then return to The Slope
Shoulder - Arms		As on the Halt - Shoulder Arms.
Support - Arms		As on the Halt - Support Arms.
Shoulder - Arms		As on the Halt - Shoulder Arms.
Slope - Arms		As on the Halt - Slope Arms.
Change - Arms		As described in Change Arms.
Change - Arms		Carry the rifle back to the left shoulder in a similar manner.
Charging		Soldiers marching in quick time at the Slope are to be taught to charge as follows -
Prepare to Charge		As a Front Rank - Bring the rifle to the Trail, without losing the square position of the body or the regularity of step. As a Rear Rank - Continue to move at the Slope.
Charge!		As a Front Rank - Bring the rifle to the position of the Charge, and increase the pace to the Double March. As a Rear Rank - Break into double time, continuing at the Slope
Squad - Halt		Halt and come to the Shoulder, both as a front and rear rank.

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Created 26 September, 1998