History

Annex H - Passing the Decanter

1. SIGNALS TRADITIONS

  1. In the RCSIGS Corps Standing Orders according to para 4.11.b:

    "In Signal messes the decanter may touch the table while being passed."
  2. First Canadian Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment Standing Orders perpetuate the RCSIGS tradition found in para 1.a

SUMMARY

The Army tradition therefore allows the decanter to touch the table but there is no recorded tradition of the decanter thumping the table as they do in the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and, incorrectly, in some other army messes.

2. AIR FORCE TRADITIONS

  1. According to Customs and Traditions of the Canadian Armed Forces:

    "In most air force messes and some units, for example, the Royal Westminster Regiment and les Fusiliers du St. Laurent, the decanter as it is passed is not allowed to touch the table."
  2. traced to their founding roots the Air Force had:
    1. the Canadian Aviation Corps 1914 - no tradition;
    2. Royal Flying Corps Canada 1916 - no consistent tradition as members followed the traditions of their original regiments and corps which varied; and
    3. Royal Canadian Navy Air Service 1918 - as per naval tradition, it did not matter.

SUMMARY

While most air messes have developed a tradition of the decanter not touching the table, this tradition varies from mess to mess and is inconsistent.

3. NAVAL TRADITIONS

According to Customs and Traditions of the Canadian Armed Forces:

"In naval messes, and in regimental messes such as the Grenadier Guards, the Royal Canadian Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, the matter of decanters touching the table is of no account."

"On the contrary, in wardrooms, the decanter is slid along the polished table-top from member to member (in fair weather; in heavy weather deliberately dampened linen may be employed), practices dictated no doubt by the "gentle motion of the waves" against the ship."

SUMMARY

The naval tradition is that, if in a ships wardroom, the decanter touches the table or, if in a shore mess, it doesn't matter whether it touches or not.

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