# Sashes worn by Cbt Arms Snr NCO‘s



## Padraig OCinnead (24 Oct 2003)

I was on the phone a little while ago with a friend working in TO (during working hours of course) and we were talking about the subject and it‘s meaning.

He was asking if I knew the significance of it and the tassles. I told him that it was for carrying casualties off the battlefield till the 19th century. Was I wrong? The significance of the tassles evaded us. He also said that that he thought that there was only the red sashes but had recenlty seen a navy P.O. (what class I don‘t know) wearing a maroon coloured sash. Maybe he was rebadged. Can anyone provide info on this? Thanks in advance for any help.

VVV


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## mattoigta (24 Oct 2003)

The tassles were used back when the enlisted man had very little to no education. The number of tassles was the number of a platoon at full strength, so as the sergeant reviewed his men he‘d grab a tassle for each man he‘d pass, so by the end he‘d see how many men (if any) are missing.

this is what i learned through research but like any of us i could be wrong. let‘s hear em


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## Padraig OCinnead (25 Oct 2003)

Thanks Scarlino.


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## Art Johnson (25 Oct 2003)

While I have not heard of the practice of using the Tassles to determine the parade strength I have heard the story of the NCO tying a knot in one of the strands of the Tassle to keep track of the wounded. Neither story seems to be borne out by my research. The followiing quotes are from the book "Military Customs" by Major T.J. Edwards M.B.E. and published by Gale and Polden in 1954.

"The original purpose of the sash was for the carrying of a wounded officer off the field, to which end they were usually made of silk, being strong as well as light,"

Clifford Walton in his book "History of the British Army, 1600-1700" states that "The Sash was worn by all officers from the General down to the Sergeant, whether Horse, Foot or Dragoons."" He then goes on to describe the various materials used.

"Whatever freedom officers had in the seventeenth century in regard to the method of wearing the sash, a Clothing Regulation of 1747 directed that officers of the infantry should should wear it over the right shoulder, and those of the Cavalry over the left shoulder, and that N.C.O.s of both arms should wear it around the waist." Again there follows a description of the materials an colours and methods of wearing.

"The wearing of red sashes was in abeyance during WW II (1939-1945), but was reintroduced in May 1947, for officers and Warrant Officers Class I by Army Order 54 of 1947, and for Warrant Officers Class II and N.C.O.s down to the and including rank of Sergeant of the Foot Guards, Infantry of the Line (except Rifle regiments) and The Parachute Regiment in1948." All of this refers to the British Army but I suspect that the Canadian Army followed it closely as my unit was wearing  red sashes in 1948.

Aye Dileas

 http://dileas.mapleleafup.org/


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