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Date	Original Topic
15th January 2005	Sticks By Richard In the film Colour Sergreant Bourne is shown carrying a swagger stick. In the Victorian Army would he really have carried one, or would he have actually have carried a pace stick?
Date	Replies
15th January 2005	Martin Everett Dear Richard, I do have photographs of Colour Sergeants of the South Wales Borderers carrying silver tipped canes (c1880s). it would appear only the Sergeant Major carried a pace stick. This is unchanged today. Company Sergeant Majors carry parade canes (stouter version of the swagger stick) and the Regimental Sergeant Major a pace stick.
16th January 2005	Ian All ranks of the British army had to carry walking out canes, in Victorian times. It would take a new recruit about 2 weeks to save up for one & they were not aloud to 'walk out' without one, which meant staying on camp for at least the first fortnight.
17th January 2005	Mike Snook Chaps In fact the RSM and CSMs all carry a pace stick today. M
18th January 2005	Richard Thanks for all those replies. One thing I do know is that in The Light Infantry, Gurkhas and RGJ pace sticks arent used at all, and in some cavalry regiments the Sergeant Majors carry riding crops.