4. Any address intended to be made will now follow. Line will then be reformed, the Colours, unfurled and turned towards the centre of the line, will be given a general salute. The Colour party will then march in slow time to its place in line, the band playing “God save the King.”
5. The battalion will march past, the old Colours following in rear of the column.
209. FIRING A FEU-DE-JOIE.
1. The troops will be drawn up in line, at the slope, officers at the Carry; bayonets will not be fixed. The commander of the parade and his staff will be posted in front of the line, at such distance as he may decide, and turned towards it if desired; all other mounted officers will be in rear of the line. Three rounds of blank cartridge will be fired. If artillery are present and are ordered to fire twenty-one guns, seven will be fired before each round. For the first round of the Feu-de-Joie all commanding officers will give the command Load immediately the artillery commences firing, and the word Present directly the seventh gun has fired, the commanding officer of the right battalion giving the command Commence immediately after the word Present.
| Feu-de-Joie. | Company commanders will step forward three paces, and the rear rank, supernumeraries and subalterns will step back two paces. |
| Load. | The outer section commanders and men will load, by drawing back the bolt, laying a cartridge, in front and forcing the bolt home. The muzzles of the rifles to be inclined upwards, so as to clear the heads of the men in front. Supernumerary rank will stand with arms at the order. |
| Present. | Rifles will be brought to the position for firing, but elevated at an angle of 45 degrees. |
| Commence. | The right-hand man of the front rank will commence the fire, which will run down the front and up the rear as quickly as possible. |
When the right-hand man of the rear rank has fired, the band will play the first part of “God save the King,” the men remaining at the Present. On the last note of the band the commanding officer will give the word of command Load, when the men will come to the loading position; the artillery will fire seven guns, and the infantry proceed as above described.
Two more rounds will be similarly fired. When the third round is fired, the band will play “God save the King,” at the conclusion of which the commanding officer will give the order Unload, when the men will carry out the motions, and come to the order, the Colours being brought to the order by command of the senior officer of the Colour party.
The mounted officers will then move to their positions as in SS. 184, 193 (2), 196, the company commanders will step back three paces and the commanding officer will give the following commands (on parades of large bodies working on the signal of the general of the division or brigadier):—
- Fix Bayonets.
- Slope—Arms.
- Royal Salute.
- Present—Arms.
- Slope—Arms.
- Order—Arms.
- Remove Head-dresses.
- Three Cheers will be given.
- Unfix Bayonets.
- Close Ranks—March.
2. If a march past has been ordered to follow the firing of the Feu-de-joie, bayonets will not be unfixed.