The white lanyard

[MOB87]

[MOD: Split from "Are you getting the correct issue of kit"]

lanyards are only issued to PA's (red) and Artillery (white) regiments. other units can have lanyards made, paid for from unit funds. the PA's have lanyards as they were used to hold their sidearm, the artillery used them to recock their weapon from a safe distance in case of a misfire.

[hptmurphy]

'the artillery used them to recock their weapon from a safe distance in case of a misfire.'

must have been some lanyard......more like a tow rope...

don't forget the NSR..they have them on issue..

[Barry]

the artillery used them to recock their weapon from a safe distance in case of a misfire.

Never in Irish service. An issued lanyard has only ever been worn over the shoulder on Irish No1s.

The origin of the white lanyard, from the Gunner board on arrse.co.uk:

ORIGINS OF THE LANYARD & THE CLASSIC SAPPER LEG-PULL

There has long been a tale-usually told by Sappers-about the Gunners wearing a white lanyard for cowardice, allegedly for deserting their guns. Of course, the story is nothing more than a piece of leg pulling. The tradition of winding up stems from the age-old rivalry between the two sister corps founded under the Board of Ordnance and trained together in Woolwich. However, I am still being asked by ARRSE members whether this story is true, so it is time it was put to rest.

Lanyards associated with dress came into use in the late 19th Century, when field guns, such as the 12 and 15 pounders, used ammunition which had fuzes set with a fuze key. The key was a simple device, and every man had one, attached to a lanyard worn around the neck. The key itself was kept in the breast pocket until needed. The lanyard was a simple piece of strong cord, but it was gradually turned into something a bit more decorative, smartened up with blanco and braided, taking its present form.

Prior to the South African War, Gunners were issued with steel folding hoof picks, carried on the saddle or in the knife. In about 1903 these were withdrawn and replaced with jack knives, which were carried in the left breast pocket of the Service Dress attached to a lanyard over the left shoulder.

In the war years that followed, the lanyard could be used as an emergency firing lanyard for those guns which had a trigger firing mechanism, allowing the gunner to stand clear of the guns recoil.

The question of which shoulder bore the lanyard depends on the date. There is no certainty about this, but the change from the left shoulder to the right probably took place at about the time of the Great War, when a bandolier was introduced, because it was worn over the left shoulder. But there are some who insist that 1924 was the date of change, when sloping of rifles over the left shoulder would soil the white lanyard.

Eventually in 1933, the end of the lanyard was simply tucked into the breast pocket without the jack-knife, though many will remember that it was often kept in place with the soldiers pay book! On the demise of Battle Dress, the lanyard disappeared for a short time, but returned as part of the dress of the Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1973.

It may surprise many readers that this particular piece if leg-pulling is repeated in various forms. The gold stripe in the Gunner stable belt stems from the colours of the uniform at the time the stable belt was introduced. It was not a question, as the jokers would have it, of yellow stripes for cowardice!

Equally ludicrous is the suggestion that the Gunners has seven flames, as opposed to the sappers nine, because we lost two guns at some point in history!

I invite you sappers to produce your evidence. No change to any of the Armys dress regulations can take place without a formal order, and-let us be realistic! it is ridiculous to suppose that the Army Board in its wisdom would countenance the idea of a badge of shame to be worn by any branch of the Service.

It would guarantee that no one would ever join it! And since no such evidence exists, your storys falls flat on their face. One might even ask why other arms and corps wear lanyards?

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!!!

And before somebody says it, yes, a lanyard is used in the operation of a field gun, but it is not the same lanyard that is worn on the No1s. A special lanyard comes with each gun for this purpose (most likely long discarded, or in a museum somewhere), though typically Gunners will make their own from paracord.

White lanyards are issued for ceremonial occasions where there is a mix of units, or where the participants don't have unit lanyards.

[concussion]

"the artillery used them to recock their weapon from a safe distance in case of a misfire."

I believe the safe distance from a Bofor is 7 lanyards away...

[turbocalves]

the artillery used them to recock their weapon from a safe distance in case of a misfire.

three feet is not safe- sorry mate, and if ever they were used by arty it would have been to fire 120mm mortars (as these were fired by means of a lanyard) but to me anywho is highly unlikely as a lanyard is part of the gun kit

[MOB87]

it was what i was told as to the history of the lanyard. I was not around when it would have been used for that purpose and neither were you so all I can go on is what I have been told by our officers. by the way the recoil of a 25pdr on charge 1 is around 1 ft. charge 3 is around 3 ft. so 3 ft. may be a safe distance to recock from.

[Goldie fish]

I think the origons of the Artillery lanyard go back to long before the days of the 25 pounder...

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi all
There is plenty of photographic evidence of lanyards(or any other available cord) being used to fire artillery pieces, especially guns with long recoils( a lot of WW-1 era guns would recoil as far as the spade) and the tendency to move when fired, especially when fired on soft ground.
As apprentices in the Don, we were compelled, under threat of charge, to buy lanyards from a certain senior NCO. The Boss of the School refused to entertain us when we objected to forcible purchase. Great way to boost unit morale, not!
regards
GttC

[hptmurphy]

Please remove my name from that stupid quote I did not say that..in fact I know damn well you couldn't use a lanyard on a bofors....so the entire post is shite.

[denthavin]

You see you don't use 1 lanyard to re cock the weapon you tie all the gun crews lanyards together. You have 7 people on a bofor gun crew hence a safe distance is 7 lanyards. If the gun does not blow up in the period of time it takes to tie 7 lanyards together then you do not have a slow burning fuse.

[Archimedes]

If the gun does not blow up in the period of time ...

A misfire does not cause a gun to blow up. I am always amused at the thought of people running to take cover behind a ditch when a misfire is called. If proper drills are carried out, the worst thing that will happen is that the propellant will ignite late and the shell will go on its merry way in the direction that it was intended to go.

The worst thing that could happen it that someone would stand behind the breech when the weapon was being re-cocked. If the gun suddenly went off, they would get the breech driven into their midriff. Hence a lanyard (usually homemade) is used to loop the recocking lever without putting any hands directly behing the breech.

[ODIN]

Or in the case of the 90mm, the round will be removed and the commander will take a LONG walk carrying said round and trying not to shit himself along the way

[denthavin]

You're not supposed to tell people about the gun not exploding. I get a nice rest everytime some one shouts misfire and we have to leave the range.

Hmm on a bofor the detachment commander unloads the round and hands it to the gun safety officer who takes it away. You cant be risking the life of a valuable DC.

[ackack]

A misfire does not cause a gun to blow up. I am always amused at the thought of people running to take cover behind a ditch when a misfire is called. If proper drills are carried out, the worst thing that will happen is that the propellant will ignite late and the shell will go on its merry way in the direction that it was intended to go.

Unless the casing of the round is sheared by the internal workings of the gun and the weight of more rounds coming down on top of it....hence meaning that said propellant is loose inside the gun, waiting for a little spark to ignite it and set the whole lot off, I $#1t you not this happened on camp...without the spark.....remember us AD boys are talking about a gravity fed magazine which can hold 26 rounds, not a one shot artillery piece.

[denthavin]

And that got us about half an hour lying in a field. Go damn i love misfires