Customs and Etiquette in the Services

The Services have their own customs. Some of them  have been handed down from the distant past while others are of more recent origin. A custom is an established usage and, in the main, consists of positive actions which invariably are reasonable and usually universally accepted. Customs made for a more orderly life and, when continued for a long period tend to become common Law. The majority of customs, which are unwritten in official orders or regulations, complement procedure required by military courtesy. The customs of the armed forces are traditional in that they have been handed down through the ages from the senior to the junior. These custom belong to the noblest of professions, Viz., the profession of arms and their observance facilitates admission into the clan where gallantry, chivalry and comradeship-in-arms count above all else. The authors have brought out important facts in simple language which are clear and impressive. The extracts and instructions which have been quoted in this book serve as a useful compendium for officers.