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Video: How the ceremonial military uniform looks in different countries: Pompons, bear hats, peacock feathers and other delights
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Military traditions are sometimes very conservative. Sometimes in the full dress uniform of the guards, you can find elements that are a memory of the glorious military past of the country. The bright and unusual honor guards have long been loved by tourists, they attract a lot of attention. Some elements in the equipment of soldiers of other countries may seem funny today, but only at first glance.
Greece
Greek soldiers from the Presidential Guard look very unusual: courageous skirts, white stockings and pom-poms on their shoes. The history of this costume is steeped in heroic legends and traditions, literally every element in it is of great importance. Such attire was given to the president's guard by the national heroes of the 19th century, when Greece fought the Ottoman yoke for independence. The light infantry was then recruited from among the skillful and fearless mountaineers. These units terrified the enemies, and called them "evzones" - which means "well belted".
The fustanella skirt has exactly 400 folds - this number symbolizes the years that the country was under the yoke of Turkey. The pharaeon hat, the farmer's vest and the calzodets - black garters for leg warmers with tassels exactly repeat the costume of the folk heroes. Tsaruhi - leather boots with large black pom-poms - each weigh about three kilograms, because they are knocked out with 60 steel nails, and warriors once hid small, but incredibly sharpened knives in pom-poms that seem ridiculous at first glance. By the way, the peculiar step of the marching guardsmen is connected with this. The leg sometimes hangs in the air - this is training for the deadly "pompom strike". It takes exactly 45 minutes for a guard to put on all this traditional heritage.
Vatican
The Pope's Sacred Guard Swiss Infantry Cohort is currently the only branch of the Vatican's armed forces. Historians consider it the oldest army in the world, although all of its "forces" are about a hundred people. This army was founded back in 1506 by the warlike Pope Julius II, who waged continuous wars for all ten years of his reign. The Swiss were considered at that time the best soldiers in Europe, they were willingly hired to serve by many rulers. Only in the 19th century did Switzerland officially end the practice of hiring its soldiers and canceled all contracts. An exception was then made for the Pope, and today his personal guard is the only Swiss unit serving in another state.
Today, in order to get into this elite unit, a candidate must exactly match many parameters: height - not less than 174 cm, secondary education, preliminary military service, good recommendations, no mustache, beard, long hair and a wife (however, you can get the latter in service time, but only with special permission). Religion is also, of course, important. The colorful medieval form, according to legend, is still sewn according to the drawings of Michelangelo himself, although there is no historical evidence of this. But on the other hand, it is known for sure that metal helmets, which caused a lot of inconvenience in the heat (they were heated in the sun), were replaced not so long ago with plastic ones, which are printed in gun shops on a 3D printer.
United Kingdom
Another ancient unit that guards the monarch himself is the Royal Guard of Great Britain. The tradition of the king's personal protection arose about three centuries ago, when the "first person of the state" often took part in hostilities and the question arose of protecting him on the battlefield. Therefore, the soldiers in such regiments were always selected very carefully. Today the British Guards Division consists of two cavalry and five infantry regiments. The uniform of all infantrymen is very similar (they are distinguished by the location of the buttons).
The main "identification marks" of the guardsmen are red uniforms and high bear hats. These traditional hats are also a hassle in the modern world. They are sewn only from the fur of the North American grizzly bear (for officers - from the fur of the male, they are more shiny, and the caps of privates and non-commissioned officers - from the fur of the females). Attempts by animal rights activists to influence the tradition and prohibit the destruction of bears for the sake of this ostentation have not yet led to anything - fake fur sometimes gathers like icicles, then stands on end in bad weather, but hats, sewn in the old fashioned way, serve for about a hundred years and are inherited by new guardsmen.
The Republic of Korea
Guardsmen guarding the honor guard at the Gyeongbokgung and Deoksugung palaces in Seoul wear uniforms that resemble those of the palace guards of the royal guard of the late 16th century. All the elements in it are also fanned by traditions, behind each detail there is a deep meaning (well, or, at worst, benefit). The headpiece with two feathers that immediately attracts attention is called Chonrip. It is decorated with beads and has peacock feathers. It is this hat that shows the difference between bosses (red Chonrip) and privates (black). Feathers are not adornments at all. This is a symbol of military prowess and an important detail of amulets during shamanic military rituals.
Turumagi's long-length robe actually disguises real armor: metal plates are attached to it from the inside. This design provided protection even from musket bullets. Today it is not known for sure whether the guards' robes are "armored" or whether this tradition has become a thing of the past. But wadded hwa boots lined with thick buffalo skin (almost our felt boots) are still a variant of a very functional shoe that can protect from bad weather, but at the same time - light and comfortable.
One of the unusual traditions of the British army is the Goat, which was once demoted and received a gift from Elizabeth II.
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