SPECTATOR COMPETITION No. 123

Report by D. R. Peddy A prize was offered for an extract from a manual of departmental drill and ceremonial for a full-dress review of Civil Servants.

I feared, after setting this competition, that the specifying of a full-dress parade, rather than merely an extract from the manual generally, might limit style, but in the event it seemed to make little difference. I only hope that some of the quotaticins will not prove unduly obscure to non-Whitehall readers.

A pleasing moderation was shown in mentioning tea and its associations, though I liked Douglas Hawson's " The Reviewing Officer shall then give the command ' Tea Up ! ' whereupon the Corporal of the Urn shall march on.'; Norreys Davis struck an. authentic note in his section on entitlement to accessories : " Officers of the permanent and pensionable establishment will wear the accessories categorised as under in accordance with the style of uniform to which they are entitled : provided that officers who, had these regulations come into force on the 1st day of January, 1946, would on or.prior to the 31st day of March, 1946, have become entitled to the style of uniform superior to that to which they are entitled under regulations 2,3 to 257, shall be eligible to wear the accessories appropriate to tue style of uniform to which they would have become so entitled : provided further that Chairman and Members of the Boards. of Control of the Nationalised Undertakings listed in Appendix XL1V, who will parade on the left of the main body, may wear the accessories categorised in Classes 2 and 3 respec- tively."

I also like W. D. Gilmour's " On the completion of the trooping (of the Buck), the Buck will devour a Lost File." Also Egret's "All Establishment Officers will wear Brigand-type sombreros. M.I.5 staff will be exempt from these regulations and be indistinguish- able as usual."

I recommend a first prize of £2 10s. for the Rev. D. G. Dinkle. Second prizes for R. Kennard Davis and Ditha (name, please), whose instructions are of what Whitehall would call an " ad hoc " character, and therefore not entirely suitable for a Manual.

FIRST PRIZE

(D. G. DINKLE) ORDER OF CEREMONIAL FOR TROOPING OF THE CARPET OCCASION : New Perm. Sec. taking post.

SALUTING BASE : Treasury Flag, consisting of the lettering "ACTION HERE " on white ground. Perm. Sec., in full robes of an Accounting Officer, will return salutes of Staff by giving the U-sign (symbolising " Urgent and Unforeseen ").

STAFF : To parade in Sections under Establishment Officers. Section Teapots will be carried. Defaulters awaiting trial or execution will attend in charge of M.I.5.

UNIFORMS : (1) CLERICAL : No. I Desk Uniform—buff denims with chain-mail seats.

(2) EXECUTIVE : Best Expediting Dress—black utility with rein- : forced filing pockets. (37 ADMINISTRATIVE : (a) Assist. Principals (mustered in groups under female welfare-officers) : Official Rompers.

(b) Principals: "Wimbledon Wideawakes "—white tennis drill with anti-headache panamas. (c) Assist. Sec. and above : First Divisional Robes, consisting of surtout, breeches and train, in appropriate departmental colours, i.e., Treasury : Gold—Agriculture : Green—Air : Blue—Health : Pink —War : Red.

BEARERS : Smartest Messengers at morning Estab. Parade will bear the

• Carpet, i.e., those normally selected as " Minister's Tea Men " for the day.

SECOND PRIZES (R. KENNARD DAVIS)

L CEREMONIAL UNIFORM

(1) Badges denoting (a) rank (b) seniority (c) department will be pinvided, and all personnel must appearen parade in the correct combi- nations, except in cases of short supply. Heads of Departments will wear silk hats only, to distinguish them from those of inferior status.

(2) Blue prints for the costume of female personnel will be circulated, in conformity with the figures shown, as soon as they have, been satisfactorily ironed out.

(3) In respect bf collars and cuffs, the appropriate White Paper may be obtained from H.M. Stationery Office.

H. EQUIPMENT

• Hammers for tapping fresh sources of supply, and dealing with bottle-necks. together with picks for stone-turning, will be carried by juniors.

III. PROCEDURE

On arrival at the Parade Ground, all personnel will endeavour to fall in with the wishes of the Minister/Ministers concerned. Forming in triplicate, members will give a demonstration of accurate filing past the saluting base (all odd files being eliminated).. The march past will be led by the Service Mascot (a Buck) which will then be passed along all ranks. After appropriate exercises in evasive action, tea will be served.

4.(DITHA) I. Pursuant to Estab. Min. 112, describing the procedure for the issue of Public Service Uniforms, it has been decided to hold a short informal parade in the canteen at 10.00 a.m. on Friday next.

2. Heads of Branches are requested to endeavour to arrange their staffs as far as possible in order of seniority. Some officers will doubtless prefer to foregather with their friends in other Branches, but this should not be encouraged insofar as the typing pool is concerned.

3. Establishment Branch will be drawn up separately in normal double-cross formation nearest the buffet.

4. Full-dress uniform, consisting of double-seated pin-stripes and office-coats with ink-proof cuffs, will be worn by all male staff. Female staff will wear armbands only. Whitley Council members will parade in the usual reversible coats. Statisticians will be issued with a supply of hats (eatable).

5. The proceedings will close with the presentation of a souvenir, in the form of an empty in-tray, to Mr. Totters, the Accountant General, on his retirement after seventy years in the service. Background music (" They tell us we're too young ") will be supplied by Mr. J. Parr- Sellor, the staff Side Chairman, and his Twenty Pieces of Silver.