It’s important to clarify the distinction of the Melophori (Mēlophoroi), or Apple Bearers, from the larger body of the Persian “Immortals” as historical sources have revealed.
Honor Guards of Antiquity 1: Elite Units and the Rulers They Protected
In the grand narratives of ancient history, figures like Roman Emperors, Persian Kings, and Macedonian conquerors stand at the apex of power. Yet, their authority—and often their very lives—rested in the hands of their most trusted and feared subordinates: the elite bodyguards. Far more than mere soldiers, units such as the Roman Praetorian Guard, the Persian Apple Bearers, and the …
From Custody to Choreography: How Authority Shaped—and Split—the Color Guard
For many people involved in military drill, ceremonial color guards, marching band, or drum corps, one question keeps resurfacing: How did we all start in the same place—and end up speaking completely different languages about flags, rifles, and sabers? The answer is not stylistic. It is structural. It is a story about authority—where it came from, where it went, and …
A History of Drill and Training Rifles (Links)
Here are the links to the 26 parts of this very detailed paper written by Malcolm MacPherson. I split his paper into 26 articles in 2012. The information is very interesting and you can see that we still use some versions. Mr. MacPherson’s paper goes over US, British, and Japanese training rifles. Part 1, Non-Firing Drill and Training Rifles Part …
Color Guard Flag Protocol
There is so much information to learn when it comes to flag protocol. A flag is called a color when posted in a stand and carried by a color guard.
A History of Drill and Training Rifles Part 26
CURRENT PRODUCTION, CONTINUED “Plastic-Rubber” Training Models Wellington Surplus Stores in Perth Australia sell a series of black training rifles. At this time it is unknown who actually manufactures these training rifles. They are made of a plastic material but are sold under the name of “Plastic-Rubber”. These rifles have no moving parts. They are currently selling the following training rifle …
A History of Drill and Training Rifles Part 25
CURRENT PRODUCTION There are a variety of drill and training rifles being produced today. Most of them have very high detail due to modern production techniques relating to the injection molding of plastic materials. There is a category called Airsoft Guns. The sport of Airsoft started in Japan in the 1980’s. In Japan it was illegal to own firearms but …
A History of Drill and Training Rifles Part 24
JAPANESE TRAINING RIFLES Starting in the 1920’s, the Japanese government required all junior and senior high school boys to have two hours a week of military training. Several companies started producing the necessary training rifles for this purpose. Unfortunately most training rifles did not bear markings that identified their origin. These training rifles had no standard design and were often …
A History of Drill and Training Rifles Part 23
U.S. PORTABLE BUILDING CORP. No specimen found to date. The photograph is of an accurate replica that was developed from the advertisement. From the paper, Non-Firing Drill and Training Rifles, by By Malcolm MacPherson
A History of Drill and Training Rifles Part 22
BRITISH DRILL RIFLES The British modified several models of the SMLE as well as the Pattern 14 to make drill rifles. There were different approaches to these conversions but the illustrations shown below are typical. All of these rifles are marked with a prominent DP (drill practice) somewhere on the rifle. It is uncertain how many of these drill rifles …