Reveille, Rouse, the Last Post and Two-Minutes silence
Bugle calls were used for hundreds of years in the British Army with this tradition flowing over into the Australian Army to this very day. Bugle calls were sounded so that soldiers keep track of time when living in military camps. There was a variety of sounds and notes each of these having a specific meaning. The signal meanings ranged from the time to wake, mealtimes, time to partake in military exercises, or time to go to bed for the night. Every day in camp was regulated and run according to the calls of the Army’s bugler.
Reveille
The purpose of Reveille in commonwealth military tradition is to wake up the sleeping soldiers. Sentries would be strategically placed in depositions during the night to warn the main force of enemy infiltration. The sounding of Reveille would signal the duty officers had completed their inspection of the perimeter and sentries would be able to stand down.
The word Reveille is derived from the French word ‘reveillez’, meaning to ‘wake-up’. The British origins of these bugle call meant, the soldiers’ days began with buglers playing Reveille and ended with the sounds of the Last Post.
The Last Post
The Last Post was played in military camps signalling that the duty officers had completed their sentry-post inspection around their perimeter. The Last Post earned its name literally because it was the signal that the last of these posts was inspected and the soldier’s location was secure for the evening.
In military tradition, the Last Post not only signifies the end of the day’s activities, but it is also played at military funerals to signify that the soldier has gone to his final resting place. The Last Post is sounded at commemorative services such as Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and other military or RSL memorial services.
The Rouse
The Rouse is a bugle call played at memorial services in conjunction with the Last Post. The Rouse being sounded is used to call soldiers to their duties. In Australian military tradition, Reveille is only to be used at Anzac Day services or the waking of the troops (beginning of the day). The Rouse is to be used at commemorative services such as Remembrance Day, dedication or memorial services or at military funerals.
Minute silence and Two-minute silence
Its believed the Two-minutes silence originated from Edward George Honey a Great War veteran living in London during 1919. Honey wrote a letter to the London evening news appealing for five minutes silence be observed to commemorate those sacrifices who died during the Great War.
There was much emotion after the Great War for a commemorative event when Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, a South African mans idea of a period of silence was presented to King George V. The King willingly agreed and a trial of the silence was conducted by the Grenadier guards at Buckingham Palace. Fitzpatrick and Honey were present at the trial, and it was agreed the period of silence to be adopted would be two-minutes.
King George V sent a message to the people of the Commonwealth:
“I believe that my people in every part of the Empire fervently wish to perpetuate the memory of that Great Deliverance, and of those who laid down their lives to achieve it.”
A complete suspension of normal activities took place on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month for a period of two minutes. The first anniversary of the Great War Armistice continues to be observed on Remembrance Day, 11 November. Anzac day eventually followed suit with, the two minutes.
In recent times, one minute of silence has been observed at Australian military commemorative events, such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day ceremonies. It is unknown the reason behind this change.
Below listed is the traditional formal sequence for Australian military services bugle calls
Anzac Day service
The Last Post
Two minutes silence (now evolved into one-minute silence)
Reveille
Remembrance Day
The Last Post
Two minutes silence (now evolved into one-minute silence)
Rouse
Memorial or dedication services
The Last Post
One-minute silence
Rouse