Rogue's Salute

Most people know about the 21-gun salute and Royal Salute which mark special occasions. However, the one-gun-Rogue's Salute is peculiar to the navy and therefore, relatively unknown.

Every time a court martial is to assemble in a naval station, a single gun is fired by the saluting battery at 8 am to announce the event. In naval jargon this is known as the "Rogue's Salute". However, not all persons who are court martialled are rogues. Even a war hero, who may have sunk enemy ships, before his own ship goes down, is tried by court-martial-to be acquitted with honour. War heroes do not always have to lose their ships to get court martialled. A well-decorated submarine commander got court martial because he refused to leave his dearly loved boat at the end of the war and ignored the order assigning him a cushy staff job. He also refused to obey the basic order, "you are to acknowledge receipt of this letter of appointment forthwith." Defending himself he contended that a naval appointment order was incomplete unless acknowledged. Since the charge sheet did not include "failed to acknowledge receipt of a letter of appointment issued by "My Lord's Commissioners of the Admiralty" there was nothing to hold the officer guilty of. He was acquitted and continued to hold command of his submarine until he resigned.

There was another captain in the Navy who rammed a jetty while berthing his ship thereby damaging the ship as well as the masonry structure. He defended himself brilliantly and apparently the members of the court were convinced that the jetty actually came in the way of the ship. He was acquitted and commended for "keeping a cool head in a crisis."

A young officer facing court martial for attempted suicide was questioned why he should not be imprisoned for trying to shoot himself. He defended himself effectively by questioning the rationale of punishing one for an unsuccessful attempt at suicide while there was no punishment for a successful bid.

Another young officer who was accused of disobeying the whole chain of command right up to captain, engaged a civilian lawyer to defend him. The lawyer started by suggesting that the captain himself lost his temper at the young officer thereby provoking him to act as such. "I never lose my temper", replied the captain firmly. The defense counsel continued cross examination of the captain, occasionally addressing him as commander- a rank below that of the captains in the navy. The good captain politely informed the lawyer that he was a captain and not commander. The lawyer promptly apologized but continued addressing him as a commander now and again. The captain, getting progressively angry, finally shouted, "How many times do I have to remind you that I am a captain not a commander?" And the lawyer coolly retorted, "Now, now, you are losing your temper, dear Captain." The accused got away with mild reprimand. So here's a salute to all the rogues!!