Trooping the Colour 2006 - Trooping the colour (169188036)

A feu de joie (French: "fire of joy") is a form of formal celebratory gunfire consisting of a celebratory

rifle A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...

salute, described as a "running fire of guns." As soldiers fire into the air sequentially in rapid succession, the cascade of blank rounds produces a characteristic "rat-tat-tat" effect. It is used on rare landmark occasions of national rejoicing. During the 18th and 19th centuries, a feu de joie has celebrated a military victory or birthday. In recent years, it has marked, in Royal presence, the 80th Birthday and

Diamond Jubilee A diamond jubilee celebrates the 60th anniversary of a significant event related to a person (e.g. accession to the throne or wedding, among others) or the 60th anniversary of an institution's founding. The term is also used for 75th annivers ...

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

, as well as the Death of Queen Elizabeth II. Feux de joie also mark annual national or army days in, e.g., Canada, Malta, Nepal and Singapore.

Historical examples

Alliance with France: Valley Forge, 1778

A spectacular feu de joie ran up and down double lines of infantrymen at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, on 6 May 1778 to celebrate the alliance between the newly independent

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

with

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

The men were placed in specified positions to fire a feu de joie with muskets and cannon—three times three discharges of thirteen cannon. At the first the army huzzaed, "Long live the
King of France France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the Kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions. Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I () as the first ...
"; at the second, "Long live the friendly European powers"; and at the third there was a shout, "The American States."

Independence Day parade: 4 July 1778

From his headquarters at

Ross Hall Ross Hall was a historic colonial farmhouse located on River Road in Piscataway, New Jersey. It was built by Edward Antill and is also known as the Edward Antill House. In 1768, it was purchased by its namesake, Dr. Alexander Ross. In early Ju ...

, General George Washington ordered a ''feu de joie'' to celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

A Dauphin is born: West Point, 1782

In May 1782 a feu de joie at West Point celebrated the birth of the

Dauphin of France Dauphin of France (, also ; french: Dauphin de France ), originally Dauphin of Viennois (''Dauphin de Viennois''), was the title given to the heir apparent to the throne of France from 1350 to 1791, and from 1824 to 1830. The word ''dauphin'' ...

, and was witnessed by a Dr. Thacher.

The arbor was, in the evening, illuminated by a vast number of lights, which, being arranged in regular and tasteful order, exhibited a scene vying in brilliancy with the starry firmament. The officers having rejoined their regiments, thirteen cannon were again fired as a prelude to the general feu-de-joie, which immediately succeeded throughout the whole line of the army on the surrounding hills, and being three times repeated, the mountains resounded and echoed like tremendous peals of thunder, and the flashing from thousands of firearms in the darkness of the evening, could be compared only to the most vivid flashes of lightning from the clouds. The feu-de-joie was immediately followed by three shouts of acclamation and benediction for the Dauphin by the united voices of the whole army on all sides.

The same event was also recollected by Captain Eben Williams:

At a given signal, a running fire began at the south end of the line and extended along the west side of the river to the north end, when the feu-de-joie was caught by the troops on the opposite side of the river and carried south. Thus did the rattle of musketry three times make its distant circuit along the Hudson . . . .

British take Possession of Hong Kong 1841

On Tuesday 26 January 1841, west of the centre of the north shore of Hong Kong Island, British sailors and Marines - under Commodore James John Gordon Bremer of HMS Calliope - went ashore to claim the island for Britain. They gave 'three cheers', drank their queen's health, raised the British flag and gave forth a feu de joie, on the spot that became known as 'Possession Point'. Today, the site is marked by Hollywood Road Park. In commemoration of this, a feu de joie was also performed by massed units of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

and the Black Watch during the handover ceremony and parade held on 30 June 1997. Feu-de-joie at Ottawa, 1868

Empress of India proclamation: Delhi, 1877

In his book ''The King's Shilling,'' Gordon Johnson Walker remembered how the feu-de-joie was incorporated into the annual ceremony held on the first day of every New Year when the reigning Monarch was proclaimed ‘

Emperor of India Emperor or Empress of India was a title used by British monarchs from 1 May 1876 (with the Royal Titles Act 1876) to 22 June 1948, that was used to signify their rule over British India, as its imperial head of state. Royal Proclamation of 22 ...

’. This was known as the Proclamation Parade - "Each soldier had a blank cartridge, which, on the command, he would load into his rifle and fire a salute known as a 'feu-de-joie', which set the seal on the proceedings."

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

's proclamation as Empress of India in

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

on 1 January 1877 was followed by a feu de joie described by Field Marshal Lord Roberts.

A salute of one hundred and one salvos of artillery was fired, with a feu-de-joie from the long line of troops. This was too much for the elephants. As the feu-de-joie approached nearer and nearer to them, they became more and more alarmed, and at last scampered off, dispersing the crowd in every direction.

Delhi Coronation Durbar for George V, 1911

At the 1911 Delhi Coronation Durbar of King

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. Born duri ...

, a feu de joie followed the 101-Gun Salute during the State Entry ceremony on 12 December 1911.

Coronation of Elizabeth II, 1953

Numerous feux de joie were performed to commemorate the

Coronation A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...

of Queen Elizabeth on 2 June 1953. These ranged from elaborate ceremonies at home and in Europe, to a "combat" feu de joie in

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

21st century

United Kingdom

Feux de joie have marked occasions of national rejoicing. These often take place on the Forecourt of

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

, in the presence of the Royal Family.

Queen Elizabeth II 80th Birthday

As part of

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

's 80th birthday celebrations, a spectacular feu de joie occurred on the Forecourt of

on 17 June 2006 following the RAF flypast after Trooping the Colour. This was the first feu de joie during Her Majesty's reign to be performed in her presence. A cascade of rounds was fired by the Old Guard, the New Guard and six Half Companies of Street-Liners in the Forecourt of the Palace. The cascades of blank gunshots were interspersed with the National Anthem, '' God Save the Queen''. After the feu de joie the troops on the Forecourt laid down their weapons, removed their headgear and gave "Three Cheers for Her Majesty The Queen".

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee

On 5 June 2012 a weekend of celebrations for the

Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II The year 2012 marked the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II being the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. The only diamond jubilee celebration for any of Elizabeth's predecessors was in 1897, for the 60th an ...

culminated in a feu de joie given at

. This followed a Service of Thanksgiving at

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grad ...

, reception at Mansion House, a luncheon given in her honour by the Livery at

Westminster Hall The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parli ...

, and a balcony appearance with flypast by the

Red Arrows The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Waddington. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams ...

and historic aircraft, including the last flying

Lancaster bomber The Avro Lancaster is a British World War II, Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the S ...

in Britain.

Royal Air Force Centenary: "RAF 100"

On 10 July 2018, this was officially celebrated with a service at

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

, attended by the Royal Family. The Queen presented a new Queen's Colour to the

. Then followed a historic flypast of 100 aircraft over

, watched by the Royal Family from the Palace balcony and an estimated 70,000 people on The Mall and in surrounding streets and

Royal Parks The Royal Parks of London are lands that were originally used for the recreation, mostly hunting, of the royal family. They are part of the hereditary possessions of The Crown, now managed by The Royal Parks Limited, a charity which manages ...

. The celebrations culminated in several feux de joie fired on the Forecourt of the Palace, interspersed with sections of the National Anthem as on the Queen's 80th birthday.

Canada

A feu de joie is performed at various celebratory occasions, such as when the Governor General was hosting Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the occasion of the presentation of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup. The

Royal Military College of Canada '') , established = 1876 , type = Military academy , chancellor = Anita Anand ('' la, ex officio, label=none'' as Defence Minister) , principal = Harry Kowal , head_label ...

also performs a feu de joie on the annual graduation parade where the graduates are commissioned. The feu de joie is performed with 500 C7 rifles on average. At the Cadet Summer Training Centre Blackdown, as well as Cadet Summer Training Centre Vernon, cadets from the Alpha and Foxtrot Companies (Drill & Ceremonial Instructor Course) perform a feu de joie in the camp's annual "Sunset Ceremony." This is performed with Lee–Enfield No.4 rifles.

Malta

The Armed Forces of Malta performs a feu de joie on Republic Day.

Nepal

The Nepal Army performs a feu de joie as part of the Army Day celebrations that coincide with the

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

festival of

Mahashivaratri Maha Shivaratri (IAST: Mahāśivarātri) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance called Tandava. In every month of the luni-solar Hindu ca ...

. The feu de joie is generally performed using the 1A1 Self Loading Rifle (SLR), a variant of the

L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle The L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle, officially "Rifle, 7.62mm, L1A1", also known just as the SLR (Self-Loading Rifle), by the Canadian Army designation C1A1 (C1) or in the US as the "inch pattern" FAL,Especially on the American surplus market. is a Br ...

, manufactured in India. The venue of the celebrations is the Nepal Army PavilionWard Profile: Ward No. 31
Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office. Accessed 18 February 2015. in

Tundikhel Tudikhel or Tundikhel ( Nepali: टुँडिखेल; Nepal Bhasa: 'Tinikhya', तिनिख्यः) is a large grass-covered ground in the center of Nepal's capital Kathmandu and one of its most important landmarks. The field is rectangu ...

, a relatively large open space in the city center is the venue of the Army Day celebration and the events there in.

Poland

The firing of the threefold feu de joie (''salwa honorowa'' in Polish) is done mainly in Poland by formations of the armed forces and uniformed groups during funerals of veterans and important persons, more akin to a

three-volley salute The three-volley salute is a ceremonial act performed at military funerals and sometimes also police funerals. The custom originates from the European dynastic wars, in which the fighting ceased so that the dead and wounded could be removed. Af ...

as a form of national gratitude to their service, and on the following dates: * 8 February, Prison Service Day * 1 March, National "Cursed Soldiers" Remembrance Day * 24 March, anniversary of the

Kościuszko Uprising The Kościuszko Uprising, also known as the Polish Uprising of 1794 and the Second Polish War, was an uprising against the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Pr ...

* 10 April, anniversary of the

Smolensk air disaster On 10 April 2010, a Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft operating Polish Air Force Flight 101 crashed near the Russian city of Smolensk, killing all 96 people on board. Among the victims were the president of Poland, Lech Kaczyński, and his wife, Maria, ...

* 13 April, Katyn Memorial Day * 2 May, Flag Day * 3 May,

3 May Constitution Day 3 May Constitution Day (also ''3rd May National Holiday''; pl, Święto Konstytucji 3 Maja) is a Polish national and public holiday that takes place on 3 May. The holiday celebrates the declaration of the Constitution of 3 May 1791. Festivitie ...

* 8 May, Victory Day * 16 May, Border Guards Day * 14 June, National Day of Remembrance of Nazi Concentration Camps Victims * 24 July, Police Day * 1 August, Warsaw Uprising National Remembrance Day * 15 August, Armed Forces Day * 1 September, Veterans' Day and anniversary of the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and the

Battle of Westerplatte The Battle of Westerplatte was the first battle of the German invasion of Poland, marking the start of World War II in Europe. It occurred on the Westerplatte peninsula in the harbour of the Free City of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland). In the mi ...

* 27 September, Day of the

Polish Underground State The Polish Underground State ( pl, Polskie Państwo Podziemne, also known as the Polish Secret State) was a single political and military entity formed by the union of resistance organizations in occupied Poland that were loyal to the Gover ...

* 11 November, National Independence Day * 13 December, Martial Law Victims Remembrance Day * On the anniversaries of the liberation of towns and cities from the Axis Powers in the Second World War The firing party is either platoon, half company or company sized formation holding either the SKS, AKM,

FB Beryl The karabinek szturmowy wzór 1996 Beryl (English: ''assault rifle model 1996 beryllium'') is a Polish 5.56mm assault rifle, designed and produced by the Łucznik Arms Factory in the city of Radom. The rifle is to replace the 7.62×39mm AKM an ...

MSBS rifle The FB Radom MSBS Grot ( pl, Modułowy System Broni Strzeleckiej „Grot”, en, Modular Firearm System "Spearhead") is a modular assault rifle developed and manufactured by FB "Łucznik" Radom. There are two basic variants of the rifle: a con ...

from the

Polish Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland ( pl, Siły Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, abbreviated ''SZ RP''; popularly called ''Wojsko Polskie'' in Poland, abbreviated ''WP''—roughly, the "Polish Military") are the national armed forces of ...

or other civil uniformed organizations.

Singapore

The Guards-of-Honour (GOH) from the three

Singapore Armed Forces The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A military component of the Ministry of Defence (MINDE ...

(SAF) branches (the Army, the Navy and the Air Force), together with their counterparts from the Singapore Police Force (SPF), performs the feu-de-joie as a standard element of the country's National Day celebrations on 9 August every year. This is carried out before the GOH marches past the president's reviewing-stand out from the parade. The tradition began in the 1980 edition as a way to celebrate the first 15 years since Singapore's independence, and became a regular tradition starting 1989.

References

External links

{{Wiktionary, feu de joie Military life Military traditions