Soldier’s Superstitions

[Somme1916]

I was reading a news article the other day about American soldiers in the Gulf. It focused on some of the superstitions that many soldiers of armored units seem to have. Like, never eating or even saying the word apricot while on or near a tank, not changing your uniform during tank gunnery exercises, etc.

Now that made me think about how in the world a superstition about apricots and tanks ever got started. Of course this lead me to wonder if it was some how related to the origins of tank warfare. Does anyone know anything about the origins of the apricot superstition and if it dates from WW1?

Also I would like to hear what other superstitions the service members of the Great War had.

Funny how something like this can be turned into something about WW1 isn’t it?

Cheers,

Jon

[iain mchenry]

Hi Jon,

Whilst going through recruit training I was told a story/superstition by my training sergeant who stated that it came from the First War. Its known as "taking the third light". Imagine three soldiers gathered together about to have a ciggarette, at night. The soldier with the lighter lights his fag, this alerts a German sniper, he then lights the second soldiers ciggie, the German sniper takes aim, as he lights the third persons ciggie, the German soldier fires taking out the third soldier. I was always told "never take the third light".

See you in May

Iain

[Guest J.Woodward]

Not quite a soldiers superstition but almost there. The tanks of the the Tank Corp often had Chinese eyes painted on either side. This supposedly stems from a member of the Chinese Labour Corp asking a Tank officer "How do the beasts see as they have no eyes"! This tradition is still continued in the Army today - I know the Kings Royal Hussars and the 9/12th Lancers do it.

[CROONAERT]

I know that to certain soldiers to be wished "good luck" before an attack was considered unlucky ,the reasoning being that most of the dead had been told just that ,but still died.

This superstition was also regarded in the German Army,even into the Second World War . In fact the comment passed around German "Fallschirmjager" aircraft ,before they jumped, was "Hals und Beinbruch!" (neck and bone break). Similar, I suppose to the actor's favourite "break a leg". In a way, the greeter is wishing a "Blighty" on his comrade. For want of a better translation, "Hope you come through it all Ok,but with enough to get you out of it altogether". Far better than "Good Luck" , I think!.

Dave

[jhill]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that some Great War soldiers used to say that it was bad luck to be killed on a Friday.

I guess humour and superstition go hand in hand.

[Tom Morgan]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that some Great War soldiers used to say that it was bad luck to be killed on a Friday.

I guess humour and superstition go hand in hand.

Yes, like the saying that the signal that the war had ended during the night would be three black flares!

[Myrtle]

'Touchwood, the Wonderful Eastern Charm'

Touchwood it appears was a tiny, sparkling-eyed imp with Khaki cap and legs crossed. It appears to have been sold in large quantities as a good luck charm and was also presented to the 1,200 men of the 36th Bn. City of London Regiment Has anyone seen one of these imps ?

There also seems to have been a demand by Irish troops for the Badge of the Sacred Heart, an oval piece of red cloth bearing the representation of Christ. It was sewn inside the soldier's jacket and was regarded as providing the wearer protection from harm.

[paul guthrie]

The third light off a match is bad luck may have been a ploy by the Diamond Match Co. Supposedly before WW1 they sent men to taverns and when a third man was to have his cigarette lit by his match he would blow it out and admonish him that three on a light's bad luck!

[Guest Hill 60]

'Touchwood, the Wonderful Eastern Charm'

Touchwood it appears was a tiny, sparkling-eyed imp with Khaki cap and legs crossed. It appears to have been sold in large quantities as a good luck charm and was also presented to the 1,200 men of the 36th Bn. City of London Regiment Has anyone seen one of these imps ?

There are 5 'Touchwoods' of different styles on page 40 of 'Military Sweetheart Jewellery II' by Pamela M. Caunt.

Although they are not the exact style Myrtle describes they appear to have come in a variety of designs.

[CROONAERT]

Does anyone know of the tradition of sewing a silver sixpence behind the pilots wings on a newly qualified pilot's tunic? I know this is a later RAF tradition,but did it also occur in the RFC?

Also, why ?

Dave