Lanyard
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A lanyard is a length of cord, webbing, or strap that may serve any of various functions, which include a means of attachment, restraint, retrieval, activation, and deactivation. A lanyard is also a piece of rigging used to secure or lower objects aboard a ship.[1]
Origins[edit]
The earliest references to lanyards date from 15th century France: "lanière" was a thong or strap-on apparatus.[2]
Bosun's pipe, marlinspike, and small knives typically had a lanyard consisting of a string loop tied together with a diamond knot. It helped secure against fall and gave an extended grip over a small handle.
In the French military, lanyards were used to connect a pistol, sword, or whistle (for signaling) to a uniform semi-permanently. Lanyards were used by mounted cavalry on land and naval officers at sea. A pistol lanyard can be easily removed and reattached by the user, but will stay connected to the pistol whether it is drawn for use or it is placed into a holster for carrying.
In the military, lanyards of various colour combinations and braid patterns are worn on the shoulders of uniforms to denote the wearer's qualification or regimental affiliation.[3] In horse regiments, lanyards were worn on the left, enabling a rider to pull a whistle from the left tunic pocket and maintain communication with his troop. Members of the British Royal Artillery wear a lanyard which originally held a key for adjusting the fuzes of explosive shells.[4]
Functions[edit]
- An attachment lanyard is a light duty tether worn around the neck, shoulder, wrist or attached to the belt as a sling to conveniently carry items such as keys or identification cards,[1] or as a safety harness to prevent accidental dropping of valuable handheld items such as a camera.
- A restraint lanyard is a safety lanyard used by construction workers, such as a lineman.
- A retrieval lanyard is a nylon webbing lanyard used to raise and lower workers into confined spaces, such as storage tanks.
- An activation lanyard is a lanyard used to fire an artillery piece or arm the fuze on a bomb leaving an aircraft.Cite error: A
<ref>tag is missing the closing</ref>(see the help page). The distinction was extended to women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service attached to RA units during World War II.[5] Certain battalions descended from the Durham Light Infantry wore green lanyards to denote their past links with the regiment, whose uniform had a dark green Facing colour from 1903 onwards.[6][7]
Royal Naval Rating wear a white lanyard when dressed in No 1 uniform, the origin of the lanyard was to carry a pouch of gunpowder for the cannon.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "lanyard lan-yrd." Merriam-Webster's Collegiate(R) Dictionary. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 2004. Credo Reference. Web. 1 October 2012.
- ^ Wedgwood, Hensleigh (1855). "On False Etymologies". Transactions of the Philological Society (6): 68.
- ^ "lanyard." The Macquarie Dictionary. South Yarra: The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd., 2005. Credo Reference. Web. 1 October 2012.
- ^ "Garrison Artillery Volunteers". The Garrison. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ Col J.D. Sainsbury, The Hertfordshire Yeomanry Regiments, Royal Artillery, Part 2: The Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment 1938–1945 and the Searchlight Battery 1937–1945; Part 3: The Post-war Units 1947–2002, Welwyn: Hertfordshire Yeomanry and Artillery Trust/Hart Books, 2003, ISBN 0-948527-06-4, Plate 9, p. 7.
- ^ Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0, pp. 56–8.
- ^ Ward, S G P 1962 Faithful. The Story of the Durham Light Infantry Naval and Military Press ISBN 9781845741471, p. 461.
