The_Historian Posted 10 December , 2003 Share Posted 10 December , 2003 Hi, I remember reading acounts of this years ago. It seems that on a number of occasions, men desperately made the Masonic Sign of Distress in a last ditch attempt to avoid death, and were taken prisoner by shocked opponents who were also in the Craft. I can't for the life of me remember which reference works I saw these in though-any ideas? Or is it just another Great War myth? Regards, Gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 10 December , 2003 Share Posted 10 December , 2003 Hi, I remember reading acounts of this years ago. It seems that on a number of occasions, men desperately made the Masonic Sign of Distress in a last ditch attempt to avoid death, and were taken prisoner by shocked opponents who were also in the Craft. I can't for the life of me remember which reference works I saw these in though-any ideas? Or is it just another Great War myth? Regards, Gordon Well, maybe you ought to tell us what exactly this "Masonic Sign of Distress" is? I may have read of it, and not realised that that was what it was! (w.e.g.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Historian Posted 10 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 10 December , 2003 Beppo, I could tell you.........but I'd have to kill you afterwards. Regards, Gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 10 December , 2003 Share Posted 10 December , 2003 Beppo, I could tell you.........but I'd have to kill you afterwards. Regards, Gordon No, I would just make the, newly aquired, distress sign! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 10 December , 2003 Share Posted 10 December , 2003 Many a good Kentuckian has made some real distressful sounds after drinking moonshine out of a Mason jar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 10 December , 2003 Share Posted 10 December , 2003 It must be quite a contortion to be able to hold your hands up, roll up your trouser leg AND wave a wet fish around all at the same time?!?! (especially under battlefield conditions) Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Historian Posted 10 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 10 December , 2003 I'm enjoying the jokes more than the thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 10 December , 2003 Share Posted 10 December , 2003 Hi, I remember reading acounts of this years ago. It seems that on a number of occasions, men desperately made the Masonic Sign of Distress in a last ditch attempt to avoid death, and were taken prisoner by shocked opponents who were also in the Craft. Actually, I did a bit of reading, and thought I had found an example of the "Masonic Sign of Distress" being used near Ypres in December 1917. In the end it turned out to have been the umpteenth Blankshires Chritmas Party, - "A" Company doing the "Hokey Cokey"! You take your left leg out, in out, in out, and shake it all about.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Historian Posted 10 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 10 December , 2003 *dries tears from eyes* Think I put this in the wrong bit of the forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 10 December , 2003 Share Posted 10 December , 2003 There is a well known anecdote concerning Arthur Currie (himself a freemason). In 1915, concerned with the absence of counter battery work, he is said to have asked his artillery advisor: "Is there some kind of free Masonry between the artillery of both sides? They fire at the opposing infantry but never at each other." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FrankB Posted 8 January , 2004 Share Posted 8 January , 2004 I believe that some non-Masonic books (= "Please, honourable The_Historian, don't bury me after ripping out my ..." ) show the hailing call in a diagram that could be part of a hesitant version of the international "I surrender" gesture. Thus, if intending to surrender anyway, a Mason could move "through" the sign before ending up at a more universal one if still necessary. Whether this has been documented as fact or just speculation is for someone with more knowledge to say. It would be worth a try as the captor is unlikely to allow the chance to exchange handshakes ... Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Maier Posted 8 January , 2004 Share Posted 8 January , 2004 If you Google for Masonic sign of distress you can learn the prescribed antics and the words that go with them if you want the magic to work. There are a number of references to people trying this as a lifesaving technique. At a glance, I did not see any that related to the Great War. Most seemed to refer to the American Civil War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 8 January , 2004 Share Posted 8 January , 2004 Most interesting!! Some of the most enduring photo's from WW2 in the Australian War Memorial are those of Italians surrending at Bardia. Seems a lot of them may have been Masons...........there were also seem to have been quite a few in Singapore! Have a look at this link and scroll to the bottom of the page. http://www.ephesians5-11.org/handshakes.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottsGreys Posted 9 January , 2004 Share Posted 9 January , 2004 Gordon: I can't comment on the Great War, but there are enduring stories of the Masonic distress sign being given by combatants in the American Civil War to gain favorable treatment or quarter from the enemy. The most famous of these was when Mosby's Rangers had chosen six Union prisoners for execution in retaliation for a like number being previously executed by the Yankees. One of the condemned, a lieutenant, saw that one of Mosby's officers wore a Masonic pin and gave the distress sign. The officer intervened and had the lieutenant spared, although they simply executed another in his place--I wonder if the lieutenant felt any guilt, seems like it would have been a hard thing to have to live with. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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