Vedette

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The French military term vedette (formed from Latin videre, to see), migrated into English and other languages to refer to a mounted sentry or outpost, who has the function of bringing information, giving signals or warnings of danger, etc, to a main body of troops. In modern terms, the soldiers who man listening-posts are the equivalent of vedettes.

All around Salisbury Plain in southern England, the roads connecting the plain with the surrounding countryside feature a brick-built guard-post, manned by security officers whenever there is military activity beyond that point. They are known as vedettes, each being named for a local geographic feature.

Navies use the term vedette to refer to a small scouting boat.

In the entertainment industry, vedette refers to a star performer of stage or screen.

Kenneth J Alford (F.J. RIcketts) composer of the Colonel Bogey March in 1912 wrote a march entitled The Vedette.

The first aircraft designed to Canadian specifications was named Vedette.

[edit] References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

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