Standing still was prescribed down to finger placement in the drill manuals
Evidence
The ankles of every soldier must be close to each other and be aligned on a straight line … and the angle between the foot and that line should be acute … The body must be as straight as a post. The shoulders must be held back and the elbows must touch his body. The palms must be turned outward a little, and the little finger must be placed along the plaited cord (qītān) of the pocket of the trousers. The head must be held upright with no fatigue in such a way that the chin be close to the neck, but without covering it. The eyes have to be looking ahead at a distance of approximately fifteen feet. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 738
Categorization
Category: Factual Claims