ase engineer
7th Jun 2006, 22:19
From today's Herald - True story, apochryphal story, or just made up?
Anyone know?
On a junket
General Sir Michael Walker, the chief of the defence staff and the country's most senior military commander, below, visited Iraq two weeks ago for a whistle-stop tour aimed at boosting morale among troops stuck in "the Sandpit".
As a line of sweating soldiers was wheeled out to be presented to him in 110º heat, the Great Man asked an RAF flight-lieutenant what his job was.
"I'm a Merlin helicopter pilot, sir." Seizing the moment for a bit of top-brass banter, General Walker pointed to an ageing and woebegone Sea King helicopter languishing by the edge of the runway. "You'll count yourself lucky, then, that you're not flying that piece of junk over there," he quipped.
Moving on to the next pilot in line, he repeated the what-do-you-do question. "I fly that piece of junk over there, sir." Cue embarrassed silence and swift retreat by general.
Anyone know?
On a junket
General Sir Michael Walker, the chief of the defence staff and the country's most senior military commander, below, visited Iraq two weeks ago for a whistle-stop tour aimed at boosting morale among troops stuck in "the Sandpit".
As a line of sweating soldiers was wheeled out to be presented to him in 110º heat, the Great Man asked an RAF flight-lieutenant what his job was.
"I'm a Merlin helicopter pilot, sir." Seizing the moment for a bit of top-brass banter, General Walker pointed to an ageing and woebegone Sea King helicopter languishing by the edge of the runway. "You'll count yourself lucky, then, that you're not flying that piece of junk over there," he quipped.
Moving on to the next pilot in line, he repeated the what-do-you-do question. "I fly that piece of junk over there, sir." Cue embarrassed silence and swift retreat by general.