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While I compose another literary symphony please enjoy a post that was made by a very good friend from my past.
We were graduates of the Scheyville Officer Training Unit in the Australian Army.
treefrog
Joined: Dec 18, 2003
Posts: 4
From: Brisbane
Posted: 2003-12-18 18:16
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Got a call from a thousand years ago. On the phone was someone with a phoney Yank accent saying he was Duke Elegant (not his real name!)just visiting Australia and wanted to meet up. Naturally he invited himself for an indefinite period.
Two great days of talking - never let a good story be ruined by facts- and he headed off to the outback for Xmas. The bane of authority, collector of women with extreme cantelever structures and legend in his own lunchtime has mellowed a lot.
If you weren't in charge of him you could not help but like him. He pointed out this forum and going through it, now he heads off to continue with his personal battles, I want to confirm the PNG/Australian stuff is 100% "based on fact" as they say in the movies.
I first met him at Officer Training School back in 67 and for some reason (maybe most of us were heading for flying training although the Army wanted us to be grunts) we were part of a small group who are mates to this day. He was always "in the ****" but extremely popular with the staff and other cadets - because he took the heat off us. I think he had a regular reserved position on the 0500 punishment parades every morning.
He was caught red handed in the cadets mess one evening up on a table doing an impersonation of the distinctive characteristics of the colonel who unbeknown to him was standing off to the side. Anyhow, as he says of his unbelievable luck "If it was raining arseholes I would be hit with a c--t" and the colonel invited him to partner his daughter who was visiting for a dance.
The next morning he was at the colonel's house seeing the daughter off back to university.
Colonel "I chose him to partner you because he dresses so well"
Daughter " And so quickly too."
Duke stayed out of the colonel's way for the rest of the course.
Shortly after the sad period of Barry Mayhew's death so well related by Duke, there was a huge summer ball at the officers mess at RAAF Point Cook. State Governor, mayor, admirals and generals were invited. Duke brought a girl who, if she fell flat on her face would look like a Piper Cub on Tundra tires. Anyhow, the lesser mortals stuffed down the back of the room got sick of foxtrots and waltzes and pooled together to bribe the band (against strict instructions from the base commander) to play some "proper" 60's music.
I seem to recall it was during a Stones number that Duke and the watermelon girl were swinging wildly when he lost his grip and she flew through the air, crashed into the band, displacing the drummer and his gear into a heap over the back of the stage.
Much to the horror of the Governor's wife and delight of the Second Lieutenants our heroine's low-cut dress had exceeded VNE and I think inspired the band (when they finally got sorted out) to launch into "Great Balls of Fire".
All 6 Army Officers, 5 of them completely? innocent, were banned from the Air Force mess for 3 months - thanks mate!
If anyone is interested there are lots more stories - particularly in PNG, Duke might not like to relate himself.
[ This Message was edited by: treefrog on 2003-12-19 18:02 ]