A test of character...
...In the all-ranks club at Comnavsouth at a games night some SOB paired me with the ADMIRAL against a couple of killicks. They were wiping the floor with us and there was lots of smirking as I failed even to "Chesty-chest" to get started. His admiralship was getting grumpier by the minute and questioning whether I'd ever played "this bloody game before". The honour of the RAF was at stake. And then my luck changed; I threw an unbroken run of sixes, blew both killicks back to the start, rolled up the admiral's counters with mine and had a clean run home. Phew!!
Sometimes on 210 at Ballykelly one had to queue to get a seat at the board in the crew-room, and sometimes most of the squadron stood around to barrack. There would be a collective intake of breath as a hand reached for a piece - "Fuzzy thinking" was the cry. Broke the confidence of many a strong man. Psychological warfare it was, I tell 'ee.
They wouldn't believe you nowadays.
The Ancient Mariner