I lived in the DCA mess in 1970 for a few months.
Real Territorian characters to amuse you there.
Father John who blessed the beer and reckoned it was food enough so didn't eat too often.
Another old relic who sat on his bed till the wee hours, drinking Negritas and talking to immaginary tormentors who didn't obey his commands and were threatened with horrific injuries.
Lino the Italian painter who went nuts if his sleep was disturbed and sat proprierorially on a special chair in the dining room.
Nukur and Papa (the proud owner of a wheelie wheelie), the mess bois.
Con who got badly chopped by the prop of his boat he built in the mess grounds and had to give up the grog while he recuperated. The PMG tech's from Oz.
Can't remember the name of the woman who ran the mess but the bios will still. When they lovingly sharpen sarifs they're thinking of her. But then most missis's would be in that situation.
One day my hausbio there asked me if i could drive him and his family to the haus sik in my car. Him Meri and a couple of very snotty nosed offsprings. I said NO as that would just be the start of the taxi service.
A while later I felt a bit of a rat so I got changed and zdrove off to the aerodrome to check my mail and picked them up and dropped them off at the road to the hospital.... wasn't DELIVERING them to the door and spiolin' 'em.
Couple of days later the meri was under the building nursing a tiny infant while the boi did my ironing.
I said I didn't know they had a third... Oh yes masta remember the day you drove us to the hospital.....
I ask ya , How j know?