As a Pusser's brat I well remember the half-yearly promotions signal, and the importance of being near the telephone that morning.- A_A
The signal to which A_A refers used to come out at 1000 in the UK, which translated very nicely in the Far Flung to the bar opening in the evening, and I remember hearing the Gunnery Officer in one carrier coming into the wardroom anteroom and saying, "If X (the CO of 8** Squadron) gets promoted in this list, I'll eat my bloody hat". Five minutes later Guns was to be found on the fringes of X's party, chewing rather ineffectually on his Panama hat .....
Fg Off Courtney Mil was bollocked in the "Officers' Wardroom" onboard the TEV Rangatira in Stanley Harbour for being improperly dressed and ordered to buy a round for all those there present - Courtney Mil
At least the light blue do not run the risk the dark blue do of having to buy a round if spotted being improperly dressed with their shoulder straps "going astern", namely with the 'bow wave' of the curl facing aft, when it should face forward, just as on the sleeve of uniform jackets.
Nowadays of course, you can wind up your dark blue friends by checking whether, when wearing a chest badge of rank, they are correctly wearing the right hand slide - given that if they are in an area where it's necessary to wear a chest badge then it should be the last thing anyone should be worrying about! Stay safe ....
Jack