Say it ain't so.
MPN-11,
I'm afraid I was not in a uniformed branch of Customs (when I would have appeared as as a pale imitation of a Lieutenant RN), so cannot throw any more light on the foibles of the US Customs than the average layman.
Offhand, I would say that you were perfectly correct in assuming it was a strategem to create Job Opportunities where there were no Jobs. This I saw in its most blatant form as the "Indian Rope Trick" (Two men, one spade and a piece of rope: No.1 digs in and rests from his labour. No.2 has the rope tied to the bottom of the spade handle, he heaves out the spoil, No.1 takes over, and so on).
And if you think that is a Tall Story, you should take a look at the Administration of the NHS, and weep (if you are a taxpayer of this fair Land, that is), as I assume you to be....D.
Ian BB,
It is mainly so, as I have to tell you. All good things must come to an end, and my story is no exception. I have always intended to bring it to a close when I took the Light Blue off for the final time, and shall not extend it into any chronolgical tale of my time as a (generally feared and treated with suspicion) VATman. In any case, Mr Alf Wight (aka James Herriot), who treated our "Sally" for her odd doggy ailment in his surgery in Churchgate (Thirsk), had the cumudgeonly but lovable Dales Farmer business pretty well sewn up; a retired Schools Inspector (name forgotten) had followed up with the Dales Village Schools angle; I do not wish to tag along with "A VATMan in the North York Moors Pubs" - that would be just too much !
Yet I hope our Moderators will permit me the status of an Emeritus "Old Man in the Corner", who may butt in from time to time on this Thread (or its successor in title, for Old Soldiers Simply Fade Away, and most have already done so). And: "Dum Spiro, Scribo" is a good motto. So you may not have heard the last of Danny42C and whatever non-PC bee buzzes most loudly in his bonnet at any one time.....D.
Smudge,
I take your point, and it is a good one, but what happens to any serviceman when his days are numbered is governed by as many variables as was his (particularly wartime, if old enough) career in Post (ie 99% Luck !) Be content with this: Danny cannot complain of the way things turned out for us; for some they may have been better; for many, worse. There are no signposts.
"Diutius est....", had me on the ropes, for my first guess was based on the similarity to "Duty", but that is barking up the wrong tree. I reckon "It's been a long, long road, we've travelled" might be nearer the mark - correct translation, please !
I'm rather surprised that no one has "twigged" the "divesting...tunic" connection. Many moons ago Chugalug and I puzzled over the exact wording of the famous example (in the Manual of Air Force Law) of Insubordination. In this, our hero:
"... Cast down his rifle, and divesting himself of his tunic said: "I'll serve no more - do with me what you will", or words to that effect....." (and any Serviceman can supply suitable words !) As I remarked at the time: "They did things with Style in those days".
All of you, be of good heart: there's still 18 months of Leeming and a few shots left in the locker yet.....D.
Getting late, Goodnight to you all, God bless, Danny.
Last edited by Danny42C; 8th Sep 2014 at 11:42.
Reason: Spacing (and Spelling !)