BB:-
Perhaps burning the Co's wooden bungalow down at 3 am in the morning was a step too far.
I imagine that caused a sharp drawing in of breaths over various keyboards. The past of course is a far off country, they do things differently there. COs held greater sway then than in these PC days. The Powers of a Subordinate Commander were both specific and very wide ranging. The corollary was that unpopular ones who wielded that power poorly could expect payment in kind. The loss of residence by arson nonetheless would be a bit OTT to say the least. Having avoided being the subject of a BoI, our man now seems banged to rights for a CM. Or is he? We must wait and see...
The nearest, but much paler, instance of COcide that I can recall is the matter of the Stn Cdr RAF Christmas Island's Goldfish. As this large parish (approx. 30 miles N to S ISTR) was on a Care and Maintenance basis, the CO was a Wg Cdr, and he had made the most of being sovereign of all that he surveyed. He commandeered the RNO's MFV and had it fitted out with harnesses, seats, and outriggers for deep sea fishing. In contrast he had an ornamental fishpond constructed in front of his quarters and populated it with said goldfish (a generic term only, no idea of their specific type).
At some point he had pushed buttons too far and at high tide a bunch of politically motivated young men threaded a large piece of meat onto a likewise large hook, which in turn was on the end of a long strong rope. With great skill, acquired from imbibing many JCs (the booze was 1d a tot, the mixer a disgraceful 2d!), the bait was cast. The team retired to further enhance their skill levels, and returned at low tide to find a very furious shark at the other end of the rope thrashing about in the shallows. It was promptly clubbed senseless and carried to the CO's ornamental pond in which it was deposited in order to recuperate. All this was at night and in the very early morning, so that the CO was confronted by the unwelcome guest in his pond as he left his accommodation to go to work. Having woken, the shark was even more furious and had promptly taken it out on the other occupants of the pond. The miscreants were however nowhere to be found, these being pre CCTV days. The clear up, like all such clear ups, occurred after the CoC had drilled downwards to a level where it could drill no further.
I am sorry if this story has upset those of a nervous disposition. It is wrong on so many levels, I know, but it is merely as I was told it. I wasn't there you understand, but thousands of miles away. I even have the log book entries to prove it.
The past is a far off country...