OK, who's on tour in Bermuda then?

[Bo Nalls]

From the Bermuda Royal Gazette 20/12/03



Cabbie ends RAF high jinks

A taxi driver came to the rescue after a bunch of drunken RAF officers tried to steal a Bermuda landmark – the sign outside the Swizzle Inn.
The worse for wear airmen took the heavy sign from outside the pub in the early hours of Tuesday morning after a heavy session the night before.
The officers, who were staying at next door Grotto Bay Beach, wrapped it up in stolen hotel towels and were planning to take it to the Airport next day when they were due to fly to England.
But after Grotto Bay bellman Wayne Mouchette spotted the sign and pointed it out to taxi driver Keith Astwood, the cabbie stepped in and told the officers it was going nowhere.
Mr. Astwood told The Royal Gazette yesterday: “I was at Grotto Bay and I saw the sign wrapped in towels by the trash container where the taxis park.
“I saw these RAF guys in their uniforms and they were going to take the sign into another taxi.
“I told them: ‘Don’t take that sign. I don’t care where you are from, it doesn’t belong to you’. They didn’t say nothing, they just looked at me.
“I’m not scared of those guys. That sign’s been there for years and it attracts tourists.”
Swizzle Owner Jay Correia said the RAF team, which stopped off in Bermuda after more than half a dozen caught food poisoning in the Caribbean, had also been in boisterous mood at Grotto Bay, stealing towels and flags.
He said: “They were a good bunch of guys who spent a ton of money and got out of their minds.
“I was surprised because normally I don’t get any trouble from the RAF guys. I am disappointed they tried to take it because it is a kind of tourist landmark, and I joke it is a national treasure of Bermuda.
“Grotto Bay were more upset about all this than I was. I spoke to (resident manager) Clyde Darrell and he was real steamed up because they stole all flags off the poles and a bunch of towels.
“They drank here the whole weekend and we did a great bit of business. I just wish they hadn’t tried to steal my sign.
“It’s back safe and sound now and I’m just glad it’s not hanging in some RAF squad room in England.”
Deputy Governor Nick Carter said two RAF Hercules stopped off in Bermuda after about 18 officers took food poisoning while in the Caribbean and had to go to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.
He said he did not know which squadron they were from or that there had been high jinks at Swizzle and Grotto Bay.
“Its news to me. They were flying from the Caribbean and they think about a dozen and a half of them caught food poisoning and we put them in touch with KEMH,” said Mr. Carter.
Mr. Darrell of Grotto Bay said yesterday: “I think it was just one flag. There’s no big deal.”

[Bright-Ling]

There isn't a crew room in the RAF without something that hasn't got an item that has been borrowed for decoration and amusement!!

A fine line though between theft and gizzits though!

B-L

[SirPeterHardingsLovechild]

Dammit Carruthers, we've been penetrated.

A few points in no particular order.

1. Yes I was there
2. No, it wasn't anyone on my crew.
3. Therefore it must have been the passengers, or the other Herc crew, but almost definitely the passengers as the taxi drivers retrieval incident occured before the front enders had checked out. (But while I was 'avin a fag)
4. 'Officers'?? Er...no.
5. I hope this doesn't get in the press..oh b@gger.
6. Passengers are permitted to be shabby in the morning.


I am delighted to be mentioned in the report as one of a 'good bunch of guys who spent a ton of money'

Barmaid 'Isabelle' signed my till receipt 'You are the best! Je vais aime - Revenez vite a Swizzle Inn'. I Don't speak French, but is that love plural? ie All of us or just me?

Mind you, me and my colleague had just made 3 unsuccessful attempts to count out $328 including the 'suggested gratuity'

JUST IN CASE THE TABLOIDS RUN THIS ON MONDAY

I say again. 'Drunken RAF Officers...flying to England the next day...

THIS IS MISREPORTED - YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD

Mind you,

Officers = High Jinks
Other Ranks = Theft, Vandalism etc

[tradewind]

Officers or Airman, a bit daft doing it in uniform - assuming the report is true of course!

[Gainesy]

Yep, more kudos for trophy bagging in the nude.:)

[10forcash]

On the subject of 'trophies' anyone know the whereabouts of a slightly scuffed J wingtip ?? :uhoh:

[StopStart]

Yes :)


As for Bermuda, where's that?

PS. Leslie Grantham obviously had the right idea...bloody taxi drivers.

[BEagle]

Whilst I can understand the need to be partially anaesthetised in order to endure several hours as a ‘passenger’ in the bowels of one of HM’s grubby old $hit-shifters, theft is theft. A shame that a stupid few should let the side down in this way – but in uniform? Unbelievable....

[SirPeterHardingsLovechild]

Uniform?

No - The report misleads you. The sign was deposited in a hedge (or 'by the trash container') from the previous night. The next morning, in uniform, they tried to retrieve their trophy.

But we do have a disgruntled taxi driver here. Our taxis (for 50 odd people) were pre-paid by contract and he wasn't one of them. So he had to sit there without a fare as all these hungover blokes ignored him, and the contract taxis shuttled.

Beags. Theft is theft, and Vandalism likewise.

Unless of course you are an Officer, drink driving the adjutant's Vauxhall Corsa through a burning piano.

Then, my old friend, it is High Jinks. :}

[BEagle]

But if you happen to be the Stn Cdr driving, I suppose you could always give yourself a bollocking.....??

Yes - it's unbelievable that the incident would have happened in uniform, hence I very much doubt the accuracy of any of the report.

'Trophies' do indeed grace various crewrooms; it must be the magic fairies who do it, I guess. (I don't mean fairies in either the avionic technician or the uphill-gardening sense!)

[Gainesy]

Does 12Sqn still have the pub sign , erm, 'donated by' The Fox in Honington village? :suspect:

[Sadbloke]

Beags

Seem to remember my car spontaneously combusting shortly after a Stn Cdr had been at the controls - don't remember any Adjutant or Vauxhall mind - same bash?? Rather annoyingly made the Mail on Sunday - Folks also in uniform - shame! Major difference to Bermuda - no theft (although I felt like I'd been robbed when I awoke in the morning with car a frazzled wreck!)

[Huron Topp]

My old man had a sign which was aquired during an Argus trip to Kinloss back in the '60s. His crew deposited said sign onto the beast while his back was turned(yeah, right!).

Said sign was then given to me (when I was in the mob) and was henceforth aquired by Officers unknown of the Canadian Airborne Regiment. No idea where it ended up! B^ggers swiped it from my party room at home, also known as the Delinquent Officers' Mess.

Nice blue and white, weighed about 60 lbs. and was from the Scottish Heritage Trust. Sure it didn't take long for the locals to notice their Culloden Battlefield sign was gone.

[Dunhovrin]

Difference between theft and gizzits?

getting caught!