Origin of term "Early Stack"

[fireflybob]

The term "early stack" is, I believe, often used in the military in relation to packing up and going home early.

Anyone know the origin of this expression, please?

[SirToppamHat]

It is an old phrase indeed ... hasn't been heard at my Unit since about 1983!

At school we used to 'stack' the chairs at the end of the day so that the cleaner/caretaker could get at the floor more easily. Perhaps that's where it came from?

STH

[Sleeve Wing]

Very common in the sixties. Could apply to chairs, stools, books, magazines, coffee cups. Basically clear up crewroom and back to the Mess.

Another funny one (now) was "clear". We never seemed to "go" anywhere - we always "cleared".


;) ;)

[SpotterFC]

STH

If you've hardly heard the term in years, why do you keep on taking them?

:}

[STANDTO]

'Gash day'

Had plenty, but where did that come from?

:)

[Skylark4]

I believe "gash" was originally a Naval term for rubbish or slops as in " heaving the gash over the side" (or words to that effect). In the RAF it came to mean anything with no owner, something available for use by anyone who wanted it, un-allocated time or space.

Mike W

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Gash............not sure we should be using that word on here:E

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[Yeller_Gait]

early stack ?????

isn't that aircrew terminology for the end of the working day ? Certainly, as far as I am concerned it is .... ;)

It is not the quantity, but the quality that counts.

[FJJP]

Wasn't there an Air Marshall Stack, who, as a Sqn Cdr, used to tell his men to bu**er off and do their own thing on black flag days? None of this 'you must be fully occupied' lark that has crept in over recent years...

[Engineer]

It is a SNCO Term for going to the mess on Friday afternoon and enjoying 241 and running down NCO and Officers aircrew. :D

[FEBA]

Early Stack was never used in the Army. PUFO was the acronym there and probably still is.

[maxburner]

During my brief, but entertaining, 6 months with the Navy, the term ''thin out'' seemed to be used in much the same way as 'stack.' Don't know if that helps at all, but I thought I'd share it with you.

[Flatus Veteranus]

FJJP

There was indeed an AVM Stack who was at HQ FTC in the '60s. A mate of mine was on the staff there and phoned the ADC's number one Friday afternoon. A voice merely said "Stack". My mate said "thank you, Sir" and hung up. The AVM had a sense of humour and my mate even got promoted!

So the expression "stack" certainly preceded the Air Marshal of that name.

[BEagle]

Air Vice Marshal T N Stack was Commandant of RAFC Cranwell in 1968 in the days before it went comprehensive and merged with some secondary modern dump near Luton...

A very nice chap - my first ever Dining-In night in 1968 saw me sat directly across from him on the Junior Mess head table in that horrid interim mess-kit of hairy blues with gorgette patches, issue white shirt and single-ended bow tie. His tales of flying the Hawker Audax were fascinating........

[spekesoftly]

Another possible derivation - from the end of a card game - "stack the cards" - abbreviated "Stack!". First heard it, in my early RAF days, said by Australian exchange Aircrew - who also frequently used the intermediate "Hang Slack!" :p

What about "POETS DAY" - military or not?