Ministry of Defence sinks navy’s cocktail parties
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I can't help but wonder if the shower in power actually think that the cocktail party is a jolly purely laid on for the benefit of the Wardroom? As I seem to remember they could actually be a real nuisance involving a lot of work for the Ship's Company (the seaman had to rig the awning, stewards serve drinks in what would be their free time and YOs construct imaginative fountains on the flightdeck) and generally speaking the guests, depending on the port, could be a tedious bunch. That's not to say that there weren't quite a few laughs and enjoyment at the "after party" which inevitably took place later (great memories...). The actual business of putting on a CP was formulaic and staged in the way that only the Andrew could pull off - ie to appear to be relaxed and informal whilst actually having been carefully stage managed. On a 6 month deployment, putting one of these things on in every port takes the sheen off the experience. The attendees universally loved the experience however, and the impression it gave of the UK was totally out of proportion to the miniscule cost incurred. At the end of the day, it was only the cost of the drinks. What a pathetic place we're becoming....
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If this is true then I feel sorry for those about to join the RN. Happy memories of many a CP (met my now wife at a CP in Naples). You cannot put a price on the goodwill that these events produce, not to mention the endless trapping and grippo opportunities. The best ever CP I was lucky enough to be at was at anchor under Sydney Harbour Bridge, the good-looking squadron guys went ashore and handed out invites to pretty girls. Problem was that the pretty ones photocopied the invites and on the night we had about 1500 women waiting for a boat transfer onboard. Simple solution, a committe of taste at the gangway to filter the pretty ones down aft (to the wardroom) and the rest shared around the 2 Petty Officers' Mess and the WO and CPOs' Mess, even so it was about 4 aussie birds to 1 RN Officer MAGIC EVENING!!! and reminds me of my fav pussers saying 'Good run ashore even the batchelors trapped'. Then there was Brisbane, Bombay, Hawaii, Venezuela, Mexico, Singers, Honkers, Phillly, blah blah blah.......
They were an excellent tradition and as far as flag waving is concerned, very good value for money. But I seem to remember that the RAF equivalent, the Battle of Britain cocktail part used to appear on our mess bills. And it wasn't cheap.
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All cocktail parties, regardless of the shade of blue uniform involved, have one VERY significant benefit ... which is to engage the local population [either at home or abroad] with the Armed Forces. In the process they generally discover, many of them for the first time, that the military are not [generally] homicidal knuckle-draggers.
Battle of Britain CP at Bentley Priory was a MAJOR event, but I have no recollection of it being prohibitively expensive. In any case, IIRC there used to be something about "an officer's social responsibilities". What were we saying earlier about the "cost of everything and value of nothing"?
Battle of Britain CP at Bentley Priory was a MAJOR event, but I have no recollection of it being prohibitively expensive. In any case, IIRC there used to be something about "an officer's social responsibilities". What were we saying earlier about the "cost of everything and value of nothing"?
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Having Served 32 years in the RN and a further 11 years in the FCO. I can vouch for the great value of the RN cocktail party in aiding overseas diplomacy. The Labour Party need to develop a greater grasp of the value of tradition. Instead of the union led, reduce every one to the lowest level mentality.
Get rid of Brown and the rest of the left wing plonkers.
Get rid of Brown and the rest of the left wing plonkers.
BBC News - Chinese oil firm buying 50% stake in Argentine group
Always knew the Chinese had interests off the South America coast - I wonder how this will effect any draw downs in UK Naval Power? Time for a rethink if we still want to take oil from the Falklands!!!
Always knew the Chinese had interests off the South America coast - I wonder how this will effect any draw downs in UK Naval Power? Time for a rethink if we still want to take oil from the Falklands!!!
Old traditions.....
.....having enjoyed many CockersP s over my time in light blue, from an "O" boat in Derry to HMS Rothsay in Singapore I feel desparately sad at this turn of events. What now will be the opportunity for the old custom of "baron strangling"?? Some chaps built careers and marriages on that process.
The Ancient Mariner
The Ancient Mariner
Do you guys really think that a £70,000 savings measure is run by Main Building? This will be a Navy Command decision, made by dark blue personnel, not civil servants. What a great way of getting the British public (and even the Crabs!) onside about the extent of the cuts being done to the Senior Service - and so much easier than having leave documents on a towpath! Don't underestimate how good the Navy are at this sort of thing - they've been surviving defence cuts for 500 years.
As I posted on ARRSE
At the risk of sounding dull, this seems to be a PR10 measure which has backfired - as a NAVY measure, it would have been put forward and staffed by Naval Officers down at HQ NAVY. I suspect that it was put forward as an "untouchable" measure, by people thinking "no one will ever do this, someone else can find the money" - they didnt realise how brutal PR10 was and how pretty much every savings option was taken.
I also strongly suspect that the same "senior naval sources" whining now, are the ones who staffed it never expecting it to be taken.
Lesson Idendtified: When doing savings measures, don't draw up ones you think will never be taken!
At the risk of sounding dull, this seems to be a PR10 measure which has backfired - as a NAVY measure, it would have been put forward and staffed by Naval Officers down at HQ NAVY. I suspect that it was put forward as an "untouchable" measure, by people thinking "no one will ever do this, someone else can find the money" - they didnt realise how brutal PR10 was and how pretty much every savings option was taken.
I also strongly suspect that the same "senior naval sources" whining now, are the ones who staffed it never expecting it to be taken.
Lesson Idendtified: When doing savings measures, don't draw up ones you think will never be taken!
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A stupid decision. As a former light blue I consider myself very fortunate to have attended 2 'cockers p' courtesy of the dark blues; one in the Virgin Islands and one in Abu Dhabi.
As I was on holiday at the time the Virgin Islands bash on a Type 23 appeared to have much kudos amongst the locals and neighbouring American Virgin Islands and did much for goodwill.
However, the Abu Dhabi one was a real eye opener. I was part of a MOD staff tour looking at loan service personnel and we ended up talking to some BAe, Vickers and other defence hardware people. Some of the deals that were being brokered had to be heard to be believed. Even if only a tiny percentage of them eventually came off then UK PLC was quids in by a country mile. Certainly many many times more than it cost for a few G & Ts on a Type 42.
As I was on holiday at the time the Virgin Islands bash on a Type 23 appeared to have much kudos amongst the locals and neighbouring American Virgin Islands and did much for goodwill.
However, the Abu Dhabi one was a real eye opener. I was part of a MOD staff tour looking at loan service personnel and we ended up talking to some BAe, Vickers and other defence hardware people. Some of the deals that were being brokered had to be heard to be believed. Even if only a tiny percentage of them eventually came off then UK PLC was quids in by a country mile. Certainly many many times more than it cost for a few G & Ts on a Type 42.
Gentleman Aviator
Nibbled to death by ducks (doubtless from taxpayer-funded Duck Houses). I fondly recall a Cockers P in Kuwait just before the last Gulf Unpleasantness ... much appreciated by local people, expats and (comme moi!) the odd Crab allowed out of the desert to attend!
And as a thoughtful letter in today's Torygraph notes, £480k has just been spent on refurbishing one of the Bars in the Houses of Parliament ..... and that'd be one of the bars that you can smoke in, 'cos (quelle surprise) anti-smoking rules don't apply in the Hs of P - just like HMPs .....
And as a thoughtful letter in today's Torygraph notes, £480k has just been spent on refurbishing one of the Bars in the Houses of Parliament ..... and that'd be one of the bars that you can smoke in, 'cos (quelle surprise) anti-smoking rules don't apply in the Hs of P - just like HMPs .....
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"Gin and tonic Ma'am?" ... "There you go"... (fills glass) "Tonic will be round in a minute"! 
Good God alive - Poor old Nelson will most surely be squirming, never mind turning, in his most public grave! Just typical of the politically correct bxlloxcks that we're becoming. Of course £70k would buy a much needed set of body armour or 2 a year, but the whole point is missed. Baby, this is bathwater, radio check over?
Thing that bugs me most is that it's about the same figure as quoted to provide all FAA personnel a set of wings to wear on their shirts, jumpers, pyjamas etc. I'd rather be trooped!
Good God alive - Poor old Nelson will most surely be squirming, never mind turning, in his most public grave! Just typical of the politically correct bxlloxcks that we're becoming. Of course £70k would buy a much needed set of body armour or 2 a year, but the whole point is missed. Baby, this is bathwater, radio check over?Thing that bugs me most is that it's about the same figure as quoted to provide all FAA personnel a set of wings to wear on their shirts, jumpers, pyjamas etc. I'd rather be trooped!
)
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One wonders if this is a knee-jerk reaction to some newspaper article filed by a young reporter who was invited to such an evening and who subsequently listed the expensive excesses of the event during these hard pressed times....
Anybody out there read/heard of such a report?
Anybody out there read/heard of such a report?
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Quid Pro Quo
Having been a guest at 'Cocker's P' on many occasions from The Clyde to Madagascar and ports in between, I knew about Dark Blue tradition. The Gin Pennant is one such. It displays a gold coloured wine glass on a green background, and when flown from one of Her Majesty's ships, it means:
"Ladies, and gentlemen of officer (or equivalent) rank, seeing this pennant are invited to the Wardroom for drinks and hospitality."
I was involved in arranging a three-week, three-Nimrod detachment to Bermuda. Loads of signal messages back and forth between our Cornish Squadron and the RN staff in Bermuda. My last signal ended:
"Gin Pennant will be hoist on arrival."
When we taxied in, the Gin Pennant was flying above the cockpit. The Royal Navy staff were gobsmacked at that, and then at the array of drinks and canapés that were served in our Nimrod galley. 'Pinkers G,' 'Horses Necks,' Single Malts et al. Naturally we took it all in modest good grace, not letting them know that we had stocked up in the Class Six (Duty Free) store and the Commissary in Lajes the day before. The cost? Somewhat less than $US 10 from each of the crew, with plenty of grog left over. Were we ever well looked after in Bermuda?
Light Blue can do it too!
"Ladies, and gentlemen of officer (or equivalent) rank, seeing this pennant are invited to the Wardroom for drinks and hospitality."
I was involved in arranging a three-week, three-Nimrod detachment to Bermuda. Loads of signal messages back and forth between our Cornish Squadron and the RN staff in Bermuda. My last signal ended:
"Gin Pennant will be hoist on arrival."
When we taxied in, the Gin Pennant was flying above the cockpit. The Royal Navy staff were gobsmacked at that, and then at the array of drinks and canapés that were served in our Nimrod galley. 'Pinkers G,' 'Horses Necks,' Single Malts et al. Naturally we took it all in modest good grace, not letting them know that we had stocked up in the Class Six (Duty Free) store and the Commissary in Lajes the day before. The cost? Somewhat less than $US 10 from each of the crew, with plenty of grog left over. Were we ever well looked after in Bermuda?
Light Blue can do it too!
