Wanted - Military Vernacular Words and Phrases
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Mandria, Cyprus
Age: 69
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Here is one I am sure you all will understand!!!
I think we need to hit the ground running, keep our eye on the ball, and make sure that we are singing off the same song-sheet. At the end of the day it is not a level playing field and the goalposts may move; if they do, someone may have to pick it up and run with it. We therefore must have a golf bag of options hot-to-trot from the word "go". It is your train set but we cannot afford to leave it on the back-burner; we've got a lot of irons in the fire right now.
We will need to un-stick a few potential poo traps but it all depends on the flash-to bang time and fudge factor allowed. Things may end up slipping to the left and, if they do, we will need to run a tight ship. I don't want to reinvent the wheel but we must get right into the weeds on this one. If push comes to shove, we may have to up-stumps and then we'll be in a whole new ball game.
I suggest we test the water with a few warmers in the bank. If we can produce the goods then we are cooking with gas. If not, then we are in a world of hurt. I don't want to die in a ditch over it but we could easily end up in a flat spin if people start getting twitchy.
To that end, I want to get around the bazaars and make sure the movers and shakers are on-side from day one. If you can hit me with your shopping list I can take it to the head honchos and start the ball rolling. I know you're not the sharpest tool in the box and may be a few sandwiches short of a picnic, but together we'll be the best thing since sliced bread.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I think we have backed a winner here. If it gets blown out of the water, however, I will be throwing a track. So get your feet into my in-tray and give me chapter and verse as to how you see things panning out. As long as our ducks are in a row I think the ball will stay in play and we can come up smelling of roses.
Before you bomb-burst and throw smoke it is imperative we nail our colours to the mast and look at the big picture. We've got to march to the beat of the drum. We are on a sticky wicket, we'll need to play with a straight bat and watch out for fast balls.
I've been on permanent send for long enough and I've had my ten pence worth. I don't want to rock the boat or teach anyone to suck eggs. We must keep this firmly in our sight picture and not under our hats or it will fall between the cracks. If the cap fits, wear it, but it may seem like pushing fog uphill with a sharp stick. Did you all get that?"
We will need to un-stick a few potential poo traps but it all depends on the flash-to bang time and fudge factor allowed. Things may end up slipping to the left and, if they do, we will need to run a tight ship. I don't want to reinvent the wheel but we must get right into the weeds on this one. If push comes to shove, we may have to up-stumps and then we'll be in a whole new ball game.
I suggest we test the water with a few warmers in the bank. If we can produce the goods then we are cooking with gas. If not, then we are in a world of hurt. I don't want to die in a ditch over it but we could easily end up in a flat spin if people start getting twitchy.
To that end, I want to get around the bazaars and make sure the movers and shakers are on-side from day one. If you can hit me with your shopping list I can take it to the head honchos and start the ball rolling. I know you're not the sharpest tool in the box and may be a few sandwiches short of a picnic, but together we'll be the best thing since sliced bread.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I think we have backed a winner here. If it gets blown out of the water, however, I will be throwing a track. So get your feet into my in-tray and give me chapter and verse as to how you see things panning out. As long as our ducks are in a row I think the ball will stay in play and we can come up smelling of roses.
Before you bomb-burst and throw smoke it is imperative we nail our colours to the mast and look at the big picture. We've got to march to the beat of the drum. We are on a sticky wicket, we'll need to play with a straight bat and watch out for fast balls.
I've been on permanent send for long enough and I've had my ten pence worth. I don't want to rock the boat or teach anyone to suck eggs. We must keep this firmly in our sight picture and not under our hats or it will fall between the cracks. If the cap fits, wear it, but it may seem like pushing fog uphill with a sharp stick. Did you all get that?"
As Python fans will doubtless recall:
"Morning, Squadron Leader."
"What-ho, Squiffy!"
"How was it?"
"Top-hole. Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's-your-father; hairy blighter, dicky-birded, feathered back on his sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harpers and caught his can in the Bertie!"
"Er, I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, Squadron Leader."
"It's perfectly ordinary banter, Squiffy. Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's-your-father; hairy blighter, dicky-birded, feathered back on his sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harpers and caught his can in the Bertie!"
"No, I'm just not understanding banter at all well today. Give us it slower."
"Banter's not the same if you say it slower, Squiffy!"
"Hold on then... Wingco! Bend an ear to the Squadron Leader's banter for a sec, would you?"
"Can do!"
"Jolly good. Fire away."
"Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's-your-father; hairy blighter, dicky-birded, feathered back on his sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harpers and caught his can in the Bertie!"
"No, I don't understand that banter at all."
"Something up with my banter, chaps?"
(AIR RAID SIRENS)
"Bunch of monkeys on the ceiling, sir! Grab your egg-and-fours and let's get the bacon delivered!"
"Do you understand that?"
"No, I didn't get a word of it."
"Sorry, old man, we don't understand your banter."
"You know, bally tenpenny ones dropping in the custard! Um... Charlie choppers chucking a handful!"
"No no, sorry."
"Say it slower, old chap."
"Slower banter sir?"
"Ra-ther!".
"Um... sausage squad up the blue end?"
"No, still don't get it."
"Um... cabbage crates coming over the briny?"
"No, no......."
"Morning, Squadron Leader."
"What-ho, Squiffy!"
"How was it?"
"Top-hole. Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's-your-father; hairy blighter, dicky-birded, feathered back on his sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harpers and caught his can in the Bertie!"
"Er, I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, Squadron Leader."
"It's perfectly ordinary banter, Squiffy. Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's-your-father; hairy blighter, dicky-birded, feathered back on his sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harpers and caught his can in the Bertie!"
"No, I'm just not understanding banter at all well today. Give us it slower."
"Banter's not the same if you say it slower, Squiffy!"
"Hold on then... Wingco! Bend an ear to the Squadron Leader's banter for a sec, would you?"
"Can do!"
"Jolly good. Fire away."
"Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's-your-father; hairy blighter, dicky-birded, feathered back on his sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harpers and caught his can in the Bertie!"
"No, I don't understand that banter at all."
"Something up with my banter, chaps?"
(AIR RAID SIRENS)
"Bunch of monkeys on the ceiling, sir! Grab your egg-and-fours and let's get the bacon delivered!"
"Do you understand that?"
"No, I didn't get a word of it."
"Sorry, old man, we don't understand your banter."
"You know, bally tenpenny ones dropping in the custard! Um... Charlie choppers chucking a handful!"
"No no, sorry."
"Say it slower, old chap."
"Slower banter sir?"
"Ra-ther!".
"Um... sausage squad up the blue end?"
"No, still don't get it."
"Um... cabbage crates coming over the briny?"
"No, no......."
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Great Southern Land
Age: 57
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What are you lefts & rights of arc, digger? You after Brit lingo only? Can't really help with that, nor with too much Ronnie RAAF speak, but if you need help with someone who wears the baggy green suit, let me know.
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Isle of Man
Age: 73
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You could also try to get hold of a copy of "Liney-Speak - A Dictionary of Royal Air Force Ground-crew Jargon", by Richard Tory, published by Griffin ISBN 0 9515319 4 8 in 1991. It raised funds for BLESMA so in a good cause too.
It goes beyond simply Liney-Speak, brought back a lot of memories and is very entertaining - well, made me laugh anyway.
It goes beyond simply Liney-Speak, brought back a lot of memories and is very entertaining - well, made me laugh anyway.
The Hunter gun pack - Sabrinas.
Firing all four was much more fun than she could have supplied - and no, I'm not a poofta.
Drop tanks - jugs.
WE177 - bring some sunshine into somebodys' life.
Shackleton - forty thousand rivets in close formation.
Lightning - I was with it all the way until I let the brakes off (from personal experience).
Firing all four was much more fun than she could have supplied - and no, I'm not a poofta.
Drop tanks - jugs.
WE177 - bring some sunshine into somebodys' life.
Shackleton - forty thousand rivets in close formation.
Lightning - I was with it all the way until I let the brakes off (from personal experience).
A few that don't seem to have made it to the aircrew dictionary..
GICASI Get In Close And Smash It
Box Office (= all female cockpit, USAF origin)
Mach 3 telegraph pole
pilot's emergency rations = fat FJ nav (or vice versa)
Alone, Unarmed and Unafraid = Recce pilot; or, Out of Airspeed, Ammunition and Ideas (depending on your viewpoint)
.. and my civvy mates had never heard these...
Sharp as a beachball
If s/he had another braincell, it would be lonely
Chance Brothers (=Slim and Fat)
And one allegedly from a RN Officer's ACR
"Has a full six-pack, but lacks the plastic thingy to hold it all together"
GICASI Get In Close And Smash It
Box Office (= all female cockpit, USAF origin)
Mach 3 telegraph pole
pilot's emergency rations = fat FJ nav (or vice versa)
Alone, Unarmed and Unafraid = Recce pilot; or, Out of Airspeed, Ammunition and Ideas (depending on your viewpoint)
.. and my civvy mates had never heard these...
Sharp as a beachball
If s/he had another braincell, it would be lonely
Chance Brothers (=Slim and Fat)
And one allegedly from a RN Officer's ACR
"Has a full six-pack, but lacks the plastic thingy to hold it all together"
A few from the helicopter world:
"Let's pull pitch and f*** off!"
"If your wings don't rotate, you take it up the date."
"Base, skids down and welded."
'Ran out of Bernoullis' - hit the ground firmly at the bottom of an auto.
"Let's pull pitch and f*** off!"
"If your wings don't rotate, you take it up the date."
"Base, skids down and welded."
'Ran out of Bernoullis' - hit the ground firmly at the bottom of an auto.
