Your husband will never be promoted if you wear trousers
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Mmmmmmm, trouble is, we were taught to salute wives-of as a matter of curtesy. Some no doubt believed it.
Now one senior wife-of was quite snooty. However when she became ex-wife-of became a shelf stacker at the local supermarket. She seemed far more real and relaxed on her knees (litteral) with former junior wives-of stepping over and around.
Think she was getting at VSO ex-husband.
Now one senior wife-of was quite snooty. However when she became ex-wife-of became a shelf stacker at the local supermarket. She seemed far more real and relaxed on her knees (litteral) with former junior wives-of stepping over and around.
Think she was getting at VSO ex-husband.
As a slight reference to some of the above comments, may I point out that in the Navy the Captain messes on his own, and is not a member of the wardroom. He may only come in by invitation.
This makes sense when one considers that "living above the shop", as the Navy have to do when onboard ship, would be intolerable if you were to be in the presence of your boss, arbiter of your future career, throughout your waking hours. Everybody needs the opportunity to say rude things about those that are set in authority over them from time to time.
The same thing is surely also true of the upper/lower deck divide.
This makes sense when one considers that "living above the shop", as the Navy have to do when onboard ship, would be intolerable if you were to be in the presence of your boss, arbiter of your future career, throughout your waking hours. Everybody needs the opportunity to say rude things about those that are set in authority over them from time to time.
The same thing is surely also true of the upper/lower deck divide.
Registered User **
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Botswana & Greece
Age: 68
Posts: 940
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
salute wives-of as a matter of curtesy
For the record my now ex-wife fitted in extremely well in the early 80s at NHT and there was no distinction between wives of different 'rank'.
My current wife, before we married, as a Flt Lt had to salute me in public but golly did I pay for it when we got home
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Berkshire, UK
Posts: 188
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's not only some wives who are conscious of their husband's rank. One weekend in the early 60s, a JO was working on his sports car behind the Mess, and was being annoyed by a 12 year old who was trying to interfere in what was going on. The JO eventually told the observer to leave the area, only to be told something along the lines of the JO couldn't talk to him like that because his daddy was a Wg Cdr. JO told the son of Wg Cdr to please tell his daddy that Fg Off JO told him to "F**k Off". Nothing was heard of any development.
Good point well made Schiller.
I also remember the story of the group of junior officers who had been invited to lunch with the local admiral in a probably better unmentioned Mediterranean location. Their boat having arrived inshore much earlier than the lunch party, they stopped for a swim at the local officers' club, where they met up with, and had fun and frolics with, a very attractive bikini-clad young lady who, for reasons unknown, ended up in a monokini. She rapidly left the scene to restore her modesty, but the young officers met her again very shortly afterwards - on arrival at Admiralty House where they discovered that she was in fact their host's very much younger wife .....
Fortunately, for the greater good of all, everyone's lips remained sealed.
In a vaguely similar vein, we always used to have fun calling very senior officers' wives Lady/Mrs every second word just to see how long it took before they eventually had to say, "Oh do call me X"!
Jack
I also remember the story of the group of junior officers who had been invited to lunch with the local admiral in a probably better unmentioned Mediterranean location. Their boat having arrived inshore much earlier than the lunch party, they stopped for a swim at the local officers' club, where they met up with, and had fun and frolics with, a very attractive bikini-clad young lady who, for reasons unknown, ended up in a monokini.
She rapidly left the scene to restore her modesty, but the young officers met her again very shortly afterwards - on arrival at Admiralty House where they discovered that she was in fact their host's very much younger wife ..... Fortunately, for the greater good of all, everyone's lips remained sealed.In a vaguely similar vein, we always used to have fun calling very senior officers' wives Lady/Mrs every second word just to see how long it took before they eventually had to say, "Oh do call me X"!
Jack
Last edited by Union Jack; 16th Oct 2011 at 15:38.
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: N. Spain
Age: 79
Posts: 1,311
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rank has it's privileges... But so does a lack of rank. As an SAC I never had to worry if the filthy scutter I just picked up would be acceptable in the NAAFI... 
Surely, when in uniform, saluting ladies is the same as raising one's hat when in mufti?
You should have seen the bunch we took back to a party in the OM one night 
As an SAC I never had to worry if the filthy scutter I just picked up would be acceptable in the NAAFI...
As an SAC I never had to worry if the filthy scutter I just picked up would be acceptable in the NAAFI - AA
You should have seen the bunch we took back to a party in the OM one night - Basil
How very democratic - but where did you leave the scutters?
Jack
You should have seen the bunch we took back to a party in the OM one night - Basil
How very democratic - but where did you leave the scutters?
Jack
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Hampshire
Age: 54
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The saluting as a courtesy (curtsey if you wish) to wives of etc I believe is linked to a bygone era of societal good manners. Much in the same way as saluting a civilian hearse on passing or if passed by, it was just a manner of paying respect. It has not a great deal to do with rank just good manners. I agree it sometimes viewed as anachronistic but manners maketh.......
As for wives that wear the rank of their spouse
As for wives that wear the rank of their spouse
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I always found the wives of non Aircrew were the worst snobs. One of the most pretentious cows I ever had had the mispleasure to meet was the OH of a blunty Admin Sec guy. She dressed about 20 years older than she should of and thought that she was living in the 1950's. She did not work and saw her role as a full time wife. She ended up getting shunned by other wives as she was a total embarrassment.
My current wife, before we married, as a Flt Lt had to salute me in public but golly did I pay for it when we got home
I'm never quite sure how to address military types with whom I am not on first name termds. "Excuse me, Squadron Leader X" always sounds terribly Miss Marble coming out of a civilian mouth, especially as I'm not familiar with which letters are habitually left out of spoken ranks in that special language known as RAF English.
Phil
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 367
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Biography Film & TV crew member based in Essex but mainly working in London. Occasional writer and "Knobcheese Journo".
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: In the State of Denial
Posts: 1,078
Likes: 0
Received 146 Likes
on
28 Posts
Biography Film & TV crew member based in Essex but mainly working in London. Occasional writer and "Knobcheese Journo".
should I leave too, as I do not fit the criteria?
Join Date: May 2011
Location: South of Spain.
Age: 64
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Surely, when in uniform, saluting ladies is the same as raising one's hat when in mufti?
Researching for a film/ book/ play?
based in Essex says it all
Just another bit of idle curiosity, I was watching TV news and there was Liam Fox (before he resigned) walking with one of his "job for the boys" bag carriers. Could someone please explain what that silly looking bit of gold curtain rope draped on their uniforms is all about? I think in home furnishing terms my girlfriend calls them 'swags' and apparently Dunelm sell them. I think i've seen admiral types wearing them too.