Sense of Humo(u)r failure?
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If the young guard did get 28 days then it is a disgrace. An over-reaction.
And possibly real evidence the UK military is suffering from a crisis of confidence at the moment.
And possibly real evidence the UK military is suffering from a crisis of confidence at the moment.
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
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Sorry, totally disagree Hangarshuffle. This lad is in the Household Division and they take guarding the monarch very seriously. Discipline in the Guards has always been tough and this guardsman would have known what to expect. As I said before, this may the start of working his ticket.
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We take discipline seriously in the Foot Guards - not a secret and something of a point of pride. Our position in the Army, the feats of arms accomplished by those who wore the uniform before us and indeed by those who will wear it when we have gone, are founded on that simple, immovable point. I can't really comment on the incident in question except to say that I haven't encountered a great deal of sympathy for him amongst our NCOs. If he got 21 days, he will almost certainly have 'done' them at Colly - very few, if any, barracks these days have licenced cells any more. Even quite new ones are out of ticket now - the Home Office regulations change so fast that it's simply too expensive to keep upgrading them, so we've ended up with just a few 'hub' locations.
Grenadiers (probably resenting somewhat their more illustrious elders
) are especially 'regimental' about such things. I am minded of one of the most impressive soldiers I have ever met, a giant of a man, sadly later KIA, who, on a previous tour, carried a wounded Guardsman over his shoulder for something like a 2km fighting extraction. On reaching the point at which they were finally able to set up an HLS, the man thanked him profusely for saving his life, though in somewhat over familiar terms. The response was 'that's Sir to you, you c***'. Firmly tongue in cheek, and couldn't possibly have raised his stock any higher.
BTW - our bayonets are not usually sharp. The points are, because it's a stabbing weapon, but a sharp blade is liable to cut into and stick in the ribs of one's adversary, rather than force them apart. Awkward to be left stuck in one chap when there are more of HM's enemies waiting to be offered a bit of Sheffield's cheapest steel.
Grenadiers (probably resenting somewhat their more illustrious elders
) are especially 'regimental' about such things. I am minded of one of the most impressive soldiers I have ever met, a giant of a man, sadly later KIA, who, on a previous tour, carried a wounded Guardsman over his shoulder for something like a 2km fighting extraction. On reaching the point at which they were finally able to set up an HLS, the man thanked him profusely for saving his life, though in somewhat over familiar terms. The response was 'that's Sir to you, you c***'. Firmly tongue in cheek, and couldn't possibly have raised his stock any higher.BTW - our bayonets are not usually sharp. The points are, because it's a stabbing weapon, but a sharp blade is liable to cut into and stick in the ribs of one's adversary, rather than force them apart. Awkward to be left stuck in one chap when there are more of HM's enemies waiting to be offered a bit of Sheffield's cheapest steel.
Thought police antagonist
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Quite amusing to read the huffing and puffing about the Guardsman...personally, I would promote him...however.
Even more amusing to read about what is considered acceptable social clothing...Pavlov would be proud !. But then, standards have also been mentioned and some of you on here may recall, or have been part of, this example of standards.
May ( ish ) 2009 and I was plonked in a hotel at Southsea by an employer for about 3 weeks. The hotel was clearly used by the Gov't as there were a lot of RFA guys transiting through, however, everybody happily mingled together.
Arrive back one night to find two coaches and lobby full of 2.5 / 3 rings in the main, blue suits.
Shrivenham's "less than finest" had arrived it seemed.
Apart from blocking the lobby, there were loud mutterings as to why civilians were being processed before them ! It never, seemingly, occurred to the intellectual elite, that, as they were being checked in, and other guests already were and were simply collecting mail and keys, about 2 mins if that, there was no reason for them to wait and queue and this was how the hotel were processing matters. Common sense in play.
That evening, the bar becomes an extension of the Mess. No intermingling, the bar "assumed" to be for their exclusive use, it was also a dining area, but that to was ignored by the influx. It gets better, or worse.
Sat outside having a beer and they decide to go for a night out to Gunwharf. Pure farce !...a series of groups emerge, all dressed more or less the same and all are duly formed up for...a briefing no less, as to how they will get in the taxi, where they will get out, where they will go.
You stood out like the proverbial and there are plenty of people in the UK who are not disposed to the military.
The crowning glory..breakfast next day. The dining room opened at 07.00, promptly, every day and was run by a very nice lady. There was always a small queue of early risers waiting and general small talk ensued.
Enter our two, brevet wearing, 2.5 ring "heroes"....possibly visually impaired, unlikely, or just plain pig ignorant, highly likely, they sauntered past the queue and entered the dining room...to be ejected a very short time later by said lady....the looks on their faces were, as they say, priceless as she informed them of the fact, that breakfast started at..07.00, not before. They were lingering near the door until an RFA gentleman kindly pointed out, that, "the queue starts here..mate".
There must have been possibly 70-80 people in the group.
As an exercise in PR it was an unmitigated disaster and the mutterings were loud and clear from the rest of the guests once they had left.
Some of you may, as I say, recognise yourselves from this little excursion.
When however, some of you choose to pontificate as to standards, blah, blah, some introspection may prove useful. Albeit unlikely.
Even more amusing to read about what is considered acceptable social clothing...Pavlov would be proud !. But then, standards have also been mentioned and some of you on here may recall, or have been part of, this example of standards.
May ( ish ) 2009 and I was plonked in a hotel at Southsea by an employer for about 3 weeks. The hotel was clearly used by the Gov't as there were a lot of RFA guys transiting through, however, everybody happily mingled together.
Arrive back one night to find two coaches and lobby full of 2.5 / 3 rings in the main, blue suits.
Shrivenham's "less than finest" had arrived it seemed.
Apart from blocking the lobby, there were loud mutterings as to why civilians were being processed before them ! It never, seemingly, occurred to the intellectual elite, that, as they were being checked in, and other guests already were and were simply collecting mail and keys, about 2 mins if that, there was no reason for them to wait and queue and this was how the hotel were processing matters. Common sense in play.
That evening, the bar becomes an extension of the Mess. No intermingling, the bar "assumed" to be for their exclusive use, it was also a dining area, but that to was ignored by the influx. It gets better, or worse.
Sat outside having a beer and they decide to go for a night out to Gunwharf. Pure farce !...a series of groups emerge, all dressed more or less the same and all are duly formed up for...a briefing no less, as to how they will get in the taxi, where they will get out, where they will go.
You stood out like the proverbial and there are plenty of people in the UK who are not disposed to the military.
The crowning glory..breakfast next day. The dining room opened at 07.00, promptly, every day and was run by a very nice lady. There was always a small queue of early risers waiting and general small talk ensued.
Enter our two, brevet wearing, 2.5 ring "heroes"....possibly visually impaired, unlikely, or just plain pig ignorant, highly likely, they sauntered past the queue and entered the dining room...to be ejected a very short time later by said lady....the looks on their faces were, as they say, priceless as she informed them of the fact, that breakfast started at..07.00, not before. They were lingering near the door until an RFA gentleman kindly pointed out, that, "the queue starts here..mate".
There must have been possibly 70-80 people in the group.
As an exercise in PR it was an unmitigated disaster and the mutterings were loud and clear from the rest of the guests once they had left.
Some of you may, as I say, recognise yourselves from this little excursion.
When however, some of you choose to pontificate as to standards, blah, blah, some introspection may prove useful. Albeit unlikely.
Thought police antagonist
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Stick with Jetblast, Krystal. This is a grown ups forum
Tsk, how remiss of me not to know my place.
The bit at the end however....do you envisage some sort of precedent being set at some point by the luminaries who feel this is their private ante-room ?
JB is open to one and all...it's easy to find on the forum menu as well....in case you wish to venture forth ?
Tsk, how remiss of me not to know my place.
The bit at the end however....do you envisage some sort of precedent being set at some point by the luminaries who feel this is their private ante-room ?
JB is open to one and all...it's easy to find on the forum menu as well....in case you wish to venture forth ?
I'm surprised he got away without being invited to do the honourable thing with the Webley. One of the features of the Guards is that the spectacle brings a lot of tourist money into the UK. people have tried to make them smile or react for decades. Unsuccessfully I imagine and if so, not displayed in the world's press. It is the Guard's unique selling point and anybody privileged to join them would know that and wish to be a part of it. This young man has quite simply let the brand down spectacularly and deserves all he got.
Nice post, exrivofrigido, a good counter to some of the stupider "chocolate soldier" remarks about the foot guards being made by some on here who don't know what they're talking about.
I always recall Robert Graves in Goodbye to all That when one of his RWF soldiers complained about what he considered to be unnecessary bull while serving at the front. "It's not as if we're in the **** guards, sir". To which Graves replied - "When you can fight as well as the guards I'll slacken up on the bull, but not till then" He also pointed out that the guards tended to have a much lower incidence of trench foot and other debilitating physical ailments which the scruffier regiments were plagued by.
I always recall Robert Graves in Goodbye to all That when one of his RWF soldiers complained about what he considered to be unnecessary bull while serving at the front. "It's not as if we're in the **** guards, sir". To which Graves replied - "When you can fight as well as the guards I'll slacken up on the bull, but not till then" He also pointed out that the guards tended to have a much lower incidence of trench foot and other debilitating physical ailments which the scruffier regiments were plagued by.
Join Date: Jun 2005
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Not too much bothered about the shade of brown for the shoes...but those trousers seem to be a bit short, or pulled up too high
Mister B
Mister B
Last edited by HTB; 23rd Sep 2014 at 10:38.
those trousers seem to be a bit short
Come to think of it, I may make a small print of that and stick it in my lightweight pocket just for anyone who plays the 'brown in town' card
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Just looked at the piccy a bit more closely (old recce habit) and there seems to be a midget standing very close behind HRH, on the red carpet too. And what's happened to the rest of Mrs Wales's shadow? Curiouser and curiouser...
Mister B
Mister B
what's happened to the rest of Mrs Wales's shadow?
Just had a closer look at:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/...t_Photo_by.jpg
and, apart from a slight line along HRH's left ear, I couldn't see anything.
I'm sure you're correct; something not right there.
Ex Wyton, perchance?
p.s. The little guy's fabric colour is closer to mine but I don't recollect being there
Looks like the couple are standing on a raised dias or podium after probably mounting some steps.
The shadow on the left is of the guy standing behind Prince Charles and he is at a somewhat lower level ( Charles is quite short BTW) with the lens foreshortening the guy standing some way behind Lady Diana looks small.
The shadow on the left is of the guy standing behind Prince Charles and he is at a somewhat lower level ( Charles is quite short BTW) with the lens foreshortening the guy standing some way behind Lady Diana looks small.
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I think you will find that they are probably stood on a dais of some form. The shadow for the POW is actually from the chap stood very closely(!) behind him.
*beaten to it!!!
*beaten to it!!!
Last edited by gazellemiester; 23rd Sep 2014 at 11:49. Reason: Update