Fishing...
 

Whenever any such similar 'fishing' might have taken place in an Officers' Mess, the 'fishermen' would invariably have passed a bar chit bearing their names / bar no.s through the shutters, so that no accusations of theft would be levied.

If you're going to have such a jolly jape, you must expect to pay for the fruits of your effort! Otherwise you're nothing more than a common thief....:=

Pontifex...Brilliant! I remember we had a Baa-ometric altimeter on the Hawk in '82. Calibrated by the height of a sheep.:ok::ok::D:)

OAP

Ah, unfortunately that didn't always keep you out of the Doo do. Now before I start the story I must emphasise that it wasn't me, I wasn't there. Also I may have heard it all wrong, there's someone who occasionally visits here who was nearer to the action than me :oh: and who may be able to tell the real story. That said, at a certain airfield in around 1980 Harry Staish took exception to the above practise. He therefore had the guilty b*****stds marched into his office, presented them with their signed chits as evidence of their crime and then threatened them with disciplinary action because as far as he was concerned drinking after hours indicated a lack of OQ's......:eek: :eek:

I believe after that dishonesty became the best policy....:oh::oh::oh:

Oh, the staish went on to do quite well though :\ there's a surprise.

It was the NAAFI staff told me one lunchtime when he was shutting up shop and these new boards appeared.. :}

You're absolutely right, the persons involved (not me obviously) removed the carcinogenous contents and put the empty packet back on the shelf in a reverse procedure, thus saving some poor soul fron the evils of tobacco. It was a service to humanity but they are accused of being common thieves. Tsk.

Coltishall Jaguar "survivors' " party, Fg Off(W) G M (my Neatishead OCPSF) had small hands so after the bar closed, and encouraged by the Jag contingent, managed to get beer through bar grille in empty crisp packets. Next morning Colt OCAW (and PMC) sees beer spill on carpet and calls for police investigation. Colt's OC Sy Flt rings Aunty Joan and says he needs to interview GM. Fine says Joan, make sure you arrive with "blues and twos". Shows how seriously she took it. She had a quiet word with Colt Staish and problem went away. G M also got banned from driving Service transport because she collected so much grass in the hub caps bouncing off the verges in the lanes.

Haven't done it but, in the mess, I really don't think it's a big deal - unless the bar staff are accused - then you'd absolutely have to come clean.
Don't forget, you are not in a public bar; you are in your own mess.

Mob used to get knickers in a twist over nothing. I recollect a little incident when I was invited to visit the Staish (No tea OR biscuits). Pitched up looking extremely smart, if I may say so, and instead of Staish, who was off at a meeting, was dealt with by elderly Wingco. His response: "If I was you age I'd be doing the same thing!" Top man! :ok:

Having just checked out my life expectancy on the other thread, it seems I'm past it anyway. Ahh well, bugger it all, I'll just get on with getting on I suppose. It's been a week of reading how everything that's good for you is really bad? Omega 3, vitamins, hell even lettuce. Thank goodness I rely on my beer intake for my full quota of everything wonderful :sad:

Smudge

The great thing about life expectancy and the drinking culture is the fact that you have had a great life of drinking, smoking and every other indulgence, therefore, theoretically, you should be have been dead many years earlier, but when you keep going, every year is an extra bonus:D:O:ok:

Whereas those that have lived healthily and had a boring life by not participating in the above tend to think they will live forever, but only to find themselves a little bit pi$$ed off when they croak it earlier :{:{……and contrary to popular belief that does tend to happen more often than not!! :E:E

...it seemed the natural thing to do.

(apologies to the Craven A advert)

regards

wets

Ten pages and nobody seems to have mentioned RAF Gan. Again drinking was a way of life not a culture. I believe the siggies on Hittadu had their salary paid to the Squadron bar and at the end of the week they were told if they had anything left.

The CO of Gan approved bars selling alcohol if they were squadron bars or something to do with a pastime or sport. How they managed to get a mountaineering club bar I will never know.

One early morning on the grass outside our accommodation we only had a bottle of gin left and had just run out of tonic. One good chap ran to the Naafi shop which had a soft drinks machine outside which sold tonic water. Unfortunately he pressed the wrong button and we had to drink gin and cherryade.

Anybody who has spent a night in the Marine Bar will know what a drinking culture is.:E

During the annual inter services shooting match at Bisley, the Marine bar was only for the brave. Once, at chucking out time, even the Marines couldn't get the Gurkhas to leave and got the RMP to send in their dogs, about the only creatures they were afraid of.
Cue, lots of little brown chaps in blazers, ties and flannels, jumping out of the windows.

Unfortunately my Marine Bar is in Gan. I'm going there next year so I will see what has happened.:ok:

The NEAF Mountain Rescue Team (det) bar at Troodos had carabiners embeddeded in the stonework so that drinkers could don a harness and clip themselves on, enabling drinking well beyond the falling over stage.

There were, in addition to the NAAFI and two messes, at least three other bars and at Christmas a block bar, for a unit of about 150 personnel.

Eng Wing chips on Friday lunchtimes in the Officers Mess bar at Wittering in 1978-80 was a fairly liquid event fuelled by Tolly Cobbold beer.