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What do you expect from a bus driver :)
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What happens if you don’t actually have a clothing book? Mine was last seen in Army HQ Stores during my time at JHC. It’s been AWOL for at least 4 tours since then and nobody seems to have batted an eyelid on clearing. |
Very interesting thread for a civvy MetPerson, thanks to all.
A brief encounter with 1BR Corps stores when I went to be kitted as a forecaster for their deployment exercises [we wore name badges and shoulder slip-ons "Met plus cockerel thing"]. Almost everything fitted, but I am a shortarse and there were no trousers to be worn with any semblance of dignity. "Don't you have anyone vertically challenged in the army?" "Yessir, he was in for trousers only this morning!" Fortunately Mrs LB is handy with scissors and thread, but the dropped crutch was beyond remedy. And an anecdote of the converse of not handing in items. Pre- WWII the QM of a RA Mountain Battery in India, foreseeing the out break of war, managed over a period of time to indent for every component, hide, and ultimately assemble a complete extra mountain howitzer. This gleaned for "Tales of the Mountain Gunners", a fine military read. |
Originally Posted by Melchett01
(Post 10214441)
What happens if you don’t actually have a clothing book? Mine was last seen in Army HQ Stores during my time at JHC. It’s been AWOL for at least 4 tours since then and nobody seems to have batted an eyelid on clearing. I would suggest going into print with a letter to someone senior in your stores chain, asking for resolution of your situation with a missing book, one which you are not allowed to hold so, it is their problem, right up to the point that it is slipped back into your slot in stores! :\ OAP |
Originally Posted by Bill Macgillivray
(Post 10214424)
Still got my large aircrew hold-all (and padlock!) - it's a bit big for week-ends!
I now have a proper civilian one in discrete white with pale blue edging and Ventura writ large. It is same size but has wheels and retractable handle. |
Ah - the joys of the clothing book. I was posted from Lossiemouth to Waddington, but unfortunately Lossiemouth was subjected to a part two Taceval on the week before my posting and the Squadron flatly refused to grant me any leave before hand (full Station leave ban in force). Not only that, I could not hand in any of my aircraft specific kit because I would need it. The result was that I was chasing around Station with a clearance chit on the Friday (with everyone on it taking the day off because of the Taceval) in order to start my course at Waddington early Monday morning. The Squadron flying clothing section was very helpful..."Just leave all your kit in the holdall, sir, and we will deal with categorising and will then take it stores for you". I didn't think any more about it until posting from Waddington a couple of years later. Given my book to check - there in black and white was not my flying kit signed off, but a full duplicate set entered there-in. (Two immersion suits; two headsets; two parachute harnesses etc). Fortunately, the storeman at Waddington just got a biro and scrubbed them through!! Otherwise it could have proved expensive.
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I wonder how much of this kit we have hanging around in cupboards, lofts or garages has been useful to us or just kept for sentimental reasons. I have made good use of long johns, roll necks and black NI gloves. The rest is just a waste. I reckon we could probably fill a Herc or C17 between us. I had a bit of a clear out a few months back. Daughter said to Mum “Is Dad going to die or something, because he is clearing his garage out?” I hope I go on for a good few years yet but wonder what the kids will make of all the odd bits of sentimental “junk” I have in drawers and cubby holes when that time does come. sorry to be morbid on a sunny Sunday. |
It's been quite some time since I gave back all my service kit. My wife is probably more worried about the various four and two wheeled vehicles and parts thereof I've collected since, if I pop my clogs first.... Having said that, I did somehow end up with a brand new canvas nav bag, wooden pencil case and a few other bits and bobs they didn't want back. The Puma helicopter "Decometer" that sits on my bedside shelf I bought off eBay! |
Drag, I had a metal RNZAF nav brevet that I had from 45 years ago. As you say, kicking around in a drawer. I put it on eBay and it went to Australia. Turns out it was 1944 vintage
My aunt had brought my uncles 1940s slouch hat back from Oz. No one in the family wanted it. It was bought in UK and also went back home. |
Originally Posted by Melchett01
(Post 10214441)
What happens if you don’t actually have a clothing book? Mine was last seen in Army HQ Stores during my time at JHC. It’s been AWOL for at least 4 tours since then and nobody seems to have batted an eyelid on clearing. |
It''s certainly been quite funny though.
5aday |
Originally Posted by BEagle
(Post 10213721)
Wander00 wrote:
Sounds like a fine chap! Berets might be OK for onion-sellers, but they are distinctly un-officer like! I threw mine away after OT and never wore one again for the next 30 years. Same went for that flashers' mac thing which someone stole one lunchtime in College Hall... I understand the need for SH aircrew to wear berets so as not to be easily spotted by the opposition's players, but for the rest of us - dear me no! (No. I'm not really being serious. But I do hate berets!) |
Did it ever go away? these chaps still sell them
https://www.ecsnaith.com/headwear/side-caps.html https://www.cadetdirect.com/raf-officer-side-cap |
I meant as an alternative to the beret, as issued, rather than as a permissbale purchase.
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After 30 years service they took the watch BACK!���������� |
On my departure from the" reglars " before joining the Auggies I was questioned about whereabouts of the 7 x tri wall boxes and 2 x wooden crates on my clothing card for which I had blithely signed as owning each year. "Dunno" I responded. "O.K." said the stores bod. "If you tell me where the R.A.F. Stations of Khormaksar and Muharraq are we might lose the boxes somewhere. Swing that lantern.
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I worked on a couple of different a/c types in the noughties which were very very busy deployments wise. Consequently I deployed twice a year for about eight years in a row. I forget how many times I had to go to clothing stores to pick up the latest and greatest version of Desert clothing / MTP old / MTP new. A headtorch here a gerber there, thermals, bergens, camelbacks, cold weather clothing etc etc my garage became a very well stocked army surplus store most of which was never used or indeed taken on deployment. Add to this a time at sea on a harrier sqn with a separate kitting for naval stuff and some time on firefighting duties and foot and mouth and you will understand the enormity of my kit issue over the years... On my last deployment we went into operational kitting and follwed the storeman around with a huge bin on wheels where he deposited items various. We then signed for the kit in our blue book and proceeded to take the bin on wheels out to our cars and home to the ever growing kit mountain when i got to the car i looked down and there amongst the kit was my blue book - the same book that i had signed at Halton all those years ago but never had in my possession. The suppliers had obviously mistakenly dropped it into my wheeely bin. I wish i could say i was an honest airman but unfortunately i drove off with the blue book home. A year later I left the service, had a rather straight forward clearing process and handed in a few bit of useless worn kit amd that was it. I waited a couple of years before the ebay sale.... |
When I returned from Afghanistan, I had to return my weapons to UXBRIDGE. I dutifully handed over an L85 A2 ('SA-80') and a L9 Al ('Browning'), along with assorted cleaning kits, spare mags etc. The Armourer then asked me for my bayonet. My heart sank. I had clearly signed for one but never saw it in my time when I had my rifle out on ops. He then said 'I'll have to charge you for it' and my heart sank even further. £13.00, apparently although the charge never seemed to surface; I wish I had known because I would have definitely kept one for that price!
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I could imagine it now, the order goes out.... "It's down to this chaps, fix bayonets..... as Whenurhappy is seen departing towards the nearest clothing store, monies in hand"
:E |
I was taken to task for not being in uniform by the sour-faced custodian of some obscure section or other when I was collecting clearance signatures. He looked even more miserable when I gleefully told him that I was within hours of being Mister stevef as opposed to SAC stevef.
Just as well that my subsequent Reserve Service wasn't required as my father threw all my kit out when I was dossing around the Continent. |
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