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Forces sweethearts

If you have a family member in the Royal Navy, RAF or army, find support from other Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Tradition V Modern

46 replies

vintageteacups · 16/05/2011 18:05

What forces traditions do you think are out of date and which are nice to keep?

No reason - I'm bored.

I'll start with:

poor singlies having to wear suits for dinner in the Mess every night.

OP posts:
madwomanintheattic · 16/05/2011 18:11

they don't.

not unless you are in a reet uptight mess. Grin haven't done for years everywhere we've fetched up. about 15?

madwomanintheattic · 16/05/2011 18:13

has 'gentlemen you may smoke' been outlawed by the public smoking rules? or does it scrape in under 'private club' rules?

Original poster
vintageteacups · 16/05/2011 18:18

our messes must have all been reet uptight then Grin

no smoking in messes now though

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MrsSnaplegs · 16/05/2011 18:22

Smoking is definitely banned now
I know of a couple of messes where suits are still required, normally phase 2 training establishments

madwomanintheattic · 16/05/2011 18:29
Grin

i know there's no smoking in the bar etc - was just racking my brain to remember if anyone got the cigars out at the last dinner night i went to...

anyway, good riddance to that one if it's gone. Grin

and also, good riddance to requesting the laydeeez leave at a certain point so the gentlemen can become more raucous. Hmm

have also seen general slackening in the old 'not leaving until the CO?OC has' category. which suits me fine, as sometimes i want to disappear before old all-nighter himself finally keels over...

Original poster
vintageteacups · 16/05/2011 18:37

well - on starting the thread, I actually thought there'd be loads of old stuff to get rid of but thinking about it, I'm finding it hard to list them.Grin

OP posts:
madwomanintheattic · 16/05/2011 18:39

tee hee.

these pesky traditions do seem to have stood the test of time, eh? Wink

Original poster
vintageteacups · 16/05/2011 18:40

hmm - looks like I've produced a thread killer before it's got going.

OP posts:
Original poster
vintageteacups · 16/05/2011 18:43

Ooh I've got one that really annoys me.

Mess -blooming' silver!

Why on earth do we have to contribute to the cleaning of silver and why, when so many messes have it, do they need to buy any more?

Actually, many of the unecessary extras added on to mess bills really annoys me.

OP posts:
MrsSnaplegs · 16/05/2011 18:53

Tea and toast at 4pm great tradition and long may it stay!

Original poster
vintageteacups · 16/05/2011 18:55

Ohh - that sounds good - I might join up Wink

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MrsSnaplegs · 16/05/2011 18:56

My current "mess" and I use the term very loosely because it's pants has "tapas" with the co on Friday lunchtime
It's the only time the bar is open, the tapas is sandwiches and chips and if you are in work it is compulsory to attend even for those with a 4 hr plus drive home
Absolute rubbish!!

madwomanintheattic · 16/05/2011 19:27

i loathe 3-line whips for social events. compulsory drinking.

awful.

Saltire · 16/05/2011 19:46

being forced to attend functions - 3 line whip. Complete fucking pants that is, who has the right to dictate what we do?

The new DE one of digging up all plants when you leave your quarter - I used to love waiting to see what would appear

Mess Bills.Hmm

madwomanintheattic · 16/05/2011 20:22
Grin

and then bill you for attending. Wink

gotta love it.

Original poster
vintageteacups · 16/05/2011 20:39

3 line whip isn't for wives though for anything is it?

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Original poster
vintageteacups · 16/05/2011 20:40

goodness! what's the DE one about digging up plants saltire?

OP posts:
herbietea · 16/05/2011 20:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

madwomanintheattic · 16/05/2011 20:51

oh, it is here. i'm a conscientious objector though.

last year the 3 line whip function ended up with two domestic violence hospitalisations (one was the attacker. i know, i know.) and an attempted murder. and low level spousal nonsense that almost ended up with two divorces after three weeks compassionate leave.

i really really really hate a function where alcohol is included in the attendance price and so people think it is essential to drink eight times their money's worth. and are encouraged to do so.

dh didn't go this year either as i point blank refused. he spent at least two weeks in hiding and then booked leave so he wasn't called to explain himself to the col. supposed to be setting an example and all that. leading from the front.

we haven't got any plants. Grin for a year i didn't have any grass, either.

that sounds like a glorious waste of money by de...

Original poster
vintageteacups · 16/05/2011 20:57

I'd love them to tell me to dig up plants!!!

Didn't realise the ball drinks were included. I hardly drink either and DH only drinks at army do's when he feels he should Hmm.

Half a glass and I'm a gonna Grin.

Bit annoyed that we're paying £75 a ticket for our next summer ball! Way too much fuss and in my eyes, I'm sure it won't be worth £75 quid - unless they have celeb entertainment (which I'm sure they don't).

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madwomanintheattic · 17/05/2011 02:41

normally they tell you which bits are included - usually arrival drinks, wine at table, and sometimes liqueur - the stuff you neck whilst grinning and bearing face time you usually pay for royally... locally they have a thing abiut completely free beer and wine akll night though. which i have to say is a disaster.

the £75 will be for the dodgem hire and mechanical bull, so that everyone can see your stocking tops and knickers once you get hurled off. and you'll have to pull your frock up to your armpits to get on anyway...

lor, i'm a real party pooper girl, eh?

clearly i'm too old and should sit in the corner rustling my torygraph and harrumphing loudly.

scaryteacher · 17/05/2011 07:15

Coffee mornings run by anyone requiring me to RSVP and then dh being chased because I hadn't - get a bloody life.

And....the tradition that RN officers retire earlier than Army or RAF. I need him to be gainfully employed until ds is through sixth form/uni at least!

MrsMatelot · 17/05/2011 07:51

I will second the retirement age for RN Officers....
And RAF & Army WO's are entitled to a 4-bed house & RN are not (unless they have shed loads of kids)

3 line whips....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Mess Bills.....we live too far away to use the blooming thing and we are in the nearest (at the time we were moved) available quarters!
I think balls in this day & age are overpriced. If you have to add on taxi's and babysitting its a £200 night out!

Saltire · 17/05/2011 07:58

Well when we moved out of our house in hampshire we were told "If you've planted anything you need to dig it up and return graden to it's original state" (that'll be knee high grass and weeds then)

When we moved here there was nothing in the gardena nd our new neighbours told us that the previous occupants had a lovely garden and had been made to dig everything up.

When neighbours subsequently moved they too dug up all their lovely palnts Sad

madwoman - the CMC of Dh's Mess ahd a bit of a go at me in the village last summer over us not going to summer or battle of britain balls.
I pointed out (politely) that I'd been in that mess every other Friday in the year we'd been there and I'd never seen him in, so he had no right to tell me that I should be doing "my bit".
(plus DH didn't have a Mess dress, but I didn't tell him that bit) and the only reason we are going this year is because DH finally got round to getting a Mess dress (£400,grr) and thoguht he'd better get some use out if it

Original poster
vintageteacups · 17/05/2011 09:25

madwoman Unless I'm wearing jodhpurs, there's no way I'm getting on any mechanical bull Grin.

I don't know what's wrong with karaoke Wink - cheap and fun and doesn't involve bearing your thighs!

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