Gash

Hornblower · Gash

Just read Bunky's offering about a sick bulge call and it reminded me of one of the many cruises I had on the Grey Funnel Line with the Dogends...

We were on a ship in the channel somewhere and had already been told when we embarked that there was to be a burial at sea. I thought it was Nicholas Monsarrat the Naval writer, but it can't have been because he died in 1979 & I was at BRNC by then.

Anyway, the service was started and a bulger despatched to sound last post. We were invited to attend and a few of us meandered topside.

Just as the body was about to be committed to The Deep the tannoy burst into life - we knew it wasn't the bulger 'cos we could see him, the following message came forth...

"GASH MAY NOW BE DITCHED".

True story, I was there.

riknoc310

Good Old Jack, forever the Diplomat

2nd Clarinet

Good one Stu.

sticky blue

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Nice one

deelindars

I log on once in a blue moon and Stuey brings up the burial at sea 1975-6 (why is it a burial - have they got divers with spades?). I think the bulger was Addy H, but I leave it for him to confirm or deny.

I also remember rehearsing slow marching on the rolling deck - happy days

Hornblower

I'd answer you Dee, but I think I'll leave it for a few months - maybe even a year - to make sure I catch you!!

The slow marching was on the deck of the Fearless which was made all the worse by the fact that the blunt end of that particular ship and her sister was flat. So the band, instead of marching in our famous straight lines, was marching in famous diagonally straight lines in time with the swell.

It really was one of the funniest things ever - but you had to be there!!!

(Never did find the pool table though...)

sticks@heage

Talking of marching in straight lines Stu, it was on the said ship that I had my 21st birthday in Antigua. We were doing the West Indies trip on the Fearless, and the buglers on board were myself, Mick Stone and Dave Bentley. Anyhow we went ashore for my 21st and we got bladdered, the thing was we had Ceremonial Colours the next morning with the Band doing a march up and down as we did, and all we could hear was Mick Hickman shouting "can you f***** Buglers try marching in a straight line". What days mate.

Hornblower