Military phrases in need of preservation

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Alisoncc
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Military phrases in need of preservation

#1 Post by Alisoncc » Sun Dec 17, 2017 2:03 am

On a similar line to C16's thread. Military phrases that were once so familiar to those took the oath, wore the uniform and occasionally stood in harms way.

Two - Six. Used when pushing anything from aircraft to hangar doors. On the shout Two - get ready and Six - heave. Reputed to derive from expression used when pushing cannons on the gun decks of RN ships.

Dim as a TocH lamp. Apparently referred to a small badge worn by those who served, and had taken a pledge of abstinence during WWI.

Bit Dullaly. Not 100% with it mentally. Referred to a medical establishment in British India run by the army.

Gippy Tum. Derived from various aliments related to tum, ostensibly occurring in Egypt. or thereabouts.
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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#2 Post by ian16th » Sun Dec 17, 2017 7:26 am

Mainly from India and Arab places.

Chai
Charp
Pit
Egyptian PT
Bint
Dhobi
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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#3 Post by Alisoncc » Sun Dec 17, 2017 7:34 am

Ian, have to explain to the uninitiated.

Chai - Tea delivered to ones quarters by a Chai Wallah, normally mid afternoon. Sometimes spiced tea with cinnamon, cloves, etc.
Charp - ??
Pit - Bed, as in to crawl out of one's pit at some ungodly hour.
Egyptian PT - Horizontal lying ??
Bint - Arab female
Dhobi - Laundry. Also applies to the person who does the laundry, the Dhobi Wallah.

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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#4 Post by ian16th » Sun Dec 17, 2017 8:02 am

To 'Charp' is to sleep, derived from charpoy a traditional woven bed used in the Indian subcontinent.

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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#5 Post by CharlieOneSix » Sun Dec 17, 2017 9:25 am

A flimsy - This is the Form S.206 which is used to report on RN and RM officers and is printed on very thin paper.

Some classics - none of which relate to me :)) :

"His men would follow him anywhere but only out of curiosity....."
"I would not breed from this Officer...."
"He has carried out each and every one of his duties to his entire satisfaction...."
"This young man has delusions of adequacy..."
"When he joined my ship, this Officer was something of a granny, but since then he has aged considerably....."
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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#6 Post by CharlieOneSix » Sun Dec 17, 2017 9:48 am

Oh crack sparrow fart - very early in the morning
Jack - generic name for all RN sailors, derived from Jack Tar, the 19th century matelot with his glossy black hat and pigtail dressed in tar.
Biffin's Bridge - the female perineum which Jack might describe as being between the playpen and the gash chute.
Bravo Zulu - now deleted from the Signal Book but still used to say Well Done to someone.
Crab - a member of the RAF. This is suppose to have originated from the diversion of a huge but cancelled order of material for the Russian Tsar's Imperial Guard around the time of the formation of the RAF on 1 April 1918. Allocated to the new RAF, the colour of the RAF uniform was identical to mercuric oxide jelly - or crabfat - which was widely issued at that time for the treatment of body lice, otherwise known as crabs.
Technicolour Yawn or Dockyard Omelette - Vomit
Dockyard Oyster - a floating "green grolly" that has been "flobbed up" by someone with a productive cough.
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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#7 Post by CharlieOneSix » Sun Dec 17, 2017 10:10 am

Rabbits - presents. Originates from Chatham Dockyard where a small island inside the harbour area was overrun with rabbits. In days gone by these were often taken home as a source of fresh meat. In modern times we would go on a "rabbit run" which was a "run ashore" to buy presents for the nearest and dearest before the ship returned to the UK.
Fang Farrier - Dentist.
Pinger - Anti-Submarine Warfare Helicopter Specialist - like what I wos!
Pink Chit - permission from her indoors, as in "Lads, I've got a "pink chit" from the "dragon" so I'm on for that "run ashore".
Gronk - A lady of less than perfect countenance or physique.
Grimmie Run - a run ashore to find a "gronk". The "Grimmie Trophy" was awarded after the ship sailed from a port visit to whichever "Jack" was voted to have paired up with the worst "gronk".
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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#8 Post by Boac » Sun Dec 17, 2017 10:13 am

From a student's RAF basic flying progress log:
"This man is incapable of doing two things at once - and since he needs to breathe..............."

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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#9 Post by ian16th » Sun Dec 17, 2017 10:23 am

A chit, any official form.

i.e. A treatment chit, a leave chit, a deficiency chit.

Which reminds me of another story. Displaying the 'stores mentality', if inventory balances, there isn't a problem.

When the RAF decided to issue us with raincoats, we had to hand in our cape/groundsheets.
On the day a bunch of us from 214 attends Marham clothing stores and we hand in our capes and recieve a mac.

One rather tall Cpl, called Stan, handed in his cape, and then it was discovered that stores didn't have a mac to fit him, so he was given a 'deficiency chit'.

He asks for his cape back and is refused, so he escalates to some officer who is brought from his cosy office. When asked what the problem was he explains, the stores officer says, 'But you have a deficiency chit!'
To which Stan replies, 'It won't keep me dry!'
He got his cape back.
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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#10 Post by CharlieOneSix » Sun Dec 17, 2017 12:27 pm

Brass Monkeys - as in "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey". On board ships in olden times this referred to the cannon balls contracting in very low temperatures and falling through their brass storage racks (monkeys) alongside the guns.
Jesus Nut - the all important nut which secures the rotor system to the helicopter. If it fails in flight you meet the man himself.
Morning Prayers - the Boss's first meeting of the day to discuss the programme.
MRU - Much Regret Unable....as in declining an invitation. The opposite is WMP...With Much Pleasure.
NATO Standard - One Milk, two sugars. NATO Standard, negative two - is milk only.
Pierhead Jump - A short notice draft or appointment. Relates to the need to take a running jump from the end of the pier because your ship has begun to depart.
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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#11 Post by Boac » Sun Dec 17, 2017 12:56 pm

Some flying-specific RAF phrases:

Black Flag - weather too bad for flying (or outbreak of noxious gasses in the dunny)

Stack - knock off early from flying programme

Wiring - generic low flying as in beat-ups, thought to derive from the odd 'connection' with the electricity distibution system

Wing-ding - an aerial event involving lots of the station's aircraft, often held on a Friday afternoon and involving either multiple 'combat' sorties or a massed formation event, often with 'exciting' results :-o

'Skoshi' - derived from, I think, Japanese, and used by inumerable Red Arrow leaders to tell the flailing mass that he is about to take them into cloud at the top of a manouevre (NB sometimes a CB..........)

Yug - a ripple in a large aircraft formation, carefully amplified and passed on lovingly by each of the formating pilots in turn

Bona jet - 'borrowed' from 'Round the Horne' (probably by the late 'Hoof' Proudfoot) and lovingly applied to the Harrier by all who have hoovered with it

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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#12 Post by CharlieOneSix » Sun Dec 17, 2017 2:36 pm

Boac wrote:.....Wiring - generic low flying as in beat-ups, thought to derive from the odd 'connection' with the electricity distibution system....

We used to call that wazzing about in the RN.

Not politically correct but it was of its time, a Falkland Islander was unfairly referred to as a Benny, presumably a reference to Benny in the soap Crossroads.
Benny.jpg
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Some references:

Bennydiction - local accent
Bennyficial - Sir Rex Hunt (Falkland Island's Governor at the time of the 1982 invasion for those who don't know)
Bennyficiary - seafood processing plant
Benny Hill - Tumbledown mountain
Bennytentiary - Stanley Police Station
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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#13 Post by CharlieOneSix » Sun Dec 17, 2017 2:55 pm

Mother - R/T referral to an aircraft's parent ship.
Father - Respectful nickname for the ship's Captain.
Pigeons - magnetic course to Mother, ie "Pigeons to Mother 310 at 30 miles."
Charlie time - an aircraft's pre-planned arrival time back at the ship or carrier. An important time not to miss as deck space on a carrier was at a premium.
Speechless One - callsign allocated by Air Traffic to an aircraft unable to transmit voice but who can blip his transmit switch in response to ATC questions. If I remember correctly it was one blip for "Yes", two blips for "No" and three blips for "Say Again". Four blips was your initial attempt to let ATC know you had transmit problems. It also means an Officer who is unusually quiet. In my day this callsign was allocated by all who knew him to JW who was renowned for not speaking in the cockpit!
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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#14 Post by ian16th » Sun Dec 17, 2017 7:07 pm

CharlieOneSix wrote:Bennyficial - Sir Rex Hunt (Falkland Island's Governor at the time of the 1982 invasion for those who don't know)


A former pupil of Sir William Turners School, Coatham, Redcar.

In fact, probably their most famous old boy. Though my late dad might disagree.

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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#15 Post by Pontius Navigator » Sun Dec 17, 2017 9:03 pm

I was in the RAF Club yesterday and there was a cartoon in the Gents along these lines.

One quote was "gone for a Burton" then "Wizard prang". "Scrubbed" maybe Ex Ascot will remember some more.

And of course for Charlie16 "Gin Pennant"

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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#16 Post by CharlieOneSix » Sun Dec 17, 2017 11:59 pm

Pontius Navigator wrote:And of course for Charlie16 "Gin Pennant"

Ah yes, a green and white triangular pennant flown on a RN ship in harbour to indicate to other officers an open invitation on board for drinks. A smaller version could be flown on a Wardroom bar if an officer was celebrating something or other and wished other officers to partake of his generosity.

Jenny's side party - this was a group of very efficient Chinese women who would meet RN ships in Hong Kong and get them looking shipshape after some time at sea by painting the sides. They were led by Jenny. I saw them in action on my only visit to Honkers in 1965. I gather they were still providing the service many years later.

Ickies - foreign currency as in " How many ickies do you get to the pound in this place?"

The Grey Funnel Line - the nickname for the seagoing part of the Royal Navy. An alternative is the Andrew, said to refer to the name of Lieutenant Andrew Miller, a very successful press-gang officer of the 18th century.
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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#17 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Mon Dec 18, 2017 6:56 am

Grimmie Run -
remember going to a dance where one of my mates asked one of the girls sitting with the "wallflowers" for a dance, during which she said - You guys have had a grimmy contest, haven't you ? i.e. the prize for asking the most unattractive girl to dance. Somewhat embarrassed he finally admitted that she was right. Well, she replied, so did we - and I've won ! ( she won the prize for being asked to dance by what they had decided was the most unattractive man )

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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#18 Post by Pontius Navigator » Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:12 pm

ExSp33db1rd wrote:
Grimmie Run -
remember going to a dance where one of my mates asked one of the girls sitting with the "wallflowers" for a dance, during which she said - You guys have had a grimmy contest, haven't you ? i.e. the prize for asking the most unattractive girl to dance. Somewhat embarrassed he finally admitted that she was right. Well, she replied, so did we - and I've won ! ( she won the prize for being asked to dance by what they had decided was the most unattractive man )


The alternative, especially at Donny (RAF Finningley) being Grab a Grannie. If you were lucky they were nearer 30 than 60.

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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#19 Post by Pontius Navigator » Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:14 pm

Charlie 16,
Similar terms of endearment to the locals at RAF Valley - VietTaff or at RAF Saxa Vord - VietShet.

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Re: Military phrases in need of preservation

#20 Post by ricardian » Sun Dec 24, 2017 3:55 pm

CharlieOneSix wrote:Not politically correct but it was of its time, a Falkland Islander was unfairly referred to as a Benny, presumably a reference to Benny in the soap Crossroads.
Benny.jpg

Some references:
Bennydiction - local accent
Bennyficial - Sir Rex Hunt (Falkland Island's Governor at the time of the 1982 invasion for those who don't know)
Bennyficiary - seafood processing plant
Benny Hill - Tumbledown mountain
Bennytentiary - Stanley Police Station


The troops were ordered to stop calling the locals "Bennys" so they began to call them "Stills". When asked why they said "Because they're still Bennys"...
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