Judging a book by its cover.

I was bullied, beaten up every day for four months on my first trip to sea as Perggy on the Commodore Grant, I was going to kill myself by jumping over the wall.
The Story is on here. "My First Trip."
then I thought why not one of them, I battered the biggest Bully lashed him with a chain stopper, got him over the rails and tried to kill him and would have , but the 2nd Mate and another AB pulled me off him. What a change in the crowd after that, I was treated with the upmost respect, Should have done it on day one of the voyage.
Brian

Those amongst us who did National Service in the army should know what it is to be bullied. This bullying was entirely different from the bullying mentioned in previous posts of this topic. The difference being that the bullying dished out by the military drill pigs was legal. The poor recruits had to suffer humiliation and everything that the drill NCO's demanded and said to them, but sadly they couldn't complain about this treatment as it was all part of their military training. The only good point about it was he drill instructors couldn't touch them manually. Maybe some of you who were National Service Conscripts could let us know if you agree if what I have written is true or not.

Regards from
Fouro

#12 Only what have been told. One bloke I knew just completed his N.S. And a newly fledged teddy boy, who used to hang around the amusement arcades trying to impress the girls by his prowess on the punch bag, he was stationed in Hong Kong ( army) he had the mentality that went with his long sideburns and razor blades behind the collar, so invariably finished up in the cells on jankers. The cells however had no. Bunk and was given a blanket only , to make it a bit more uncomfortable the floor was kept under 2 inches of water , so he had a choice , remain standing for days or lie on the floor. It broke him which he readily admitted, hard man as he made himself out to be. On the same vein I saw a national serviceman take out 3 teddy boy assailants with his webbing belt ,which he wouldn’t have been able to do without his army training . Judging a Book by its cover is a very appropriate title for most things in life. Another one was a story that went round South Shields in some of the pubs I used to frequent in my youth was another altercation beteeen the town tuffs and this seemingly small soldier , however he was regular army , and unbeknown to his bullies was special forces. He decommissioned them in about twenty seconds flat, however they were hospital cases , one had half his face torn away, by simply this small insignicant looking man putting his finger in one of their mouths and ripping it away. So could be added to the post title look before you leap also. And maybe keep your mouth shut at the same time,cheers JWS

i wonder if the toerag who defaced the statue of winston if he was given a tooth brush and water and a RSM and a few soldiers screaming at him until it was totally clean and spotless that should be his unpaid hours from the law would he get his paint out ever again the fella trying to burn the union flag some counties he would never be seen again he would be up to his knees planting rice? we are far to soft. jp

In Thailand he would have been jailed for life, it is even an offence to fold a banknote if that fold goes across the King's face, these rules are enforced.

Think I’ve still got some bahts from Thailand ? Ivan, next time the wife’s got the iiron out will get her to press them just in case. Otherwise will try and remember if ever go back to use the credit card instead. Cheers JS.

This travelling abroad there’s quite a bit to remember e.g. No chewing gum in Singapore .JS

Fouro it is true mate they said it was to make you take orders without question, my question was would the barsteward speak to me like that in civvy street I think not. It got me in a spot of bother when I was in Egypt and was the Brigadiers operator on exercises the radio set in his jeep had a very limited range, during the exercise he decided to go for swim in the Red sea which lead to us getting out contact with said exercise, he said I was no use to him and to get out of the jeep which I did he then went nuts told me to get back in and accused of dumb insolence to my officer Nobby Clark who went beserk when I told him where the Brigadier had gone swimming it was then I asked Nobby if the Brigadier would speak to me like that if I was in civvy street because if he did I would probably have belted him one. It got me another reprimand and told to keep such opinions to myself or I would be in deep trouble. Rgds Den

My first trip as Asst.Cook was a bit like that but only for one trip but I remembered it when I became Chief & Ship's Cook even when I got lumbered with some right deadbeat assistants.
Terry Sullivan R340406

Terry, kit has been said that there were three types of cooks at sea.
Cooks, cuckoos and willful bloody murderes.

Hi John,
My ship's Cook definitely was in the last category.
Cheers, Paul.