Question

No one knows where the name came from..Common thought is it was a Corps boxer called Jimmy Emblem..

You are probably right Gordon.

It thought that the name 'Jimmy' came from a Corps boxer, called Jimmy Emblem, who was an Army Champion in 1924 and represented the Corps from 1921 to 1929. It was certainly referred to as "JIMMY" in official correspondence in the early 1930's.

Don't believe the name came from the late Jimmy Guthrie - tSix times TT winner between 1930 & 1937.

Jimsigs

Ah, you have returned, you didn't book out at the Guardroom!!

Shelldrake my old friend. Yes I'm back after catching some bug etc. All right now but I had a chiity from the MO, so was exempt booking out.

Jimsigs

Glad to hear you are OK, Jimsigs. Gordon has been holding the fort for the Scaleys, I shall now expect the usual amount of abuse!!

And no doubt you shall have it....

There is another thought on where the name came from,but it`s too complicated for me..Not being an Italian speaker..

Gordon. wrote:

And no doubt you shall have it....

There is another thought on where the name came from,but it`s too complicated for me..Not being an Italian speaker..

Giuseppe?

Giambologna

How do you get Jimmy from that?

Gordon. wrote:

Giambologna

How do you get Jimmy from that?

Well known phrase for Glaswegians of Italian descent. "Aye, ye awright Giuseppe?"

Shelldrake wrote:

Well known phrase for Glaswegians of Italian descent. "Aye, ye awright
Giuseppe?"

Don't know if it's true, but it's educational at least...............

I heard that, around the end of the 19th century, an astute sea captain, one with an eye for a fast shekel or two , stuck up a board in Napoli, or some such place, and advertised trips round the Med & fast -track, one- way, immigration cruises to the States. Having reached UK, he did a swift right hand down up the Clyde, announced they'd arrived. and dumped all the Mamas, Pappas & bambinos, together with their ice cream making & pizza kit, on the quayside and the unsuspecting Jocks............

Roger so far Gordino !

Yep ..We got the Zavaronies and a couple of smaller tribes at Rothesay..I remember being at school with a few tasty young ladies..

Gordon. wrote:

Giambologna

How do you get Jimmy from that?

The cap badge feature Mercury (Latin: Mercurius), the winged messenger of the gods, who is referred to by members of the corps as "Jimmy". The origins of this nickname are unclear. According to one explanation, the badge is referred to as "Jimmy" because the image of Mercury was based on the late mediaeval bronze statue by the Italian sculptor Giambologna, and shortening over time reduced the name Giambologna to "Jimmy". The most widely accepted theory of where the name Jimmy comes from is a Royal Signals boxer, called Jimmy Emblem, who was the British Army Champion in 1924 and represented the Royal Corps of Signals from 1921 to 1924.


Len (Ciphers)

Don't wish to show little respect for the R.Sigs cap badge, (having worn one for six months before they found me out !) but I always thought Jimmy would have been improved & be more representative of the average squaddy, if he was holding two fingers aloft instead of the usual one

This is the best i can do David..Len had one more representative of the older Siggy,but being older?? Oh well..

Stand by for another bit of lamp swinging.......... Thinking of R.Sigs & things, I'm reminded of a lad I met in our first 14 days at Oswestry and induction into the Royal regiment. He worked for GPO Telephones, always believed he'd be snatched up by R.Sigs. but it wasn't to be.

After the interview with the PSO (Personnel Selection Officer), he was told he would remain at Park Hall Camp and be trained up as a drill pig. It came out that his civvy trade of "Lineman" had been seen as something to do with football. As a professional sportsman, he was automatically retained as permanent staff to conform with the CO's directive and desire to win all the cups in Western Command. Never found out what happened to him, but that was typical of the square pegs in round hole policy.

Cartav
LT. COL ! ! ! A bottle of Becks will be left in the mess. One swig each, only.

Like it Gordon ! Guess my two fingered thing has been latched on to before !

And another tale........... When DP combats were new kit, we were told to take special note of those worn by Sapper W who was a bit of a card, handy with a pencil. With little imagination needed, he had added some black stuff with a fine brush to various bits and turned them into realistic silhouettes of couple in erotic poses. It wasn't long before the MT lot were trying to do something similar on Land Rovers and RLs, on the bits that were only visible from a 1st floor window. That was stamped on early doors........ mainly because MT lacked Spr W's skill.