Serving through the German Winter

brum wrote:

Shelldrake wrote:

FFS!!

"FFS" never saw that one before.

Could the "S" stand for "sake" ?

Japanese rice wine ?.......mmmmm.

brum wrote:

Shelldrake wrote:

FFS!!

"FFS" never saw that one before.

Could the "S" stand for "sake" ?

It does indeed, Brum.

Shelldrake wrote:

brum wrote:

Shelldrake wrote:

FFS!!

"FFS" never saw that one before.

Could the "S" stand for "sake" ?

It does indeed, Brum.

It means Fork, Fork, and Spoon. !!!

jerry wrote:

Shelldrake wrote:

brum wrote:

Shelldrake wrote:

FFS!!

"FFS" never saw that one before.

Could the "S" stand for "sake" ?

It does indeed, Brum.

It means Fork, Fork, and Spoon. !!!

I've been away from the army too long !

I don't think that it is an Official Abbreviation".

I think it means F- For F-Friendly S- Service.

As in For Friendly Service see the RSM... Tee Hee

Obviously not much happening today.

BLUE BIRD OF HAPPINESS, MY ASS!




It's Friggin' Freezing. There's snow up my ass, all the food's covered with

3 feet of this white shit, and you want ME to sing?

What?? Anne Murray's "Snowbird"? Piss Off!!

Next year, I'm flyin' to Jamaica, and smoke dope!!

And that's why I live in Beautifooool British Columbia ..

Len (Ciphers)

Len, about 5 years ago we went to Canada for our 40th anniversary, did all the usual touristy stuff round Jasper, Banff etc and finished up visiting ex Army friends of ours who live in Kelowna, as you say BC is a beautiful State and we will definitely go back sometime.

It's not a State, its a bloody Province ... I dunno, bloody Planks .

Len (Ciphers)

Ha Ha! And I thought that I was being complimentary!!

It is a provience, but living in British Columbia is a , " State of mind", Shelldrake. It's Canada's answer to flower power and scented tea.

Hardrations wrote:

BLUE BIRD OF HAPPINESS, MY ASS!




It's Friggin' Freezing. There's snow up my ass, all the food's covered with

3 feet of this white shit, and you want ME to sing?

What?? Anne Murray's "Snowbird"? Piss Off!!

Next year, I'm flyin' to Jamaica, and smoke dope!!

love it

Hardrations wrote:

It is a provience, but living in British Columbia is a , " State of mind", Shelldrake. It's Canada's answer to flower power and scented tea.

That's what we liked about BC! When we left Kelowna we drove down in to the US of A and booked into a Hotel, out in the sticks. The receptionist told me that she could "Listen to my accent all night" and then said "We don't get many Dutch people round these parts". I'm from Glasgow!!

I remember the boys going on an outing to Amsterdam and one of them asked a "lady" if she was Dutch? Everything got rather frosty after that until someone realised she thought he said Deutsch. Explanations all around and it was smiles and business as usual.

ciphers wrote:

It's not a State, its a bloody Province ... I dunno, bloody Planks .

Len (Ciphers)

I don't think I'd heard that expression until '72, in Hohne, when some Gunners referred to themselves as "Plankies".

What I do remember though, was that any other cap badge that called them that name suffered grievous facial trauma.

[quote=""john boy""]

Hardrations wrote:

BLUE BIRD OF HAPPINESS, MY ASS!




It's Friggin' Freezing. There's snow up my ass, all the food's covered with

3 feet of this white shit, and you want ME to sing?

What?? Anne Murray's "Snowbird"? Piss Off!!

Next year, I'm flyin' to Jamaica, and smoke dope!!



love it

Brilliant !

The bird actually LOOKS pissed off !

brum wrote:

ciphers wrote:

It's not a State, its a bloody Province ... I dunno, bloody Planks .

Len (Ciphers)

I don't think I'd heard that expression until '72, in Hohne, when some Gunners referred to themselves as "Plankies".

What I do remember though, was that any other cap badge that called them that name suffered grievous facial trauma.

It's alright Brum, next time I'm in BC me and the boys will "Pay him a visit".

In that case I will 'up stick' and move to Winterpeg .. who in their right mind would live at Portage and Main .... Hard Rations can explain that

Len (Ciphers)

Funny you should mention that. I once had my truck break down at Portage and Main. The saving grace for that, was that year and day the Canadian Juniors were playing for gold (hockey) so traffic was sparse. For those who wonder what Ciphers is getting at, Portage and Main intersection is known as the windiest spot in Canada (not counting parliament). Temperatures can be bitter. Also there is a WW 1 memorial standing in front of the Bank of Montreal on the intersection. This memorial is the figure representing a Canadian Officer in memory of employees of the Bank of Montreal. The model for the officer is supposedly a Canadian Officer ( B of M employee)who was awarded the M.C. and survived. The sculptor was an American who dressed the statue in an American Officers uniform. Also any great sporting event or just a good excuse to party, Portage and Main will be blocked off and used to celebrate what ever the excuse. Under neath this intersection is a concourse with shops and resturants.

Now what this has to do with Winter in Germany I don't know.

I will now gently take us back to a German Winter.

In Dec. 1966 I was on my Junior N.C.O.'s course in Werl. We were sent out on a escape and evasion course. Of course this meant you dragged your large pack and small pack (remember those items) dressed in combats and combat boots. Lots of snow that year and no rubber boots. So we were broken down into small groups of 4 or 6 with an instructor. We were required to carry the instructors rations ( we had none) which for some weird reason included a pot of honey and a spice cake. I guess this was to stress us a bit more. Well it was just so much fun trouncing through bush, forest and deep snow. Hungry and thirsty with cold wet feet. On the second day it was decided that since I could stumble through the German language that I should be sent on a begging mission for water with the instructors permission. So I approached this lone house by a canal and explained to the lady of the house what we were up to and could I get our canteens filled. As I was talking to her, I noticed a large round loaf of fresh bread on the kitchen table. Yup, you're right, I came back with a loaf of bread and full canteens of water. No I didn't pinch it, I asked in my best groveling manner if she could part with it. With beautiful smile and hearty chuckle she kindly gave it to our cause. On returning with it, I was seen as a hero. This is when I learned that good German bread and water can fill an empty stomach. Yes we shared with the instructor and later pinched his honey and cake for our selves. It only lasted 3 days but it was an education for us in an unusual form of winter survival.

i say thank god for the old battledress and hugh greatcoat , they made the winters in the 50sjust about liveable, ginger

Len,

I take it you were a cipher type. I remember in 1952 in Herford we had a load of cipher Cpls. At the time it seemed that it might be a quick way of promotion as cipher then started at Cpl. But we ex-Harrogate boys relented and decided to go the long route via OWL and eventually the RD Roster for QM.

Jimsigs1

Hardrations wrote:

Funny you should mention that. I once had my truck break down at Portage and Main. The saving grace for that, was that year and day the Canadian Juniors were playing for gold (hockey) so traffic was sparse. For those who wonder what Ciphers is getting at, Portage and Main intersection is known as the windiest spot in Canada (not counting parliament). Temperatures can be bitter. Also there is a WW 1 memorial standing in front of the Bank of Montreal on the intersection. This memorial is the figure representing a Canadian Officer in memory of employees of the Bank of Montreal. The model for the officer is supposedly a Canadian Officer ( B of M employee)who was awarded the M.C. and survived. The sculptor was an American who dressed the statue in an American Officers uniform. Also any great sporting event or just a good excuse to party, Portage and Main will be blocked off and used to celebrate what ever the excuse. Under neath this intersection is a concourse with shops and resturants.

Now what this has to do with Winter in Germany I don't know.

The statue of the WWI Canadian officer is great but as I looked at it "something" didn't seem quite right about it, but then I am not at all familiar with the Canadian uniforms, let alone Canadian officer uniforms, of that era. However, upon reading further and seeing the American sculptor (what?? No Canadian ones available? Hell, even British would have sufficed!!! LOL) had sculpted him in an AMERICAN uniform....sputter, gaak, gurgle!!!...WHAT???!!??? Outrageous. And I'm not just being funny (or trying), I'm serious.

Currently here in Calgary we are in one helluva flap over some ugly "designer" bridge our City Council approved ($24 million!), designed by some Spanish dude, blah blah blah.....the pieces are being made in Spain (and the workmanship is shoddy apparently so now the current controversy is over who will pay for the cost over runs for having to redo the rivets and joins). I can, then, well imagine the uproar upon the unveiling of the Winnipeg statue only for it to be an AMERICAN. And in front of the venerable Canadian institution of the Bank of Montreal, no less!!! Sacrilege. I'm surprised it was accepted. But then, Canadians are far too polite to want to appear...gasp!....ungrateful!!!!