Army Lingo

Mind wandered whilst reading posts on Barrack Room Inspections, thought of an almost related incident......... Powers that be organized a JNCOs' dance, of sorts, which was fine for the half dozen Regs., unexciting for vast majority of unattached NS men.

Jock said "I've got that bottle of whisky in the billet..... let's open it". Good idea, we wandered back. There was muffled grunting from the room next door as we passed, someone might be in trouble, we opened the door. Taffy Hughes shouted out "Hey, Don't put the light on, I've got this bird in bed.......". "Yeah?" we reached for the switch. "Aw..., come on" he said, blinking in the light of two bare bulbs. "Play fair....... Look you, piss off for a bit and, no sweat, you can have twos up !".

A wrinkled face emerged from under the sheet, hair the colour and texture of polished copper wire, bright green eye shadow and make-up which cracked as it grinned, embarrassed. Taffy had landed old Helga from the cook house. We declined the offer, left him alone.

Made me think........" Twos up ?", "No sweat ?" Just two of the expression we'd
picked up. There must be more worth recording, some which have entered into Army speak since we left. Not sure of the spelling of some........." Conner", for nosh, "Bondook" for a rifle, "Ticket" for a wide boy who bent the rules, "Tara" for RSM., "Cabby" for a go in the driving seat.......... "Effing Mau-Mau" in the 1950's & "Ragheads " more recently. "Chuffed to little NAAFI breaks", expressed pleasure, a "Sweat" was anyone whose NS would terminate before yours, "Irons" were KFS, cutlery to be washed after use in the three steaming
tanks marked "Wash", "Rinse" & "Sterilize" by the cookhouse door. .....

Then there's the up-market stuff, that which is normal commissioned ranks chatter.......... " Jackal, ( never THE Jackal), is good news...... Absolutely,.. a super bit of kit........"

Come on ! Think back....... let's have some more. ........ some likely to be printed, though!

Sky Pilot - Padre

Dhobi Dust - Washing powder

Slop Jockey - Chef

Wooden Tops - Brigade of Guards

Slop Jockey - Johnboy aka ACC cook

Etc etc

Gordon. wrote:

Sky Pilot - Padre

Dhobi Dust - Washing powder

Slop Jockey - Chef

Wooden Tops - Brigade of Guards

Slop Jockey - Johnboy aka ACC cook

Etc etc

Gordon get it right "RESIDENT SLOP JOCKEY"if you please DANKA

Your wish is my command

RESIDENT SLOP JOCKEY - JOHNBOY

Gordon. wrote:

Your wish is my command

RESIDENT SLOP JOCKEY - JOHNBOY

That's Better

We aim to please

Gordon. wrote:

Sky Pilot - Padre

Dhobi Dust - Washing powder

Slop Jockey - Chef

Wooden Tops - Brigade of Guards

Slop Jockey - Johnboy aka ACC cook

Etc etc

monkeys (Red Caps)http://www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk/War%20Slang.htm

http://www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk/War%20Slang.htm

check these out

They had a lot of other names..most of them unprintable

what do you think It must remind you of someone you knew

John Boy, I think you have too much time on your hands! I have a feeling you may be sitting in a Top Security establishment at HMs pleasure!!

ere where did you get a picture of my bruvva

Your Bruvva Jim?.So it was him that lifted me in Herford all those years ago.

"john boy" wrote:

http://www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk/War%20Slang.htm

check these out

Going back a bit ! But well done to whoever concocted it. One or two I'd query, one or two I'd add.........

SRD on rum jars I have as "Special Rations Department".

Rooti (bread).... For the medal so nicknamed I have it, more logically perhaps,
as the British Empire Medal (BEM... or Bread Eating Medal) issued for length of service, so LS&GC supersedes.

Regt Nicknames from WW1...... KOSB.... Keep Off Slaveys' Bellies.
York & Lancs..... Young & Lovelies.
And is ACC in ? Don't remember...... Andy Clyde's Commandos

San Fairy Ann.......... Sans Faire Rien...... Favourite of my father for
"It doesn't matter"
Plonk............ Vin Blanc ..... White wine

Guess I was expecting some more up-to- date stuff (" Shufti " springs to mind) but it all goes to show squaddies have been taking the Mick for yonks.

cartav wrote:

"john boy" wrote:

http://www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk/War%20Slang.htm

check these out

Going back a bit ! But well done to whoever concocted it. One or two I'd query, one or two I'd add.........

SRD on rum jars I have as "Special Rations Department".

Rooti (bread).... For the medal so nicknamed I have it, more logically perhaps,
as the British Empire Medal (BEM... or Bread Eating Medal) issued for length of service, so LS&GC supersedes.

Regt Nicknames from WW1...... KOSB.... Keep Off Slaveys' Bellies.
York & Lancs..... Young & Lovelies.
And is ACC in ? Don't remember...... Andy Clyde's Commandos


San Fairy Ann.......... Sans Faire Rien...... Favourite of my father for
"It doesn't matter"
Plonk............ Vin Blanc ..... White wine

Guess I was expecting some more up-to- date stuff (" Shufti " springs to mind) but it all goes to show squaddies have been taking the Mick for yonks.

Andy Capp Commandos / Aldershot Concrete Company

'Course it is ! Don't know where I dreamed up "Clyde" from, unless it's a kilted Scots
branch..........

And only make bread when they want to clean their finger nails, don't they ?

Now we've wandered on to discussion about one of the finest and most criticised Corps, think of their treatment of Hymie Goldstone....... Hymie was Scots & Jewish, a nice lad but he rubbed the ACC up the wrong way. Whenever he didn't fancy chewing on a piece of sheep's vertebrae, he pulled the "Not kosher, Jewish meal please". Didn't bother the lads, they thought he was lucky when he turned up with egg, chips & beans.

ACC got their own back. A morning egg was cracked and disclosed a half formed chick, they saved it. It was brought out when Hymie turned for something in lieu of braised pilchards in Tabasco sauce. The cooks called him over to see the foetus swimming in frying pan fat. "You are lucky, Hymie " beamed the corporal. "It's our last egg left over from breakfast ! The lads only got an egg, you've got chicken !"

HEY! Know where "Andy Clyde" came from............ obviously changed to "Capp" when the Daily Mirror was prescribed reading for Army Education Corps tests and Officer Selection Boards..........

Andy Clyde was a Yank cartoon character, a Good Ol' Boy from the deep south, a bit like those Dukes of Hazard.. Obviously going back in time to when NS & before boosted Army to BAOR minimum strength of 150,000.

[/quote] Andy Capp Commandos / Aldershot Concrete Company[/quote]



How many more times!!! ACC = Ah Canny Cook.

Then there's the old chestnut, "Who called the cook a c....?" and the reponse "Who called the c... a cook ?". Came up in conversation one night at a dinner with wives, one wanted to know why there was a giggle. Fred said he'd explain , but agreed he'd tone it down because of present company. He meant to say "Who called the cook a b...... ?", but too much vino mixed him up,. It came out as "Who called the c... a b...... ?" There was a moments silence until the one wife who'd asked for an explanation said " What would it have been if you'd not toned it down ?" That was a bigger laugh than the original

[quote="cartav"]

Hymie was Scots & Jewish, a nice lad

Now that reminds me.

We had a bloke, who was London Jewish, in our mob.

(Sheldrake, Take Post ! Think of a brand of tea !)

We had to work one Saturday and were most disgruntled, what IS a gruntle, by the way ?).

While on parade our Jewish comrade complained that he shouldn't be working because it was the Sabbath.

To which our Scottish signals Sgt retorted,
" Right ye can work f...... Sunday !"

End of insubordination.

Same thing with Hymie...... (not the real name)..... He was a clerk, read all the incoming bumf,
put in for Jewish have- it- away days regularly through the year. When there might have been a problem in getting time off, a Troop Commander of the same faith supported his cause.

Came Christmas, Hymie was a cert for Duty Clerk. "Christian Festival, nowt to do with you!" they said. Being Scots too, he looked forward to New Year. Just bad luck, he drew the short straw in the tossing up for duty, & complained bitterly. "I'm a Jock, we always have it off !" but the draw had been fair. "Pagan Festival !" someone said, "Nowt to do with you !"

And that's neatly back to Christmas & army lingo..... Who could forget Gunfire ?
Do they have it in the rear echelon mob that contribute to these topics ?( Joke, dammit Joke !!)

cartav wrote:

And that's neatly back to Christmas & army lingo..... Who could forget Gunfire ?
Do they have it in the rear echelon mob that contribute to these topics ?( Joke, dammit Joke !!)

Gunfire/Xmas ritual was covered here not too long ago mate.

Gun sergeants, been up all night in the Mess.

"Get yer f*****g mugs out ! Dixie of tea, bottle of Myers rum.

As an 18-year old, I thought it tasted quite disgusting but their brutal Yorkshire hearts were in the right place, bless 'em !

I hope life treated them kindly.

CATE (British Army? - recollect my old man, saying 'when I leave the CATE.)

BRATS - Kids of Soldiers (like me) or Boy soldiers, i.e. Army Apprentices (like me) or Junior Leaders

CUT LUNCH COMMANDOS/WEEKEND WARRIORS - Territorial Army or in my case, Australian Army Reserve.

GINGER BEERS - Royal Engineers

GRUNTS/FOOTSLOGGERS - Infantrymen

RUPERTS - New, young subalterns, 2/Lt, Lt.

NICK/GLASSHOUSE - Military Prison/Corrective Establishment

SCREWS - Military Provost Staff Corps (my old man was an army screw for a while.)

LANCE JACK - Lance Cpl or Lance Bombardier

Full screw =====Cpl

Full Screw ----- how did that come into use ? Anything to do with the screw gun, come on you venerable gunners ( note - not using the term old, might upset some of our senior members) dig into history and gun development, was a Bdr responsible for the
final turn of breach?

Bob