Did I hear?

bigmal wrote:

Unless the buggers decided you had sent them over for them to drink.

Story of my life!!

I remember going to a Bar in Hannover in '64, we paid an "Entrance fee" and were issued with about 10 tickets which were then exchanged for beer, why we couldn't just pay for the beer, I don't know? Johhnie Kidd and the Pirates were singing there that night - at least that's what they told us and the guy WAS wearing an eye patch.

The RAOC Board is full of obituaries these days it seems.

jim wrote:

The RAOC Board is full of obituaries these days it seems.

I'm reminded Jim that we had occasional contact with a Brian Snowdon.........
He was RAOC reg. , WO of sorts & then commissioned. Don't know if that name
rings any bells. Brian died around October last year when he was in his late 70s.

The RSA website has a last post page,which seems to get bigger every month.

pete26 wrote:

ciphers wrote:

I don't know if that's still the case but, yes, in he old days you could not carry a glass from table to table or the bar in fact, strictly verboten. Unescorted women were also not allowed, and pub's in BC had two separate doors, one for men and one for Ladies and Escorts. I thought I had stepped back into the Stone Age when I first arrived in La La Land.
i remember going into the Stanley, a pub on Skid Row in Vancouver where I first found somewhere cheap to live until my wife and kids came from the UK, I stepped up to the bar in my Montague Burton hand made suit, put a $20 bill on the bar and asked for a beer.
Christ you would think I had committed a capital crime. The barman in no uncertain tone told to 'go sit at a f***** table, where your f***** waiter will serve you, and put your f***** wallet in your f***** pocket before you get your f***** throat cut'.
Welcome to the backwoods Len, did I get a culture shock.

Len (Ciphers)

I nearly went to Suffield, but with the defence cuts of 1975 we never went ! Mind our tanks must have cost loads to ship.

Anyway, regarding the behaviour at bars you mention Len, they had similar in Belgium at the time of the early 70s.

If we had a 72 we often toddled off to Ostend then nipped up the coast to such as Blankenberg. In the bars/discos they would not serve you at the bar. You had to ask some other bloke who worked there, to order your drinks, then they gave them to you. Why the 'middleman' I have no idea.

And to put a 'tin hat on it'......... with the discos, you actually paid to get out ! (And not pay to get in which was the norm.)

Tanks were already in Suffield, they were made ready for the next battle group by the REME wksp and the out-going battle group. Ian.

Ian wrote:

pete26 wrote:

ciphers wrote:

I don't know if that's still the case but, yes, in he old days you could not carry a glass from table to table or the bar in fact, strictly verboten. Unescorted women were also not allowed, and pub's in BC had two separate doors, one for men and one for Ladies and Escorts. I thought I had stepped back into the Stone Age when I first arrived in La La Land.
i remember going into the Stanley, a pub on Skid Row in Vancouver where I first found somewhere cheap to live until my wife and kids came from the UK, I stepped up to the bar in my Montague Burton hand made suit, put a $20 bill on the bar and asked for a beer.
Christ you would think I had committed a capital crime. The barman in no uncertain tone told to 'go sit at a f***** table, where your f***** waiter will serve you, and put your f***** wallet in your f***** pocket before you get your f***** throat cut'.
Welcome to the backwoods Len, did I get a culture shock.

Len (Ciphers)

I nearly went to Suffield, but with the defence cuts of 1975 we never went ! Mind our tanks must have cost loads to ship.

Anyway, regarding the behaviour at bars you mention Len, they had similar in Belgium at the time of the early 70s.

If we had a 72 we often toddled off to Ostend then nipped up the coast to such as Blankenberg. In the bars/discos they would not serve you at the bar. You had to ask some other bloke who worked there, to order your drinks, then they gave them to you. Why the 'middleman' I have no idea.

And to put a 'tin hat on it'......... with the discos, you actually paid to get out ! (And not pay to get in which was the norm.)

Tanks were already in Suffield, they were made ready for the next battle group by the REME wksp and the out-going battle group. Ian.

Did they keep Centurion RE AVREs and Bridgelayers there Ian ?

Talking of BATUS, when did it all start and did the Centurion ever grace the Suffield Plains as a gun tank?

Our Battery deployed on Battle Group Training at Wainwright in June 1979, we were equipped with the 105mm Lt Gun which were flown over, two at a time, in Hercybirds. I believe that the vehs (all B vehs) were prepositioned and maintained by BATUS. We were firing in support of 2 LI and then 1st Bn Irish Rangers who we later supported the same year in Belize.

The unit I was with returned from Fort Shilo, Canada in Dec 68 and BATUS did not exist at that time, so it is safe to say that Cents never graced the Suffield plains.

Thank you for that.
Pity, though as one would look good along with my Chieftain, Challenger and Challenger 2 models.

A lot of the legendary/mythical stuff we were supposed to have, I never saw 'in action'.

I believe they used to fire the 'Giant viper' at Suffield, but as I never got there, I never saw one fired.

Our 165 mm demolition guns on the Cent AVRE, the 'flying dustbin' as we called the hesh rounds, I also never saw fired. Some were fired at Soltau via remote from a cent behind, linked up via cable, in mid 1973.

We also had the mounted coaxial Brownings and the Carl Gustav 84mm, which again I never saw or heard anyone else firing.

[quote="Shelldrake"]Our Battery deployed on Battle Group Training at Wainwright in June 1979, we were equipped with the 105mm Lt Gun

It was clapped out old Abbots when we visited the place, 78-ish.

[quote="brum"]

Shelldrake wrote:

Our Battery deployed on Battle Group Training at Wainwright in June 1979, we were equipped with the 105mm Lt Gun

It was clapped out old Abbots when we visited the place, 78-ish.

That would be Medicine Hat, Brum. I believe Wainwright was B Vehs and Towed Guns only.

[quote="Shelldrake"]

brum wrote:

Shelldrake wrote:

Our Battery deployed on Battle Group Training at Wainwright in June 1979, we were equipped with the 105mm Lt Gun

It was clapped out old Abbots when we visited the place, 78-ish.

That would be Medicine Hat, Brum. I believe Wainwright was B Vehs and Towed Guns only.

Sorry mate, I read as far as "Battle Group Training".
You know how it is !

The eyes go first, Brum. I've got more specs than Specsavers.

Ah well..We know what causes that, don`t we,..Probably dont need gloves on cold winter days either.

Trying to say something, Gordon?

Just that Brum should have practised what he preaches and wore boxing gloves.

ciphers wrote:

I don't know if that's still the case but, yes, in he old days you could not carry a glass from table to table or the bar in fact, strictly verboten. Unescorted women were also not allowed, and pub's in BC had two separate doors, one for men and one for Ladies and Escorts. I thought I had stepped back into the Stone Age when I first arrived in La La Land.
i remember going into the Stanley, a pub on Skid Row in Vancouver where I first found somewhere cheap to live until my wife and kids came from the UK, I stepped up to the bar in my Montague Burton hand made suit, put a $20 bill on the bar and asked for a beer.
Christ you would think I had committed a capital crime. The barman in no uncertain tone told to 'go sit at a f***** table, where your f***** waiter will serve you, and put your f***** wallet in your f***** pocket before you get your f***** throat cut'.
Welcome to the backwoods Len, did I get a culture shock.

Len (Ciphers)

My experience upon returning to the True North Strong And Free wasn't nearly as dramatic as that, but yes....all bars were beer halls situated in hotels. There were two separate areas, men on one side and Ladies and Escorts on the other. Women could not enter a bar unescorted! Draught (or 'draft') beer here was, at the time 25 cents a glass and horrible weak no foam to speak of stuff. Absolutely crap. A few of the better hotels had 'lounges' which at least had a bit more atmosphere than the tavern...and cocktails,not just insipid horsepiss beer.

The taverns were lit with flourescent lights, tables were round and not very large and invariably covered in a what-may-have-been-orange-at-one-time terrycloth slip covers. And no....you could NOT pick up your drink and go wandering around visiting nor could you stand with a drink in your hand. You couldn't really even stand! You found a table, sat there and drank. Period. And smoked. A pall of smoke always hung over the assembled drinking like a cloud.

At the time all liquor and beer sales were strictly controlled by the provincial government and they dictated everything....right down to the style of carpet. No taste,either!!

I remember when having a 'milling license' was introduced at a few places, and a few 'independent' bars -- separate from hotel taverns -- were set up. Controversy!!! And I remember the first patio seen around here....up on the 2nd floor with a high wall around it creating kind of a courtyard effect up there, which wasn't too bad, but the rationale wasn't a design thing at all...it was so the public could not see people drinking!

The next stage in the evolution of drinking in Alberta was being able to order drinks in a non-hotel tavern bar and not have to order food as well. I remember one 'disco' I used to go to that when you went in...well, first,it was technically classified as a private club so that they qualified for the milling license or some such falderal, but you were then issued a chit for a plate of perogies or french fries so that there was food present on the table! And the Alberta Liquor Control Board (ALCB) would check and issue fines for non-compliance!

Gradually independent bars took over from the huge hotel-operated taverns (Praise Be!!) with a few small pubs here and there. Out here we still sort of go in for the large sports bar or dance bar or what-have-you but that is a business decision....get as many in as you can = more profit. I don't care for them but at least they have some atmosphere compared to the orange terrytoweled taverns of yore!!

Having come of age frequenting cool little gasthofs in Germany, I was appalled at my first experience of 'going to the bar' here in Alberta. I couldn't believe people actually put up with those places. Dreadful.

I well remember my first visit to the `Sinbin` and ordering a beer only to be given two small glasses, when i asked about this i was told that is how it is served.

I can also recall, when on an R&R visit to Edmonton with a friend who had relations living there,
Entering a late night `Disco`, opened at 2200hrs and closed at 0500hrs, only to find that no alcoholic drinks were available at all, the strongest drink they served was coffee.
Weird place, 3/4 of the customers were `Ethnic` and kept staring at us all the time, most uncomfortable.
We took the hint in the end and left early.
Never did find out what the place was all about.

Familiar to any one.

http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Sin_Bin

You could also buy a "Pitcher" of beer, which the Bar Staff poured for you!!

pete26 wrote:

A lot of the legendary/mythical stuff we were supposed to have, I never saw 'in action'.

I believe they used to fire the 'Giant viper' at Suffield, but as I never got there, I never saw one fired.

Our 165 mm demolition guns on the Cent AVRE, the 'flying dustbin' as we called the hesh rounds, I also never saw fired. Some were fired at Soltau via remote from a cent behind, linked up via cable, in mid 1973.

We also had the mounted coaxial Brownings and the Carl Gustav 84mm, which again I never saw or heard anyone else firing.

We went to a RE demonstration at Chatham once, (mid 60s). We were shown the "Baby Viper" being fired, if that was the Baby I wouldn't like to be around when a Giant goes off! We were also shown the Stalwart, swimming merrily around.That was the first time I'd seen it "in the flesh".

bigmal wrote:

I well remember my first visit to the `Sinbin` and ordering a beer only to be given two small glasses, when i asked about this i was told that is how it is served.

I can also recall, when on an R&R visit to Edmonton with a friend who had relations living there,
Entering a late night `Disco`, opened at 2200hrs and closed at 0500hrs, only to find that no alcoholic drinks were available at all, the strongest drink they served was coffee.
Weird place, 3/4 of the customers were `Ethic` and kept staring at us all the time, most uncomfortable.
We took the hint in the end and left early.
Never did find out what the place was all about.

During our post training R&R we were driving through a town and stopped to ask where a bar could be found. We were surprised to be told that it was a "dry town".
Apparently alcohol has a disastrous effect on the indigenous (?) population.
We strayed over the border into Montana. In a bar that we found there, there was a barmaid who looked like Connie Francis, only prettier. My mate, full of English charm asked her "are you a Spic ?". "No", she replied, smiling sweetly, "I'm a f...ing Chippewa". (I had to tell him what one of them was. Well he WAS from North Yorkshire!).