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**Fallschirmjager** · 20-07-2009, 18:04

Originally Posted by Tommo5050

As for the debate over Elitism... one Regiment in the British Army are Elite, One are Pretenders and then there is the rest.

Nice of you to admit the Paras are elite. I take it the pretenders are the Rifles?

**Bravo_Bravo** · 20-07-2009, 18:25

Originally Posted by wildcard.rgbw

AND 1 Rifles are remnants of the 1st Battalion RGBW ;)

D&D.

Carry on.

**Bravo_Bravo** · 20-07-2009, 18:26

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

Originally Posted by Tommo5050

As for the debate over Elitism... one Regiment in the British Army are Elite, One are Pretenders and then there is the rest.

Nice of you to admit the Paras are elite. I take it the pretenders are the Rifles?

No, they're a pop band fronted by some Yank chick who has had the same haircut for 30 years.

**Private_Pike** · 20-07-2009, 18:32

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**prince_jammy** · 20-07-2009, 19:17

Originally Posted by supadupa125

I joined the RGJ sold on their Regimental history, however the reality in the Battalion was somewhat different. Blokes robbing Post Offices, even the one outside of camp, bullying, thieving off each other. Fantastic Regimental history however...... * Durch

What happened? - get shouted at by a nasty Cpl when all you wanted was to stay in bed and mummy wasn't there to tuck you in?....

What you just described is what happens in most regiments. It's called the British Army and made up of some the best people you'll ever meet and a lot of worse a**holes who crawled out from under a rock...it's all part of the fun.

I'm not biased durch!..spent over 23 years in one way or another with the RGJ. Boy soldier onwards. Met many people from other Regs on courses, tours, etc...saw and listened to the way they did 'their thing' - and realised that i'd joined the right Reg for me.

Were we elite?...as individuals? as a regiment?..then maybe not really, our training wasn't any different, but i believe that our expectations and standards may have been? We did have great traditons that most of us tried to live up to....so as a mind set we certainly were 'different' IMHO.

There were somethings that separated us from others when i joined.The marching pace and simple foot drill/words of command for foot drill...plus the fact that we tried to avoid it along with any other organised marching at all costs!

The fact that we had a Rifle green beret when most other infantry at the time wore the 'boring' blue one. ..yeah, i know about the Guards, Para's and Anglians plus a few more?....The way we didn't need to be constantly shouted out and that were were trusted/expected/encouraged to think for ourselves seemed to be unique to our Regiment..and the relationship between the ranks including officers again seemed more relaxed?

Like i said, i can only judge on what i saw or how it appeared to me.

Here's to the Fountain Head and Bakers Arms!

Celer Et Audax

**skullmucked** · 20-07-2009, 20:06

Originally Posted by stabradop

My old man was in that regiment - historically they were an elite as in the Napoleonic Wars they started out as hand picked men, chosen for their ability to think for themselves a bit better than the average redcoat.

Elite (occasionally spelled Élite) is taken originally from the Latin, eligere, "to elect" (yes I nicked this from Wiki)

This, I suppose, is where they get the (unofficial?) motto "chosen men" from.

**prince_jammy** · 20-07-2009, 20:41

Could be?....i was told/thought that 'Chosen man' was the more senior man of the group when there were no officers or Sjt's around. Identified by a white piece of cloth tied around the right arm (which in time, became the Lcpls chevron)

**wildcard.rgbw** · 20-07-2009, 21:05

Actually, the whole thing about being a "chosen man", is where the recruiter tells insecure people they are "chosen men" because it makes them feel special

Mainly those people with closet homosexuality who'd been picked on at school for flirting with their best friends.

Alot of insecure people went into the RGJ this way ;)