20 years ago

**msr** · 30-01-2008, 01:12

Dreadlocks on the helmet

Milan will defeat all Soviet Armour

Mask in time, mask in 9

**EX_STAB** · 30-01-2008, 01:14

Be in time mask in nine! GET it right!

**dogfondler** · 30-01-2008, 01:17

20 years ago:

What's this black and green plastic piece of shyte?

**msr** · 30-01-2008, 01:20

cock, hook and look

**dogfondler** · 30-01-2008, 01:23

MSR said:

c***, hook and look

No need for a fukcin forward assist with that one, eh?
_________________

**Airfix** · 30-01-2008, 01:28

Fcuk, me puttees come undone!

**dogfondler** · 30-01-2008, 01:29

Battle bowler bouncing all over me head...

**noliveroundsemptycasespr** · 30-01-2008, 01:33

Stay alive mask in five.

**noliveroundsemptycasespr** · 30-01-2008, 01:37

If my memory serves me correctly,slap tap cock tap fire!! If i'm wrong at least i wont have to run around the square with Henry Hesh.

**putteesinmyhands** · 30-01-2008, 01:51

Yes, 20 years ago.....

You knew what to wear and how to wear it. None of this "Is it shirtsleeves up or shirtsleeves down?" nonsense. You were comfortable on the range, thanks to the combined padding of the Shirt KF, Woolly Pully and a thick Combat Jacket, not forgetting the lined Combat Trousers.

It was the time when soldiers had to exhibit intelligence, "No, I'll have some 9mm thanks, the 7.62's a bit loose in the barrel." rather than just "Give us some more bullets."

We trained for a specific purpose. Now it's a bit woolly round the edges. Too many variables and not enough time to cover all of them.

We didn't have to worry about minefields - there'd be little opportunity to walk through an enemy one.

You could look under the bonnet of a Land Rover and identify all the parts. Now you just have to hope that you're putting the right fluid in the right place.

You could seat 11 people in a Land Rover, together with their kit. Now, even with a trailer, you can only seat 2. (Have FFRs got a forward-facing seat with seat-belt in the back yet?). You could squeeze an entire platoon into the back of a 4-tonner, now you need a coach.

Going back 30 years, a signaller could look forward to his battery going flat. Swap batteries, stab the old one numerous times with the ground spike and bury it, the holes ensuring that the toxic chemicals would leach into the ground water quickly. But at least he'd have the period until the next replen when his load would be 10 lbs lighter. Now, with rechargeable batteries, changing batteries is just another chore.

Yes, I often wonder if things have changed for the better....

**Lofty19** · 30-01-2008, 01:57

Originally Posted by Airfix

Fcuk, me puttees come undone!

After a month shy of 25 yrs in the Regs, some lucky QM is about to get a suitcase full of them back. Along with some old green baggy swimming trunks, threadbare shreddies and vests, a couple of pairs of rotten PT Gutties, the only Number 2 jacket ever to fit me in my whole career (until its design was phased out and I was told I wasn't allowed to wear it any more)...and a Spider, which is now painted silver due to a Viking Night in the Mess a few years ago.

**WhiteHorse** · 30-01-2008, 02:06

20 years ago my chest was 12" bigger than my waist. I knew I could be trusted to take a det 400 miles on Ex and be trusted to balance driving, sleeping and eating, let alone guard and duties and get the link in first time.

I could butt stroke someone who got in my way and bayonet them from a distance. I could punch holes in brick walls from 200yards and know that the person behind the wall wouldn't get up.

I could go on exercise with 15,000 other guys and feel part of a well oiled machine, turn up at any barracks and get fuel, water and be fed. We could call out recoovery 24/7 and know that the REME would turn up with just a grid reference, not what's the nearest road!

WRAC...ahh 20 years ago....

**putteesinmyhands** · 30-01-2008, 02:22

Originally Posted by WhiteHorse

We could call out recoovery 24/7 and know that the REME would turn up with just a grid reference, not what's the nearest road!

Jeez! Were we in the same Army? We used to carry at least 2 rigid tow bars and additional ropes. All repairs were done in-house (CQMS ran a garage) and REME were only allowed to look at the vehicles during the Annual Inspection. Even then, we used to wash the wagons down afterwards.

I'm exaggerating slightly - this was 25 years ago.

Anyone remember wiping the wagons down with a Kero/OMD75 solution to make the matt paint look shiny?

**WhiteHorse** · 30-01-2008, 02:24

Originally Posted by putteesinmyhands

Originally Posted by WhiteHorse

We could call out recoovery 24/7 and know that the REME would turn up with just a grid reference, not what's the nearest road!

Jeez! Were we in the same Army? We used to carry at least 2 rigid tow bars and additional ropes. All repairs were done in-house (CQMS ran a garage) and REME were only allowed to look at the vehicles during the Annual Inspection. Even then, we used to wash the wagons down afterwards.

I'm exaggerating slightly - this was 25 years ago.

Anyone remember wiping the wagons down with a Kero/OMD75 solution to make the matt paint look shiny?

True, we used to do most servicing and oil changes ourselves, our SQMS carried rigid tow bars etc, but if you were on your own at least you knew that a call to the nearest RMP would get the duty Reme out.