ARmy Rumour SErvice

**jrwlynch** · 27-04-2012, 11:53

Originally Posted by wm1965

Since WWII have any other PMs or Ministers been seen in military uniform as part of their HoC duties? Old Churchill had the RAF uniform courtesy of being an honnary Air Commodore of 615 Sqn, RAF Auxillary; Army uniform courtesy of being the Colonel-in-Chief and "greatest hussar of all time" of 4th Queen's Own Hussars; and the less said about the naval uniform he sports (Royal Yacht Squadron) the better.

Other than his being First Sea Lord from 1911 to 1915? On the ground in Antwerp with the Royal Naval Division in 1914? Ran the "Landships Committee" investigating whether armoured, tracked, fighting vehicles might be made useful on the battlefield?

Yes, definitely a walt, no naval connections there.

(Anyone got a hook extractor?)

**pimpernel** · 27-04-2012, 11:58

Let us not forget that Winston Churchill after his little debacle in the Dardenells put on uniform and commanded a battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers on the Western Front in 1916.
No lecture circuits for our Winnie, no non execs just cold steel for Fritz.

**pimpernel** · 27-04-2012, 12:00

Originally Posted by bokkatankie

Much much worse, he was REME.

No surely not a spanner strangler! Wasn't it so much worse an "edumcator" or RAEC.

**whiffler** · 27-04-2012, 12:07

Originally Posted by wm1965

In the House of Commons until the early noughties or late nineties (I forget) members who had served were readily identifiable and given courteous respect:
The gallant member for xxxxxx [former/current soldiers - just checked this it was for Majors and above]
The learned member for xxxxxx [former/current barristers]

Then New Labour did away with all that 'silliness'...

Interestingly, many were unaware of these niceties. Shportly after they were abolished, someone did refer to a recently returned member from (Gulf/Afghan?) as the Gallant Member.

And from your earlier, the Ted Heath (spit) wiki entry is wrong to say he commanded 2nd Battalion, it was 2nd Regiment. 2nd Bn defunct after WW1.

**merchantman** · 27-04-2012, 12:08

Another Minister of Defence from the 50's who had a little military experience:

Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**merchantman** · 27-04-2012, 12:11

Originally Posted by jrwlynch

Other than his being First Sea Lord from 1911 to 1915? On the ground in Antwerp with the Royal Naval Division in 1914? Ran the "Landships Committee" investigating whether armoured, tracked, fighting vehicles might be made useful on the battlefield?

Yes, definitely a walt, no naval connections there.

(Anyone got a hook extractor?)

Churchill was First Lord of the Admiralty, a political appointment rather than First Sea Lord, the professional head of the navy. Though I do not doubt his military service

**wm1965** · 27-04-2012, 12:11

Originally Posted by jrwlynch

Other than his being First Sea Lord from 1911 to 1915? On the ground in Antwerp with the Royal Naval Division in 1914? Ran the "Landships Committee" investigating whether armoured, tracked, fighting vehicles might be made useful on the battlefield?

Yes, definitely a walt, no naval connections there.

How many sane people do you know could even conceive of calling Winston Churchill a Walt? I've just hit my balls with full force for having bitten at this post.

Anyway... back to the NAFFI. He can't be a walt for wearing a RYS uniform can he? Incidentally, First Sea Lord grants no uniform bar that of offical Court Dress or Ministerial Dress (which since circa 1920s has ceased to be). DOuble win to me and a flash of what's not under ma' kilt.

**redshift** · 27-04-2012, 12:34

This guy.

**ugly** · 27-04-2012, 13:00

Originally Posted by redshift

This guy.

Surely supreme leader in the communist world served?

**wm1965** · 27-04-2012, 13:11

Given his extreme pacifism which I would have thought been borne of horrors of war Neville Chamberlain served in neither the South African Wars nor World War I.