60 Squadron's Mushroom Stickers

[StoryTime]

Hello!

My boyfriend who is from Northumberland, England, told me that when he was growing up, there used to be mushroom stickers on several road signs on A1 which, if you followed them, would lead you to fields where magic mushroom grew (he never did follow the stickers himself and now most of them are gone from the road signs). As a freelance writer I was intrigued by this story and thought it might lead to an interesting article about counter culture in England. Imagine my surprise when my research led me instead to ARRSE! Hell, the mascot at the top of this page is a mushroom!

Would anyone from the 60 Squadron be willing to speak to me about the origins of the mushroom stickers, the meaning behind them, and a supposed feud with a rival squadron that tagged everything with owl stickers? I would love to hear your stories and reminiscences!

 

[RIGRAT]

I grew up in the North East and remember seeing these bright orange mushroom stickers on road signs.

The magic mushroom story is a new one though.

I don’t remember needing road signs to find them

 

[StoryTime]

I grew up in the North East and remember seeing these bright orange mushroom stickers on road signs.

The magic mushroom story is a new one though.

I don’t remember needing road signs to find them

The idea for this story got even more interesting once I learned that a squadron was behind these stickers!

Do you remember when you first started seeing them?

 

[RIGRAT]

The idea for this story got even more interesting once I learned that a squadron was behind these stickers!

Do you remember when you first started seeing them?

Im sorry I can’t recall exactly, maybe around the mid 90’s.

Initially I had no idea what they were about, but after joining up and seeing that orange sticky tape used for all kinds of stuff, I thought it had some kind of military connection.

 

[Sexton Blake]

Hello!

My boyfriend who is from Northumberland, England, told me that when he was growing up, there used to be mushroom stickers on several road signs on A1 which, if you followed them, would lead you to fields where magic mushroom grew (he never did follow the stickers himself and now most of them are gone from the road signs). As a freelance writer I was intrigued by this story and thought it might lead to an interesting article about counter culture in England. Imagine my surprise when my research led me instead to ARRSE! Hell, the mascot at the top of this page is a mushroom!

Would anyone from the 60 Squadron be willing to speak to me about the origins of the mushroom stickers, the meaning behind them, and a supposed feud with a rival squadron that tagged everything with owl stickers? I would love to hear your stories and reminiscences!

Wah shield up.

I am led to believe it was the consensus in that Sqn that they were 'kept in the dark and fed on sh*t'. In the same way that mushrooms are kept/grown etc. I don't believe it has anything to do with magic mushrooms.

Wah shield down.

 

[Dwarf]

Wah shield up.

I am led to believe it was the consensus in that Sqn that they were 'kept in the dark and fed on sh*t'. In the same way that mushrooms are kept/grown etc. I don't believe it has anything to do with magic mushrooms.

Wah shield down.

Geordie here, but already expat in the 90's. I would incline to backing up this story. In the 80's my then TA unit had T-shirts with 'Name, Mushroom, and the unit.'
Seems right
Will ask Wor Kid about this though.

 

[kelvin_273]

Wah shield up.

I am led to believe it was the consensus in that Sqn that they were 'kept in the dark and fed on sh*t'. In the same way that mushrooms are kept/grown etc. I don't believe it has anything to do with magic mushrooms.

Wah shield down.

At 20 Field Workshop Minden c 1975, we'd erect a sign at the guards tent on exercise exclaiming that "We are the champingons".

 

[Queensman]

Hello!

Hell, the mascot at the top of this page is Mr Potato Head!

 

[AlienFTM]

Wah shield up.

I am led to believe it was the consensus in that Sqn that they were 'kept in the dark and fed on sh*t'. In the same way that mushrooms are kept/grown etc. I don't believe it has anything to do with magic mushrooms.

Wah shield down.

4th Troop B Squadron 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars had tee shirts made bearing a mushroom and this logo on our 76-7 UNFICYP tour. Mine might be quietly rotting away at the back of my chest of drawers if it didn't get lobbed decades ago.

Also marked Geordie Hussars.

 

[Marcoextrastrongpolo]

Wah Shield up.
It's the Squadron symbol. Cut out of lumy stickers for windscreens (and every sign they could slap one on).
Wah Shield down.

 

[StoryTime]

Im sorry I can’t recall exactly, maybe around the mid 90’s.

Initially I had no idea what they were about, but after joining up and seeing that orange sticky tape used for all kinds of stuff, I thought it had some kind of military connection.

No worries, general consensus seems to be the '90s. The orange sticky tape anecdote is awesome! These weren't run-of-the-mill stickers that just anyone could get.

 

[StoryTime]

Wah Shield up.
It's the Squadron symbol. Cut out of lumy stickers for windscreens (and every sign they could slap one on).
Wah Shield down.

I love this! Was there a "war" between this Squadron and another one that had owl stickers? Do you happen to have any photos of the stickers on signs?

 

[W21A]

I remember seeing them on LandRovers and 4 tonners. They seemed to be everywhere - a bit of a Mushroom Mafia.

 

[Dan Gleebles]

I remember seeing them on LandRovers and 4 tonners. They seemed to be everywhere - a bit of a Mushroom Mafia.

They must've been fun guys to work with...

 

[Boxy]

No worries, general consensus seems to be the '90s. The orange sticky tape anecdote is awesome! These weren't run-of-the-mill stickers that just anyone could get.

Unfortunately, IMOO they were exactly that, anyone with the dayglow tape and a pair of scissors could make them and as to leading to magic mushrooms…really? I think your leg was being pulled

 

[Marcoextrastrongpolo]

I love this! Was there a "war" between this Squadron and another one that had owl stickers? Do you happen to have any photos of the stickers on signs?

Kind of like a "Look how far we go" or "we were 'ere" type thing. In a large camp or on exercise you could distinguish between squadrons vehicles very easily.

 

[Skunkmiester]

In Bedfordshire where I grew up, it was orange day-glo duck stickers. I don't know if there was a meaning behind them or if it was just for shits'n'giggles amongst studdents or an eccentric type.

 

[AlienFTM]

I remember seeing them on LandRovers and 4 tonners. They seemed to be everywhere - a bit of a Mushroom Mafia.

I've told this before. A close recce troop of A Squadron 15/19H went to BATUS in 78, attached to their battlegroup. They organised a trip to the USA for R&R. Visited a US recruiting office for a larf.

In 78 the US armed forces, particularly army, were suffering a manpower crisis because after the Vietnam debacle peace with honour they'd stopped conscription and the quality of volunteers was on the floor. So, among other things, they gave away bumper stickers to anyone who came through the door. I can remember ARMY, NATO and IF YOU AIN'T CAV YOU AIN'T.

Needless to say this troop hoovered up all these stickers and they were seen all over Paderborn.

In very short order, it became a thing, especially the last, above for 15/19H. Scots DG were just up the road. They took exception to a fraction regiment pulling this stunt, and very soon a variant appeared, subtitled FRACTIONS DON'T COUNT (oh the irony to a mathematician, and that it was fractions who'd started it).

Then Keith Michell had a hit with Captain Beaky & His Band, and somebody shot JR, leading to a new bumper sticker appearing, HISSING SID SHOT JR.

Aah halcyon days.

Remember, children, if you ain't Cav, you ain't.

 

[Skunkmiester]

The only military sticker plague I remember was the "I've Met the Marines" stickers that were stuck on anything we could get to. I didn't do Earl's Court but I was told that some of the other units would get a bit miffed with the appearance of these stickers all over their kit and transport.

 

[Dan Gleebles]

The only military sticker plague I remember was the "I've Met the Marines" stickers that were stuck on anything we could get to. I didn't do Earl's Court but I was told that some of the other units would get a bit miffed with the appearance of these stickers all over their kit and transport.

Not as miffed as a returning husband finding one on the back of the headboard.