Rum Ration

How many have great memories of the rum ration on those cold winter nights? They only gave us a pint each and it was for the entire crew but inevitably some of the younger lads didn't like the taste of rum so those of us who did got double, or even triple, ration.

God it didn't half help you sleep on a cold night.

 

Only "Gunfire" in November...

 

"Gunfire" for us was 17th March - for obvious reasons.

 

The Blues and Royals used to issue a rum ration on exercise in winter when they were in Detmold. Didn't like the taste of it to start with, but learnt to adapt and overcome. We used to save our ration and drink it on the train trip home.
I always remember one trip, the whole 434 crew got wrecked on rum after a 4 or 5 week exercise. As the sproggy driver i was OK, but the crew commander got in some seriouse sh1t. We had to parade on the sidings as usual when we arrived back in Detters to account for weapons and wocks, only someone on our crew forgot to bring the LMG off the train. By the time we realised what was happening the carriage had left the sidings and all hell and broken loose. The whole crew had to stay at the sidings until the rest of the Sqn came back to collect the wagons about 12 hours later.

Always brings a smile to my face, thinking of the level of sh1t the comd got in for that one, after he had been a total knob on exercise.

 

"wocks" as in War Office Controlled Stores? Kin ell, TM, what`s your number, then?

 

"1"????

 

Set the scene.

Germany, late 60's - OK 1969 (can't get any later)

Full scale ftx, 3 weeks of wonderful German weather.

MO (and it could only be the MO who signed the 'chit') authorised a rum ration. This came up to the jocks as dixies of stewed tea with condensed milk and half ton of sugar i.e. normal - but the rum had been added to this by the QM. A more disgusting brew I have never come across, yet it was swallowed by the CSM and a few old n bold - a whole Company's ration wasted and drunk by the company alkys.

Still the sleep we got while the CSM was doing his bit for the Queen was nice.

 

I'd heard the entire MOD stash of rum was WW1 issue and still stored in stone demijohns stamped "1916". Anybody confirm this?

 

I was a CQMS in a supply depot in Bielefeld, and yup, its confirmed, some was older and looked like tar, mixed with hot water it was nectar, and it was in gallon demijohns..part of my controlled stores, and checked by the Ord Offr now and then...might still be there!!!..stores are for storing you know..you get storemen..not issuemen

Ill get me coat.........

 

Yes we'd been told it has the consistency of molasses and had to be watered down to make it palatable and also to stop it blowing the tops off our heads LOL.

when I think back though. A half pint of issue rum then sleeping on the hot back decks of a Chieftain, didn't half give you a gob in the mornings. My mouth used to taste like the inside of Ghandi's flip-flop.

 

Naaah - not that bad, went through Trg in 1980. Seems like an age ago now. Most of the young lads i've met in my last 2 jobs were born after i joined.
Young at heart!!!!!!!! Still sink a pint faster than most sprog's and thats without spillage!!!!!!!(beer that is, not seepage from the colostamy bag).

 

It was that bad ok. Especially if you had the tank sheet over the gun to keep the fug in during the winter. LOL

 

In my Royal navy days we would get a Rum issue on special occasions
me being a young whipper snapper of a 16 year old was issued 2 cans of pepsi .
Most of the younger lads who had drawn their issue of rum didnt like it neat
(puffs) so we all joined forces and it was Rum and cokes all round .

The stuff we had in the Navy was Pussers rum it came in litre bottles .
You can buy it in the shops now but it is a bit pricey . Moving 17 years on
i love a tot of rum on exercise , always have a bottle stashed on the wagon
somewhere , when the need araises i pop in to my turret for a quick
''Troop leaders interview'' my troop leader is a certain ''Capt Morgan''
he is a top bloke and he always leaves you feeling good after one
of ''his chats ''

 

Not much call for the stuff in my old regiment apart from some evil brew dished out on Christmas day.
Cherry Brandy was the prefered tot for cold exercises on Saltau. Not to potent but it kept you warm.

 

We had the odd bottle of cheery brandy too and whiskey but it's the memory of those freezing cold nights when the MO issued the rum. Getting pished for nothing on Aunty Betty's tab LOL.