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The noble art of being a Military Scoundrel

His life and exploits inspired the naval fiction of 19th- and 20th-century novelists, particularly the fictional characters C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey.
The only passing likeness to Cochrane in the Hornblower stories is the 'gentleman adventurer' who appears in the story 'The Guns of Carabobo' when Hornblower is Flag officer in the West Indies.

The character of Hornblower himself was nothing like Cochrane, who was what CS Forester described as a
' political officer.'
 
Precisely - Hurrah for The Corps (of Royal Engineers)

Coming round 'ere claiming Royal connections - I have to inform you you're just another of our bastard progeny (but of good stock unlike RCT who took up with loggies... We're slightly ashamed if the RAF though).
The RCT took on RE stuff, it wasn’t born of your lot. Most of it was RASC (-).

At the end of the day, almost everyone can trace their way back to year dot if they try hard enough…

Except the stackers obviously!;-)
 
The only passing likeness to Cochrane in the Hornblower stories is the 'gentleman adventurer' who appears in the story 'The Guns of Carabobo' when Hornblower is Flag officer in the West Indies.

The character of Hornblower himself was nothing like Cochrane, who was what CS Forester described as a
' political officer.'
That’s rubbish. He was political in later life due to his ongoing fights with the establishment and admiralty.
In his younger years his courage, leadership and obvious skill were quite amazing.

Autobiography of a Seaman - Lord Thomas Cochrane
 
This guy deserves a film of his own reminds you of the cartoon character in the Victor who climbed up rocks to get the stuff from the Germans

By all accounts one of my great uncles done time with him after the war.
Will stick my great uncle in here as well, Not sure what regt he was as only seen him occasionally and he died in 1991,
Was recommended for a DCM for actions in Holland or Belgium and was laid up in a field hospital so they got bored and broke out and took a Bren carrier with them and used it to ram raid the doors of a barn where a load of wine was stored that they knew about and proceeded to get hammered then decided to drive back to the hospital when they rolled the carrier and got a DCM of a different type for their trouble.

Done a bank in over there as well and burnt the notes to keep warm.

After the war used a hearse to rob a safe and only got away as police started after him and safe rolled out the window and the chase motor drove into it.

Only just before he died after much pestering by the RBL did he apply for his medals and a pension for taking a couple of rounds in his stomach.
 
Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers.

A mate of mine is with them, he described the Major above as being as thick as pigshit and couldn't be trusted not to balls up the simplest of taskings.
I always thought he was regular. A bit (5 mins) of digging through the London Gazette confirms his rise from 2Lt 07 Apr 86 to Capt 07 Apr 90, 30 Sep 95 promotion to Maj and finally, under Corps of Royal Engineers Regular Army, Major CW Ingram (525791) commission is terminated 20 August 2003.

Maybe as Training Major or an OC?

ETA Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind the power curve as this was pointed out months ago.
 
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It was Colonel Mustard with the lead piping in the hall.


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