It Looks As Though This Raf Man Had A Lucky Escape.

[sandyRoe]

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/knifemen-try-to-kidnap-raf-marham-serviceman-outside-airbase-housing-tornados-bombing-isis-in-possible-terror-attack/ar-BBuBamT?li=BBoPWjQ

[Ken4155]

Mid 70s we were strongly advised not to wear our uniforms in unfamiliar surroundings or when hitch-hiking.
Baldric, do you mean Airy Fairies? - that's what we called 'em:-)

[Islay]

Baldric - put up as many posts as you want - my response was to AOG who seemed to think that it was shocking that uniforms were no longer allowed to be worn off base.

My response is based on first hand experience that there was a ban in uniforms off base in the 80's due to IRA risk!

[Baldric]

It was 'Crabs' cos they move sideways and never advance ;o)

[anotheoldgit]

Islay

/// of course in NI it goes back further. ///

So I wasn't wrong was I?

[Islay]

yawn

[retrocop]

//“Richard along with Liam and many other Irish men and women took the fight for freedom into the very heart of Britain. Richard, despite being held for seven days for refusing to account for £20 he had, operated in England until the late summer of 1939 when he returned to Ireland. There were 127 attacks by the IRA between January and June of that year. Liam Gaughran and another Dundalk man, Gerry Halpenny, were arrested in England for attempting to blow up Hammersmith Bridge in London. Liam was sentenced to 12 years and was sent to Parkhurst Prison on the Isle of Wight.//

Hammersmith Bridge still bears the scars of that failed bomb explosion. The bomb blew but wasn't powerful enough to destroy it
Another attempt was made in the 70s but the detonator was faulty and the bomb rendered harmless.
That bridge leads a charmed life!!!

[anotheoldgit]

Islay

/// Baldric - put up as many posts as you want - my response was to AOG who seemed to think that it was shocking that uniforms were no longer allowed to be worn off
base. ///

You are wrong again, Where have I said that it was 'SHOCKING' read what I put:

*** How times have changed, I remember a time when one could wear one's uniform with pride, and not feel vulnerable at all, ***

Also uniforms are not "no longer allowed to be worn off base", only 'ADVISED' not to be worn.

[Baldric]

Hi Retro, do you recall another reason for the RAF being called Crabs other than the one @ 12:30?

[anotheoldgit]

Baldric

/// It was 'Crabs' cos they move sideways and never advance ;o) ///

Try telling that to the brave pilots who go forward to engage the enemy, so as to protect the retreating army. :0)

[retrocop]

My word. These heroic fighters for the cause of Islam are growing more audacious, bold and daring by the year. They take on men now (as long as the odds are right in their favour)!!
Last year two young female teenager army cadets, in uniform, were threatened with beheading as they left their ACF barracks in the UK by Asians in a car.

[Baldric]

Were you ever a Serviceman AOG, you don't seem to understand Banter that well?

[Svejk]

One for Balders;
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/07/20/commander-ian-inskip-attacked-by-an-exocet-missile-in-the-falkla/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[anotheoldgit]

Baldric

/// do you recall another reason for the RAF being called Crabs other than the one @ 12:30? ///

From the light blue colour of the uniform, which is the same as that of the grease (known as ‘crabfat’) used on gun breeches, etc., in the RN. Accounts vary, but apparently the grease was called ‘crabfat’ because it resembled in colour the ointment used to treat sailors for ‘crabs’ (pediculosis pubis, genital lice), and of which fat was a major constituent.

[retrocop]

Balders
Can't say do. I have racked my brains and can think of lots of inter-service names said in banter like brown jobs, pongos etc. Reminds me of a joke I read recently about an RAF officer on a joint service course.

[Baldric]

Got it in one AOG, well almost,
Crabs-The colour of RAF uniforms is supposed to have resulted from diversion of a huge but cancelled export order for the Tsar's Imperial Guard follwoing the previous years Revolution in Russia. This light blue colour was identical to the greasy mercuric oxide jelly (or crabfat) which was widely issued at the time for the treament of body lice.

[anotheoldgit]

Baldric

/// Were you ever a Serviceman AOG, you don't seem to understand Banter that well? ///

Yes RAF, but why say "that I don't seem to understand banter" when it seems obviously that you don't understand banter yourself?

[retrocop]

Compliments of Wolf

Military Joke

During a lecture to a Combined Services Staff Officers' course an instructor posed the question: "What would you do if you found a scorpion in your tent?"

A RN officer said he would stamp on it; an Army officer said he would hit it with his boot. An SAS officer said: "I'd catch it, break off the stinger and eat the rest." The RAF officer said: "I'd call room service and find out why there was a tent in my room."

[ChillDoubt]

LOL @ retro's joke. Yes, we called them Crab Air/Brylcreme Boys or on occasion were simply referred to as Biggles.
My brother(RAF) often refused to believe that Army corporal's such as myself on occasion had to brush leaves in camp or paint kerb stones.

[Jackdaw33]

When I was in the RAF the RAF Regiment were called Rockapes.

[anotheoldgit]

ChillDoubt

/// My brother(RAF) often refused to believe that Army corporal's such as myself on occasion had to brush leaves in camp or paint kerb stones. ///

I don't know what the RAF is like now, but when I was in RAF basic training, we also painted kerb stones, cut grass with scissors, dug the borders with our bayonets and even scraped the broom handles clean with razor blades.