"Soldier sent to gaol for wedding" No, soldier sent to gaol for AWOL.

[Disco Muppet]

Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on this matter.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/latest/article/-/14741897/soldier-awol-for-wedding
It's a fair cop IMHO, if others can juggle personal and work lives, so should he.
Also, I reckon his sister has just put him in it even worse, imagine the **** he's going to cop from his mates.
Should never have gone to the public, it's an ADF matter.
Particularly so close to the recent loss of 5 more diggers.
Bit of a media bash of the ADF methinks.
So that's my 2 cents worth.
Cheers
Muppet

[460cixy]

I think the punishment is fair how ever if it's true the run around he had to go throu to get the time off to get married was a bit rich as well and I agree with keeping it out of the media also he did the wrong thing cop it of the chin and get on with it

[weeds]

normal **** that happens everyday in the defence force.......i could give you many an example where the ARMY fails to use common sense or having the ability to discuss things adult to adult.

i am sure there is two sides to the story, sadly we will never hear the other side or truth...

i was charged twice for AWOL, found guilty first time around (however i never even asked for leave so i copped it sweet as it was pre-calulated some would say not calculated very well, all for a feed of macca's). and the second one was thrown out (keep in mind of the five of us 1 x NCO lost rank, 1 x NCO lost senioirity for 3 years, 1 x CFN went to jail, 1 x CFN 'me' case thrown out 1 x CFN didn't even have the rights read to him) yet we were all together. good thing they didn't catch me the many other times. didn't go to jail

i'm trying to dicharge from the chocko's and what a pain in the arse its been, four months on and i'm still an enlisted man:angel::angel: i guess somebody will rock up to my place and collect my gear one day

if i had my time over would i have changed things, nope, had a ball although i think i ceated a few headaches for my bosses but that was my fit to the organised kaos

[austastar]

Hi,
A mate of mine was told by the WO to 'get out of my sight ', so he did.
Picked up 3 days later by the SPs.
Said he was 'following orders'.
A week in the clink and then out.
cheers

[akelly]

That story reads like utter BS. I would be v. interested to hear the unit perspective on it.

Don't forget that this would have to have been a CO level hearing, and reviewed by a defence lawyer. Blokes don't get thrown in gaol for small matters.

[Disco Muppet]

8 days awol isn't that little, but I agree it's not the whole story.

[weeds]

That story reads like utter BS. I would be v. interested to hear the unit perspective on it.

Don't forget that this would have to have been a CO level hearing, and reviewed by a defence lawyer. Blokes don't get thrown in gaol for small matters.

Of course the units side of the story would be right.....the system is always right, at least thats what they tried to tell me.

In the example I gave above we were all guilty as sin but how did one crafty end up in jail??

I still remember my first mil law session when a WO stood in front of us and said if you are charged you will be found guilty....we never get it wrong. I'm glad to say that I was found not guilty on six out of eight charges. He is probably still in the system delivering the same ****.

[101RRS]

The punishment fits the crime however you do have to ask how the issue got to this situation. Your own wedding is not a trivial request and unless there was an operational imperative it should have been approved.

According to the media the first request for leave was lost and the follow up request was denied due to the soldier not providing enough evidence that he was getting married even though he provided copies of suitable receipts. It certainly is not a systemic issue and more like the personal views of the approving/not approving officer that denied the request - these may have been perfectly valid - we do not know.

I cannot speak for the Army processes but in the Navy if you are unhappy with such decisions you can always ask for a review by higher authority - this can be done via a 'formal complaint' or even informally if the officer who knocked back the original request agrees.

To go on AWOL is not the way to deal with the decision as there were more options.

Garry

[weeds]

The punishment fits the crime however you do have to ask how the issue got to this situation.

problem is this situation arises more often than it should.......not saying the digger hasn't contributed (if he was anything like me than it coul dhave been his undoing) but the system and the way it goes about its business would have contributed as well............mil law/senior NCO's/officers do i need to say anymore

[NavyDiver]

My two AWOLs were for girls. Hours or a day in my case but two weeks is a bit more than most AWOLs.
He would have applied for leave. A rushed wedding by the sounds of it. Possibly a good reason to NOT approve his leave but this is just a light hearted joke/thought not meaning to offend his marrige.:D

[akelly]

Of course the units side of the story would be right.....the system is always right, at least thats what they tried to tell me.

In the example I gave above we were all guilty as sin but how did one crafty end up in jail??

I still remember my first mil law session when a WO stood in front of us and said if you are charged you will be found guilty....we never get it wrong. I'm glad to say that I was found not guilty on six out of eight charges. He is probably still in the system delivering the same ****.

Hey, I didn't say the unit were right - I said it would be interesting to hear their side.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Reading the article, it is more than just being AWOL, it is being AWOL after leave was denied. In short it was disobeying a direct order not to take leave.

He should have sought and received permission before setting the wedding date, or would have been better off not applying the second time and just going AWOL, when he likely would still have spent time locked up.

Leave military discipline and justice to the military.

[Disco44]

AWOL is just that AWOL and deserves some sort of punishment.But to be put in with the red caps for being AWOL to attend your wedding just proves that our defence force is still run by " **** for brains" officers so full of their own importance and apparently things will never change.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

This isn't just a case of AWOL, it is being absent in contravention of a direct order. A breakdown of discipline.

The Army is involved in a shooting war and if the Army can't expect it's soldiers to obey direct orders in Oz, how can they expect soldiers to obey orders at the front.

[weeds]

Leave military discipline and justice to the military.

if only they had half an idea than i would agree, from what i experienced....well i wont go there

digger do stuff like this because the system does there head in.........i managed to work with and against the system for 25 years

i would put my money on he checked the trianing calander and the weekend was free and probably due to a lack of foresight by his unit and event was added so he probably had to do a mindless range shoot arranged at short notice.........who knows the exact details but i bet it was something along those lines :angel::angel: i guess we will have to read it in his book

[weeds]

This isn't just a case of AWOL, it is being absent in contravention of a direct order. A breakdown of discipline.

The Army is involved in a shooting war and if the Army can't expect it's soldiers to obey direct orders in Oz, how can they expect soldiers to obey orders at the front.

i assumed you have served??

[Lotz-A-Landies]

i assumed you have served??And that has what relevance?

[weeds]

The Army is involved in a shooting war and if the Army can't expect it's soldiers to obey direct orders in Oz, how can they expect soldiers to obey orders at the front.

in this modern day that comment is just about worn out...........

i respected the person giving me the orders way before the rank, some would say in some cases you are promoted for a reason..........and it may not be that you are good at your job:angel:

but than again i was a career crafty so some might read something into that......but i guess they would not know my side of the story:eek:

[weeds]

And that has what relevance?

well if you have served than i can make some assumption on your comments

if you haven't served than i dont think you are in a position to recite the oldest saying in the book

you should have seen half the closed door discussion i had with CSM's and ASM's when i used to mention that i didn't join the ARMY to take part in a two way range shoot.......how dare i make that statement

[vnx205]

I'm not sure that it is worth discussing what the soldier did and what happened to him.

He went AWOL. He copped a punishment. End of story.

What I think is more of an issue is the growing attitude in some sectors of the community that if they don't like something then the appropriate response is to run to the media in the knowledge that shows like TT are only interested in one side of the story. Shows like that aren't interested in balance or even accuracy. They just want sensationalism.

The sister's behaviour is typical of the way some people think the rules don't apply to them (or their brother) and that they can get their way by making a fuss.

[akelly]

well if you have served than i can make some assumption on your comments

if you haven't served than i dont think you are in a position to recite the oldest saying in the book

you should have seen half the closed door discussion i had with CSM's and ASM's when i used to mention that i didn't join the ARMY to take part in a two way range shoot.......how dare i make that statement

Crafties are always up to no good, so we have to take your views of the Mil Law system with a grain of salt (or three)!

:angel:

[Lotz-A-Landies]

well if you have served than i can make some assumption on your comments

if you haven't served than i dont think you are in a position to recite the oldest saying in the book

...That is also flawed thinking, it doesn't matter the institution, all large institutions have a right to direct their employees and they appoint managers to do it. The only difference is that in the military they have greater rights to administer justice and punishment.

It is not the place of the employees, soldiers in this case, to decide the priorities and rostering of their workplace.

Administrators and Managers (officers) set policy, process and procedure. In this case the employee failed to request leave at an appropriate time and did not receive permission to have leave, yet still set the date for a wedding. He then requested and was refused leave. In spite of that the employee took the leave and has received the punishment as prescribed by and which the employer is authorised to administer. If I had a Registered Nurse working in the Emergency Department I managed who did the same thing, they would not be working in the Emergency department upon their return from unauthorised leave and likely would not have a job.

If we managed hospitals you seem to want ordinary soldiers to manage the Army, we would never have staff working on weekends or public holidays and patients would have to look after themselves overnight.

[weeds]

Crafties are always up to no good, so we have to take your views of the Mil Law system with a grain of salt (or three)!

:angel:

I manages to out smart the system......I was guilty as, but my refusal of using the allocated defending officer was my best move

[weeds]

I'm not sure that it is worth discussing what the soldier did and what happened to him.

He went AWOL. He copped a punishment. End of story.

What I think is more of an issue is the growing attitude in some sectors of the community that if they don't like something then the appropriate response is to run to the media in the knowledge that shows like TT are only interested in one side of the story. Shows like that aren't interested in balance or even accuracy. They just want sensationalism.

The sister's behaviour is typical of the way some people think the rules don't apply to them (or their brother) and that they can get their way by making a fuss.

Gotta agree as I refuse to watch the news or current affair shows.

But what if the story is correct?? Than I guess the fuss was worth it.

[akelly]

I manages to out smart the system......I was guilty as, but my refusal of using the allocated defending officer was my best move

There is, as they say, nothing new under the sun!

Dodgy crafties...

[weeds]

That is also flawed thinking, it doesn't matter the institution, all large institutions have a right to direct their employees and they appoint managers to do it. The only difference is that in the military they have greater rights to administer justice and punishment.

It is not the place of the employees, soldiers in this case, to decide the priorities and rostering of their workplace.

Administrators and Managers (officers) set policy, process and procedure. In this case the employee failed to request leave at an appropriate time and did not receive permission to have leave, yet still set the date for a wedding. He then requested and was refused leave. In spite of that the employee took the leave and has received the punishment as prescribed by and which the employer is authorised to administer. If I had a Registered Nurse working in the Emergency Department I managed who did the same thing, they would not be working in the Emergency department upon their return from unauthorised leave and likely would not have a job.

If we managed hospitals you seem to want ordinary soldiers to manage the Army, we would never have staff working on weekends or public holidays and patients would have to look after themselves overnight.

Seems like you know the system you work in well and yes most things you say applied to most organizations.....it's more your statement that everybody throws around that doesn't sit right with me. Personally I don't think you can compare what happens in barracks to what happens in a theatre of war.

I bet plenty of RN have taken a sickie instead of working a **** shift......hardly a comparison but they have gone around the system.

I still think I run the defence force, if you haven't served or deployed than you have about as much of a chance of being take seriously as I.

[weeds]

There is, as they say, nothing new under the sun!

Dodgy crafties...

And proud of it.....

[Disco Muppet]

Gotta agree as I refuse to watch the news or current affair shows.

But what if the story is correct?? Than I guess the fuss was worth it.

That's a big if.
TT is (from my perspective) making a story about the poor digger who just wanted to go get married and the big nasty army wasn't having any of it.
The way it actually reads (again, my perspective) is a soldier who's request for leave was denied (I've had receipts turned down at big w, who's to say it can't happen in the army?)
If he really wanted to, he could have produced concrete proof about his wedding and not gone bugger it, i'll be right.
However, I think the worst bits of this story are
a) his sister crying to the media. Would not want to be him once he gets out, imagine what his unit will think
b) TT for running another muck raking ADF bashing story.
Break the rules, get punished, plenty of others have had to adjust weddings, I know a bloke who missed his dads funeral because he couldn't get leave.
Should have been good enough for him.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

<snip>.....it's more your statement that everybody throws around that doesn't sit right with me. Personally I don't think you can compare what happens in barracks to what happens in a theatre of war. ...<snip>I'll accept some of the notional difference between in barracks and on deployment, however my point is about discipline and disobedience.


<snip>..... I bet plenty of RN have taken a sickie instead of working a **** shift......hardly a comparison but they have gone around the system....<snip>but yes still a comparison. There is a significant difference between taking a sickie/being AWOL and requesting leave, being refused and still taking a sickie/being AWOL.

It is the point about leave being refused, and sticking it up the officers by still taking leave that has ended up getting this soldier a holiday in the Holdsworthy Country Club.
<snip>.....I still think I run the defence force, if you haven't served or deployed than you have about as much of a chance of being take seriously as I.This is the same argument, over again if you haven't been part of this then you can't know about that. ...Just because you haven't died doesn't mean you don't know about death!

No I have never served in the Army, but I have had some experience of it. I have done courses run by the Army under Army conditions, stayed in active barracks, had meals in Army and RAAF mess. I am a volunteer for the Army History Unit, regularly visit military precincts and most of all I am a good listener and observer. Which at best makes me somewhat more aware of the Military than the average citizen. Mind you, if I were to join the Army, my qualifications would make me an officer and therefore somewhat stupid! :D

[Blknight.aus]

funny...

I had to can my actual wedding and do a registry wedding during my lunchbreak and was back at work before end of lunch...

why?

troop leader cancelled authorized leave the day before the event.

I suspect a rather large can of "you joined us, we did not join you" needs to be issued and taken.

would you like a list of all the **** an ADF member can be made to go through to get married? (Pretty certian I can recite most of it without having to revisit the manuals) its easier to go defacto.

[akelly]

...

would you like a list of all the **** an ADF member can be made to go through to get married? (Pretty certian I can recite most of it without having to revisit the manuals) its easier to go defacto.

Other way around Dave - you need nothing to get married, just need to produce the cert to get your pers record changed. You need to provide a bit of evidence to get defacto recognised - it changed massively about 5-6 years ago.

[weeds]

Mind you, if I were to join the Army, my qualifications would make me an officer and therefore somewhat stupid! :D

No not stupid......but one of them

[NavyDiver]

No not stupid......but one of them

One of who- some officers were nothing short of brilliant. Some complete soft ...... the same thing in civi life. Not to do with academic brilliance all the times. Was it a NCO choice or above? NCO more likely!


I think everyones view invalid, Mine and yours is right of course:D

Leave the poor love stuck Romeo alone. Wish his long term love life success:angel:

Weeds- You skate on thin ice harassing moderators- I say "Sir" and meant it. I can say Sir with complete and well deserved contempt with ease. I can say thanks Lots-Of-Landies as well :D

Lt S= contempt sorry mate

[lambrover]

I am torn in my thinking on this one. I do agree with Weeds as a fellow CFN but see the discipline side as well. I think it more likely came down from the officer side though it just has that feeling.

I think the ADF should move on a bit from being told what to do. Why is a young officer right, rank is not common sense, hey you enlisted man jump out of this trench, these times have gone.

I am a tradesman and I hate being told what to do by other Corps. Blanket folders, truckies, I can't stand it when they are running any thing.

As a CFN I am to diagnose faults and fix broken things, questioning and sound thinking comes into this, if a superior comes out with a stupid way of doing things I should be able to question there thought process. The Army has made it to hard and killed the passion for so many good people they just get out because of to many dumb ****** getting promoted and you can't call them on there decisions.

My days are coming to an end I think, as you may tell I am bitter and twisted lol

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Blknight.aus]

Other way around Dave - you need nothing to get married, just need to produce the cert to get your pers record changed. You need to provide a bit of evidence to get defacto recognised - it changed massively about 5-6 years ago.


not that much they didnt.

you still need to get approval to get married
if you get a ***** of a heighrachy you can still be sent off to do relationship councelling
its worse if you are in live in accomodation.

What they did is make it harder for the heighrachy to be difficult but the ability is still there.

[weeds]

One of who- some officers were nothing short of brilliant. Some complete soft ...... the same thing in civi life. Not to do with academic brilliance all the times. Was it a NCO choice or above? NCO more likely!
i was referring to us and them, us being OR's and them being officers, seniors? well they them as well. i don't judge a book by its cover, i have worked with some great officers and some not so, just like gun plumbers and thats life.

I think everyones view invalid, Mine and yours is right of course:D

Leave the poor love stuck Romeo alone. Wish his long term love life success:angel:

Weeds- You skate on thin ice harassing moderators- I say "Sir" and meant it. I can say Sir with complete and well deserved contempt with ease. I can say thanks Lots-Of-Landies as well :D
skateing on thin ice........wtf, i dont think i have harassed Lotsa at all. actually i think this is good robust campfire chat, if you cannot handle the heat of the fire than......... you dont have to be around the forum long to know that Lotsa is a walking encyclopedia on series and military stuff, if fact i have picked up a thing or two. i'm sure Lotsa has a thick enough skin to brush off my comments. i'm sure Di and i will continue to work together helping out the site wiuth no hard feeling. thanks for your concern.

Lt S= contempt sorry mate
you lost me here, but than again i'm not the sharpest tool in the shed


if you haven't picked up yet i was not your model soldier, infact didn't really embrace anything military. eight charges (three events) in nine years, all but one was calculated, yep i new i would be in the **** if caught and accepted but not with out a fight and to nearly everybody surprise i was only guilty on two accounts. if you read between the line imagine how much i got away with.

what i did do is turn up everyday and do my trade as good as i could, the main reason was there was something new everyday, something a little different and when left to do my work i recon i was a good assest (support, technical, trade wise to my unit) and enjoyed seeing getting good feedback from the grunts that there equipment was in good order coming out of the workshop. anything other than doing my trade i was picky on who or what i listen to which is vastly different to my civvy job as it was nearly impossible to be sacked by the ARMY.

[akelly]

not that much they didnt.

you still need to get approval to get married
if you get a ***** of a heighrachy you can still be sent off to do relationship councelling
its worse if you are in live in accomodation.

What they did is make it harder for the heighrachy to be difficult but the ability is still there.

Not my experience of it, but I understand that a douche bag in the chain will cause problems no matter what!

[Lotz-A-Landies]

.... i'm sure Di and i will continue to work together helping out the site with no hard feeling. thanks for your concern.I just wish you wouldn't go AWOL when I wanted you to do night duty! ;) Oops here Inc is the ossifer, isn't he?

Good thing he doesn't have a brig too, or we may have some extra time on our hands. :D

[Hymie]

It's the hoary old adage, "If the Army wanted you to have a Wife they would issue you one."

Looking through the service records of one of my Ancestors who went AWL to get married in WW1 he got 2 years prison with hard labour and a forfeit of 1094 days pay.
All for a 6 day honeymoon.

[weeds]

nearly forgot, my wife to be at the time could not believe that i was supposed to get the ARMY's consent for marriage.....she indicated she was not going to take part in any of it

i put my leave request in not mentioning anything about marriage it was approved in my case. as the date got closer the ACE cottoned on and pull me up to check if i was aware of the requirement, i answered yes, the ACE said your on your own if anything haapens. the ACE ensure none of the workshop boys were on duty for both the bucks night and wedding weekend. Macca happened to be a cool ACE:thumbsup::twobeers:

as it does word got out and the CSM bailed me up, he requested that i booked in for sub 1 for marriage.......yeah right, in one ear out the other. i think he assumed i did what he asked.

[bob10]

nearly forgot, my wife to be at the time could not believe that i was supposed to get the ARMY's consent for marriage.....

Service wives have my greatest respect. If the marriage lasts the turbulance of service life, it will last forever. We were married in 1975, on a saturday, I sailed on monday for three months, our first child was born while I was halfway to Hawaii for RIMPAC Exercises, I received two telegrams, one giving the birth details, then another a few hours later. To say I was apprehensive is correct, it was just my Parents congratulating us. I owe my wife a honeymoon, and will keep my promise. For XMAS I will give her a RAVE DVD to study, and personally instruct her in the operation of the HI- lift jack. She retires soon, so I will give her the choice of dirty, dusty , muddy trips to take for our belated honeymoon. She'll be wrapped.......................................I think ?:angel:

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Service wives have my greatest respect. ...

... For XMAS I will give her a RAVE DVD to study, and personally instruct her in the operation of the HI- lift jack. She retires soon, so I will give her the choice of dirty, dusty , muddy trips to take for our belated honeymoon. She'll be wrapped.......................................I think ?:angel:She must think she's got a marriage made in heaven! :D

I'm assuming she got the Hi-Lift jack for Mother's Day?

[Blknight.aus]

It's the hoary old adage, "If the Army wanted you to have a Wife they would issue you one."



Bastards did.

[Ralph1Malph]

Having just left 6 RAR, I can tell you that the TV folk 'sugar coated' the 'newsworthy' aspects and conveniently neglected the 'balanced' view.
Some posters have posted elements of the truth but I'll just say it is not all as the TV folk have made out.

Not related to this story but to give you an insight, leave periods are blocked out well in advance. EG, if you are in a Brisbane unit, you can reasonably expect that no leave will be granted during July and August next year...we know that now but some kids will try none-the-less. Humans are actually smart critters and as a former CFN, I thought I had pulled nearly every scam, but I still get caught now. I am sure that some kids have dozens of grandparents as one dies every other month!

Regarding marriage, Army is very thorough as with marriage comes resonsibility...both for the member and the ADF. I have seen young soldiers marry girls they met on the weekend and it causes them much grief, not just emotionally but financially, administratively and career wise if it goes pear shaped.

Just sayin:D.

[lambrover]

Having just left 6 RAR, I can tell you that the TV folk 'sugar coated' the 'newsworthy' aspects and conveniently neglected the 'balanced' view.
Some posters have posted elements of the truth but I'll just say it is not all as the TV folk have made out.

Not related to this story but to give you an insight, leave periods are blocked out well in advance. EG, if you are in a Brisbane unit, you can reasonably expect that no leave will be granted during July and August next year...we know that now but some kids will try none-the-less. Humans are actually smart critters and as a former CFN, I thought I had pulled nearly every scam, but I still get caught now. I am sure that some kids have dozens of grandparents as one dies every other month!

Regarding marriage, Army is very thorough as with marriage comes resonsibility...both for the member and the ADF. I have seen young soldiers marry girls they met on the weekend and it causes them much grief, not just emotionally but financially, administratively and career wise if it goes pear shaped.

Just sayin:D.

Ha where you posted now ? What VM,s are there.

[bob10]

Humans are actually smart critters and as a former CFN, I thought I had pulled nearly every scam, but I still get caught now.

Just sayin:D.

Have you heard this one, during WW2, a Royal Naval Destroyer , after months of sea time, was allowed a weekends leave for the crew in an Indian port. Leave was up at 0800 each morning. Monday morning, departure day, as usual in Commonwealth Navies on saling days, the "Ship was under sailing orders", which meant any one adrift was dealt with very severely. In the old days, it was a flogging offence. Well, 3 sailors, [3 badgemen , 12 years service, still able seamen after all that time, incorrigible old sailors.] were adrift. They fronted the First Lt., and because it was a serious offence, were sent to the Captains table. The Captain said to the first man in " Tell me why you were adrift AB .... his answer.... Well Sir, I was coming back to the ship, knew I was going to be late, hired a horse drawn cart, and encouraged the driver to hurry. Captain- And what then? Well, Sir, said the defaulter, we got to a bridge, the poor horse had a heart attack, and died. I had to walk back, & was late Sir. Captain- Very good 7 days stoppage of leave. 5 pound fine.


2nd defaulter. I was late Sir, Hired a horse & cart , the horse died on a bridge, Sir. Funny thing was , there was another dead horse on the bridge. Captain- I thought you would say that, 7 days stoppage, 10 pound fine.

3rd defaulter. Captain- I suppose your horse died on the bridge too AB ? reply- No sir , I would have been back in time, but the bloody bridge was blocked by dead horses Sir. Captain- case dismissed AB, best story I've heard for a while. Bob :D [ true story]

[V8Ian]

Having just left 6 RAR, I can tell you that the TV folk 'sugar coated' the 'newsworthy' aspects and conveniently neglected the 'balanced' view.
Some posters have posted elements of the truth but I'll just say it is not all as the TV folk have made out.


Surely you jest, Ralph. Where's the 'highly sarcastic smiley'? ;)

[Ralph1Malph]

Ha where you posted now ? What VM,s are there.

8/9, green tree is your friend:D:D

[Ralph1Malph]

Surely you jest, Ralph. Where's the 'highly sarcastic smiley'? ;)

:glare::rolleyes::no2:

[Bigbjorn]

She must think she's got a marriage made in heaven! :D

I'm assuming she got the Hi-Lift jack for Mother's Day?

Mine got a billiard table for her 30th. birthday.

[Bigbjorn]

Maybe they do things differently nowadays or in the army. Did that guy get up someone's nose, or someone have it in for him? Getting that much cell time seems excessive for a few days adrift. In the 60's-70's I lived in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs for quite a while. There was large naval presence there then, dockyards, stone frigates, stores depots, and so on. I knew a lot of sailors from pubs and clubs and so on. I even boarded with a naval family for a while. Matelots would go adrift for a few days from time to time and get not much more than some stoppage of leave and pay. One guy I knew jumped ship the day before it departed for a show the flag, exercises, and shopping trip to South East Asia. His missus had given him an ultimatum after he had been twelve months overseas two years before and quite a bit of sea time after. "Get a transfer off that ship to a depot or the kids and I will be gone when you return." Transfer refused. He was adrift three months and didn't get more than a couple of weeks in the cells at Penguin.

[Disco44]

Have you heard this one, during WW2, a Royal Naval Destroyer , after months of sea time, was allowed a weekends leave for the crew in an Indian port. Leave was up at 0800 each morning. Monday morning, departure day, as usual in Commonwealth Navies on saling days, the "Ship was under sailing orders", which meant any one adrift was dealt with very severely. In the old days, it was a flogging offence. Well, 3 sailors, [3 badgemen , 12 years service, still able seamen after all that time, incorrigible old sailors.] were adrift. They fronted the First Lt., and because it was a serious offence, were sent to the Captains table. The Captain said to the first man in " Tell me why you were adrift AB .... his answer.... Well Sir, I was coming back to the ship, knew I was going to be late, hired a horse drawn cart, and encouraged the driver to hurry. Captain- And what then? Well, Sir, said the defaulter, we got to a bridge, the poor horse had a heart attack, and died. I had to walk back, & was late Sir. Captain- Very good 7 days stoppage of leave. 5 pound fine.


2nd defaulter. I was late Sir, Hired a horse & cart , the horse died on a bridge, Sir. Funny thing was , there was another dead horse on the bridge. Captain- I thought you would say that, 7 days stoppage, 10 pound fine.

3rd defaulter. Captain- I suppose your horse died on the bridge too AB ? reply- No sir , I would have been back in time, but the bloody bridge was blocked by dead horses Sir. Captain- case dismissed AB, best story I've heard for a while. Bob :D [ true story]
Absolute beauty Bob..anymore like that?
Cheers John.

[bob10]

Absolute beauty Bob..anymore like that?
Cheers John.

As my wife is happy to tell all who will listen, I'm full of it :D Unfortunatly, most of them are R rated , however, I will try to recall the ones for public consumption, and post if anyone is interested. [ My wife also tells people not to encourage me, probably good advice ] Bob