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Author Topic: No More Cockers P?  (Read 1738 times)

BarryM

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No More Cockers P?
« on: March 16, 2010, 03:52:25 pm »

Will this have a few retired admirals choking on their pink gins?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7061362.ece

Barry M
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Netleyned

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Re: No More Cockers P?
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2010, 04:15:11 pm »

Here comes the oiler
That'l be the daewoo!

Linked from the last article

Ned
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BarryM

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Re: No More Cockers P?
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2010, 04:35:11 pm »

Ned,

Not sure where you're coming from with that one. I got distracted by

 http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/relationships/article7060283.ece

and now I'm wondering why I'm missing out!  <:(

Barry M
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Netleyned

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Re: No More Cockers P?
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2010, 04:44:31 pm »

It was a click on link halfway down the article about privatising the RFA
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pugwash

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Re: No More Cockers P?
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2010, 04:46:59 pm »

what a load of parsimonious rubbish from the government. These parties are usually 'Thank you' parties
after a ship has been well looked after in a foreign port AND most of the costs of the booze used to be
borne by the officers mess bills - it is estimated it will save about £60000-£70000 p.a. at what cost to
diplomacy - you could save £250,000 p.a. by getting rid of princess Eugene's bodyguards - apparently she
has to has two because she is out partying in Newcastle upon Geordieland every night (sunday times 14/3/10)

Pugwash
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Bryan Young

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Re: No More Cockers P?
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2010, 07:11:35 pm »

There are more types of CTPs than has been highlighted in the press. At the bottom of the list would be the "RPC" sort.( "RPC" meaning "Request The Pleasure Of Your Company"). An RPC is an invitation to another ship or ships to come aboard and sample hospitality. If this "slinging it down your neck" invitation is issued when the ships are away from WAGs etc. (sometimes held in the middle of one ocean or another) then obviously only other ships personnel will respond.....the normal "invite" would be for the CO plus 6 (depending on both the invited and the invitee). But if the ships involved were in port, then WAGs could also be invited. In some cases a local or known dignitary would be invited. They all start off nice and prim and proper but generally the tone lowers and hangovers can be expected. The cost of an "RPC" is borne by the officers of the ship issuing the invitation. There are 2 types of reply to this invitation. "WMP"= With Much Pleasure", and "MRU"=Much Regret Unable. An invite to an RPC would generally have a "start" and "finish" time included. Only the "start time" would be adhered to....especially as (particularly in the RFA) the invites would be for a "Pub Lunch" on a Sunday. As opposed to the war-canoes we usually had a spare cabin or 2 to allow guests a haven of respite.
Quite often an RPC would be issued to "selected" people in a foreign port by 2 or more ships issuing a joint invitation. The "host" would be the ship with the larger bar (I should have said "capacity"). These functions also tended to degenerate a trifle, and continue until the last guest staggered off. As the RFA did tend to have larger function-suites than the average Frigate, Destroyer, Submarine or even some "major" warships we did get sort of used to being "hoteliers". Again all paid for by the hosting ships.
If, by some strange entanglement, an RFA was "friendly" with an RN ship, this could lead into the realm of "unforeseen circumstances". Particulaly in the USA. As you are all aware, the USN is "dry". They are also a bit prudish about uniformed officers kind of "letting go" a bit. So in general the USN officers would bid us farewell at 7pm and toddle off with what could be construed as little disapproving shakes of heads. Again, all paid for by the host ships. But even the USN has some "free thinkers"!
Coming also into the category of "hospitality" would be "Mess Dinners". This would have to be placed a bit above an RPC but below an "Official"CTP. This function is also paid for by the ship concerned. (By the way, when I say "the ship concerned", I mean the people in that ship, and not HMG). A "Mess Dinner" is really a good excuse to get all tarted up in posh uniforms and get pie-eyed again...but with a very formal dinner mixed in there somewhere. But there are also invited guests of varying VIP status. And they always, but always, have to "sing for their supper". No matter how pie-eyed they are a coherent speech is expected from them. Alas, unless one can speak a pidgin mixture of Serbo-Croat and Bantu a lot of what we got was gibberish. All good fun though. But again, all paid for by the ship.
Then comes the "Official" CTP that HMG and the press are apparently getting their knickers in a twist about.
I'll just give you one example out of many.
During the 1991/2 deployment of RN/RFA ships called "Global 91" (or was it 2?) the ships visited Pusan (Korea, for those geographically challenged....don't mock, I watched University Challenge last night and their combined knowledge of geography was abysmal) we were so-hosts of an "Official" CTP. Held on board either "Ark Royal" or "Impossible" or "Indefensible", I forget which one. When we RFA tykes got down to the hangar deck of the carrier I couldn't help but being reminded of a 1950s dance hall. "Them on one side, and blokes on the other").The "big-wigs" (those with one very large stripe and a number of smaller ones) were all squarking at each other, and the junior RN officers were manfully trying to "entertain" the Korean contingent. Even then, I thought that at least one MOD rep or RN officer who could speak Korean would be present. But (and I'm not joking here) "my" oiks (I was the senior RFA bloke there apart from our Captain) sort of sussed out things and totally disregarding protocol got the Koreans a bit animated and imbibing. And they were all Junior Engineers who wouldn't normally have been to differentiate between diplomacy and a toothbrush. But, I think, what got them going was perceived humanism as opposed to the "this is how we do it" teaching.
The HMG/MoD edict is penny-pinching and disrespectful to all the people who really try. "Official" CTPs are not by any standard really pleasurable, they are a chore that imposes, curtails much needed shore-time.
But, no matter what diplomatic benefits may accrue, people remember being invited to a CTP on an RN ship....particularly if a Royal Marines Band in all their finery  plays "Beat the Retreat" at the close of the event. Tradition really can overcome weasly words uttered by transient politicians. BY.
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Notes from a simple seaman
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