Page 79 - Mercian Eagle 2013

Lt Col Davies with Maj Gen Sharpe
a classic example of Sgts’ Mess hosting with liberal doses of port fines for various crimes which appeared to the untrained eye to be decided according to some arcane branch of logic known only to the RSM
and PMC. The Colonel of the Regiment was presented a Dragon from all ranks and gave a wonderful speech, recognising the role of the Sgts’ Mess in delivering an AI Bn to the Regiment after CGS’s visit the year before as well as reassuring the Mess that the tradition would carry forward into the new Battalions. The ribaldry went on until morning.
Unfortunately, the fun hadn’t stopped there, a fact which had passed by WO2 (CSM) Long who arrived for Gunfire straight from the Mess very much less steady (though no less smart) than he usually manages. Gunfire to the Battalion was
the order of the day, and the troops were duly forced to drink tea with Rum (to the sound of the standard cries for “tea but no Rum please Sergeant Major...”) and the
The Sgts Mess Colour Party Present Arms
The Officers Mess Colour Party
subtle call of a drummer and bugle to lull them awake. A day of Battalion games followed – go – cart racing with subbies as burdens was an especial highlight – and the day ran into a suitable raucous soldiers’ lunch and the visit of
the Sgts’ Mess to the Officers.
The previous year, the
officers had been met
with force on entering
the Sgts’ Mess and the
tension was palpable
for the response.
Deploying Psyops, the Officers met the crowd with drinks and food and leaving them feeling for their wallets. Their fear
was soon assuaged as the games began, mostly involving the EME getting beaten up, but also a boat race where the Sgts’ drinks were unexplainably adulterated with chilli, egg, crème de menthe, Tabasco and so on. In all fairness, it might be fairer to say that the chilli, egg, crème de menthe, Tabasco
and so on was contaminated with beer, such was the YO’s enthusiasm. Sgt Peake finished his drink (chilli) but had trouble seeing for about an hour.
Games and honour satisfied, the evening moved into food and
silliness; the EME
gave a fine example
of a flying tackle to
hit SSgt Cheetham, flawless but for the fact that he missed by a good two yards, WO2 (CSM) Rollins was seen service dress which was
Games and honour satisfied, the evening moved into food and silliness...
parading in a set of
then ransomed back, and the EME was seen to cry at the realisation that he’d left his car keys unsecured. Rumours that the last men standing were the CO and RSM, cooking cheese on toast at 0500 with the PMC and WO2 (WSM) Walker are untrue – they had to sit down. What is indisputable is that Bn PT the next day was a little light on numbers...
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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