|
Post by Brendan on Jun 8, 2008 19:22:58 GMT
I'd like to start a thread to reflect on some of the funny things that happened while serving in the army.
After I transferred from McDonagh to Depot Engineers I lived in the billet for a while. One evening I wrapped a towel around me intending to take a shower. I stepped into the stall only to discover that my foot was covered in blood. I looked up in horror to find a slain lamb hanging from a hook attached to the shower head. I nearly jumped out of my skin.
I ran into the room covered in blood only to be told that Johnnie Hines (RIP) was preparing lamb chops for Friday. The lads were playing cards and laughing hysterically at the horror on my face. I later laughed about it over a couple of pints in The Rising.
|
|
|
Post by tommyhetherington on Jun 19, 2008 22:15:41 GMT
Hi Brendan, A short tale of two Ex-Soldiers who sadly are with us no longer, two great characters who worked in McDonagh. Pte Mick Bracken and Pte "Horse O'Brien. These two men were tasked with cutting grass etc in the priests house and the adjoining shrine. They hit the priest of the time up for 25 pounds for a bike which they shared and they agreed to pay back 5 pounds per week each pay day and that they did,but the following day the other guy would borrow 5 from the priest and on this went until they died. The priest was heard to remark at one of the funerals that he never got his money but it was worth every penny to see the plot in operation each week. One pay and the other borrow. May they both rest in peace. Two great men i got to meet in the Curragh
|
|
|
Post by Brendan on Jun 19, 2008 23:43:11 GMT
Tommy,
I knew the lads well. That was a good one.
Back to the Engineers. The day of the GOC's inspection, the CS reassures the school commandant that all areas under his remit are ready. Instinctively he decides to have a final walk through of the lecture rooms, toilets and model room. He’s happy to report all is okay until he goes into the toilet for a leak. He’s pissed when he finds rabbit fur and blood all over the place and the sink holding the insides of the small animal. Richie McGrath and Johnny Hines’ (both RIP) dinner is discarded in a bag by the irate NCO. A few minutes later he reads them the riot act. The two careless privates drown their sorrows in Connolly Canteen during lunch.
|
|
|
Post by tommyhetherington on Jun 21, 2008 17:55:53 GMT
Brendan, I know the two men you refer to but am worried about all whom you encountered in your time serving as they seem to lean towards butchering the local wildlife. The good thing is that people still remember these men long may their stories be told.
|
|
|
Post by Brendan on Jun 21, 2008 20:25:40 GMT
Tommy,
These men were the salt of the earth. It's just a pity the demon drink controlled their lives'. It's funny cos these guys could be dropped off in the middle of the Wicklow Mountains and they'd survive better than the rangers (no offense to the rangers, they're the best).
Every barracks had their own unique characters who made soldiering fun in the middle of the crap that you had to deal with.
I have more stories but I don't want to monopolize the forum.
Cheers,
Brendan
|
|
|
Post by oldexpa on Jul 2, 2010 16:52:42 GMT
monopolise away brendan, i cant tell a yarn for nuts
|
|
|
Post by exres on Jul 2, 2010 17:00:07 GMT
not quite connected with slaughter of wildlife but almost ended in slaughter of engineer platoon,in camp shamrock lebanon,who cut the carefully cultivated comb-over of a dearly beloved and respected company sergeant of the medical platoon.when his weapon was taken away from him, he was content to throw stones at the engineer s corrigated roof all night.the orderly officer wisely stayed away. who said officers were dumb?
|
|
|
Post by johnnykelly on Jul 2, 2010 21:33:03 GMT
Re: Lamb Chops on a trip to the Leb one sat night there was a brilliant session getting was getting going in the mess in Camp Shamrock when the MPs were called out to an incident(theft) in oneof the COYs, so the two MPs went out relucantly cribbing as the left, when they arrived in the coy hq they were met by a very young Lt,(1st trip)and were brought to the scene of the crime which was the cookhouse,so the two boys head in after the loui, and ask what is the problem sir, well there was 3 chickens in the fridge and they have dissapeared, well what do you want us for says the boys thinking of the session in shamrock, take fingerprints off the fridge and then fingerprint everyone in the coy,feck says the 2 boys this will take all night, so says one of the boys , Sir who has access to the fridge, everyone in the Coy why? says the officer, no f###ing way can we do that tonight,no way Cpls do what i ask or suffer the consequences, so at that the senior Cpl steps foward grabs the door handle pulls the fridge door open shouts out sir look and se the fridge door is open the birds have flown and they aint coming back,goodnight,sir, and offthey went and could be heard all over the a/o screaming with laughter, all the way back to Shamrock the door is open and they aint coming back, and the poor 1st tripper of an Lt was left kicking his heels true story bye for now Johnny
|
|
|
Post by johnnykelly on Jul 3, 2010 22:19:26 GMT
Re:LAMB CHOPS: Hi all on a serious tactical exercise one night a certain Stubborn Capt detailed the coy runner to go bact to the rear and get theCoy Comdr to send up reiforcements were going to advance, so of the said private heads and after crossing three rivers ( there is only one river in the Glen The Slaney) he crossed the same river thrice, and found the coy hqtrs, and out of breath and dripping wet he stumbles out the verbal message to the Comdt,Sir the Capt wants three and fourpence hes going to a DANCE, must have been early army deafness, Johnny
|
|
|
Post by johnnykelly on Jul 4, 2010 21:17:04 GMT
Re:LAMB CHOPS: Hi all During the all Army boxing finals held in the Gym in the Curragh, when a member of the Bloods was held up in getting into the ring due to the Ringside Doctor having to bring a boxer to the hospital, and my man was pacing up and down the dressing room and the bold Mousie Connolly RIP and Mickey Prendergast were trying to calm our man down who kept asking what time it was what time is it now,and eventually it came to pass that he was told to get ready for his Final against a very tough opponent, and his afore mentioned coaches were telling him take it handy inthe 1st 2 rounds use the ring as he is not the fittest opponent but carries a hard K/O PUNCH STAY away from him use your jab, ugh mutters your man and out he goes for round one, the guy in the oppisite corner comes and attempts to offer his two hands to touch his opponent and out swings our man with the biggest right hook connects down your man goes not a kick the referee counts him out immediately and goes over to lift our lads hand and declare him the winner and lo and behold our man is vaulting over the ropes and heading straight to the dressing rooms and a with a white army towel over his shoulders out the door and up to the bus stop at the post office and arrives just as the ten to nine bus arrives in from Kildare and meets his girlfriend off the bus and off down to the hop in Ceannt(tuesday night) and as he was about to go in none other than The Busby Brennan on the door says he pal you cant come in here like that your not dressed, F"""k shouts our man I was so worried about missing the bus that I forgot to change in the gym so in his mot goes as our man heads down Lord Edwards hill a full pelt, alas the gym is shut so out the back he goes finds a stone breaks a window and is getting in the window when the MPs come on the scene grab our man and off to the digger he is brought cursing and swearing giving it hell, not impressing the importance of his explaination, after a hour and a half the duty officer releases our man and up to his billet he travels borrows some dudsoff a pal and heads up to the Hop in Ceannt Pays in and goes looking for his girl no sign of her and on making enquires he is informed that she was seen leaving about ten minutes before with none other than the guy that he had knocked out 2 hours earlier in the gym, so the slagging he got the next morning, hes out of the ring hes out of the gym hes out of the digger but hes not out with her, the poor chap was so engrossed in meeting his date that all common sense went out the window, a costly ALL ARMY TITLE THAT WAS, TRUE story name witheld to save further shame / slagging on the poor fella, but went on to box for Ireland for a couple of years, bye for now Johnny
|
|
|
Post by afcmoore on Jul 4, 2010 21:49:53 GMT
Hi Johnny. I enjoyed that story so much but nothing would surprise me about the things that happened in the Curragh in the good old days. Cheers Anthony
|
|
|
Post by johnser on Jul 5, 2010 19:10:44 GMT
in an army ambulance one day there was pte. bird the driver,pte. crowe the orderly,sister swann the nurse,and the patient was ...............capt. gosling.
|
|
|
Post by johnnykelly on Jul 5, 2010 21:46:31 GMT
Re:LAMB CHOPS Hi Johnser yes all afore mentioned served in the Curragh and PJ Bird was a rare bird indeed, On duty one morning in the Cavalary guard room the phone rings, morning guard room says the Cpl whos speaking please, Capt Fox here whom am i talking to Sgt Wolfe here sir, who else is on with you the horse nolan sir, listen here now Sgt, stop messing, who are you, Wolfe spelt with a W, So down to the duty room storms the duty officer Capt Fox demands to see the smart alec so out steps Trooper Alec Leonard so then the Capt goes bleeding bonkers.and turns out the guard and is about to tear into the duties and then cops on to the NAME Tabs on the Combat jackets dismisses the guard, and turns Red with embarassment and storms away with his tail between his legs and the lads dont see him again until dismounting the next morning. bye for now Johnny
|
|
|
Post by johnnykelly on Jul 5, 2010 21:56:40 GMT
Re:LAMB CHOPS Hi all A certain C/S Single lioving in barracks was going on annaul leave for 2 weeks and had a small problem as he had in his room approx 15/20 budgies he kept as pets. so he detailed one of the privates in his outfit to visit daily to feed and water the birds, so after the 2 weeks the C/S returns and sends for the pte to give him a few bob for looking after the birds for him , and just as he was leaving the private asked whats the story with the bird inthe far corner on his own with the sign dont feed only every 3rd day, why ?? the C/S looks at the pte an says oh him He has A BAD ATTITUDE JUST A BAD ATTITUDE, good night pte,bye for now Johnny
|
|
|
Post by johnnykelly on Jul 8, 2010 21:22:35 GMT
Re:LAMB CHOPS SAME C/S A few years later the same dude is going away for a weeks training to the glen, and has now a pet dog, so he cant bring him with him, so he goes out and buys a weeks supply of dog food and borrows six mess tins from stores, and before boarding the truck for the Glen he pours out into all the mess tins the weeks supply of dog food and says to his dog now only one a day now, true story Johnny
|
|