Rum

[Robert McDougall]

Being in the RNZN during the seventies we still had rum on issue til the mid eighties when it was stopped. The issue was half a gill of rum which for us ratings was grogged with an equal measure of water, this gave it a weak taste. Water was a fine mixer, coke was not, especially for navy rum. I had the misfortune of being late one time and the water had been ditched so my tot was mixed with coke, made it too sweet. The taste of rum tended to vary depending on where in the barrel it got decanted, from a sweet caramel taste at the top to a more bitter taste near the bottom of the barrel.
A good SA would splash the water in rather than giving a full measure. Gave it a better taste.
Rum had another name Pussers Squirt. Everyday at noon "Up spirits, rum issue, quarter deck" would be piped, you would grab your tot mug and join the queue. If you were had the afternoon watch, you would put in for stops then have the rum after your watch. One tot was ok, two gave a good buzz more than three you were plastered, as I found out once. Not a good idea.
Neat rum had very strong smell, strong enough for the smell to reach down into the mess as the rum fanny was taken out to the quarter deck. This gave us a prior warning before the pipe was broadcast.
We were in San Diego during August 1978, rafted alongside USS England. The Americans would line up alongside their ship to watch us having our squirt issue, they called moonshine time. They were also amazed when a truck pulled up alongside on the jetty with a load of beer us, and not once during the month we were there.
HMS Blake and a couple of frigates were there at that time. A group of senior rates came on board full booted and spurred with black arm bands, in rememberance of the loss of rum from the RN.
When I was in the volunteer reserves I made two fortnight trips in our lack lustre patrol craft. Squirt was still being issued. Because of crew size and these vessels having the riding qualities of a cork. The swain would save you issue til the end of the trip. So after a fortnight I went away with two litres of real navy rum, and it didn't last long either.
One anecdote I heard about our rum was when shipped in rum is clear, like biccardi. A bloke over in the rum store would mix in caramel to make dark rum giving it that flavour unequalled commercially.
Rum no doubt that there were quite a number of stories, personal experiences and deals made using that black gold as a bargaining tool over the years.

[astraltrader]

Thank you Robert - a really interesting account of the final days of rum issue. I understand that the official reason for ending the long tradition of supplying rum to the ratings was that the modern Royal Navy ships now had much more sophisticated weaponry and other equipment fitted which would require sober sailors to operate them...

[herakles]

I agree. A most interesting post.

And a great shame the rum ration has been discontinued.

Did they also ban the pink gins upstairs?

[Robert McDougall]

The same pretext of sophisticated weapons was used in stopping rum. No doubt pink gins and port are still being served in the wardroom, RHIP.
I spent a day in a Canadian frigate when they down on a visit. They had a bar built in the junior rates mess where they could sell spirits in port only. Thats intelligent thinking. As for the day trip another story.

[BB60]

A rum ration ism't offered anymore, but is the ship's company allowed spirits in their personal possessions, even if not provided by the government?

How much is a "gill" in ounces?

Could you sell your ration to the souse in the next bunk?

I agree with you on the rum and coke, it takes like syrup. I don't drink hard liquors anymore but when I did, I liked them neat

[herakles]

Imperial gill

1 imperial gill = 5 imperial fl oz
= 142.0653125 ml (exactly)[2]
about 142 ml
about 1.2 U.S. gills

United States customary gill

1 U.S. gill = 4 U.S. fl oz
= 118.29411825 ml (exactly)[3]
about 118 ml
about 5/6 imperial gills

The pic is a measuring container

[Woodbutcher]

AH RUM! 5th class 'Tiffys. 6F2 mess, Ark Royal 1957, mess for the Shpts and ERA's, Our 1st tots. We must have been 'The Privileged Ones' as we got Neaters, as leading hand ratings. POs were 4th class, Cpos 3rd,2nd, Chief. We had an 'Elderly' Chief ERA as mess president, to show us the way of ship board life, and customs, (we being straight from training establishment), and one of the 1st was the Rum issue.
With tot measure Double dip into "fanny",-- pour into glass,-- repour into tot measure, overflowing excess from glass falling back into fanny---- and tip full measure back into empty glass. THEN Offer the Rum Bosun, Sippers, as he ticked your name on the list. Every day of course, He was the Bosun, and every afternoon we were sure He had a Make & Mend! We seldom could find him. His Best Commission??
Birthdays for us were total loss,someone did your watch for you--to save the ship we reckoned--and I did see someone 'asleep' with eyes wide open.
1st sea commission and loved all of it.
Dagwood---Dreaming of days past.

[Woodbutcher]

Another Rum story----Early '60s, aboard either HMNZS Royalist, or Black Prince (can't remember) A stocktake of the rum showed a quantity missing.
The Rum storeroom was beneath a ratings mess aft, with the access hatch right in stbd aft corner. Hatch was of course shut, fully wing clipped, and securely locked and checked by the OODay and key returned to the 'Sign For'
key board, every day. Stolen Rum=Big Inquiry. Who & How?
HOW--They ???.,Removed the Hinge Pin Bolts from the hatch cover, and slid and wriggled the cover away from the lock keep, and lifted it off the hatch. Bingo Jack Tot!! Oops Pot
WHO---I don't think they ever found out, exactly who, But I did hear later, when the Hinges were box welded in, that the stolen rum was stored in the, well cleaned out, Gas/Water fire extinguishers, in the afore mentioned mess deck. Later on all the Ships' rum store hatches' hinges were secured likewise.
I guess the Offenders still smile about it to this day-- Up Spirits
Cheers, Dagwood.

[Steamshy]

I also served in the RNZN and had the good fortune to be one of the crew returning HMNZS Blackpool to the Brits. One of the highlights of that particular trip was when on our arrival at Portsmouth and victualed in Victory barracks we still had our daily tot some months after the RN had lost their ration.
This was a great opportunity for humour and was played out to the max in view of our poor RN oppos.
We were of course generous with the deprived ones and in turn well looked after.

If you are reading this Buffer,Sorry I sold you so cheaply in Mexico!
That's another story.

[Jan Steer]

I too was never taken in by the party line given as a reason for stopping the tot. Drunkenness was certainly not confined to the lower deck. I remember an officer on the bridge of a frigate I was serving on being relieved of his watch due to drink. Both will remain nameless. I was at JUFAIR, Bahrein, when the tot was stopped and remember the last day vividly. I have never seen so many men in tears at one time! It was made substantially worse by the knowledge that the crew of the Bahrein based RCT landing craft were still being issued with rum. I served on a Canadian destroyer for a short while in the seventies and I too was impressed by the Canadian's adult attitude to alcohol consumption.

regards
Jan

[SCRG1970]

I remember the days of the tot with nostalgia. I enjoyed the daily ritual and on some days it was the highlight of a perfectly bloody day !! I mourned its passing and joined in a mock funeral with a tot condemned to the waters of some long-forgotten loch. BUT was its loss such a bad thing ???

The replacement allowance by any spirit was certainly an adequate alcohol replacement. The added advantage to be able to offer guests invited onboard a drink more to their liking than the choice of "BEER or RUM" certainly went down well with our female guests !!! On balance I would suggest that the social life of most Senior Rates messes improved post-stoppage of rum. Many PO Stewards probably breathed a sigh of relief that they would not have to risk smuggling a bottle of spirits or two out of the Wardroom to lubricate our mess hoolies.

Will finish this as I have just heard "Up Spirits" being piped.

Regards

Gerry

[Ratbag Stoker]

The tot. what a wonderful thing it was, they stopped it a few months before my 21st. But I still had a good sampling of it, a taste to this day I will never forget, and never has a so called "Navy Rum" tasted anything like the tot did. I have tried a lot of them, Woods, Lambs, Appleton Estate, Clark's Court, Frigate, Yellow Hart, Captain Morgan, Coruba etc... etc... I dont get to buy Wood's Navy Rum too often, but that was a reasonable drop, although still not the full Monty...................

Almost came close once but it was still a long way from the real Pusser's rum. I am referring to the modern day "Pusser's Rum" we get in our local outlets, see the attachment, this it seems, and everybody thinks, is the real thing. As I am now living in Australia, we get a lot of cane rums, and these I do not consider to be a rum.

Dont misunderstand me I still enjoy the "New" Pusser's Rum, but I long to able to sample an original tot.

The Navy Rum as I remember came in a type of stone flagon in a wicker jacket/basket, I think the flagons contained one gallon of the nectar, this rum I remember seeing on a website 10 or 12 years ago said it was distilled in either Cuba or Jamaca, Jamaca seems more obvoius, these websites have since closed down, as if there is some sort of rum conspiracy.

It was a very spicy, but friuty rum, and even watered down at 3-1 it was enough to blow my socks off. I did at least get my two cans of beer and my 3 Tobacco stamps every month, which is how I got my regular supply of the tot, never being a smoker, I carefully traded my stamps for Rum, amongst other things. Rum like the tobacco stamps were the currency of the high seas.

There was a whole measuring system had evolved around the rich dark nectar, sipper's, gulper's 1, 2, 3 or 4 finger's, half a tot, a tot, a weeks rations.

Sippers: A small, gentlemanly sip from a friend's rum issue.
Gulpers: One, but only one, big swallow from a mate's tot.
Where three sippers equal one gulp, three gulps equal one tot.

1. Sunday.................Absent Friends And Those At Sea
2. Monday................Our Ships At Sea
3. Tuesday................Our Men
4. Wednesday...........Ourselves (As no one else is liable to consider themselves with our welfare)
5. Thursday...............A Bloody War And A Sickly Season
6. Friday...................A Willing Foe and Sea Room
7. Saturday...............Sweethearts And Wives (May they never meet!)

One thing remains in my memory was the smell of the Rum Tub on the Quarterdeck.

The Queen God Bless Her

[doug.birch]

About the issue of RUM in the RN. I have a tale to tell but first I must set the scene.Escort carrier Fencer was a converted merchant ship,this led to a mixed bag as far as the make-up of the ships crew.The Captain, Commander & Lt.Comm. were RN,the rest of the officers were,RN,RNVR or RNR. EAs & OAs
all seamen,signalmen,telegraphists, radar,& asdics were RN. The Chief-engineer,Pay-master, all engine-room, officers & men electrical officers cooks and stewards were all ex merchant navy (T124X )ratings,added to this we had the FAA Air-crews and support staff,including some RAF trchnical staff.
All POs were in one mess,this leads to the point of my tale,all POs regardless of trade were rostered for PO of the day, I got my turn, the most important
duty is of course UP-SPIRITS, to witness the issue and ditching of surplus rum to the nearest Heads. On Fencer the heads were very spartan, just iron troughs, on this day, laying at the bottom were several navy issue mugs, ready to collect the surplus, a tasty drop.

Doug.Birch

[Dave Hutson]

I was in Mombasa, Kenya training the Kenyans when the tot died and on that day I think we buried it and dug it up at least four times, the last time being when our base CO [ex Gunnery Branch] John Ross entered the mess and asked where his tot was - Finished sir was the reply - Well, unfinish it was the retort.
The aussies also kept it going and went to great lengths when in Hong Kong [we in Lynx, they in Canterbury] to carry out Rum issue on the upper deck.
Second day two of our Killicks joined their queue with a glass - worked so the rest of the ships company joined them - I have often wondered how their pusser explained that one away.:):):)
Anyone remember WOODS 151 - you could only get it in Hong Kong and it
were strong strong strong.

[oldsalt]

The tot. what a wonderful thing it was, they stopped it a few months before my 21st. But I still had a good sampling of it, a taste to this day I will never forget, and never has a so called "Navy Rum" tasted anything like the tot did. I have tried a lot of them, Woods, Lambs, Appleton Estate, Clark's Court, Frigate, Yellow Hart, Captain Morgan, Coruba etc... etc... I dont get to buy Wood's Navy Rum too often, but that was a reasonable drop, although still not the full Monty...................

Almost came close once but it was still a long way from the real Pusser's rum. I am referring to the modern day "Pusser's Rum" we get in our local outlets, see the attachment, this it seems, and everybody thinks, is the real thing. As I am now living in Australia, we get a lot of cane rums, and these I do not consider to be a rum.

Dont misunderstand me I still enjoy the "New" Pusser's Rum, but I long to able to sample an original tot.

The Navy Rum as I remember came in a type of stone flagon in a wicker jacket/basket, I think the flagons contained one gallon of the nectar, this rum I remember seeing on a website 10 or 12 years ago said it was distilled in either Cuba or Jamaca, Jamaca seems more obvoius, these websites have since closed down, as if there is some sort of rum conspiracy.

It was a very spicy, but friuty rum, and even watered down at 3-1 it was enough to blow my socks off. I did at least get my two cans of beer and my 3 Tobacco stamps every month, which is how I got my regular supply of the tot, never being a smoker, I carefully traded my stamps for Rum, amongst other things. Rum like the tobacco stamps were the currency of the high seas.

There was a whole measuring system had evolved around the rich dark nectar, sipper's, gulper's 1, 2, 3 or 4 finger's, half a tot, a tot, a weeks rations.

Sippers: A small, gentlemanly sip from a friend's rum issue.
Gulpers: One, but only one, big swallow from a mate's tot.
Where three sippers equal one gulp, three gulps equal one tot.

1. Sunday.................Absent Friends And Those At Sea
2. Monday................Our Ships At Sea
3. Tuesday................Our Men
4. Wednesday...........Ourselves (As no one else is liable to consider themselves with our welfare)
5. Thursday...............A Bloody War And A Sickly Season
6. Friday...................A Willing Foe and Sea Room
7. Saturday...............Sweethearts And Wives (May they never meet!)

One thing remains in my memory was the smell of the Rum Tub on the Quarterdeck.

The Queen God Bless Her

If you were to offer someone a full tot, for services rendered, then you said " sandy bottoms".

[Ratbag Stoker]

I was in Mombasa, Kenya training the Kenyans when the tot died and on that day I think we buried it and dug it up at least four times, the last time being when our base CO [ex Gunnery Branch] John Ross entered the mess and asked where his tot was - Finished sir was the reply - Well, unfinish it was the retort.
The aussies also kept it going and went to great lengths when in Hong Kong [we in Lynx, they in Canterbury] to carry out Rum issue on the upper deck.
Second day two of our Killicks joined their queue with a glass - worked so the rest of the ships company joined them - I have often wondered how their pusser explained that one away.:):):)
Anyone remember WOODS 151 - you could only get it in Hong Kong and it
were strong strong strong.

I remember that! Woods Navy Rum, dont know about the 151, but I do know it was a very strong rum, had a bottle at my 2nd wedding ceremony, brother in law and I drank the whole lot, needless to say, new wife slept peacefully that night:(.
I saw a bottle of Woods Navy Rum in a liquer shop on Swanson St Melbourne about 7 years ago, and I made the mental note to go and buy a bottle next time I was in town, never did, I forgot:mad:.
But now I remember,:) I have a day in town next week, I shall make the effort. Watch this space.
Ratbag Stoker, a.k.a.Twiggy RN

[oldsalt]

In 1954 I was caterer of the Stokers mess in HMS Drake. The rum issue was made in the drill shed, part of my job was to issue Grog to the lads. The drill shed was full of matelots, lining up at the various tables for their tots. Supervision was one Officer & a couple of crushers. So the following little trick went unnoticed. What I did , read this carefully, I shall say it only once (sorry). The tot measure was held in the left hand, half pint glass in right hand. The glass was dipped in the fanny , filling it to the brim, the rum was poured into measure, now the crafty bit, instead of emptying the rum remaining in the glass back into the fanny, it stayed in the glass, measure of grog poured into glass, a fast hand over to your mates & they had half pint of grog rather than the 3/8th,s pint. There was so much bubbly swilling around & lots of "G" men did'nt bother to turn up so the scam was never discovered. It,s over 55yrs now, so I don't suppose I'll go in the rattle now. :):);););)

[Joseph]

OFF CAPS...........

[jbryce1437]

In 1954 I was caterer of the Stokers mess in HMS Drake. The rum issue was made in the drill shed, part of my job was to issue Grog to the lads. The drill shed was full of matelots, lining up at the various tables for their tots. Supervision was one Officer & a couple of crushers. So the following little trick went unnoticed. What I did , read this carefully, I shall say it only once (sorry). The tot measure was held in the left hand, half pint glass in right hand. The glass was dipped in the fanny , filling it to the brim, the rum was poured into measure, now the crafty bit, instead of emptying the rum remaining in the glass back into the fanny, it stayed in the glass, measure of grog poured into glass, a fast hand over to your mates & they had half pint of grog rather than the 3/8th,s pint. There was so much bubbly swilling around & lots of "G" men did'nt bother to turn up so the scam was never discovered. It,s over 55yrs now, so I don't suppose I'll go in the rattle now. :):);););)

Did you act as assistant to David Nixon for a while? :D

[Robert McDougall]

Woods is great, though I think we stocked Lambs in the JRs bar at HMNZS Olphert (RNZNVR Wellington, NZ). However, I do love my rum and coke and my good lady has just returned from Rarotonga with two bottles of Capt Morgan enough for a couple of seasons, beggars can't be choosers.
Old Salt, I suspected as much, as there were some SAs that gave a better measure than others, but I was looking at the water content, less being best.
Let us not forget the naval credo Rum, Bum and Baccy

[Jan Steer]

Whilst stationed at JUFAIR, Bahrein I was put to work in the RAF run and manned commcen, referred to laughingly as the Joint Commcen Bahrein. There were two matelot sparkers in each watch kept ostensibly to talk to 9MCM, all in morse code back then of course. The place worked an RAF watchkeeping routine which took a little getting used to because they worked different hours to the Navy. For instance, the forenoon watch they called the 'Morning' and we worked from 8 till 2pm. We two matelots were released to draw our tot at 1130 and then come back on watch, Oh what a mistake that was! The crabs had to put up with a pair of navy sparkers burbling all over them like rock apes for a couple of hours! What a laugh! Happy Days


Best wishes
Jan

[ivorthediver]

I agree. A most interesting post.

And a great shame the rum ration has been discontinued.

Did they also ban the pink gins upstairs?

Welcome back shipmate ....been searching high and low for you... did you not get my PM...? :D

[oldsalt]

Having drawn a tot for 12yrs, I have a vested interest. In the West Indies for 12mths we drank rum & coke, then we were told to drink rum with dry ginger, this was refreshing & the hangovers lighter. The native west indians drank their rum with chocolate flavoured evaporated milk. In the home of rum, the WI's if you took 12 empty rum bottles back to the shop they gave you a full bottle in return. Rum was 4/2 d a bottle, the ginger was much more expensive. When it was your turn to buy a round, it was always a bottle plus mixers.In those days sailors could wander around with no fear of being at risk, great days & great runs ashore, see Troubridge 1958 thread.;););):cool:

[CYLLA]

I came across MINERVA website ,with this image of the TOT, being issued.

And thinking of it ,during the days i had mine ,....were those hands spotlessly clean ??

There must have been a day ,when there was a faint taste of sumt else.... i was in the "gunners mess " could it be gun oil.

cylla

[Fairlead]

I still have a 1 gallon stone flask of the REAL stuff - sealed with the red sealing wax and admiralty stamp. Bought in Gibraltar 1973 or 4
Answer....NO

Fairlead

[CYLLA]

I have been reading .....

H.M.S ULSTER 1958-60

This was just one part of there 1958/60 commission statistics....and it makes some very intresting reading...

Rum Consumed 7,229 pints or 57,832 tots
Dressed Ship Overall 22 times
Fired Rounds in Salute 390
Floodlit Ship 33 times.
West Indies Islands Visited 25

and days at sea .......187

There must have been some great runshore...after TOT time..:D

cylla

[SCRG1970]

I still have a 1 gallon stone flask of the REAL stuff - sealed with the red sealing wax and admiralty stamp. Bought in Gibraltar 1973 or 4
Answer....NO

Fairlead

This is really dangerous stuff to have stored for that length of time. I really think I should pay you a visit just to check it is still drinkable !!! Could be a Health and Safety issue !!!!

Regards

Gerry

[Batstiger]

Tot time HMS Thunderer.
Note the drinking vessels!

Bob.

[SCRG1970]

A postcard from HMS LORD NELSON July 1910.

They took going "T" very seriously !!

Regards

Gerry

[ivorthediver]

Great pics Bob and Gerry, love the "Drinking Vessels"

[ceylon220]

I made a bid at a church sale for 1/2 bottle of Navy Rum and got it for £13, although it has a paper seal over the screw top I have that awful thought that it may contain something instead of rum but I don`t want unseal it and taste it just in case its the real thing--------What should I do Agony Aunt?????????:confused::confused::confused:

[CYLLA]

find a "rum rat " to tast it :)

cylla

[Derek Dicker]

Hi shipmate, the usual first in line at tot time..


Derek (Bunts)

[CYLLA]

Hi Bunts ,

great piccy , i had to straighten it up first to make it out ,....it occurs that they all must be victualed in barracks ,due to all the diffrent cap tallies.

The 3 badged A/B must be on sick leave from "Haslar".....just keep a eye on that pongo ,theres a card just under his left foot.

cylla

[Batstiger]

When you straightened it up Cylla you might have posted it for us all to see!

Bob.

[dpoidy]

last "Tot' for the R.C.N. According to my parents, I have been having that "black stuff" for a long time, had it on my soother, geez, now i know why i like it...

[Fuzzbox]

Every Christmas Santa brings me a bottle of Pussers Rum for which I am eternally grateful and every year I promise to make myself a tot of grog ie one eighth of a pint of rum mixed with two eighths of water but at the very last moment I talk myself out of this on the grounds that I much prefer neaters! Some time ago I visited Portsmouth Dockyard and bought an actual tot measure so yesterday I plucked up courage and made myself three eighths of a pint of grog and bearing in mind that 46 yrs have gone by since my last tot in the RN I swallowed it in one large gulp as we used to do. I must say I did enjoy it as a nostalgia trip but never again; I'll stick to the neaters for the rest of the bottle. I certainly enjoyed my dinner and fell asleep in the chair afterwards.
Alan

[whomesir]

There must be thousands of 'rum' yarns going around - I enjoyed my 21st birthday in HMS Tyne 1953 in Sasebo, Japan - large communicators mess, sippers all round and a generous gulp of the "Queens" - result - virtual oblivion !! Came to about two hours later, decided to go walkabout on the upper deck - felt decidedly ill - made it to the outboard guardrail just in time - and deposited my lunch and best part of a pint of bubbly all over the freshly varnished admirals boom - and the varnish was still wet. Scarpered quickish - evidently the Chief Buffer was not a happy bunny!!!

Another story - evidently the Police in Scotland were doing trials on the first breathalyser to be introduced and they chose the Senior Rates mess in Rosyth - you drank your tot, waited ten minutes and blew into the bag - result - p........d ! blew at hourly intervals ----it is rumoured that it took 5 to 6 hours before you could legally drive.

[jbryce1437]

Twas a sad day when it all ended

[steve roberts]

I well remember the demis eof the "Tot".In singers at the time,dont think I saw so much of the place aa I did after the last issue.I rember too the day after,when grizzled grey old hands were wandering around the upper decks of Forth,wondering what had hit them!Unfotunatley we had the RNZN's Frigate Taranaki alongside outboard using our electrical supplies while she did an SMP. They still had their rum and that day she decideded to do her rum ration on the Quarterdeck! You can imagine what happened next? There was an avalanche of british Matlots going over the side and on to Tarinaki and what followed was the biggest Knuckle Session I have ever seen in my life.Our Skipper Jimmy Launders ordered Taranaki away from us and into what was left of the Dockyard,refusing her anymore help!:D:D:D As an aside does any one out there know what Jimmy Launders was renowned for,and still holds this record? to this day! Regards Steve.;)

[jbryce1437]

James "Jimmy" S. Launders DSO & Bar, DSC & Bar (1919-1988) was an officer in the British Royal Navy during and after World War II. He retired from the service in 1962, but continued to serve in an unofficial capacity on training programs until his death in 1988. In addition to his reputation amongst his crew, colleagues, and historians as a brilliant, highly skilled, and courageous commander, Launders is remembered as the only submarine commander in history to have successfully engaged and destroyed an enemy submarine during time of war using only his own vessel (unaided by any surface vessels, aircraft, other submarines, or any external tracking assistance) while both his and the enemy vessel were fully submerged. In addition to the unique manner in which the engagement occurred, the specific nature of the enemy submarine's mission (U-864) has provided one of the more enduring and interesting footnotes to the war, thus further cementing the fame of Launders, HMS Venturer, and her crew for their wartime actions.

[steve roberts]

Well done my friend.You have obviously been using good old "Wiki" Steve:D:D

[Paddy]

In 1954 I was caterer of the Stokers mess in HMS Drake. The rum issue was made in the drill shed, part of my job was to issue Grog to the lads. The drill shed was full of matelots, lining up at the various tables for their tots. Supervision was one Officer & a couple of crushers. So the following little trick went unnoticed. What I did , read this carefully, I shall say it only once (sorry). The tot measure was held in the left hand, half pint glass in right hand. The glass was dipped in the fanny , filling it to the brim, the rum was poured into measure, now the crafty bit, instead of emptying the rum remaining in the glass back into the fanny, it stayed in the glass, measure of grog poured into glass, a fast hand over to your mates & they had half pint of grog rather than the 3/8th,s pint. There was so much bubbly swilling around & lots of "G" men did'nt bother to turn up so the scam was never discovered. It,s over 55yrs now, so I don't suppose I'll go in the rattle now. :):);););)

GET YOUR HAT...

Paddy

[dayerb]

Still remember my 18th Birthday on board Chieftain sippers all round and picking up a jug of Rum and starting to drink it? then waking up in a hammock full of sick? I have never felt so ill?? in my life, and we were going on North Sea exersizes in a gale which made me worse, for years afterwards just the smell of Rum made me ill, thankfully I eventually got over it and now enjoy a tot of pussers, in fact I was given a hip flask of pussers at xmas it didnt last long,
Brian.

[Paddy]

Still remember my 18th Birthday on board Chieftain sippers all round and picking up a jug of Rum and starting to drink it? then waking up in a hammock full of sick? I have never felt so ill?? in my life, and we were going on North Sea exersizes in a gale which made me worse, for years afterwards just the smell of Rum made me ill, thankfully I eventually got over it and now enjoy a tot of pussers, in fact I was given a hip flask of pussers at xmas it didnt last long,
Brian.

You convinced me, I am going to pour myself one now.
Paddy

[Dave Hutson]

Just had mine ....... and it does make the Chef's cooking palatable ...... but don't tell her I aid so.

Dave H

[steve roberts]

Now now Dave. 'er in doors cooking cant be as bad as all that.I wonder why all did not put on a ton of weight after tot time.It made even the worst the pussers chef's could do taste good. Steve.:D

[Paddy]

Now now Dave. 'er in doors cooking cant be as bad as all that.I wonder why all did not put on a ton of weight after tot time.It made even the worst the pussers chef's could do taste good. Steve.:D

And was not that the prime purpose of the tot in the bad old days of year old salt pork and weevle biscuits,?
Would not the hardest drinkers among you admit that navy grub no longer needs that aperative.
I will though say it certainly helps after a gale filled morning of oil ship and of course the withdrawal symtoms of those who had developed a deep true love
for it that put it before all the ladies of Kowloon,(ALMOST).
Paddy.

[Paddy]

And was not that the prime purpose of the tot in the bad old days of year old salt pork and weevle biscuits,?
Would not the hardest drinkers among you admit that navy grub no longer needs that aperative.
I will though say it certainly helps after a gale filled morning of oil ship and of course the withdrawal symtoms of those who had developed a deep true love
for it that put it before all the ladies of Kowloon,(ALMOST).
Paddy.

Has anyone tried Charles House navy rum ? from Guana.
My son in law's father recently gave me a 1.5 ltr bottle that he had for over ten years, he had taken a small taster, did not like it and put it in a cupboard.
It is a dark rum and to my pallet very similar to our old tot, allbeit at 37% the taste only as strong as 2 & 1.
I don' drink it often but the level seems to be dropping swiftly, do you think my other half might have developed a taste for it ?

Paddy.

[Jan Steer]

Remember the "adverts" posted in the canteen flat? "SIPPERS CAN KILL!!"

Best wishes
Jan

[Chieftain]

Still intact!!!

[Scurs]

Jan...............Yes, and luckily for me, many of my shipmates tried to "kill" me! :D

[steve roberts]

Does any one remember the days after 67 when the Suez Canal was closed,and going Far East meant going around South Africa.When your Jamacan pussers ran out you were usualy replenished with South African rum. Bloody awful!!!:D:D:D

[Dave Hutson]

Yes - and I'd rather not think about it.:eek:

[Dave Hutson]

On second thoughts I will think about it cos' Simonstown/Cape Town was a good run.;)

[Paddy]

On second thoughts I will think about it cos' Simonstown/Cape Town was a good run.;)

Except for a certain AB called Harry Wrag who having paid his dosh to a dusky lady and commenced his excercise, found that she had first enlightened the local fuzz as to what he intended.
The penalty for breaking the apartheid laws was far more severe for the white than the black, he got two years and the ship leaft him behind.
Paddy

[johnny07]

Thank you Robert - a really interesting account of the final days of rum issue. I understand that the official reason for ending the long tradition of supplying rum to the ratings was that the modern Royal Navy ships now had much more sophisticated weaponry and other equipment fitted which would require sober sailors to operate them...

Yes but even with the rum it was a good idea to be sober when on the throttles during a jackstay transfer or fuelling or entering harbour. :p

[johnny07]

AH RUM! 5th class 'Tiffys. 6F2 mess, Ark Royal 1957, mess for the Shpts and ERA's, Our 1st tots. We must have been 'The Privileged Ones' as we got Neaters, as leading hand ratings. POs were 4th class, Cpos 3rd,2nd, Chief. We had an 'Elderly' Chief ERA as mess president, to show us the way of ship board life, and customs, (we being straight from training establishment), and one of the 1st was the Rum issue.
With tot measure Double dip into "fanny",-- pour into glass,-- repour into tot measure, overflowing excess from glass falling back into fanny---- and tip full measure back into empty glass. THEN Offer the Rum Bosun, Sippers, as he ticked your name on the list. Every day of course, He was the Bosun, and every afternoon we were sure He had a Make & Mend! We seldom could find him. His Best Commission??
Birthdays for us were total loss,someone did your watch for you--to save the ship we reckoned--and I did see someone 'asleep' with eyes wide open.
1st sea commission and loved all of it.
Dagwood---Dreaming of days past.

You lucky sod, When I was a 5th class ERA in the POMEs mess in Bukwark the miserable sods made me water mine down. :(

[oldsalt]

Having drawn my rum for 9 yrs , I was promoted from then on my aquantance with rum was confined to tasting the water before giving the order to mix. On the occassion of "splice the mainbrace" Officers received a tot each, most General List Officers not being soaked in the tradition would take a sip & pull a face. It was my duty then to ensure the rum was not wasted. ;);)

[oldsalt]

Mistake, I should have said drawing my rum for 11 years, sorry, I've lost track of time!

[ivorthediver]

Having drawn my rum for 9 yrs , I was promoted from then on my aquantance with rum was confined to tasting the water before giving the order to mix. On the occassion of "splice the mainbrace" Officers received a tot each, most General List Officers not being soaked in the tradition would take a sip & pull a face. It was my duty then to ensure the rum was not wasted. ;);)





"Ensuring the Rum was not wasted " who would do that Keith :eek:...surly thats a flogging offence:rolleyes:

[johnny07]

Mistake, I should have said drawing my rum for 11 years, sorry, I've lost track of time!

It's all that rum Keith.

[eskimosailor]

Having drawn my rum for 9 yrs , I was promoted from then on my aquantance with rum was confined to tasting the water before giving the order to mix. On the occassion of "splice the mainbrace" Officers received a tot each, most General List Officers not being soaked in the tradition would take a sip & pull a face. It was my duty then to ensure the rum was not wasted. ;);)
I did that once myself. Attended the rum store, and when the rum was offered to the OOD he just turned to me and said "You taste it Chief". I was delighted as I was R.A. in the Royal Breakwater, so hadn't tasted rum fo ages.
Steve

[ivorthediver]

Well lads you know what they say........... isn't that right Keith;)

[Mitch Hinde]

Hi All

I presume the highchairs are to assist in maintaining an upright posture after partaking!!!

Mitch Hinde

[ceylon220]

Jan...............Yes, and luckily for me, many of my shipmates tried to "kill" me! :D

Ray did you know that our old skipper F R Twiss when made up to Admiral status was the instigator to get rum issue stopped in the navy and he and other top brass succeeded in doing this.:mad:

[Mac Hendry]

Thank you Robert - a really interesting account of the final days of rum issue. I understand that the official reason for ending the long tradition of supplying rum to the ratings was that the modern Royal Navy ships now had much more sophisticated weaponry and other equipment fitted which would require sober sailors to operate them...

I'm not 100% certain but I seem to remember that the Survey ships had their tot at the end of the Last Dog to overcome this problem.

[eskimosailor]

I'm not 100% certain but I seem to remember that the Survey ships had their tot at the end of the Last Dog to overcome this problem.

And the training sections at Daedalus used to get their tot after securing from training at around 1700. One member from each mess was released before final parade to fetch it.
Steve

[Nobby_N]

In between drafts, as a one badge REM, I had the job as a Messman in the PO's mess in Collingwood. Not very arduous, but here's the best bit I was on their rum list and so for a few weeks I was drawing neaters along with the POs. I think, on the whole I preferred grog but I wasn't one to refuse neaters when it was offered and legal.

I was the mess rum bosun in Terror and in Blackpool. Here is the rum table in Terror in 1960 The first one I titled 'Two hours to tot-time' You see what was on my mind at 0930.

Nobby_N