RN Police

[davep]

Just been informed that our friendly local regulators are now going to have RN Police on their rank slides to bring them into line with their army and air force comrades.
Probably because we now train all three service police in the one establishment, then again i did have a chuckle the first time i saw two killick regs turn up at a ship in their stab vests etc as if they were real policemen

Dave

[Joseph]

They have been 'police' since 1990,

Statutory Instrument 1990 No 1448 dated 6th July 1990.
Recognise all members of the Regulating Branch as Service Police in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence act 1984.

Regards Charles

[davep]

so it did but it was only in recent years that they started to dress like a police man with their stab vest and handcuffs, cos we all know how many drunken matelots stab reggies! lol:)

[SCRG1970]

Times have moved on. When I was seconded to Portsmouth Patrol Headquarters, in the early 60s ,the Regulators Crown on a wristband and a pair of studded boots seem to solve most problems !!!

Regards

gerry

[Batstiger]

Personally I never had any time for them, they were always too big for their boots.

Bob.

[Joseph]

I wish I had a stab vest when I was stabed in the neck..... Rosyth 1979. My handcuffs did come in handy though.

Bob, we never had time for matlots unless they were in the sh*t, boring bunch generally.

The civvys gave us more fun when we went on patrol, maybe thats why they give them stab jackets now.

The stab jacket may not have helped me, but maybe it would show someone cared, and had the health and safety of the workforce in hand.

I did dress like a sailor though...... never had time for big ideas, and as Gerry says that 'armband' usually did the trick.

Must need these guys though..... if not the navy would get rid, they still have a Master At Arms dont they. I was an REM in days gone yone what has hapened to them and the humble gunner. Bet the Stewards still there as well.

Regards Charles

[davep]

Charles

Rems have long gone as have the proper gunners, Rems, i think evolved into my old branch wem(R).
Having seen the engineering and various other branches reorganised twice over the past 18 years (who said reorganizing constantly looked like progress) the one branch not touched other than a name change was the stewards who are now along with the rest of the white mafia called logisticians.

[Joseph]

Dave,

I remember the WEM(R) did they then go to Operator Maintainers? the white mafia the chefs did Ok are they still a seperate group within the branch?

Regards Charles

[Maritime Michael Ian]

Many years ago in Melbourne as an RANR member I remember being volunteered for an RANR MP squad along with a few others, for one night as an exercise and to provide numbers under the control of a "real" Naval MP, as there was a US ship visiting.... white gaters and belt, number 2s bellbottoms (24 inch from the pussers store) and a baton! because there were not enough local MPs available!

Ian

[davep]

charles

i was a wem(r) originally then i went on mechs course became a tiff and now i'm an et (we) and if my d o gets his finger out i might even be a cpo et (we) by next friday :)
When the om's came in i was just starting killicks course and we were told that as killicks we wouldnt be able to branch change unless we relinquished our rates. but there were a lot of wems that were drafted to om conversion courses and also a lot that because of that put their notices in. All the S and S are in the logistics branch, chefs are logs(catering services) stewards are logs(hotel services)

[NSR]

Ian's comment set the memory tapes running - having reached the exalted rank of Stoker P O I had to take my turn i/c Shore Patrol. Singapore was quite good as it mostly consisted of loading the slightly wobbly matelots from the Shackle Club into a 3 tonner so that they could get back safely to the dockyard. As they were nearly all 'happy drunk' there were few problems. We also used to have three or four members of our patrol taken to assist with the vice patrols. These consisted of a Jeep driven by a Redcap with an RAF Whitecap as his side kick. One of the patrol would be added to each consist to deal with those areas that were the haunts of sailors. I'm not sure that I believed all the things they told us on their return but it sounded quite an experience.

Ken

[Batstiger]

Is this thread about the Regulating staff or about shore patrols?
There is a difference as you all know, the Regulators do it because it is what they volunteered for and it was an easy way to get the rank of Leading hand without passing an exam.
Shore patrol were detailed off from the Duty watch on board ship, usually a Petty officer, Leading seaman and a couple of Able seamen, and had to do it for that day only, or until their turn came up again.
I feel we are getting the two mixed up.

Bob.

[Joseph]

"There is a difference as you all know, the Regulators do it because it is what they volunteered for and it was an easy way to get the rank of Leading hand without passing an exam."

Sounds like a dabtoe talking.... I was LWEM(R) when I changed and on my course with the exception of an Air Mechanic (he branch changed because of dead mans shoes) all where leading Hands.

'Naval Patrol' are not Policemen and only have authority over thier own ships company, unless they work for a Provost Officer and then they would be supervised by a policeman.

Regards Charles

[Batstiger]

Nobody said Naval patrol were Policemen Charles.
I still say the Regulating staff were a mean minded lot and were only in their element when they were running someone in.
Yes I was a Dabtoe, left as a Petty officer and went on to serve in the Wolverhampton Police force.

Regards, Bob.

[tonclass]

Since I left 'The Mob' there have been many changes in the rate names etc.

A/B became O/M ( and then back again !!)

What new changes are there ?

The rates I remember off-hand were:

wem(o)
wem(r)
mem(l)
mem(m)
ck
std
ab(m)
ab(mw)

These are just a few from 1981 (28 years ago)

Can anyone update these rates ????? and add their official service number to help confirm their post ???????

Mine was D192793W (A comparative sprog to most on this thread) & I was an AB(MW) when I left !!

[alanbenn]

Rik, I left in 1979 and the rates were different to your time although only a couple of years before.

Rem ....radio electrical mechanic
Oem ....ordanance electrical mechanic
Cem ....control electrical mechanic
Mem ....marine engineering mechanic (stokers)
SA ....stores accountant
C ....chef

There are others but I can't recall some of them.

Regards
Alan

[davep]

well i'm still there joined in 1990

The rates now are

et(we)
et(me)
ab(mw)
ab(ew)
ab(cis)
ab(w)
logs(cs)
logs(hs)
logs(p)

[tonclass]

Alan. Some were still the same.

SA, S, C, W all had a star round the badge, yes ? S&S branch

MEM (L) Marine Engineering Mechanic (electrical)
MEM (M) Ditto (Mechanical)

The new rates: ET ? (perhaps they should phone home ):D

[SCRG1970]

Alan

Obviously I was the same vintage as you as I recognised the rates you posted. I left in 1982 with the rate of CWsomething or the other as I insisted as being called a Chief R Mech and didnt appreciate being lumped together with Tiffies.
I found it quite interesting that todays rates are classified as Operator Maintainers as in 1960 I was exactly that being the Range Taker on A Gun and the maintainer of the MRS3 Radar,

The wheel turns full circle !!!

Regards

gerry

[harry.gibbon]

Ahhh I love it,

Some ex-jacks in their element, all that is missing is a swinging light a black cat; and...where would yer regulator be without his van??

Still I agree with Bob Batstiger!!
Regulators were one thing... but being Shore Patrol was another; Who really wanted their shipmates handed over to the former? that was why the shore patrol was in existance... to help to get them back on board if poss; it might be you the following night - roles reversed!!! and don't forget the string of charges that might be brought - bringing the ships name into disrepute, the Navy into disrepute, aggrevated charges and all that.

And the issue -where was the Shore Patrol anyway - we all knew which pubs we needed to be in to be alerted of any goings on with our own ships company.. and of course the Ships Shore Patrol never consumed alcohol whilst on duty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not of course that I was ever in need of assistance or guilty of anything (sic)

Great stuff

Little h:p

[Jan Steer]

Couldn't agree more with you Bob. I never had any time for the crusher's branch. Most of them were in it because they couldn't make it in their original branches in my opinion. They had some real bullies as I recall and most were as thick as two short planks, again, in my opinion. It was always a source of great wonder to me how so many of them could walk and talk both at the same time with only one active brain cell! Shore patrol, as you quite rightly point out, was just a rather distasteful duty watch job and one that kept you busy trying to keep your oppos out of the brown stuff!

Best Wishes
Jan

[davep]

what i can never understand is that we have regulators, but shore patrol was always a duty watch task, and then recently at collingwood i was duty rpo, dont they ever do there own duties! lol:D
in fact the one time we had a serious problem needing a regulators advice myself and the ood had a heck of a job trying to get him to come in but then it was 5 am!:)

[Joseph]

Who's the fool then Dave, I do hope they never let Regulators do Duty Dabtoe/Maintainer or Greenie/Stoker they may have to work for a living.

Regards Charles

[kenharrow]

Patrolmen/Regulators - In the Seaman Branches, a Crown on your right arm, over your branch badge, meant you were a First Class Rate in whichever branch you were, ie Gunnery, T.A.S.,R.P. S.R. etc. These chaps had nothing under their crowns, so were First Class F*** Alls!!

[Jan Steer]

Where patrolmen/regulators are gathered together might the collective noun be a "Thicket?"
Just a thought

Best wishes
Jan

[Joseph]

I think they only gathered together in their own mess with a beer ashore, or in the MAA cabin at sea. Those in charge must have wanted to keep them apart from the minnions.

Is their any 'Seamans branches' left.

Regards Charles

[harry.gibbon]

Jan,

Perhaps 'clubs' should have been the collective noun instead of labelling the PTI's as such.

Little h

PS or indeed a 'Truncheon' of regulators might be a better option. Not that one was ever given an option once nicked.

[Jan Steer]

It must've been awful going through life knowing that you were so disliked. I remember whilst serving on a destroyer that they tried to billet a killick crusher in our mess. We dripped so much that it didn't happen and we got a met bloke instead. The crusher went elsewhere thankfully.

best wishes
Jan

[Joseph]

If that was me Jan, I would have been thankful that I didn't go in, then had a real good look at why. Not that in my time I ever saw or heard of it happening, a billet is a billet no matter how many drips you get. Sounds like sloppy management.

Regards Charles

[Francis Stanley]

This thread has just reminded me of a mate who was a PO in HMS Vernon.
He went into the reg office for something and as usuall the 2 crushers behind the desk pointedly ignored him while he stood there. So he said, "OK, which one of you is the reader and which one can write?"
At this one of them says "I suggest PO that you go outside and come back in again in 5 minutes."
So out he duly went came back in again and said "You made your minds up yet?!"
For some strange reason they didn't find it as amusing as he did.

[Jan Steer]

Charles
It was a very long time ago now but I seem to think that the basis of our drips was simply that we were all watchkeepers and that he would be in the way. I think that was the official reason, however, we all know differently don't we?

best wishes
Jan

[Joseph]

Jan,

The regulator was normally in a dayman's mess on destroyers usually with the clubswinger, doc, caterer etc. Must have been unusual to be put in an RO's mess, what watches did the Wafoo Metoc keep?

Regards Charles

[oldsalt]

I am completely baffled by Davep contribution. In my time life was simpler, the Regulating Branch were "recruited" from other branches. Their Ratings were Leading Patrolman, Regulating Petty Officer & finally Master at Arms,he was the only rating who was allowed to carry a sword. Ships smaller than a cruiser would not carry regulaters, the Coxswain was the rating onboard responsible for discipline. In larger ships their main task seemed to be collecting mail to take ashore & to sort incoming mail & issue it.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Joseph]

Keith,

Sad to say the Coxswains Branch bit the dust in 1968, they either transferred to the Regulating Branch or reverted to source branch.

Regards Charles

[Jan Steer]

Charles
As far as I can recall the doc and caterer lived in the S & S mess, the clubswinger lived with the dabtoes and did wheel watches. What watches the metoc rating kept I don't recall (I never made out his watchbill!) but I know that our lads would shake him to carry out various met tasks throughout the night.

best wishes
Jan

[Joseph]

Jan,

Intresting where they messed the members of the Executive Division, what class of destroyer was it?

Regards Charles

[oldsalt]

Im afraid that I am way behind the times, but I want it understood that I never served under Nelson, his father though , was really anchor faced. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:;)

[derek s.langsdon]

Well we were'nt really Coppers ! but recall into fourth week of Signals training at Old Billy Butlin's Ayr camp- in 1946 ( aged 18 ) myself and oppo were told "Your duty turn tonight"....belt ,anklets and armband issued, chinstraps down,and we were lorried into Glasgow main railway station with the instruction to "Calm down and/or apprehend" any troublemakers returning from shore leave....happily we did'nt find any !! derek-L

[johnny07]

In the early 60s I took a trip over to the FMU in Devonport which was called Orion. I threw a dummy hand grenade into the police office, shouted grenade and ran. One of the RPOs broke his arm in the rush to get out of the office. They tried to charge me but the OOD would'nt take it on, he said no one would be able to stop laughing. :D

[NobbyC]

If I was to mention FMAA David Loderick would the name ring any bells? He was the MAA on the recently decommissioned Ark Royal on her first commission . A true gent who earned respect of the ships co' IMHO. I was a killick flunkey on Ark then and I kept my hook by the string of me teeth lol. Sir Loderick (lol) could serve out the biggest bo*****k you could ever get without even raising his voice!
He drove a Wolesley 16/60 in two tone maroon / grey!
You knew you were in the cack, when after being piped to the Reg office, he began in a voice thathad clearly had elocution lessons, " My dear boy come in to my office as we have something to discuss".
Like a lot of you I had little respect for many reggies though the team this guy ran toed his line. The RPO was a little wayward, I reckon he struggled with his bosses attitude, of the two killick regs, one was on his bosses wave length t'other struggled like his PO.
Both killicks were down our mess one night for a PU. When the fridge went 'dry' one of the lads began to get another crate out from our hidden stash.... I was LHOM, and thought F*** that's me in the poo, the regs just said, "FFS Nobby do you'd think were stupid, all messes do it, get the tinnies in it' your shout" lol.