Armourers

[davo141]

We just had a Career fair down here...with all the different SQ's...except!

I was reading the handout we got and the job seemed intresting...

I just wondered what you Royals thought about the SQ and if its half decent..

I read into it and seems decent with half decent money...Ie MNE's 'can' run there own shop...

Also Drafts...where are the possible drafts...obviously the CDO's but wht about ships, i really want a ship job minus chef and what not...ships, specially Albion & Bulwark muct have armouries...Other Matelow ships?

Any info would be great! Cheers, Broken Nod - Davo

[Sully]

Davo - go for sigs if you want a ships draft. LC is always an option but with sigs you can still yomp about with Bambi bergans - camping and skiing, all that stuff . But if you get fed up of that you can go for a ships draft as a signaller. An oppo of mine did a tour of the Antarctic on the Endurance and I was a bit envious - it came up now and again and there was always a good chance of getting it - most bootnecks don't like spending too much time too close to heaving matelots Sigs is also a good way to get into 539 ASRM which always struck me as one of the best numbers going.

Armourers seemed to be blokes at the end of their time like the legendary Alfie Bass who was well after his time but definitely someone for nods to look up to at CTC - I'm afraid I don't know much about the branch though.

[Doc]

most bootnecks don't like spending too much time too close to heaving matelots

works the other way aswell you know Royal! We may heave but you smell of lavender bath salts

[Hostage_Negotiator]

We may heave but you smell of lavender bath salts

Doc have you been making your own cocktails from the contents of that Trauma Bag again!

[Stix@CTC]

Armourers seemed to be blokes at the end of their time like the legendary Alfie Bass who was well after his time but definitely someone for nods to look up to at CTC - I'm afraid I don't know much about the branch though.

Hmmm, must be a different Alfie Bass to the one that I know.
I just know the one that did 28 years in the stores at CTC whist everyone else was getting drafted and going off into harms way. And ripping off Nods for jars of coffee and biscuits who had lost there kit.

Legends can be invented y'know

[Artist]

Sullys bang on ref the Sig's branch.

Sigs go everywhere. Before I joined Fearless we did what is called a PET (Pre Embarkation Training) which was basically an LC3's course at Poole. Another good thing about being a sigs rating is that you are normally in the know about Unit moves, timings of forthcoming operations and suchlike as you will find yourself sharing the same space as the Bosses when in the field.

Cries of "Whats the Buzz sigs" were not uncommen. Also promotion within the branch is or was pretty good. When I did my Juniors (Cpl's Course) I was only back in my unit for a week and had my second stripe up. Where as blokes who had done the same Juniors as me but were in a different branch could wait months or even years for their Second Stripe. The Tels Techs were one of the slow promotion branches. And it was pretty much the same when you did a Seniors (Sgts Course).

Artist

[harry hackedoff]

And ripping off Nods for jars of coffee and biscuits who had lost there kit.

And your point is?

[Stix@CTC]

And ripping off Nods for jars of coffee and biscuits who had lost there kit.

And your point is?

Thats a joke, yes? But just in case...

Now I know you need to have a criminal record to live in the land of Oz and there for your morals might not
be as high as everyone else in the world but.....

Storeman, military or civvy, have but one purpose. To issue kit to those that either need it or are entitled to it. So when someone comes in and says "I need so and so because..." The answer from the storeman should be either Yes or No. There is no in between. When a Nod looses a consumable item of kit nobody should profit from their misfortune.

Now we all know that this kind of thing goes on, the service runs on favours and the return of favours, but there are limits. Favours between oppo's is one thing but extortion by persons in a senior position is quite another.
This problem, only came to light after a questionair went out to Nods at the end of training about 15 years ago to see if there were any shortcomings of kit etc and they found that Nods were being "charged" coffee and Hob Nobs amongst other things (in large amounts) to get kit out of the stores.

It was also found that Nods were being "encouraged" to buy kit from their training teams - Buffalo jackets and the like at about £30 a time. Fortunatly, The SIB (yes, it went THAT far) sorted it out.

But of course you were joking weren't you?

Times change, sometimes for the better. If not they would still be using the '303 and wearing puttees!

[harry hackedoff]

But of course you were joking weren't you?

You`ll never know and I`ll never tell

I used Joe Dolce`s "Wassamarra, you?" as my criminal record and my morals are beyond question, thank you.

[Stix@CTC]

At last!!!! Someone who can take it as well as give it out!!

I salute you Sir!!!

Seriously though, the Armourers branch aren't just full of three badgers any more. There are a whole range of ages including lots of youngish Mnes.

Mind you, that could be me showing my age

After one tour as a Grav everyone gets an SQ these days (whether you want one or not) so its not quite the same as the days of 43 and 41

[El Prez]

Hmmm, must be a different Alfie Bass to the one that I know.
I just know the one that did 28 years in the stores at CTC whist everyone else was getting drafted and going off into harms way. And ripping off Nods for jars of coffee and biscuits who had lost there kit.

Stix@CTC, were you ever required to hand over a 'fine' for lost kit, and then 'given' the replacement you desperately wanted?

Have you ever been a Stick Storeman and required donations in kind from bandies needing new sticks?

Impugning Mr Bass is very simple. He's not exactly likely to come on here, and bend your sorry lugs.

I on the other hand can come on here, and I'm more than happy, nay delirious to bend your self satisfied lugs.

Tapping a triangle, sitting in a cushy box outside the Commando Training Centre and telling rugsy dits to anyone within earshot, does not endear you to some on this site.

Alfie was a respected employee, he does not deserve to have his reputation and association with the Corps besmirched by a blowhard.

Just as an afterthought....care to let us know when you were placed in 'harms way'? To use your expression.

[Artist]

Nice post El Prez.

That old saying: "Never judge a book by it's cover" seems to ring true.
And he and the other storemen were a boon when you wanted another pair of boots or summut similar. May have cost a jar of Coffee but it was cheaper than paying out a ruck of dosh.

And when you were back at CTC for courses and stuff you could always get a wet for nought.

Artist

[Sully]

Just for the record, the Alfie Bass I was referring to was a renown sniper and, according to a dit retold by an oppo who was at his (belated) top table he served with distinction (not to mention stunning bootneck flair) in Aden. Perhaps you know different.

That, of course, doesn't give him the right to rip nods off but in the year or so that I was there, I was grateful that I didn't have to C126 bits of kit that had been proffed from the drying rooms. I saw it as him sticking his neck out for me - he had to account for it at the end of the day. Perhaps he could spot a stroker at 50 paces and wasn't so benevolent at times - I'm sorry you seem to have had a bad experience with him, then again, maybe not.

[42]

for the young uns reading these threads,you dont have to choose a sq after your first draft but naval manning may decide to choose one for you,like it or not.there are a fair share of GD cpls in the corps.its a game of chance,the down side is the further you get up the career ladder the worse the jobs are for GD and it takes longer to get there.[/quote]