More 'Squaddie' humour: But of a slightly higher standard than Bardolph, Nym and Pistol in the post below. In an article in The Telegraph today, Max Arthur punts his book "The Paras" which covers their activities from the Falklands to the present day. This sums up what passes for humour amongst those rascals:
But as with much of the British Army, paratroopers rely on a dark sense of humour as a coping strategy.
Captain Andy Harrison told me of an operation in Sierra Leone, where he was captured by armed rebels and held for months in horrendous conditions, suffering daily beatings at the hands of his enemies and the constant threat of execution.
Eventually a package was smuggled to him by his unit, who were based in the capital Freetown. As well as vital communications equipment – which helped them coordinate his rescue – it contained a British Army recruitment video, condoms, hangover tablets, a cardboard helicopter and a plastic sword. The accompanying message read: ‘In case you want to fight your way out’.
Talk about laugh, I bet he nearly did!
What is it with the Irish? According to 'Theodore Dalrymple' over at TakiMag, the Irish Post Office has issued a commemorative postage stamp to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Che Guevara. So tell me, Paddy, what is it about stupid, psychotic, murderous bastards that you admire so much?
Sorry, more soldiery: Now, here's a fine picture of an exceedingly fine soldier, the late Gen. Sir Henry Prendergast:
And yes, you're right, that is a Victoria Cross pinned to his chest which he earned in 1855 but, the question is, is it the right one? Apparently, according to The Telegraph, 55 years ago the family loaned the valuable (in all senses of the word) medal to the National Army Museum(NAM) but now they suspect that the original has been stolen and replaced with a copy. The family is angry and demanding an explanation but relations with the NAM have broken down and the mystery remains. Call for Poirot, I think!
When jokes were funny: The TV chat-show host, Richard Madeley, has written this week's Spectator diary and reminds us that we have to go quite far back to find real wit on TV or radio.
Letterman, Leno, Corden etc are direct descendants of Bob Hope’s live radio series of the 1950s and 1960s. Hope paid up to 30 top writers (30!) to be his feeds. One night he was about to go on air when he phoned his writers’ room. ‘The gag on page four about LBJ [Lyndon B. Johnson, often portrayed as thick] — it’s crap,’ he rasped. ‘Rewrite it, with a double punchline. Now.’ Minutes later the fresh gag was silently passed to Hope. ‘News just in, folks,’ he announced. ‘A fire in the West Wing. Nobody hurt, but LBJ’s personal library in ashes. Yup, both books.’ A pause for the sucker-punch. ‘Including one he hadn’t even coloured in yet.’
Ouch!
More Rumbles later . . .
From time to time over here there are many ignorant college students who wear "Che" tee shirts like it is somehow a sign of adolescent rebellion. They don't know anything about his sorry dead arse except that it angers the right people. This is how bad ideology never goes away as it easily takes hold of fresh young idealistic fools.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 29 October 2017 at 12:43
Mmm, it appears we have a late but worthy challenger for "SoD's Country-Bumpkin of the Year Award"!
Remember, Frederic Nihous, leader of the "Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Tradition" party of Aquitaine was way out in front? If his string belt and braces will stay firm and keep his trousers up it's looking good for Frederic.
But the late challenger throwing his hat in the ring is one General Sir Harry North Dalrymple Prendergast.
Will a life spent successfully bashing assorted nig-nogs and colonials from all four corners of the earth - his own personal "hunting, fishing, nature, and tradition" party - lead to greater things than a mere VC: The chance for ever lasting glory that comes with the coveted "Sod's Country-Bumpkin of the Year Award?
The mounting excitement is unbearable!
Release the tension by watching some early footage from prior years ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSqkdcT25ss
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 29 October 2017 at 13:37
PC and the "Social Justice Warrior" have pretty well killed comedy.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 29 October 2017 at 17:22
Just watched Jim Davidson's Sinderella ( no, not a typo) featuring Charlie Drake. Laugh out loud funny.
Posted by: Timbo | Sunday, 29 October 2017 at 19:41