Naval personal nicknames
Dwight Hall
From Patrick O'Brian novels, I know that in the early 19th century Royal
Navy, many positions had a permanent nickname (Chips, Guns, Jemmy Ducks)
so that the captain could go a whole voyage without ever knowing the
Christian names of his men. Modern usages still has Chips and Guns, I
guess, as well as Sparks. Can anyone direct me toward a reasonably
comprehensive list of both ancient and modern position nicknames? Are
they still common in US and UK navies?
Windancer
Dwight Hall wrote in message <34B2DB...@ix.netcom.com>...
Lets see:
Engineer's and Propulsion : Snipes
Operations and Electronics Types : Twiggits
Boatswain Mates and Undesignated Strikers : Deck Apes*
Aviation Types :Airdales, or Brown Shoes
Postal Clerks : PeeCee's
Officers : Zero's
Intel Types : Spooks
Surface Navy types :Black Shoes, or Just "shoes"
Submariners : Bubble Heads
Recruits just out of basic : Boots
* Just so I don't get flamed I was a Boatswains mate (BM2) for 5 years
prior to changing over to Electronic Warfare.
Just off the top of my head
H King, EWC, USN (ret.)
It is better that a wise enemy should fear you
than that foolish friends should praise.
Quintus Fabius Maximus (218 B.C.)
Random
On Tue, 6 Jan 1998 21:23:58 -0500, "Windancer"
<windancer@mindspring<NO SPAM>.com> wrote:
>Dwight Hall wrote in message <34B2DB...@ix.netcom.com>...
>>From Patrick O'Brian novels, I know that in the early 19th century Royal
>>Navy, many positions had a permanent nickname (Chips, Guns, Jemmy Ducks)
>>so that the captain could go a whole voyage without ever knowing the
>>Christian names of his men. Modern usages still has Chips and Guns, I
>>guess, as well as Sparks. Can anyone direct me toward a reasonably
>>comprehensive list of both ancient and modern position nicknames? Are
>>they still common in US and UK navies?
>
>Lets see:
>
>Engineer's and Propulsion : Snipes
>Operations and Electronics Types : Twiggits
>Boatswain Mates and Undesignated Strikers : Deck Apes*
>Aviation Types :Airdales, or Brown Shoes
>Postal Clerks : PeeCee's
>Officers : Zero's
>Intel Types : Spooks
>Surface Navy types :Black Shoes, or Just "shoes"
>Submariners : Bubble Heads
>Recruits just out of basic : Boots
My experience in the USN has been that people earned their very own
unique nicknames on ship:
A BMSN who launched a smokefloat for a man overboard drill without
first pulling the tab to allow salt water activation was called
"Smokefloat."
A BMSN who ran towards a line going over to the pier and slid the last
ten feet on his knees in order to cut it free as the ship got underway
with the line still made fast was called "Psycho."
An Engineer Officer of the Watch who suffered from a series of total
power failures was called, "The Prince of Darkness, or Lucifer for
short."
random
PLeenhouts
>Are
>they still common in US and UK navies?
Not in the surface (US) Navy - unless use of acronyms like CHENG (CHief
ENGineer) or OPS (OPerationS Officer) counts. "Gunner" is used infrequently -
unless you're talking to a real Gunner; it's not often used to refer to gunnery
PO's or Gunnery Officers unless the individual is a Warrant Officer. "Sparks",
which used to refer to Radiomen, isn't often used anymore either - haven't
heard it in over twenty years, now. "Cookie", as used in Beetle Bailey (the
comic strip) isn't used either, from what I know.
Anyone know of any nicknames similiar to "Jemmy Ducks" in use in the USN?
Pete
Terry Stover
Dwight Hall wrote:
> From Patrick O'Brian novels, I know that in the early 19th century Royal
> Navy, many positions had a permanent nickname (Chips, Guns, Jemmy Ducks)
> so that the captain could go a whole voyage without ever knowing the
> Christian names of his men. Modern usages still has Chips and Guns, I
> guess, as well as Sparks. Can anyone direct me toward a reasonably
> comprehensive list of both ancient and modern position nicknames? Are
> they still common in US and UK navies?
The senior officers lose their names along the way. The captain is always
Captain or Skipper, XO, Eng, Nav, Weps or Gun Boss. Most people with
nicknames get them "assigned", usually in a manner that really tweaks them.
Many are not repeatable in mixed company. We had the HUD (Hedge Ugly D$ck)
and Hocky Puck Hall, both referring to the male member. More socially
acceptable were the GOB (geek of the boat), GOOB (geek officer of the
boat). I had an acquaintaince that did exchange duty with the Dutch Air
Force, they assign pilots 3 consonant abbreviations based on their names,
his was CLT. You can imagine his nickname, it followed him back from
Europe. One of the more colorful nicknames for Auxilliary Div (HT's on
skimmers) were turd herders since they were responsible for plumbing.
Chadkie
>
>Anyone know of any nicknames similiar to "Jemmy Ducks" in use in the USN?
We usedta call Boatsmen's Mates "Boats" for short (especially if there were few
around.
JGazzard
I am presently serving in the Royal Navy, and yes - nicknames are still used
throughout the service. In fact, many have been recorded in a book by Rick
Jolly called "Jackspeak", which is available in the UK. Nicknames fall into two
categories - those related to somebodies surname, and job specific. I could
give you a list as long as a battleship, but here are just a few:
Nickname...Surname
Dusty Rhodes
Chalkie White
Taff Jones
Cess Pit
Jumper Cross
Bungy Williams
Trip Fell
or job specific:
Divers...Bubbleheads
Seaman...Fishhead
Aviators...Wafu (Wet and f****** useless)
EW..Gollies
Marine Engineers...Clankies
Weapon Engineers...Greenies
Stores Accountant...Jack Dusty
Willing to decipher any others you may have read.
Julian Gazzard
Portsmouth, England
Drydusty
>One of the more colorful nicknames for Auxilliary Div (HT's on
>skimmers) were turd herders since they were responsible for plumbing.
>
Oh yeah, we called 'em "turd chasers" (which they hated....and if you needed em
to fix your air conditioning, better hope they never heard you use the term!!!)
The hospital corpsmen were "pecker checkers".....Boiler technicians in the
"fire roon" were "hole snipes"...IC (Interior Communications technicians) were
"I-Seamen"....Electrician's Mates were "sparkies"
Windancer
Drydusty wrote in message <19980107223...@ladder01.news.aol.com>...
I forgot all about "Pecker Checkers"! Not for lack of embarassing sick call
visits either.
--
Doug McClure
Dwight Hall wrote:
>
> From Patrick O'Brian novels, I know that in the early 19th century Royal
> Navy, many positions had a permanent nickname (Chips, Guns, Jemmy Ducks)
> so that the captain could go a whole voyage without ever knowing the
> Christian names of his men. Modern usages still has Chips and Guns, I
> guess, as well as Sparks. Can anyone direct me toward a reasonably
> comprehensive list of both ancient and modern position nicknames? Are
> they still common in US and UK navies?
Ships Servicemen ( Laundry ) Skivvie sniffers
Signalman - Skivvie waver.
SF(P) Sh
Shipfitter -pipe -Turd chasers
The most junior ensign was George
BlackBeard
In article <68uouc$i...@camel19.mindspring.com>, "Windancer"
<windancer@mindspring<NO SPAM>.com> wrote:
>Dwight Hall wrote in message <34B2DB...@ix.netcom.com>...
>>From Patrick O'Brian novels, I know that in the early 19th century Royal
>>Navy, many positions had a permanent nickname (Chips, Guns, Jemmy Ducks)
>>so that the captain could go a whole voyage without ever knowing the
>>Christian names of his men. Modern usages still has Chips and Guns, I
>>guess, as well as Sparks. Can anyone direct me toward a reasonably
>>comprehensive list of both ancient and modern position nicknames? Are
>>they still common in US and UK navies?
>
>Lets see:
>
>Engineer's and Propulsion : Snipes
>Operations and Electronics Types : Twiggits
>Boatswain Mates and Undesignated Strikers : Deck Apes*
also 'boats'
>Aviation Types :Airdales, or Brown Shoes
>Postal Clerks : PeeCee's
>Officers : Zero's
>Intel Types : Spooks
>Surface Navy types :Black Shoes, or Just "shoes"
>Submariners : Bubble Heads
Usually called GODS in whispered respect and awe by the rest of the Navy
;)
Navigators : naviguessers
aerographers mates : weatherguessers
and of course nuclear trained eng types : nukes
non-nukes on a sub : coners or forward pukes
corpsmen : Bones, Doc, pecker-checker, penis-machinist.
yeomen or personelmen : titless waves
mess specialists : cookie, stewburner
BlackBeard
Submarines once, Submarines twice...
Former recipient of the 'Gurnard Good Deal'
Gunner USN(Ret)
In article <34B2DB...@ix.netcom.com>, Dwight Hall
<dwi...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> From Patrick O'Brian novels, I know that in the early 19th century Royal
> Navy, many positions had a permanent nickname (Chips, Guns, Jemmy Ducks)
> so that the captain could go a whole voyage without ever knowing the
> Christian names of his men. Modern usages still has Chips and Guns, I
> guess, as well as Sparks. Can anyone direct me toward a reasonably
> comprehensive list of both ancient and modern position nicknames? Are
> they still common in US and UK navies?
Leave us not forget the single most important man on the ship, the Jack of
the Dust. (also known as the keeper of the coffee stores to you New Navy
types)
jc54b0500-FarleighS(DR9818)31d032
From article <nospam-0701...@ssn662.chinalake.navy.mil>, by nos...@yadda.yadda.yadda (BlackBeard):
> corpsmen : Bones, Doc, pecker-checker, penis-machinist.
> yeomen or personelmen : titless waves
> mess specialists : cookie, stewburner
>
> BlackBeard
Parachute Rigger: Skivvie Folders
Signalmen: Skivvie Waver
Ordinance: Cannon Cocker, B.B. Stacker
Electrican: One Wires.
Electronics: Tweeks (as in "tweek" a circuit)
AME's: Aviation Plumber's Mate (they are responsible for
the aircraft's heating
cooling and relief tubes)
AMS's: Tin benders
AMH's: Bubble Chasers
Scott E. Farleigh (formerly PR-2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NEVER piss-off a Parachute Rigger.
Malcolm
>From Patrick O'Brian novels, I know that in the early 19th century Royal
>Navy, many positions had a permanent nickname (Chips, Guns, Jemmy Ducks)
>so that the captain could go a whole voyage without ever knowing the
>Christian names of his men. Modern usages still has Chips and Guns, I
>guess, as well as Sparks. Can anyone direct me toward a reasonably
>comprehensive list of both ancient and modern position nicknames? Are
>they still common in US and UK navies?
Nicknames are still in use in RN. Some of the traditional ones are:
Jack Dusty = Stores rating (victualling stores)
Nuts'n'Bolts - Stores rating (ships stores)
Scribes = Writer (Yeoman in US parlance, I think)
Pilot = Naviguesser
Sloshy/Slushy - Cook
Bunting Tosser = signalman
Tanky - rating responsible for all freshwater tanks.
A fairly comprehensive list, together with other slang, can be found in
"Jackspeak - The Pussers Rum Guide to Royal Navy Slanguage", Rick Jolly,
ISBN 0 9514305 05. Rich reading.
--
Regards
Malcolm
"It's easy to be brilliant if you are not bothered about being right".
Hector McNeil (1907 - 1955)
(In Denis Healey "The Time of My Life")
"The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest
coward like everybody else".
Umberto Eco
("Travels in Hyper Reality", 1986)
Matt Clonfero
Malcolm <Pus...@clarkeassoc.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>Nicknames are still in use in RN. Some of the traditional ones are:
>
>Jack Dusty = Stores rating (victualling stores)
>Nuts'n'Bolts - Stores rating (ships stores)
>Scribes = Writer (Yeoman in US parlance, I think)
>Pilot = Naviguesser
>Sloshy/Slushy - Cook
>Bunting Tosser = signalman
>Tanky - rating responsible for all freshwater tanks.
Greenie - Electrical/Electronic engineer.
Hooks - any Leading Rate.
Aetherem Vincere
Matt.
--
================================================================================
Matt Clonfero: Ma...@aetherem.demon.co.uk | To Err is Human
My employers and I have a deal - They don't | To forgive is not Air Force Policy
speak for me, and I don't speak for them. | -- Anon, ETPS
Peter H. Granzeau
>Ordinance: Cannon Cocker, B.B. Stacker
Gun Plumber.
>NEVER piss-off a Parachute Rigger.
Unless, of course, you don't plan ever to leave a perfectly good
flying aircraft. ;^)
Sue Thing
Uh, guys? Didn't we already *do* this in the slang FAQ?
Am I hallucinating again?
Sue
Eugene Griessel
plbu...@goodnet.com (Sue Thing) wrote:
>Uh, guys? Didn't we already *do* this in the slang FAQ?
>Am I hallucinating again?
If you will insist on chewing that damned cactus ......
Eugene L Griessel eug...@dynagen.co.za
www.dynagen.co.za/eugene
SAAF Crashboat Page - www.dynagen.co.za/eugene/eug3.htm
Thought for the day .......
If you put bullshit into a computer, nothing comes out
but bullshit. But this bullshit, having passed through a
very expensive machine, is somehow enobled, and no one dares
to criticize it.
Dwight Hall
Sue Thing wrote:
>
> Uh, guys? Didn't we already *do* this in the slang FAQ?
>
> Am I hallucinating again?
As the original poster and newbie to the NG, I certainly apologize if
the question was off-charter. Please direct me to the FAQ to which you
refer. I think many responses are a bit away from what I was after:
names given to _individuals_, (Jemmy Ducks, Chips, Boats, Tops, Gunner,
Sparky) and actually substituted for Christian names, rather than to
groups generically (Apes, Snipes, etc.). Aubrey could say to Bonden "Get
Jemmy Ducks up here" without ever knowing the man's actual name.
>
> Sue
Sue Thing
In article <34b87...@hawk.pix.za> eug...@dynagen.co.za (Eugene Griessel) writes:
>plbu...@goodnet.com (Sue Thing) wrote:
>>Uh, guys? Didn't we already *do* this in the slang FAQ?
>>Am I hallucinating again?
>If you will insist on chewing that damned cactus ......
>Eugene L Griessel eug...@dynagen.co.za
That's *tequila* to you, gringo.
:)
Sue
Martin Sinclair
In article <plburton.10...@goodnet.com>, plbu...@goodnet.com says...
>>
>>If you will insist on chewing that damned cactus ......
>
>
Trying to worm your way out of it, eh ?
Martin
First of Foot, Right of the Line
Sue Thing
>As the original poster and newbie to the NG, I certainly apologize if
>the question was off-charter. Please direct me to the FAQ to which you
>refer. I think many responses are a bit away from what I was after:
>names given to _individuals_, (Jemmy Ducks, Chips, Boats, Tops, Gunner,
>Sparky) and actually substituted for Christian names, rather than to
>groups generically (Apes, Snipes, etc.). Aubrey could say to Bonden "Get
>Jemmy Ducks up here" without ever knowing the man's actual name.
Oh, jeez. No apologies necessary. I've been UA for awhile, and thought maybe
something had happened to the slang FAQ. And who knows? There may be some
omissions of that type on it, though I remember quite a few of the ones you
mentioned.
I'm not sure if the slang FAQ is still lurking over with the s.m.n. FAQ that
Andrew's got set up, or if it's someplace else.
I think I still got a copy of it crawling around somewheres...
Sue
sail...@webtv.net
When I was a cook in the USN we were called
( Stew burners ) where did sloshy/slushy ever
come in for a cook.Had to be after 1970.
We were still commissarymen.
Bill>>>>>Milwaukee Wisconsin
USS Boyd DD 544 1958-1962
its just mind over matter,
if you don't mind,it dos'nt matter!!!
Steve Bartman
sail...@webtv.net wrote:
>When I was a cook in the USN we were called
>( Stew burners ) where did sloshy/slushy ever
>come in for a cook.Had to be after 1970.
>We were still commissarymen.
>
>Bill>>>>>Milwaukee Wisconsin
>
>USS Boyd DD 544 1958-1962
>
>
I think "slushy" is an RN term coming from sailing ship days when the
tons of grease left over when they boiled salted meat was called
"slush." According to Patrick O'Brian (my source for everything
sailing ship <g>), the RN cooks in those days were given rights to the
slush to sell to candle-makers as a part of their pay. But slush was
used at sea as a general grease for many types of gear.
When I was a pork chop, anybody who wanted goodies called the MS
"Sir!"
Steve
Malcolm
In article <69ld7f$2ha$1...@newsd-154.iap.bryant.webtv.net>,
sail...@webtv.net signalled:
>When I was a cook in the USN we were called
>( Stew burners ) where did sloshy/slushy ever
>come in for a cook.Had to be after 1970.
>We were still commissarymen.
>
It's a traditional nickname in the RN. Been around for a couple of
hundred years, I belive - comes from the old privilege of the cook being
allowed to sell the fat (slush) that came to the top when meat was
boiled, or something like that.
Justin T. Broderick
Steve Bartman wrote:
>
> sail...@webtv.net wrote:
>
> >When I was a cook in the USN we were called
> >( Stew burners ) where did sloshy/slushy ever
> >come in for a cook.Had to be after 1970.
> >We were still commissarymen.
> >
> >
> >USS Boyd DD 544 1958-1962
> >
> >
> I think "slushy" is an RN term coming from sailing ship days when the
> tons of grease left over when they boiled salted meat was called
> "slush." According to Patrick O'Brian (my source for everything
> sailing ship <g>), the RN cooks in those days were given rights to the
> slush to sell to candle-makers as a part of their pay. But slush was
> used at sea as a general grease for many types of gear.
>
All true, altough the slush, which floated to the tops of the kettles and
was skimmed off as the salt meat was boiled, was more in demand for
eating than as a lubricant(!), and was used in place of butter on the
biscuit. The practice and name were also common in the U.S. Navy, and
considerably before 1970. In _White Jacket_ Melville tells of obtaining
"the beef fat, or _slush_," from the ship's cook, Old Coffee, as an
ingredient in a raisin duff.
JTB
M. Garland
In article <34be4efd...@nntp.ix.netcom.com>,
sbar...@ix.netcom.com says...
>When I was a pork chop, anybody who wanted goodies called the MS
>"Sir!"
>Steve
We called ours "Bellyrobber."
PLeenhouts
> where did sloshy/slushy ever
>> >come in for a cook
>The practice and name were also common in the U.S. Navy...,
-snip
This is a great thread - have never heard of that nickname (in over 20
years)...but then there's prob a lot an O hasn't heard!
;-)
Pete
Barry Lake
This for a cook makes sense, as slush means grease. In the old days the
cook had a pot de jour going all the time and I believe the frothy top part
was called slush and much prized by the crew. More of a windjammer thing
though. That's on memory, so beware. Regards, Barry
rcy...@gmail.com
> From Patrick O'Brian novels, I know that in the early 19th century Royal
> Navy, many positions had a permanent nickname (Chips, Guns, Jemmy Ducks)
> so that the captain could go a whole voyage without ever knowing the
> Christian names of his men. Modern usages still has Chips and Guns, I
> guess, as well as Sparks. Can anyone direct me toward a reasonably
> comprehensive list of both ancient and modern position nicknames? Are
> they still common in US and UK navies?
(The) BISH
Officers' slang name (abbreviation of Bishop) for the Chaplain.
BUFFER
THE (CHIEF) BUFFER
Naval nickname for the Chief Bo'sun's Mate. As he is the First Lieutenant's
right-hand man and the one by whom he passes orders to the Captain of Tops,
he is considered to be the buffer between officer and ratings.
JIMMY BUNGS
The old Naval nickname for the Cooper rating.
BUNTS
Naval slang name for a Signalman - abbreviation for bunting-tosser.
CHEF
Sailors' nickname for the senior Cook rating on board.
CHIPS
CHIPS, CHIPPY, CHIPPY-CHAP
The inevitable traditional Naval nickname for a Shipwright, both officer and
rating.
CRUSHER
Sailors' slang for a Regulating Petty Officer - a ship's policeman. Prior to
1914 these ratings were known as SHIP'S CORPORALS. In earlier days they had
spent their time looking for (and so crushing) crime rather than preventing
it.
DOGGY
Naval name for the Midshipman detailed to attend the Captain or Commander.
DRUMMER
Naval name for a Marine bugler (drummer), for whom the traditional nickname
is "Sticks".
JACK DUSTY
Traditional nickname for a junior member of the victualling staff, also known
as "Dusty-boy".
FIDDLE
The old rating of fiddler in the Royal Yacht is now obsolete.
FLUNKEY
The inevitable sailors' nickname for an Officers' Steward or a Marine acting
as a Ward Room Attendant.
GRABBIES
A sailors' slang name for Soldiers.
GREEN
JIMMY GREEN
Naval slang name for a greenhorn.
JAUNTY
The traditional nickname for the Master-At-Arms, the chief of the ship's
police. At the end of the XVII century the Master-At-Arms was the Small Arms
Instructor and also responsible for the minor organisation of the ship's
company; he lost this latter responsibility when Commander's Offices were
introduced in about 1926. The name "Master-At-Arms" first appears in about
1860. The name "Jaunty" is said to be a corruption of the French GENDARME,
which, aglicised, became JOHN DAMME.
JIMMY
JIMMY-THE-ONE
Naval nickname for the First Lieutenant of a ship. In the early days he was
referred to as the "First Luff". Usually nowadays abbreviated to JIMMY and
known as NUMBER ONE.
JOEY
One of the many common nicknames for the Marines when used in the plural: in
the singular it now usually refers to the Marine Officer. The name as applied
to the Marines is said to be a corruption of JOSEPH - from the Joseph of the
Old Testament, not an account of his coat of many colours but for his all-
round efficiency.
LADY
THE LADY OF THE GUNROOM
The name given to the man (originally the Gunner's night watchman in the gun
room, who also kept the gun room tidy) who assisted the gun room steward as
pantry-hand. In early days, the lady's storeroom was beneath the gun room,
and was known as the "Lady's ...".
In the navy, the senior medical officer in a ship or establishment is
invariably addressed and referred to as the PMO (officially, he is the SMO
(Senior Medical Officer), but this title is seldom used outside his on
department); familiarly the junior medical officer is DOC or YOUNG DOC.
Ultra-familiar nick-names are (THE) QUACK, PILLS or (THE) SAWBONES.
NAVVY
Sailors' nickname for the ship's navigating officer; officers refer to and
address him as "Pilot".
NIPCHEESE
An old-time naval nickname for the ship's Purser (or after our period,
Paymaster); usually prefaced by "Mr." to give flavour to the approbrium.
NIPPER
The hands whose job it was to 'nip' a sailing ship's anchor cable to the
endless belt activated by the capstan when the anchor was being weighed were
always the smallest and youngest men on board. Hence the word 'nipper' has
come to mean a youngster.
PEGGY
Old naval name for the rating detailed to work as the Petty Officers' mess
steward.
POSTIE
The inevitable nickname for the ship's Postman.
POULTICE
(THE) POULTICE BRIGADE
Naval slang for Sick Berth staff in general; for an individual rating, the
word POULTICE WALLOPER is more usual. A former synonym was BANDAGE ROLLERS.
PUSSER
The inevitable corruption of PURSER.
PUTTY
The general nickname for a ship's Painter rating - i.e., the man who mixes
and/or prepares the paint and has charge of the paint store.
QUACK
Officers' slang name for the Medical Officer.
SAILS
The inevitable general nickname for a Sailmaker rating.
SCRATCH
SCRATCH or THE SCRATCHER
Officers' slang name for the Clerk - Captain's normally but very occasionally
Admiral's.
SHALLOO
JACK SHALOLOO
Old naval name for a boaster, or braggart. As an epithet applied to a ship it
denotes slackness.
SLUSH
SLUSHY
Old sailors' nickname, now obsolete, for the ship's Cook.
SNOB
Naval name for a boat-repairer.
SOLDIER
(THE) SOLDIER
The common wardroom nickname for the Marine Officer. At one time by custom a
Lieutenant H.M. was referred to and addressed as SOLDIER and a Captain H.M.
as (the) Major. The nickname JOBY is affectionately given to any H.M. officer
(though seldom to his face !) If 2 Lieutenants in a ship the junior one is
referred to as Young Joe.
STROP
JACK STROP
An old naval expression used to mean a good hand in the mess or in a public
house, but of little use at his work.
TANKY
(1) of officers ... the title by which is known the Midshipman detailed as
assistant to the Navigating officer. In former times the Navigating Officer
was responsible for the ship's water tanks.
(2) of ratings ... the title by which is known the Captain of the Hold - the
seaman rating attached to the Provision party and in whom is vested
responsibility for stowage and care of the provision holds.
TIFFY
The inevitable slang abbreviation of the rank-title 'Artificer'.
TURKEY
One of the many traditional nicknames for a Marine.
Other traditional nicknames for royal Marines are "Bashi-Basouks",
"Leathernecks", "Bootnecks", "Royals", "Joeys", "Bullocks", "Cheeks",
"Jerines", "Flatfoots", "Jollies".
VICAR
THE VICAR
A familiar name for the Chaplain on board.
VINE
VINE STREET
Unofficial slang name for the office of the Master-at-Arms on board - from
the well-known London police station.
YOUNG
(THE) YOUNG DOG
The universal wardroom sobriquet for the junior medical officer when more than
one is borne on board. He is often familiarly known also as The Poisoner.
george152
Paul F Austin
Paul
Andrew Chaplin
251bf4...@googlegroups.com:
> GRABBIES
> A sailors' slang name for Soldiers.
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)
Kerryn Offord
> rcy...@gmail.com wrote in news:9cf90bd4-9da6-46da-b06c-
> 251bf4...@googlegroups.com:
>
>> GRABBIES
>> A sailors' slang name for Soldiers.
>
> Is this post-Second War usage? Whatever happened to "pongoes"?
>
As explained at the beginning of the list..
george152
> rcy...@gmail.com wrote in news:9cf90bd4-9da6-46da-b06c-
> 251bf4...@googlegroups.com:
>
>> GRABBIES
>> A sailors' slang name for Soldiers.
>
> Is this post-Second War usage? Whatever happened to "pongoes"?
>
Comes from Prisoners Of Mother England (supposedly)and Australian origin
rcy...@gmail.com
> From Patrick O'Brian novels, I know that in the early 19th century Royal
> Navy, many positions had a permanent nickname (Chips, Guns, Jemmy Ducks)
> so that the captain could go a whole voyage without ever knowing the
> Christian names of his men. Modern usages still has Chips and Guns, I
> guess, as well as Sparks. Can anyone direct me toward a reasonably
> comprehensive list of both ancient and modern position nicknames? Are
> they still common in US and UK navies?
gmv...@gmail.com
skimmers for surface navy
bubble-heads for submarine people sewer-pipe-sailors again for bubble-heads since they play dirty jokes on their brethren. as for christian names I have never been anywhere on earth that the roman Catholics were not there first. What I really hate is the tendency of spouses to give human names to their pet animals where you can not tell if she made a Freudian-slip or not.