British Nicknames
Devi Deveraux
During World War II the Germans called the British "Tommies"... why?
DV-D
" Miss Devious riding Mischievious"
- future USN F-32 pilot
--
Bill Shatzer
On 31 Jan 2001, Devi Deveraux wrote:
> During World War II the Germans called the British "Tommies"... why?
Pro'ally 'cause the British called themselves "Tommies" in World War II -
and in World War One and in the Boer War and the Sudan as well.
The name originates from "Thomas Atkins" - a name used on sample British
Army forms included with 19th century British Army regulations.
"Thomas Atkins" and, by extension, "Tommy Atkins" and "Tommy" became a
generic reference to a rank-and-file British soldier.
The term gained wide currency from Kipling's poem, "Tommy Atkins".
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
J Hebron
Allegedly this name was used on the sample douments created to show how
soldiers papers and forms were to be filled out, can't remember when tho.
Kipling refers to Tommy Atkins in a lot of his poems and stories
"Devi Deveraux" <killgi...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:959u5t$l00$1...@nntp6.u.washington.edu...
Martin Rapier
<959u5t$l00$1...@nntp6.u.washington.edu>...
> During World War II the Germans called the British "Tommies"... why?
Short for Thomas Atkins, the name applied to British troops in WW1. Now why
Tommy Atkins.... bit like calling the Germans 'Fritz'.
Cheers
Martin.
Ian Mac Lure
: During World War II the Germans called the British "Tommies"... why?
The archetypal British soldier was referred to as "Tommy Atkins".
Its either a Kipling invention or he popularised it IIRC.
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Andrew Clark
Devi Deveraux <killgi...@webtv.net> wrote
> During World War II the Germans called the British
"Tommies"... why?
It was a carry-over from WW1. The British Army issued a
model paybook in ?1915 with examples to show soldiers how to
complete it. The example used in the model was "Tommy
Atkins", hence the nick-name.
Stuart
Tommy Atkins?
"Devi Deveraux" <killgi...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:959u5t$l00$1...@nntp6.u.washington.edu...
--
Rich Rostrom
>During World War II the Germans called the
>British "Tommies"... why?
"Tommy" for a British soldier is a traditional
term going back into the 19th century.
It originated about 1815, when the British army
issued examples of enlistment papers and other
forms filled in with the name "Thomas Atkins."
The Germans and others picked it up no later
than WW I.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an
"Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when
the troopship's on the tide--
-- Rudyard Kipling, "Tommy"
--
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even in the outermost courtyard of a descendant of |
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Andrew Chaplin
>
> During World War II the Germans called the British "Tommies"... why?
>
I went into a public 'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican, 'e up an' sez, "We serve no redcoats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die'
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
'O it's Tommy this and Tommy that, an' Tommy go away;
But it's "Thank you Mister Atkins" when the band begins to play,
When the band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play.
The name, of course is the 19th century British "G.I. Joe".
You'll find the whole poem in _Barrack Room Ballads_. There are dozens
of editions out there.
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)
--
ken...@cix.compulink.co.uk
abch...@yourfinger.home.com (Andrew Chaplin) wrote:
> It is derived from the 19th century poem "Tommy" of Rudyard
> Kipling:
Yes but I do not think Kipling invented the name. Which makes it's
origin earlier.
Ken Young
ken...@cix.co.uk
Maternity is a matter of fact
Paternity is a matter of opinion
R Sveinson
>
> During World War II the Germans called the British "Tommies"... why?
>
WWI and WWII.
British private soldier. TOMMY [THOMAS] ATKINS.
A name used in specimens of completed official forms.
John Doe.
Joe Blow.
R Sveinson
> > It is derived from the 19th century poem "Tommy" of Rudyard
> > Kipling:
From Tommy [Thomas] Atkins. A name used to demonstrate how a document
was to be filled out. Also John Doe, Joe Bungalow, etc.