Officers Mess and Navy Ward Room ....

[tippexx]

these places were once conducted a little like gentleman's clubs and were bastions for cigar and pipe smokers, not just for our Regiments or onboard British Naval vessels, but for the Military Worldwide.

I was just wondering in these anti-everything PC days is this still the case, or has another centuries old tradition fallen into non-smoking compliance?

[jdawg]

Things have certainly changed my friend. I am not sure about the UK, but in the US, there is no smoking in any government building, including Officer's, Non-Commissioned Officer's Clubs, etc. I am sure the same goes for Navy ships.

The military is coming down on smoking just like everywhere else. We have gone from giving soldiers cigarette rations during WWII to now frowning upon smoking entirely. It's a strange world we live in now!!!

[Big J]

It's a strange world indeed!

[Cigar-aficionado]

No smoking nowadays indoors but before the ban we used to organise cigar dinners for the officers mess on RNAS Culdrose and they observed all the old traditions. Commander at the head of the table, Port only passed to the left, decanter must always stayy on the table so glass below the edge of the table to pour etc. Really confused me when the Commander called "Eve Springs" and loads of guys got up to use the toilets. Apparently if you went before this you paid a fine

[jibjob79]

Wardrooms are classed as the stewards working areas and as such are out of bounds for smoking. Plus to comply with health and safety regulations any smoking area has to be open on 3 sides. You can smoke outside usually but the days of cigars being offered round in between port, maderia and speeches are long gone. You can only smoke on the quarter deck of a ship (back end under the flight deck) when it is out of sight. Usually along side with maintenance you smoke on the jetty behind a container, out of sight out of mind.

[eggopp]

In my day (many moons ago now) both the Officers Mess and the WO's Mess' used to place cigars on the tables during functions, at least with the units i served with... As a chef i was always one of the first to enter the Mess after functions and would mine sweep for the cigars that were untouched and still boxed.

I think that was probably my introduction to cigars, even if they were only the King Edwards... a starting point for me..

[nicwing]

I was in a Gentleman's Club in London over Mothers day weekend and saw a wonderful old roll about humidor box marked 'For the Smoking Room'

These days sadly languishing in a corner and unused.

This was the same club where the Last Cigar Dinner was held on the eve of the smoking ban and on the stroke of midnight the smokers and their cigars were accompanied outside into the courtyard by a piper.

Sad isn't it!

[Big_T_UK]

Tippexx, all I can tell you is that after a recent prolonged stay at the officers mess (several days) of RAF Cottesmore I have to confirm that it is now non-smoking.

It is still very civilised and I took some great pictures of artefacts they have from the squadrons glorious past, but I hesitate to post them here after the sour reception to the German WWII era cigars on here the other day.

I will point out though that the booze is STAGGERINGLY CHEAP! Large shots of a half way passable single malt was way under two pounds, maybe significantly less, I fail to remember as I drank most of the bottle the first night. The bar in the mess is non-profit and also subsidised.

I know the RAF have no planes now (evident from the state of the harriers when I was visiting) but I am starting to think that is wise as the pilots must be permanently pissed!

T.

[jibjob79]

Single malt for less than two pounds, you were done my friend lol. Most Naval Wardrooms both ashore and afloat are a lot cheaper than that. The staff are already paid for and they are not there to make a profit so they just charge a little amount to take care of spillages. Buying new stock comes out of the mess members? contribution so they don't even need to worry about that. They also buy in bulk and get discounted prices. Some units are sponsored by distilleries and get free booze as well. Plus every once in a while the Queen will splice the main brace and every sailor will get a free tot of potent rum. On nights out meeting up in the Wardroom, drinking copious amounts of alcohol (did I mention you just charge it to your mess chit so you don't even need cash) before you go out is a cheap way to get the night started.

If anyone ever gets the chance to attend any mess functions I would strongly recommend attending as usually there is a free bar included in the price of the tickets (with a good selection of alcohol not unbranded alcopops you get in some clubs) and as civilians you can get wasted and not worry about the consequences lol. Just make sure you mess member host isn't seen with you too much lol.

[nicwing]

I am delighted to hear that our taxes are being spent on air to air refuelling aircraft that won't go where they are needed and subsidising our brave boys drinking!

Just about what I would have expected!

[Big_T_UK]

Well I did say it could be considerably less, I do not clearly remember.

This was with the RAF lot though, not a bunch of rum-rats.

T.

[jibjob79]

I wouldn?t say any taxes are being spent on cheap booze. I mean if a ship to going round the world and just so happens to buy cheap duty free booze in Gibraltar and finishes it all off (or not) before she gets back in a UK port then it is just being wise with mess members money. Messes are either run for free by mess members so there are no staff costs or the job is in their job description like stewards. Infastructure costs are taken care of by the MOD but we would have to pay for them anyway as Messes are used for meetings during the day, drinking at night (and maybe lunch time as well) All you have is the cost of the booze so say a ?20 bottle of whiskey can get 40 shots out of it then you only need to charge 50-60p per shot. I feel sorry for our armed services having to drink all the fine spirits. Plus most shore messes (not including the RAF as they haven't been around long enough) have cellars full of some very rare and old bottles. I think a mess member bought 100 bottles of port many, many moons ago (pre WWII) and donated them to a wardroom that the mess used as the port at the Trafalgar 200 year anniversary dinner for free.

[cohibaIV]

Do they not get the booze from the NAAFI still, or has it all changed??

[Big_T_UK]

No, NAAFI is a thing of the past, at least in the form I remember. Most bases seem to have a Spa instead now, bloody disgrace but what can you expect this day in age.

T.

[Edmund Onward James]

In my neck of the woods there are private clubs. Even some of the cigar shoppes close up at the regular time and allow the last stand afterward.

Yet the special interest groups seem to get what they desire, too frequently.