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I said I wasn't going to write any more but have just seen RJ's comment.
I was of course, referring to the submarine service, where the tradition is reversed.
A brief glance at "When a Loose Cannon Flogs a Dead Horse There's the Devil to Pay" does confirm that the expression refers to the officers' custom aboard ORDINARY SHIPS sailing in the north Atlanticto have a sort of 'happy hour' when the sun rose above the upper yards, around 11 a.m. Since this coincided with the forenoon 'stand easy,' officers would take advantage of the break to go below for their first tot of spirits for the day.
But, as I say, I was talking about submarines.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
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1 comment:
Ah, by and large I'm really glad you mentioned Olivia's useful little tome, though I was somewhat taken aback by your reference to the submariner's section (can you spot two of her nautical phrases I've already utilized in my first sentence?)
I never ventured into those dark crevices. I always considered submariners a rather swarthy lot with poor manners, polo-neck sweaters and a fondness for galoshes. Not my type at all. I have to admit I have little personal experience of the subject, but that is more than compensated by having watched Das Boot at least three times.
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