OGITD
Well-Known Member
And! ... I have permission from the author. 
And! he does correct the 'Dit' between the French Foreign Legion and the French Paras post 'Dit' .... but a good-one all the same!
"1967 first Berets (red) worn by RN Submariners.
The summer of 67 a sleek black messenger of death,HMS/m Truncheon ghosts up the River Ardou towards Bayonne. On our arrival in this fair city we seem to attract a large crowd and a considerable number of French Foreign Legion Para Troops who were looking for a good piss up and to offer us the facilities of their barracks plus football match etc. Now you must understand that the majority of townsfolk of Bayonne are only French Passport holders they are actually Basque. In the Spanish Civil War 13700 woman and children were evacuated under the protection of the Royal Navy. Happy to say they liked us bell bottomed sailor, all rig runs in them days, from the actions of our 1937 shipmates. As the rum, beer and vin rouge stated to flow many a Legionnaire could be seen sporting a RN Sailors cap with HM Submarines cap tally, Red berets with badge on the right look very nice with bell bottoms and blue collar.
Its come that day we sail away, the jetty was packed the Legion Band was giving it large and TV cameras were rolling. Now Ian D. C. Ross Lt. Cmdr. RN our able Captain, also a GENTLEMAN and SCHOLAR leans over from his Bridge, well low cab as fitted to stretched T's, “Casing Officer why have the casing party no head gear”. “Sir we do not have any as you can see most is being worn by Legionnaires and young ladies on the jetty. “ I D C Ross, “You must have some form of head-wear” “Yes sir, Casing Party on Berets”. As we pulled our Para's Berets out of our life jackets and donned same. The crowd erupted into applause and the Band went into overdrive. We sailed off into the sunset having had a brilliant run ashore. I in fact still have the said Legion Beret stored in a box in my wardrobe.
The sting in the tail of course was when we arrived back in Pompey with no caps. “Casing Officer put on your berets”. Now this was 1967 when Percy wore Berets not Jack. “Are you certain Sir” “Make it so roared I D C. Berets back on and we sailed passed the Round Tower and Dolphin. No sharp left into Haslar Creek for us. Right down the harbour piping every skimmer we passed. 10 inch Signal lamp flashing like a demented pony from the Captains Signal Tower, then back up passed the skimmers and into Dolphin with the cockiest Casing Party you ever did see. Did I D C suffer, possibly fined a Tot or two and then six months later they sold his Submarine from under him to Israel. He did make Commander and went on to Skipper the Reso.
Navy Blue Berets, just no class or style plus a ****ty badge. Winged Sword of the Foreign Legion was the business."
The Runs, the characters, the friends and the memories are what it's all about .....
And! he does correct the 'Dit' between the French Foreign Legion and the French Paras post 'Dit' .... but a good-one all the same!
"1967 first Berets (red) worn by RN Submariners.
The summer of 67 a sleek black messenger of death,HMS/m Truncheon ghosts up the River Ardou towards Bayonne. On our arrival in this fair city we seem to attract a large crowd and a considerable number of French Foreign Legion Para Troops who were looking for a good piss up and to offer us the facilities of their barracks plus football match etc. Now you must understand that the majority of townsfolk of Bayonne are only French Passport holders they are actually Basque. In the Spanish Civil War 13700 woman and children were evacuated under the protection of the Royal Navy. Happy to say they liked us bell bottomed sailor, all rig runs in them days, from the actions of our 1937 shipmates. As the rum, beer and vin rouge stated to flow many a Legionnaire could be seen sporting a RN Sailors cap with HM Submarines cap tally, Red berets with badge on the right look very nice with bell bottoms and blue collar.
Its come that day we sail away, the jetty was packed the Legion Band was giving it large and TV cameras were rolling. Now Ian D. C. Ross Lt. Cmdr. RN our able Captain, also a GENTLEMAN and SCHOLAR leans over from his Bridge, well low cab as fitted to stretched T's, “Casing Officer why have the casing party no head gear”. “Sir we do not have any as you can see most is being worn by Legionnaires and young ladies on the jetty. “ I D C Ross, “You must have some form of head-wear” “Yes sir, Casing Party on Berets”. As we pulled our Para's Berets out of our life jackets and donned same. The crowd erupted into applause and the Band went into overdrive. We sailed off into the sunset having had a brilliant run ashore. I in fact still have the said Legion Beret stored in a box in my wardrobe.
The sting in the tail of course was when we arrived back in Pompey with no caps. “Casing Officer put on your berets”. Now this was 1967 when Percy wore Berets not Jack. “Are you certain Sir” “Make it so roared I D C. Berets back on and we sailed passed the Round Tower and Dolphin. No sharp left into Haslar Creek for us. Right down the harbour piping every skimmer we passed. 10 inch Signal lamp flashing like a demented pony from the Captains Signal Tower, then back up passed the skimmers and into Dolphin with the cockiest Casing Party you ever did see. Did I D C suffer, possibly fined a Tot or two and then six months later they sold his Submarine from under him to Israel. He did make Commander and went on to Skipper the Reso.
Navy Blue Berets, just no class or style plus a ****ty badge. Winged Sword of the Foreign Legion was the business."
The Runs, the characters, the friends and the memories are what it's all about .....
Last edited:
