gibraltar (ii)
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On the evening of 2 Jan 1947, Nigel Lea invited a few guests to the Mess to celebrate his 21st. Birthday. These guests left about midnight, after which the fun started. Bill Simpson came in in a very merry mood and joined Nigel, Jimmy and self. A bottle of Scotch was obtained and after each drink the glasses were smashed, besides several plates being reduced to minute particles. Then we set off on a round of the Officers rooms, waking them up in turn and asking them to drink Nigels health. En route we collected Johnny Graham, Jack Hardy and Don Brooks, besides a furter bottle and a half of Scotch. All went well, only two people being tipped out of bed, before we reached the last room, that of Lt. Holmes, RAPC, more usually referred to as Billy Bunter, a most fitting name. Here we received a setback, for as soon as the door was opened we were greeted with a stream of soda water, followed by a glass of water - the glass shattering on the wall beside us, quickly followed by the soda syphon itself. In the ensuing struggle the room was wrecked, stuff went through the winter, and Billy made a neat escape. We followed, with the intention of giving him a cold water bath, but were unable to find him in his usual haunts in the Ante Room. Instead, we found Capt. Hodson lurching round in the darkness, 'looking for a friend'. Having lost our prey, we turned the Mess furniture upside down, whilst Bill and Hodson, who was not a member of the Mess spent their time throwing a desk downstairs, followed by two tables, and then doing a war dance on the lectern. Being unable to stand the strain, the furniture just disintegrated. A conference of war was held, and after a war dance we withdraw for the bathing of Billy. His door was locked, but it gave quite easily. Again a fight, more wrecking, and Billy slipped away, but not until he had bitten Johnny Graham. This time he went to Pat Baileys room, which opens off another room. Both doors he locked, though Nigel again did his stuff on the outer one. The inner was more stubborn, and to open this we used a chest of drawers as a battering ram. During the melee which followed, I lost part of my finger and retired hurt to the outer room, where I bled very well, leaving a bloody trail behind. At this stage Jimmy lost his signet ring, and for this reason the whole party fell through whilst a search was conducted. Even at this stage Nigel was still nursing a bottle of Scotch which somehow had escaped damage the whole evening. And so to bed. What a stir the next day - the Mess looked as though a typhoon had hit the place. Thanks to the insistence of the Secretary the whole episode was reporting to the Brig. who ordered a Court of Enquiry be held. This came a few days later, during which we all gave evidence as to what had we done. It was a farce and laughter was the order of the day, especially when such phrases as 'Christ, the buggers bitten me' found their way into evidence. Then came our interview wih the Brig. who tore a strip off us all, but ladled out quite light punishment, vis: that the seven Mess members responsible dine in the Mess until the end of January, and that until the end of March the members of the party take it in turn to do an Orderly Officer in the Mess, closing the bar at 2330 and the Mess itself at 2359 hrs. We were fined to make good the damage caused. The Mess not having had a recent Property check, we had to pay for all deficiencies. The fines levied are shown below. Of the seven members of the party, three were members of the last Mess committee, and two were present members. The Party had its effect, for now the rig. is taking some interest in the place, and improvements long overdue are being made. £8 Capt Simpson. RACC £5 Capt Graham RASC, Capt Harris REME Lt Lea RE Lt Capadose RE £2 Capt Hardy REME £1 Lt Brooks I Corps. Gibraltar March, 1947.