"Fighting Spirits — Three Centuries of Rum in the Royal Navy" Topic
9 Posts
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Tango01 | 10 Oct 2013 11:06 a.m. PST |
"Friday July 31, 1970 was a day of mourning for Britain's sailors. Ceremonies featuring solemn memorials, drums and pipers, black armbands and flag-drapped coffins took place on every ship in the service. The mood was certainly sober
and in more ways than one. Forever known on Her Majesty's ships as Black Friday, it was the date that marked the end of the official navy rum ration. And with it went more than 300 years of navy tradition. In the age of Lord Nelson, the ships of the Royal Navy were powered by the wind
but the sailors ran on rum. Twice daily, the entire crew of British warships would muster on deck to collect their prized rum ration. Typically, a full half pint was doled out to every tar on board – a portion of that amount at mid-day, the balance at sunset. But on special occasions or after a victory, captains might reward crews with a double ration of rum — a full pint of the stuff. It was a process known as ‘splicing the mainbrace'. In many navies of the 18th and 19th centuries including the British, prodigious consumption of alcohol was a way of life. England's sailors had been enjoying a daily tot of spirits as far back as the reign of Henry VIII. But keeping crews well-lubricated wasn't just a way to maintain morale on long and often tedious sea voyages. It was considered a matter of health. That's because Water tended to go bad quickly in wooden casks, whereas any drink with alcohol would last longer
" Full article here link Hope you enjoy!. Amicalement Armand |
Sparker | 10 Oct 2013 1:45 p.m. PST |
'Twice Daily' – I don't think so. Noon local time, and no mismusters for watchkeepers! As a replacement, they brought in the beer issue – 3 cans per man per day per haps! Although its still a sore point that of all the Commonwealth Navies, who followed the RN lead, the Royal New Zealand Navy, whilst immeadiately introducing the beer issue, 'forgot' to actually abolish the rum ration for a few more years! Pissheads! |
Mac1638 | 11 Oct 2013 5:22 a.m. PST |
"Remember that the British Tar is a bulwark of British Greatness" Sir Joseph Porter KCB. It's was usually issued as "Grog" 4 part water, 1 part rum and adding citrus fruit (yes limes = Limey/s ). Wikipedia can explain it more fully. |
Mako11 | 11 Oct 2013 10:16 a.m. PST |
Wow, no wonder British morale was usually good
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spontoon | 12 Oct 2013 8:14 a.m. PST |
Rum, sodomy, and the lash! |
Mac1638 | 14 Oct 2013 2:47 a.m. PST |
Spontoon if that is what you think drives the finest military machine of the late 18th and early 19th centuries be my guest, but you must think very little of there opponents then. |
number4 | 22 Nov 2013 10:57 p.m. PST |
Does anyone know when the army rum ration was abolished? |
Royal Marine | 03 Dec 2013 2:20 p.m. PST |
Will be splicing the Main Brace on Thursday night (5th Dec)
"God bless young Prince George"
we still do it on occasions, followed by the pipe "hands to punching stations" V-SAT indeed. |
Jemima Fawr | 27 Feb 2014 3:39 a.m. PST |
Spontoon, Two of those have since been abolished
;o) |
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