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Carolyn & Kees's avatar

I learned the bell system of telling time in US Navy boot camp (for me, summer 1962) and used it ever after. I have gotten several chuckles listening to people saying things like "twelve bells" at noon, or "three bells" at three o:clock. They were trying to look very seamanly while showing the exact opposite.

The only time I was in the wardroom was when a shipmate and I raided the officers' mess and made off with a gallon can of strawberries.... special for Mr. Zimmerman. :>)

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Alex Zimmerman's avatar

Our ships were relatively democratic with regards to food in that, if there were treats such as strawberries to be had, they were distributed equally between the lower decks and the wardroom. Oh, and our ships had booze available aboard ship, unlike the US Navy that was dry at the time. We were always very popular with the crews of adjacent US Navy ships when we visited their ports.

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Carolyn & Kees's avatar

Our officers had to pay for their food, for the wardroom. The stewards mates did the shopping for them so there was no communal sharing of food. The Officer of the Day was required to take his meals in the mess decks and there was a clip board for him to make comments as to the quality of the meal. I have a fond memory of that, but it is a totally different story!

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Albert Noble's avatar

The Lore Of Ships is on my book shelf.

It's how I learned the parts of tall ships.

Building models is also a great way to learn the parts, rigging and sails.

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David Peebles's avatar

Another source for this kind of information is " Nautical Terms Under Sail" from Crown Publishers, New York.

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Mark Baker's avatar

Patrick O'Brien accredited Dr. Stephen Maturin with the "curtailed" joke. Don't know if the author made it up or not. Probably an old joke in the navy.

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Alex Zimmerman's avatar

This is how the naval day was regulated when I was a junior officer in the Royal Canadian Navy in the mid-1970’s, although the glass was no longer turned nor was a bell struck on the half hour. In the officer’s wardroom, supper was served both at the end of the first dog watch for those going on watch, and at the beginning of the last dog watch for those just coming off watch. The rule was you could not appear in the wardroom in working uniform after the end of the first dog watch, so you had to put on your shipboard mess uniform consisting of the white dress shirt with shoulderboards and cummerbund. It did help to maintain a sense of civility and decorum in what was pretty much your only social space and setting aboard ship.

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David Bower's avatar

Good info. Still laughing over "curtailed".

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Jim White's avatar

Great Info , Thanks, JW

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