Origin of the Outside Wrecker

[Joe_Crow]

Sorry about the delay, just got this answer

As far as I know the word ‘Scratcher’ derived from the fact that he was scratching after the Coxswain Job’ Being one myself many years ago I did the job of running the boat on several occasions until I was recommended for Cox’n. When I became a 2nd Cox’n I was only a UW3, so never held a 2nd class rate becoming an Acting Chief from then on as a Cox’n,. My trade certificate says I was a Cox’n for 11 years and 7 months but I was only made a proper Chief for the last six of my Service.



‘Outside Wrecker’ is of course a different kettle of fish, in the first place it was always an ERA1 whose job it was to look after and maintain all the machinery not in the ER and as ‘tiffies’ had a reputation of ‘If it don’t work, get a bigger hammer!!?’. Hence the word Wrecker.

Cheers for answering the Scratcher question, even if it leaves me a bit bemused. As for your Wreckers jibe, all I can say is you must have worked with hamateurs if they didn't pick the right size tool in the first place.

 

[Maxi_77]

Maybe the scratcher is the scratcher because he's always scratching his head trying to figure out which bollard to put the rope on... :scratch:

Evenin' wrecker... :lol:

Or he's always got a dose.

I certainly knew one who collected some crabs from a Dunbarton Deb

 

[janner]

This explanation was sent to me by (probably) the oldest surviving Boat Coxn, so it is obviously true!!!!

 

[WreckerL]

Sorry about the delay, just got this answer

As far as I know the word ‘Scratcher’ derived from the fact that he was scratching after the Coxswain Job’ Being one myself many years ago I did the job of running the boat on several occasions until I was recommended for Cox’n. When I became a 2nd Cox’n I was only a UW3, so never held a 2nd class rate becoming an Acting Chief from then on as a Cox’n,. My trade certificate says I was a Cox’n for 11 years and 7 months but I was only made a proper Chief for the last six of my Service.



‘Outside Wrecker’ is of course a different kettle of fish, in the first place it was always an ERA1 whose job it was to look after and maintain all the machinery not in the ER and as ‘tiffies’ had a reputation of ‘If it don’t work, get a bigger hammer!!?’. Hence the word Wrecker.

Cheers for answering the Scratcher question, even if it leaves me a bit bemused. As for your Wreckers jibe, all I can say is you must have worked with hamateurs if they didn't pick the right size tool in the first place.

Totally agree, shifters rule OK :wink:

 

[Maxi_77]

I myaself think that Wrecker comes from the knickname for some unfortunate Outside ERA who had a disaster and the knickname stuck and spread as they often do

 

[voicepipe]

I thought that an outside wrecker was an outside ERA, responsible for everything outside the engine room; concur with Polycell. Scartcher, I thought comes from scartching about on the casing. When I was in general service I was on a ship where seaman were called 'sand scartchers' because they scartch about on the upper deck. I wander if the name scartcher comes from that.

I was scatcher's dickey on two boats, the first one I hated the job on the second I loved it that much that I wanted to be a scatcher. I passed for killick but got a medical dicharge instead.

Happy days though.

 

[SONAR-BENDER]

So, what about Sonar Benders then?!??! As I understand it, it is 'cos we sometimes bend them a little, when fixing them with the wrong sized hammer, er, tool.

NOTHING at all to do with Benders, unless of the alchoholic variety!! :roll:

 

[AfterSSE]

I believe the term scratcher was used for the PO in charge of the casing party entering and leaving port and making sure everything was stowed and secured for sea, sort of a Bos'n only a WU...

From jackspeak: http://www.submariners.co.uk/Dits/Jackspeak/index.php#S

Scratcher =Seaman Petty Officer or Leading Hand in charge of the casing, mooring ropes, anchor and gear etc

 

[Joe_Crow]

I believe...

Cheers for your dits, but most of us know who the scratcher is, and what he does. What we are discussing is where he got his name from.

 

[Wittybebop]

Outside wrecker, a name given as anything appropriate may be made to do the job tooling wise if the correct tool is unavailable and therefore may "wreck the part trying to fix it" or fix it but leave it in a wrecked state afterwards.

 

[SONAR-BENDER]

Just shy of 11 years........!

 

[WreckerL]

Just shy of 11 years........!

And wrong

 

[Wittybebop]

Sorry for late reply was chatting to an ex Outside Wrecker from Faslane (Retired) in his 80’s and I’d never heard of one, looked it up on the net found this site, that’s the story he gave me for why they called em Wreckers