Tot Time

For those who remember tot time an interesting site

http://www.pussers.com/find/internationalsalesagents

For those that don't remember, treat yourself to a bottle but don't try and drink it all at once :lol:

 

Perhaps an enlightening thread would be:

"Where were you when you drew your first tot?!

Me - I was in Mombasa - Can't remember much for 3 days!

 

I'm MUCH too young to have drawn a tot (well, by about 18 months) - but I remember the day of the Last Tot - an AB Gunner at Portland was 20 on the 31st July 1970 and therefore had his first and last tot on that day.
Oddly, he had been the 'face' in a series of RN Careers TV adverts at the same time!

 

1st Tot 25th july 1966 alongside at Faslane the day before Cpt. S/M's Rounds during work up on HMS/m Truncheon. After tot time I passed out and the lads finished polishing my part of the boat. If you know me you know where that was.

Last Tot 31st July 1970 whilst on my PO Seaman's promotion course at HMS Raleigh. A sad sad day for the the lower deck when the best social occassion and tradition was murdered by the same people who pray at the altar of Health and Safety.

Nutty

Perhaps the young folk should be appraised of the mysteries of sippers, gulpers, Rum Fanny's Rum Bosun, Ticker Off etc. How and why they were used as currency. Birthdays, visitors etc.

 

HMS Mercury 1964.

 

04 September 1968 - had my first tot whilst anchored in Rothesay Bay on HM Submarine Orpheus.

Last day of the tot - still on Orpheus! (did a total of 11 years and two months on her continuous!) but off Japan exercising with HMS Hermione. I remember that we surfaced quite close to her and she had her ensign flying at half mast.

 

http://www.pussers.com/rum/folklore

Not sure if all the origins stated are true , but at least I am now informed as to what "Sucking the monkey" means now

 

I was, sob, RA. both times.

 

My first tot -----------------HMS Delight 1960





Was RA --and on leave in July 1970 HMS Lochinvar wouldve gone back to
G if I had been there . Happy days -----------------got more favours done with a tot invite than ever you got with the job card .

 

Hang on, I was too!! Mind you that was in 2002 and I did see some strange tribel dance before hand 8O

 

You were too what? - Young to draw a tot? :lol: :lol:

 

Damn and there was me thinking I got away with that one :roll:

 

One thing worse than cheeky children - cheeky children that are not your own :lol:

 

To be fair, never having had the privilege of sampling Tot , I understand that Admiral Mike LeFanu abolished it, at the behest of the then Labour Government, on the grounds that it left matelots sleepy, more likely to get into trouble and was undesirable in the days of new technology (it's difficult to think of mechanical typewriters, transistor transmitter/receiver and bakelite headsets as being new technology, then again, I do rather like modern hifi amplifiers with valves). I also read that the Labour Government used him because he was popular with the Lower Deck and the politicians were afraid of a mutiny.

Tell me Nutty, was Tot really that good :?:

 

Yeah drew me first tot in HMS Raleigh in 52 when still under training. Joined when I wuz 20 coz I was deferred to finish an apprenticeship.
Mixed feelings about the tot as although it wuz a good time to get together an all that it caused a few deaths I believe and I have no doubt created a few alcoholics. Still it wuz very good in the freezing bleedin' winter in the old dart and jolly good currency at times. I left the mob before the time honoured ritual was stopped so pray, enlighten me , in this age of equality did the ladies of the service get the tot. I mean the Jennies of course. Silly question maybe but strange things happen at sea. I can still smell the tot at that time of day, dragged into the engine room on the main engine intake. Aaaah, the good old days. Have a wet bos'n.

 

Another perk of being a Submariner, all the Boats the I was in served up one and one (equal parts of rum and water), far better than the normal (for junior rates two of water to one of rum).

Tot time at sea was a joy, if you were one of the later ones to draw, you'd walk into the mess with everyone waiting to take the p.iss, the secret was to ride the storm, to crack was to get more stick etc.

I remember, somewhat hazily, one Christmas duty alongside, Nav.O. was a very trusting soul. The Rum Bosun used Barcardi in the fanny instead of water, full measure of pussers rums added, with plenty of Queens, Nav. O. was invited forward and handed a full tot, with the rules of the mess having been explained to him, he sank the tot in one, said he didn't realise how strong it was, became very tired and emotional and took to his bunk, He looked bloody awful when he eventually surfaced late the next morning. As far as I know He was never told the truth about his tot.

The tot was good currency, it could buy someone else to do a duty and as most of you will have picked up over the years there were various measures available for the various favours or gifts given. ie sippers, gulpers and sandy bottoms.

It hurts me to admit it but I think the Tot had finally reached the end of its run, there were very few crew that wouldn't, to a greater of smaller degree, be affected by it, as machinary and equipment became more complex I think it was time for it to go.

In summary it was fine in the Mans Navy but the kids of today wouldn't have been able to handle it, before anyone gets to upset, this paragraph is meant as a joking aside (look up joke if you don't understand it)

WRNS didn't get a tot, it was felt that it would lead to more unwanted pregancies and tantrums. The other excuse was that in the days of the Tot WRNS were not in the RN as such and therefore were not entitled

 

Noz, Yes it was but apart from that it was good currency for getting a sub for a night ashore and other favours.

 

I was at yeovilton on July 31st 1970 following a hearse with the last Tot issue in. I saw many a three badgeman in tears that day.
I couldn't understand why they got rid of one tot a day and replaced with three tinnies a day.

 

I was at yeovilton on July 31st 1970 following a hearse with the last Tot issue in. I saw many a three badgeman in tears that day.
I couldn't understand why they got rid of one tot a day and replaced with three tinnies a day.

 

Senior Rates on boats after the Tot was abolished were given a duty free spirits allowance of three nips-measures - the equivalent of a tot measure.


Had a deal going that we didn't get the DF spirits at sea.


I think the tot was more of a supply problem to the Navy as well as the excuse given regarding the machinery/technology etc etc.

After 1971 only time I saw a real Navy[proper Pussers issue]rum was when I was invited to a certain Army landing vessel and entertained . The bubbly was dished out from a gallon wicker covered jar with no measure!!
Great night out :lol: :lol:
They issued it after doing evolutions like on off beach operations.