General Order #1
My how times have changed. While searching for 250,000-year-old flint tools, Israeli archaeologists have discovered a a more modern find — century-old liquor bottles that belonged to British soldiers in World War I. Of course, they were empty.
“Excavation director Ron Toueg says uniform buttons, belt buckles and riding equipment were found near the city of Ramle in addition to the bottles of gin, whiskey and wine. He said it offered a glimpse into “the everyday life and leisure of the soldiers.”
The items appear to have belonged to members of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force commanded by General Edmund Allenby.”
Back in the ancient days of Gulf War, Round I, I can neither confirm nor deny the traffic of contraband 1.75 liter jugs of vodka arriving via Navy P-3C Orion in what was termed, The Sensor One Station Duty Free Locker. Seems I was the Sensor One.
Zum Wohl!
http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2017/03/22/israeli-archeologists-uncork-liquor-bottles-abandoned-british-wwi-troops/
Category: Politics
Nothing changes, does it? If you dig deep enough, you’ll find Roman and Greek amphorae, too.
Many of the poor bastards who drank from those bottles fell at the 2nd battle for Gaza. It was supposed to be a breeze, as the Brits had all but taken Gaza the first time but the idiot in charge stopped the troops short of victory. The second time around, convinced it would be a veritable cakewalk, the Brits launched an assault with inadequate arty and disaster resulted. The idiot in charge was relieved. (The troops, BTW, had crossed the Sinai. No wonder they were thirsty.)
It was easy to find in 03-04. You could buy right through the fence of the FOB from 9 year olds.
Life and leisure?
Among WWI troops? Seems to me both were in short supply.
WAR STORY WARNING: When I was stationed in Germany 74-77, a cache of WWII liquor the Germans apparently captured from the Brits was found and shipped to Italy. Gin, Scotch and Cognac. If I recall it was either in old bottles, or bottled, corked and labeled by Delva Liquors. Maybe they relabeled them. I have one of the empty cognac right here. They were sold in Europe Class VI stores and rationed. Since the booze was associated with Rommel, the Germans went bat shit to get a bottle. I drank the scotch and cognac few years later and they were gone. Anyone want to buy an old bottle?
“Anyone want to buy an old bottle?” Sure. I’ll give you .50 cents for it but only if the shipping and handling is free.
I know that booze was VERY readily available in hadji shops all up and down Route Violet outside our camp in A-stan.
The British fought wars to win.
The Americans fight not to lose and to not even offend their enemies…
“American politicians fight to lose” but that’s probably because they see right from wrong with their heads so far up their asses.
Can’t
The Brits were not following GO1 in theater.
My final tour my unit did issue everyone two beers during the Superbowl. yah-hoo.
Was it real beer, or “near beer”?
For the 2010 superbowl it was Bud light for us in Iraq. Two per soldier. And some were underage or didn’t drink at all, so….
GO#1 violates the first rule of giving orders:
Never give an order you know will not be followed.
Most follow that order. You don’t wanna lose rank over such an stupid shit. Besides, i definitely do not want the guy next to me drunk in the middle of a mission.
I only saw one violation of GO1, in 2007 Iraq during the surge, and it did end up bad.
I saw several incidents of violating the order, but remember only two that were dumb enough to go too far and become intoxicated. It did end very badly for them. One an E-5 and one an E-6 when the arrived and both reduced in rank when they left. One was even arrested when he was caught.
Just imagine trying to explain this to your wife back home who is worried about you.
BTW, both were in MOSs that kept them on the FOB at all times.” Idle hands”.
My first hooch in Riyadh had a very nice “Applejack” setup, it was harsh but made good for a good Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I can neither confirm nor deny, nor would I be authorized to comment on the rumor that ther were some ARAMCO petroleum engineers that brewed a tasty supply of moonshine in 1991 at comm relay site TR in 1991.
Funny but when one of our A3D’s would trap back aboard CVA41 their Bingo Bags would all clink and clank as they walked across the flight deck. Go Figure.