I was one of those foolish enough to smoke but at least with the sense to give it up in later life. There were two places on Red Hill used to conceal this illicit activity. One was "Joe's Hole" (Joe was the nickname for Captain Pennington). This was a depression in a far corner of the sports grounds partly filled with water but low enough to conceeal and give ample warning of approaching authority. The other more convenient and thus popular venue was the washlines. We had a Bothie song about it which we sang on occasions like being transported in the troop carrier. Some words I remember
Old Ernie caught me by the lines,
By the lines, by the lines,
Old Ernie caught me by the lines,
By the lines - today.
My boy you've been a ting-a-ling, ling,
ting-a-ling ling, ling-a-ling-ling
My boy you've been a ting-a-ling-ling
Ting-a-ling-ling - today.
I'll have to PUT you in for Joes
In for Joes, In for Joes
I'll have to PUT you in for Joes
In for Joes - today.
Seamanship Instructor "Tallow" Gough was also called Ernie and he would report a smoker to Chief Officer Prest who would PUT the offender on Captain's Report. The word PUT was emphasised and pronounced as if it were a golf stroke because that is the way "Chiefie" Prest pronounced it.
The standard punishment was six cuts from the Herculean arm of Signals Instructor Bert Caustic strengthened from years of rigorous semaphore activity. In the picture (L to R)
Langer-Smith, Bergh, Clarke, Kros, Brown, Harmon
