Misfits, Dad's Army Types et al...

[wildcat45]

Crossflow Kid said:

When you say "you all" does that mean "us"?
If so, it includes you sunshine

I think he meant me and my friends. It's a pretty accurate assessment. It was a long-running and very weird situation. Now and then me and my friend mention it and agree the whole thing was just crazy - even disturbing.

[wildcat45]

Vaud said:

I think we are remarkably tolerant of "stolen valour" as it is known in the US. Over there they see it as comparable to impersonating police, etc and it's a crime:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Valor_Act_of_...

Whilst I think the Walt Hunters have a fairly unprofessional tone... I think it's good that they do it. I would prefer to see a law similar to the US that focuses on some of the more extreme Walts who claim to have medals...

Yes some form of legislation so anything serious could be investigated properly by police or whoever rather than well meaning - or not - Walt hunters.

I'm wondering if some of these Walt hunters have something similar going in deep down. Not telling lies but craving some sort of authority. Being part of an organization with a purpose.

From my very limited experience some service personnel have huge issues when they retire from service. I had an uncle who had been a career solder Pre WW II and post war,. He left the army as an RSM - a man whose word was law. I am told he had huge problems as a civvy (1950s) because he'd just become an ordinary guy. He ended up in a role where he managed a warehouse and employed ex-military staff. The place was apparently run very well by him as a mini-version of an army depot - instead of munitions and tanks he was in charge of bricks and plumbing supplies.

He loved it and worked well past retirement.

[wildcat45]

I wonder if Walting is a recent thing.

Most of us will have grown up with parents orandoarents and others who servrd. It was the norm because of national service. I'm 45 and had teachers who served. All my parents generation did with older relatives in WW2 II. A family friend was shot down in Holland while flying a Misquito. Another chap I knew was a Canadian who flew Lancasters. A family friend saw Busmarck sink.

The attitude I picked up growing up that none of it was really a big deal. At least that's the way the people I knew portrayed it. Quite matter of fact.

I wonder if back in the 1960s or 70s if some Walt started telling stories what would have happened. Would the WWII generation have got angry? 'So you were in XXX chum. Big deal. Don't care, not impressed.'

Are there any of that generation posting here who care to give their view?

Edited by wildcat45 on Monday 23 May 15:13

[wildcat45]

austinsmirk said:

its a very good point, if you are of a certain age, everyone it seems had served: eg my grandfather was part of the elite troop guarding the Russian Tzar. My father was in the Australian army. As for my mothers German side, well lets not mention them..............

My brother in law's mum (who is still alive at nearly 100) served in WW2 on the same ship as POG- their nickname for Phillip Of Greece- before he married her maj of course.

However, I grew up in a household full of war tales, from both WW1, WW2 and before.

Even I was in the cub scouts. Sixer don't you know. Runs in the blood.


What I don't understand is the way the media portray literally any serving or ex-serving military person as a "hero". Why is every single one of them a hero ?

I've never looked at my dad and gone, "you're my hero" just because you happened to be in the army. I guess a few are brave, but how is being a chef, or handing out uniforms, or doing admin something that makes you a hero just because you have a badge ?

Maybe its some weird media thing.

I so wish my old man was still alive to talk about this. He had very firm views on what a hero was.

His view: A hero is someone who has a choice and who chooses to do the heroic thing. Going into the burning building when you don't have to. Storming the German machine gun nest to save your friends.

Here's a link.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories...

When my Dad was 13 he was in that ship the night she was attacked.

He woke his little brother, got dressed and tried to wake the other two buys in the cabin who dismissed the alarm as a drill.

He tried to get them up, but was more concerned about getting him and his brother to the lifeboat. (Self preservation, not a hero.)

The ship was listing and when they got to the lifeboat station the boat was already in the water free of the davits. He pushed his little brother over the rail and then jumped himself into the dark. (Self preservation The ship has been torpedoed. Stay or jump? Not a hero.)

They both got into the lifeboat though for some time my Dad wasn't sure if his brother had made it. A warship thundered past, ignoring them going for the sub. ( They didn't want it attacking more ships, fair enough.)

In the distance they saw lights. An oil tanker had put all her lights on as a beacon to the lifeboats. (An act of heroism on the part of the crew of the tanker, making them a sitting duck.)

They were repatriated to the Clyde in the tanker which sailed without warship escorts. (No real choice but to do this)

The brackets were more or less my father's take on what happened.

The kids - including him and my uncle - were hailed as heroes. 'The bravest kids on earth' read one headline. They were brave. He told me only one little girl cried and they sang 'Roll out the barrel' and other songs to keep their spirits up until they were rescued.

Brave, stoic, Still upper lip British without a doubt. He maintained that they were not heroes, just kids who got into
a bad situation. There was no choice, the ship got torpedoed, they had to get off.

He always said the only heroes on that night were the tanker crew who put their lights on. They didn't have to. The risk was great. They did it nonevthe less.

Edited by wildcat45 on Monday 23 May 15:46

[wildcat45]

I suppose you're always going to get the Uncle Albert 'Durin' the war...' Tall story tellers, but that's not Walting.

People did keep quiet about stuff and every now and then it would surface. In 1980 my auntie (A WW2 WRAF) bought a new car. When her boss - a lovely bloke called Pete - saw it he apparently went into a rage, swearing, shouting and generally getting very angry with my aunt asking her how she could do such a terrible thing. She'd bought a Mazda 323. A Japanese car. Pete wasn't a mindless racist. He had suffered at the hands of Japanese solders in Burma and 30-odd years later had the physical and mental scars to prove it.

He rarely talked about it.

[wildcat45]

Pedantry duly noted. Thank you Eric. I'll bring my error up at the 4x4 Hero AGM.

[wildcat45]

Dr Jekyll said:

I knew a very old lady in the 1970s who reckoned she had met someone who fought at Waterloo.

Genuine? Or a second level Walt? Or she was genuine but he was a Walt, I dunno.

Nelson liked a beer and was a generally top bloke according to my mate who used to sell him limes.

[wildcat45]

Dr Jekyll said:

I knew a very old lady in the 1970s who reckoned she had met someone who fought at Waterloo.

Genuine? Or a second level Walt? Or she was genuine but he was a Walt, I dunno.

Actually, is it possible? I don't mean did it happen, but is It possible that it could be true?

The battle was 1815, so it is quite possible a 15 year old born in 1800 could have been there at the battle. Let's say that person lived until 1900 - possible.

I don't know how old you are but let's assume you are my age, 45, born in 1970.

One of my grandfathers was born in the 1880s. It would have been possible for him to have met and known someone born in 1800. It would also be quite feasible for someone born in the 1880s to have lived until the 1980s and therefore it would be entirely possible for someone of my age to have known him, a man who knew soneone who was at Waterloo.

As you say though, probably a Walt across the centuries/generations.

[wildcat45]

Vocal Minority said:

i think we can agree that the maths is possible, though when they say met, i doubt they meant a frank exchange of views - i expect it was old person and a baby,

Also, whilst I dont particularly like the term, 'walt' is obviously a very charged one. It was just a case of someone thinking they had a fun little anecdote (always nice to see history is closer than we think) - i think 'second degree' walt? its a little far to go round branding everyone who has ever said they have met someone!

Don't in this case take the term "Walt" too seriously. I think it was more to keep it on topic.

I do actuall love the fact that history is closer than we think. The fact that I or any of us could be three degrees separated from someone like Nelson is to me quite sobering and shows the importance of history.

[wildcat45]

Ultraviolet said:

Anyone remember 'Dear John', the sitcom? This reminds me of Kirk... 12:00 onward or so:

https://youtu.be/4rZq8urTYKw

UV

That's scarily close. Especially the conversation at the end in the bar about "Z"

[wildcat45]

jdw100 said:

Am I in the right place for red lensed torches?

I knew I should have slept with one eye on the Internet.....

They have to be right angled, green, made by GEC and army surplus.

Where do we stand on glow sticks? I've seen them used to marshal helicopters so when tooling up to prepare and man a HLS* should these be things that the 4x4 responders use to wave at mere members of the public while ordering them around?

• HLS. Was a model designation for 1970s and 1980s British Leyland cars but to those 'in the know' it means helicopter landing site. Keep that to yourself though. We don't want Joe Public bandying around phrases like that in an irresponsible manner.

BEADWINDOW!!!

[wildcat45]

I am off to an event this week. I won't be in the Discovery Sport but my X-Reg MGF.

I will have a Hi-Viz vest. I think it has Thanes Water or Severn Trent on the back. I will have an electric tyre pump in the boot and a bottle of anti-freeze.

I see myself as potentially an agile, light weight, air-portable rapidly deployable responder.

I am 45. I have a greying beard and I'm not thin.

I'm tucking lots of boxes here.

I - because I am important.

Who do I report to please? Or do I just start bossing people about and assume authority.

Please advise.

[wildcat45]

ThunderGuts said:

Oh I dont know that you mean...



Use the path on the fkING RIGHT!!!!

Is it wrong to want that orange G4 Challenge Discovery?

[wildcat45]

D-Angle said:

Airsofting seems to be the hobby of choice for a lot of these people. Think people who have obviously spent a lot to get the authentic current MTP camo gear (probably paid extra because it was never meant to fit on a 19 stone account manager), and turn up already covered in face paint. As in they drove there like that. You get chatting with these guys hoping that they do this to relive some of the old days in the service, maybe hear some war stories - instead you get an encyclopaedic summary of Chris Ryan's literary portfolio...

I suspect that there is some crossover because while you would think they would struggle to find people willing to marshal, in actual fact there is no shortage of volunteers.

I got into a minor confrontation once with one of these guys peddling his wares in a town centre.

I have never been in the military. I am a journalist and I have worked with the UK and NATO military very closely. It makes me nothing more than a fat bloke who has sailed in a few warships flown in a few helicopters and been a few places etc. Not Iraq or Afghanistan or anywhere really dangerous.

Also one company I worked with did a lot of fundraising for H4H I have as a consequence met a lot of people injured in war. I've met a lot of parents who've lost sons and daughters in war.

This paint ball guy had an annoying upward inflection just to make the meeting more irritating. He approached me in the street trying to sell paint ball days out. The 'stall' was festooned with camo netting and I think there was a logo -spattered Defender lurking around.

He was dressed in a mixture of British, US Army and other military kit.

Politely I declined the offer of a leaflet. He persisted:

'Are you sure mate? It's great fun? Get your mates to come along? Maybe some guys from your office?

I declined again saying I'd seen the hurt real guns cause.

His response even contained the term 'cool story bro'. This was before I'd heard it on PH. I just shook my head and walked away. Tragic little man.

I think there is a similarity with the 4x4 types. A yearning for authority, and for that authority and by default superiority to be respected.

(Obviously being a PHer the real story was that I gave him the hairdryer treatment, called him a sniveling little Walt, called up some Royal Marine mates - officers obviously - who were also lawyers - who put him on his arse, ordered him to remove his army gear and write me an apology email before having group sex with his surprisingly attractive and willing sister.)

Cool story bro!

[wildcat45]

So please enlighten is about these Honorary coppers in Jersey. What are they PCSOs?

Was Jim Bergerac a Walt? That's a semi serious question. Was his role just made up?

[wildcat45]

mph1977 said:

The honorary police are like specials but with a twist, it's them who make the charging decisions not the regulars, States police cannot charge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorary_Police

The department in the states police Bergerac worked for is made up .

Chees for that. I'll keep my nose clean if I visit. Which I want to one day.

[wildcat45]

ThunderGuts said:

##### B E A D W I N D O W #####


st, I really should get my Walty-tourettes dealt with.

Edited by ThunderGuts on Monday 18th July 22:12

You need to follow that with a number or else we'll not know exactly what it is well have to stop shooting our mouths off about.

This proves YOU are a Walt and that I clearly know my stuff.

[wildcat45]

ThunderGuts said:

Could you not decode the cypher? ##### = 3.14159

Jesus, there are some Walts in here


Now, where's my cowboy hat.


Yee-fking-haw!

I bow (reluctantly) to you apparent superiority and your Warn winch on your Disco 2.

I just hope we can keep it to ourselves. I don't want the boys in the Borsetshire 4x4 respone to find out. I'm very high up and well respected there.

[wildcat45]

silverfoxcc:

It was 4x4 Response Black Ops.

You saw too much my friend.

Expect a Tommy Saxondale look-a-like at your door in a raised suspension Disco 2 to 'take care' of you - after he makes you fill in the appropriate forms in triplicate.

[wildcat45]

NinjaPower said:

I saw them on Friday passing Carlisle on the M6 heading north.

About 20-30 Defenders and various other Land Rovers all covered in lights, external roll cages, antennas, bigger wheels, etc etc.

As you say, didn't see stickers, flashing lights or high viz, so can't have been the 4x4 Response brigade, I think they were just genuine off-roading types.

That's what they want you to think.

They are supervising the set up of Hadrian's wall for when they get the green light to take charge of the tear down of the union once the Jocks finally decide to go it alone.

You'll be laughing on the other side of your face when it kicks off and all that left between you and anarchy is a real ale farting unkempt man in Hi-Viz with a beer belly beard and a TD5-engined Solihull Stallion.