Oztalgian 3,268 Posted October 17, 2018 Report Share Posted October 17, 2018 2 hours ago, Jill Sparrow said: Does it play the Funeral March when you put coins in? Yes it should and cough loudly Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,279 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 I wonder how many on here have seen 'call up' papers? You certainly don't see those anymore. Mine arrived when I was 21, having been deferred until my apprenticeship at the ROF had finished. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,302 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 I'm assuming that was National Service, PP? Dad's arrived in 1942 and his apprenticeship had to end until 1946. I recall one of my cousins getting married in September 1960 to a chap who'd just had his call up papers and they wanted to have the wedding before he went into the army. The marriage didn't last...they were too young. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,113 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 I missed national service as I was in the 6th. form at school. I’m sorry I missed out. Some people absolutely hated it but I knew a lot of people who enjoyed their time and learnt a trade. I think the problem, towards the latter years, was that there was not much for the recruits to do and ‘none jobs’ like painting coal were invented to keep them fully occupied. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,302 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 My father's younger brother, born in 1939, was rejected for national service due to a leg injury when he was a child. He'd never have managed the square bashing and marching around. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,279 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 My dad's call up papers were in 1941. They were call up papers for the war though, not for National Service. At 28 he was quite old for call up and he was on Z reserve. He did six years, safeguarding the Empire for the last couple. Fat lot of good that did us! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,279 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 I also failed the medical due to extreme short sightedness. I was quite upset because I looked forwards to a bit of travelling in the Army. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,113 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 I failed the medical to become an airline pilot because of my eyesight. I had never worn spectacles and had passed my driving test with the ability to read a number plate at 25 yds. British Airways required 20:20:vision without specs. Some years later I passed my private pilot’s exam, with spectacles, subject to the proviso I had to carry a second pair whilst flying. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,506 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 Our eldest son applied for the BA Cadet Programme when in the 6th form at school. He was invited to join and went down to Hounslow. He jumped through various hoops successfully but failed the medical as he was/is colour-blind. When entering his school at the age of 10 all boys had a medical and the school doctor reported to us that he was colour-blind. We weren’t convinced but this fact was confirmed by our own GP who used to be an RAF doctor and he happened to have the book with all the different colours and dots that is used in the test. Our younger son was tested by the GP at the same time and he was colour-blind too. This isn’t obvious with either of the boys and it’s certainly never been an issue for them. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,302 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 Colour blindness is a strange condition. I once detected a problem when watching a boy in my class who was using different coloured Unifix. Cubes to solve a maths problem. He couldn't see the difference between two shades of green. His mother had him tested at the hospital and, sure enough, there was a problem but not one that was ever likely to cause him difficulties in life. I'm told I'd have passed the sight test for the RAF with flying colours...no pun intended! My problem is my ears. Excruciating pain at even low altitude. Terra firma for me! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,599 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 Lizzie, is their dad colourblind, too? My dad was colourblind, and our second son is , too. He's OK with the red/green thing, but when he was younger and finding socks to wear, he couldn't differentiate between maroon and dark brown. I suppose I must be a carrier of the colourblind gene but our other 2 children are OK Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,302 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 I think colour blindness is carried on the X chromosome, so is handed on via the mother, much like haemophilia. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,113 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 My application to British Airways was back in the days when they had their own training college at Hamble. Nowadays you have to fund your own training and build up hours at enormous expense. Racking up hours as a flying instructor once you have a licence is the usual way to go. Despite the cost lots of people do it and there is still a pilot shortage. Six monthly medicals throughout your career as well. Those who went on to become airline pilots when I was training have mostly now retired. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,871 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 When I found out I was colour blind it was a real bolt out of the purple. 8 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,090 Posted October 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 That joke was a bit off colour. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,302 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 Did it make you see red, denshaw? 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,302 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 Mansize tissues will be disappearing as Kleenex bows to pressure after 60 years to remove sexist language from its products! Has this world gone stark raving mad? 1 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,506 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 57 minutes ago, MargieH said: Lizzie, is their dad colourblind, too? My dad was colourblind, and our second son is , too. He's OK with the red/green thing, but when he was younger and finding socks to wear, he couldn't differentiate between maroon and dark brown. I suppose I must be a carrier of the colourblind gene but our other 2 children are OK When the boys were tested by our GP, 30 years ago, he told me that it was ‘Male-hereditary’. Their dad has never been tested and has always insisted he’s not got a problem. Typical man, not taking responsibility! I must say that I have never ever noticed they have a problem. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,113 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 14 minutes ago, Jill Sparrow said: Mansize tissues will be disappearing as Kleenex bows to pressure after 60 years to remove sexist language from its products! Has this world gone stark raving mad? What are they going to rename 'Gentleman's Relish? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,302 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 What about Ladybower Dam? Not far from Personchester! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gem 1,430 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 19 minutes ago, Jill Sparrow said: Mansize tissues will be disappearing as Kleenex bows to pressure after 60 years to remove sexist language from its products! Has this world gone stark raving mad? Yes. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,427 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 1 hour ago, philmayfield said: My application to British Airways was back in the days when they had their own training college at Hamble. Nowadays you have to fund your own training and build up hours at enormous expense. Racking up hours as a flying instructor once you have a licence is the usual way to go. Despite the cost lots of people do it and there is still a pilot shortage. Six monthly medicals throughout your career as well. Those who went on to become airline pilots when I was training have mostly now retired. A friend of mine was a pilot with BA he started on 707s and retired as a captain on a 747. He made it via the RAF. He was a pilot officer there and was able to move straight into BA. Seems like that was the cheapest way to do it back in the early 60s. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,427 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 10 minutes ago, Jill Sparrow said: What about Ladybower Dam? Personbower damn just doesn't seem the same does it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,113 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 1 hour ago, philmayfield said: What are they going to rename 'Gentleman's Relish? How about LGBT and straight persons’ relish? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,454 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 I dread the thought of what will happen when they get round to manhole covers. 1 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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