The Birkenhead Drill

Seen the bastardized Hollywood piece of shit that is "Titanic"?  Well, the women and children first ehtos was introduced after the sinking of the HMS  Birkenhead.  The soldiers on board the stricken vessel were actually ordered to stay on the deck up until the moment the boat went under, to give the kids and bitches a fighting chance. Now that's what I call disciplined.

 Rudyard Kipling's "The Birkenhead Drill"

To take your chance in the thick of a rush, with firing all about,
Is nothing so bad when you've cover to 'and, an' leave an' likin' to shout;
But to stand an' be still to the Birken'ead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew,
An' they done it, the Jollies -- 'Er Majesty's Jollies -- soldier an' sailor too!
Their work was done when it 'adn't begun; they was younger nor me an' you;
Their choice it was plain between drownin' in 'eaps an' bein' mopped by the screw,
So they stood an' was still to the Birken'ead drill, soldier an' sailor too

I love the way the pronunciation of the H is dropped. Fascinating stuff.

So that's today's slice of naval history eaten.

Good news from the doctors today; My blood pressure is back down to normal. Neither good, nor bad news from the rheumotology specialist. He's happy to dismiss me a gout sufferer; should my blood test on Monday not come back abnormal. I'm keeping everything crossed. Recruitment for the R.F.A is closed. I've applied for the Royal Navy in the 'comms branch.  I've already aced the RT test, so it will shave off 12 months for the waiting time. It'll give me time to get into shape; which I am gradually doing. After I initially applied for the Royal Navy earlier in the month, I tried to complete the 2.4k run, which I failed miserably at; 14 mins was my time. I ran it again with my Friend Sean as a pacemaker and did it in 12; so I'm only 30 seconds off. I'm not going to get caught up with speed and times just yet. I went for a 4 mile run two nights ago, and felt it the day after!  I've got a long way to go, so I will now concentrate on the weight loss aspects. I'm currently 19st 13LB- Three years ago today, I was 26st 7lb. My plateau was 21st, which I was loitering about at during the past year, it's time to press on.

Here's some further reading on the HMS Birkenhead- http://www.submerged.co.uk/birkenhead.php