That plummy voiced officer represents what I detested about the British Army in the sixties. I later joined the Australian Army where I remained for more than twenty years. That British class system is a real pain in the a-------.
I served for ten years in the British forces back in the late seventies through the late eighties and that Guards officer at the beginning of this video has to be one of the most pretentious gits I’ve ever heard, luckily he represented a breed of officer in the British military that was slowly disappearing.
I have not served in the British army but read lots of books about it and talked to old soldiers and I agree with you 100%. The man is prick. An idiot who has nothing but contempt for his subordinates does not deserve their respect neither their loyalty.
@@robingosling9786 I was fairly lucky with the officers I served under, being on the engineering side of the RAF most of the engineering officers that I served under had come up through the ranks, many were ex apprentices who were offered commissions after a couple of years as either a Junior Technician or Corporal.
I was visiting a Uni mate in 1993 who had joined up for officers training at Sandhurst for a night out in Aldershot - didn't realise I was being casually interviewed at drinks in the mess 'Did you parents buy their furniture' was the technique to discover if you were 'old money' and therefore worthy of the Guards - laughingly replied Id been offered a job in The City - so Id joined The Queens Own Refusiliers - Condescendingly 'Oh so you're a Barrow - Boy' - 5 years later he presented himself for an interview at the bank i worked for - I asked interviewer to inquire about his IKEA flat pack proficiency.
So true (to this day): fools, "dining-out" on the past; makes it all so much harder for those who take soldiering seriously; thank goodness that "Confirmed Commissions" have recently (and quietly) been confined to history.
Officer born with access to resources to gain the benefit of education sees himself as "superior" to the working-class enlisted men. The NCOs are brainwashed into believing that if they ridicule those under their authority they will result in some benefits from officers.
I taught in a Defence College ( long story ) . The ex colonels , no batman , thought if you leave your boots or shoes in the bath overnight they will clean. No joking , true.
This Vid shows better than I can put into words as to why I left the Guards after 5 years service, I would have done my 22 years in another regiment, but in the Guards this is what it was like back in the 70s/80s, brings back many bad memory's of them and us Plebs as the officers called us, hope it has changed some but I am sure there are still some Officers who still look on their men as Plebs.
Did you happen to see the documentary on Sandhurst made about 15 years ago? There is a real old money useless douche the cadre want to get rid of, but because he comes from the right family is is guaranteed a commission in the Household Cav
What a wonderful video. The very smart sergeant at the beginning was the great Sgt Geoff Willetts Green Gds who was the Squad Sergeant of the 1970 Brigade Squad. The officer cadet being measured by the regimental tailor became Major General Evelyn Webb-Carter.
I served 4 years in the Guards following my basic training at Pirbright, then transferred to the parachute regiment to do more proper soldiering and less bull shit. The guards were great on the parade ground but poor tactically. The parachute regiment was a different world.
In the UK, the guards have a public duties role..unfortunately this takes president over the tactical training.. like all troops before going into combat, they undergo battle field training.. Paras 1 job, Guards 2 jobs..
@@JohnThomas-hv3nd soldier first tourist bait second. I was with the Welsh guards in the 1982 Falklands war, we paid the price … for as you said having 2 jobs. However, in Iraq and Afghanistan, it proved that the Guards had come a long way since then.
@@bruceedwards10 To answer your question, in those days recruitment was based on regional and local affiliation to Regiments. For example in North Wales, you were recruited mostly in the Royal Welsh Fusileers or Welsh Guards and the recruiting staff made sure the quotas for each regiment was met. I did state I wanted to join the Parachute Regiment, but was told (wrongly or rightly), there was no current vacancy, but could join the Welsh Guards.
I was in the Royal Navy fleet air arm for 9 years and to be honest the officers on the whole were the decent sort. If you had a birthday they would turn up and if someone had a wedding you would get an invite. There was one or two who were pricks, usually daddy was a commodore type. But there wasn’t many.
Rodneys.... i get the education qualification bit. But the arrogance... and superiority, is nothing to be proud of. Ironically. What a sad state to fall into .
How I remember back in the middle seventys in caterham barracks. We I e the single men in the barracks would get up around 6.30 hop over that go for a long run on Saturday. Why married men would call in sick. Then we would be Shanghai to take their place.... with that. Our kit wouldn't be up to standard for public duty
Oh , the reason for this comment is Duff Coopers biography ( aristocrat Grenadier offcer who only survived because he was drafted so late in the war ) , was shocked to find that all the aristocratic officers had been killed off : then the middle classes : finally the working classes were made officers in the guards , called 'temporally gentlemen. '
'Honi suet que molly ponce', says the poor hapless recruit (who obviously didn't have the benefit of a classical education') as he attempts to pronounce the Grenadiers motto to the unbearable Wupert.. When I was at Pirbright we used call the Grenadiers 'Mars Bars'. I never did find out why? I love the platoon sergeant's face as he picks up a recruit's drill boots and disdainfully throws them back on the bed.
Bleeding officers, never respected them throughout my career, they had the cheek to turn up on inspections in rag order. Couldn't wait to be a senior rank and grip the wee buggers. I ended up running my Platoon because one couldn't be arsed to get out the office. I constantly repeated as a Colour Sgt "Come on Sir, you can't lead the men behind a bleeding desk".
I served my twenty in the royal navy, we had our fair share of officers like him , however we also had those i would have stormed the gates of hell for if asked . This type just gives the forces a bad name sadly ,
As a former senior officer, I agree that it is difficult to say what one is looking for in selecting candidate officers, or indeed what it is about them that means they may not fit in. However, as a general rule, it seems wise to avoid those who hail from working-class backgrounds and those with regional accents. Also foreigners, of course. All this may seem rather obvious, perhaps, but you'd be surprised how many people these days don't immediately understand. It takes a certain sensitivity to immediately rule people either in or out as officer candidates. And that in turn requires breeding, experience and common sense. Above all, breeding. I must dash now, I'm afraid, because Pippa is calling me again from the orangery. She will keep buying jodhpurs.
This really is the very worst of what the Army was about in those days. The Guards did no favours, Wooden-tops, tick-top soldiers, shrieking and rubber arm saluting. I chose the GreenJackets in the mid 1960's because they were the opposite to the Wooden-tops, minor Public Schools, Grammar Schools and State schools. As Light Infantrymen (Riflemen) we were allowed independent thought. I would suggest a more intelligent soldier.
What a load of tosh ' i have been on courses and seen them close up on exercises The RGJ there no better 'no worse than any Guards unit ' and by the way ' So David Stirling founder of the SAS ' Scots Guards ' Wasn't of independent thought or a intelligent soldier ,
Angels doing their push and pull method on the Caesar King whom they can never control because he knew them well and whats behind their manipulative mindsets those angels are categorized as neglect angels set to be replaced by the Devian characters of the Olympians.
My Dad served in the Coldstream Guards in the war, did his training at Caterham he told me the best officer he ever knew was a chap who made his way up, and that was quite something in those days, he told me some of the others were clowns.