Unusual soldiers customs and strange games

Site Issues 2006 Archive Room
#1

Every army in WWII had its own customs and strange behaviors.
Australians had their “two up” game which is now illegal, (veterans can only play it on ANZAC Day), Americans had “Kilroy was here” custom.

Russians or rather Red Army and other national units which were under soviet command, had very funny and interesting game or rather custom too.
It was called “Makhniom” which can be translated losely as “Lets swap”.
If any soldier on the Eastern front was approached by his mate, from the same or any other unit, with question - 'Makhniom" and something hidden in his fist, he could not refuse and had obligation to offer something to be swapped.
The swaps were great. It could be pocket knife swapped for the key to 12 cylinder Mercedes convertible, ex German general car.
One roll of German lollies swapped for BMW Africa motorcycle etc.
The principles of the game were:

  1. No one could refuse “Makhniom”.
  2. Only war booty or trophy was accepted - no own equipment or weapons.
    (offering say one bullet for PPSh, was an unacceptable offence, but one German Juno cigarette offered for Parabellum pistol was perfectly OK.)

Do you know any other funny, unusual or strange soldiers customs?

Cheers,

Lancer44

#2

Soggy biscuits ?

#3

Hi Cuts,

Can you be a little bit more… ehm… elaborate?

Cheers,

Lancer44

#4

Believe me, games like that or Suicide Freckles you really, really don’t want to know how to play.
Think Royal Marines and rollmats. Then make it about 10 times worse…

#5

Hi pdf27,

I know what you mean… but it wasn’t my intention to dive into cruel customs! (In Poland it was, (and is), called “fala” = “wave”, and yes you don’t want to know too.) :slight_smile:

By “games” I meant for example, that Australians in North Africa used to collect local change, coins, in bags used to carry tennis shoes.
Once in a couple of weeks there was a game - they were standing in front of
tin hut barrack and had to throw their bags with coins over it.
The longest throw was a winner.
By father told me that once the winner went to Alexandria to change money in the bank. His jeep was so overloaded, that he had to go back to camp and divide load onto second jeep. Serious money changed hands.

Cheers,

Lancer44

#6

Hi pdf27,

I know what you mean… but it wasn’t my intention to dive into cruel customs! (In Poland it was, (and is), called “fala” = “wave”, and yes you don’t want to know too.) :slight_smile:

By “games” I meant for example, that Australians in North Africa used to collect local change, coins, in bags used to carry tennis shoes.
Once in a couple of weeks there was a game - they were standing in front of
tin hut barrack and had to throw their bags with coins over it.
The longest throw was a winner.
By father told me that once the winner went to Alexandria to change money in the bank. His jeep was so overloaded, that he had to go back to camp and divide load onto second jeep. Serious money changed hands.

Cheers,

Lancer44[/QUOTE]

There’s nothing ‘cruel’ about Soggy Biscuits, Skiffing, Suicide Freckles or even Grab a Grot nights, they’re all voluntary games - but as PDF says they’re not really for these fora.

The best we could do here would be Mess Tin Parades, and they’re recruits only.

I’d like to hear about fala - please PM me with the gen & I’ll pass it on.

#7

Explain the banned game of “Two-Ups” for us!

#8

Hi Hiddenrug,

Why not you??? :slight_smile:

OK, OK mate, as always wog has to do everything for ya… :)))))

“Two-Up” is the simplest and most hazardous game in the world and history of mankind. (At least government of Oz think like that, hence the game is illegal.)
Only Australians could invent it!
To play you need two coins and piece of wood - roughly the size of small wooden ruler.
More exclusive models have two cavities in which coins neatly sits.
It is bad and rude to play two up with todays coins. It must be played with copper “bobs”.
As bobs are not in circulation we have plenty of them in storage!
There is also abundance of wood.
American and Japanese tourists are very keen to buy little piece of wood + 2 copper shillings for $25. And we have still enough for next 200 years!.
No worries, we survive!

Players bet, then coins are thrown up. Piece of wood ensure that there is no cheating, flinching coins etc. As you can guess - “two up” wins.

Cheers,

Lancer44

#9

This is probably more of a college or high school prank, but I saw it while I was serving in the American army and it seems to work well in those kinds of environments. It’s called the atomic sit-up. My friend challenged one of our class members(this was in AIT) that he couldn’t even do one “atomic sit-up”.

I never laughed so hard in my life when I saw what happened to the poor victim.

#10

So, say a bit more what it is.

I hope you don’t mean sitting on the sharpened end of a red flag pole… :frowning:

Lancer44

#11

Messtin Parades.

plus plus
plus = Messtin order CES.

When recruits aren’t sparking and are too slow it has been known to get them to do QuickChange Parades, ie they’re instructed to fall in a different form of dress and then inspect them.

The forms of dress can be anything - combats, with without CEFO, No 2, PT kit, the list is extensive.
As soon as they’re all out in the kit required, they’re told, “Too slow !” and double them away to parade in another order in an unfeasibly short time.

As this goes on the timings become shorter and the orders of dress more outlandish.
Messtin Order requires them to fall in wearing boots, a webbing belt, two messtins, (one front, one rear,) with the handles hooked over the belt and some form of headdress.

This is not bullying and is always regarded as a laugh, although I can say that parading in this Order in a gale force blizzard does engender teamwork and punctuality - as I’m certain any members who are serving or ex- members of the British Army can confirm.

#12

You should also make sure that you go through every item in their locker layout so they need to fold and iron it all for the morning. Best done as you drink a pint and read a grot mag with stop watch in hand. Too slow. Best boots, long joins, kf shirt, tin bin, 4 mins, GO!!!

#13

Definitely the most fun you can have with a recruit troop and a few minutes of boredom :smiley:

#14

God help the British Army - there must always be some sort of useful task or trg that could be done instead of this kind of pointless task. Things like this coupled with the bad press the Royal Marines had this year following their naked games just serve to deter “thinking” people from joining the Army.

#15

There’s never anything more worthwhile than quick change parades or mess tin parades and none of the things have ever stopped people joining up in the past. The stick the Marines got was an absolute joke.