Page 6 - Inner front

THE DOCKYARD, TRINCOMALEE
THE DOCKYARD, TRINCOMALEE
4 ;sia wg jk l,dmh
A Snapshot from the Sixties
A Snapshot from the Sixties
The high point of the social activity was of course AND AT 18 MOSTLY DONE.
the officers’ mess or Ward Room. In the early
THE DOG AT 15 CASHES IN,
days I remember a grand portrait of the Queen
presiding over it as befitting, as it was then the WITHOUT THE AID OF RUM, AND GIN.
Royal Ceylon Navy. It was at the time Ceylon,
THE CAT IN MILK AND WATER SOAKS,
a Dominion in the British Empire then which
later in 1972 became Sri Lanka, an independent AND THEN IN 12 SHORT YEARS IT CROAKS.
Republic. One soon learned to use Naval jargon
THE MODEST SOBER, BONE-DRY HEN,
such as ‘heads’ instead of toilets, ‘galley’ for
kitchen, ‘fore’ and ‘aft’ for front yard and back LAY EGGS FOR NOGS, THEN DIES AT 10.
and ‘port’ and ‘starboard’ for left and right. The
THE ANIMALS ARE STRICTLY DRY:
service was superb with smartly attired efficient
stewards in attendance. Unknown to us families THEY SINLESS LIVE AND QUICKLY DIE;
there was of course a hierarchy which dictated
BUT SINFUL, GINFUL, RUM SOAKED MEN
your behavior according to rank, even discreetly
dictating your place when sitting at the table. SURVIVE FOR THREE SCORE YEARS AND
TEN.
The central hub in the Ward Room was,
of course, the bar. Most navies do not foster AND SOME OF THEM, A VERY FEW,
teetotallers, and in this regard, the Sri Lanka
STAY PICKLED TILL THEY’RE 92.
Navy too was no exception. Wine was not drunk

much in those days and spirits, mainly Sri Lankan
It was safest for us small boys to
Arrack more than made up for this, and in no
follow the dictum ‘to be seen and not heard’.
small measure contributed to the conviviality
Unfortunately, it let me down badly when
which glowed from most Ward Room evenings.
saying goodnight to a very senior officer
Where the Helmsman stayed at his wheel who in later years became the father-in-law
on the Bridge of a naval vessel, so did the Senior of a well known politician. He was standing
Bar Steward preside, with no less importance at the bar – the focal point of the Ward Room
or dignity, behind the bar deftly attending to when I was the last of my uncle’s party
the ‘usuals’ from the regulars and many other to leave. I was about 16 years at the time
requests that came in thick and fast, as hard debating whether to address him formally
working officers came to slake their thirst. as ‘Sir’ or ‘uncle’ as I would address most

of my uncle’s friends. As it was an awkward
A large framed verse dominated the bar
moment, certainly overawed, as it happened
which was festooned with plaques and insignia
I did neither, and mumbled something
from local and foreign vessels which had visited
unintelligible, like speaking underwater, to
Trincomalee – these were the famous lines
which he must have taken offence. The great
known to every Sri Lanka Navy officer, and
man, holding court among his officers in a
which many a young officer had pondered over
noticeably inebriated state turned on me
philosophically at the end of a long evening on a
and demanded ‘where are your manners?’
bar stool before turning in to his chalet for the
followed up with another jab ‘don’t they
night.
teach you manners at school anymore?’.
THE HORSE AND MULE LIVE 30 YEARS, I slunk off into the darkness with my tail
between my legs with enduring memories
AND NOTHING KNOWS OF WINES AND BEERS.
of Ward Room etiquette! That episode
THE GOAT AND SHEEP DIE AT 20, notwithstanding, my memories of the Ward
Room were simply classy and superb.
AND NEVER TASTE OF SCOTCH OR RYE.
The officers were the elite of the Navy
THE COW DRINKS THE WATER BY THE TON,
which was the cream of the armed forces.