XBradTC

By

XBradTC

·

Mentoring, and a slice of Oh, how the times have changed.

There was a BBC series back in the 1970s called “Sailor” that followed one of the last deployments of HMS Ark Royal. Here’s a 14 minute excerpt. First, look at the way the subordinate is mentoring a junior officer, pointing out the hazards and pitfalls of dealing with drunken sailors returning aboard from liberty. The…

There was a BBC series back in the 1970s called “Sailor” that followed one of the last deployments of HMS Ark Royal.

Here’s a 14 minute excerpt. First, look at the way the subordinate is mentoring a junior officer, pointing out the hazards and pitfalls of dealing with drunken sailors returning aboard from liberty. The Master at Arms is clearly concerned both for the welfare of the junior sailors, and with the new officer. That’s great leadership in action.

Second, let’s for a moment enjoy a bit of what the culture was like back in the 1970s. Yes, the ships officers are auctioning off a collection of Penthouse and other men’s magazines in the wardroom. That would have been a shocking breach of decorum 20 years prior, and oddly, a shocking breach of decorum 20 years later. But it was just fine in those days.

Tags:

Response to “Mentoring, and a slice of Oh, how the times have changed.”

  1. Quartermaster

    IN 1973 I was aboard Courtney, homeported in Naples, Italy at the time, when a British County Class Destroyer called in Naples. I went over to visit our cousins in the Royal Navy and was shown around the ship. On one of the bulletin boards was a pic taken from Penthouse with a comely lass and her shirt opened to show her charms. The caption below was “If your chest doesn’t look like this, keep it buttoned.”

    Like

Leave a comment