OFFICERS MESS or WARDROOM
DEFINITION AND MEANING OF MESS
MAINTENANCE OF EQUAL SOCIAL STATUS
The Officers Mess – A Place to Promote Camaraderie
By
VIKRAM KARVE
If you have served in the Army, Navy or Air Force or are familiar with Military life I am sure you know what is an OFFICERS MESS
(In the Navy an Officers Mess is called WARDROOM or Wardroom Mess).
OFFICERS is the plural of Officer and surely you know what the term “Officer” means, especially in the context of the Military.
But do you know what the acronym MESS stands for?
I am sure you know, but if you don’t know, then let me tell you.
The acronym MESS is the short form for Maintenance of Equal Social Status.
Yes, MESS = MAINTENANCE OF EQUAL SOCIAL STATUS
The very aim of an Officers Mess is to Maintain Equal Social Status amongst all its members, irrespective of their ranks.
Long back, during a party, I heard an Admiral once say: “All Officers have equal social status. Ranks are for administrative purposes only”.
If I recall correctly, he attributed this maxim to Field Marshal Cariappa who probably felt that excessive rank consciousness at social functions would adversely affect camaraderie amongst officers which would damage cohesion of the officer cadre.
That’s why in an Officers Mess, all members are equal and have the same social status, irrespective of the ranks and positions they hold outside the Mess. Yes, Rank Has Its Privileges (RHIP) but that is outside the Mess. Inside the Mess it is all about comradeship, friendship and fellowship.
So the next time you go to an Officers Mess don’t forget that the abbreviation MESS stands for MAINTENANCE OF EQUAL SOCIAL STATUS.
I have had the best of times and made the best of friends in Wardrooms and Officers Messes. Maybe, I’ll tell you about it, at least a few nostalgic yarns, sometime later right here in my blog.
Till then, Cheers and Godspeed.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008). Vikram is currently working on two fiction novels. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Did you like this article?
I am sure you will like the stories in my recently published book COCKTAIL comprising twenty seven short stories about relationships. To order the book please click the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-81910
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-ka
COCKTAIL ebook
If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the link below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925
About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008). Vikram is currently working on two fiction novels. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
-ve sir!
ReplyDeleteA mess (also called a messdeck aboard ships) is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and (in some cases) live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" (cf. modern French mets), drawn from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send" and "to put" (cf. modern French mettre), the original sense being "a course of a meal put on the table". This sense of mess, which appeared in English in the 13th century, was often used for cooked or liquid dishes in particular, as in the "mess of pottage" (porridge or soup) for which Esau in Genesis traded his birthright.[1] By the 15th century, a group of people who ate together was also called a mess, and it is this sense that persists in the "mess halls" of the modern military.
Thanks for the information
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