HUMOUR
IN UNIFORM
SAHEBS AT SEA
“SHIPPIE” NICKNAMES
Amusing Musings
By
VIKRAM KARVE
There was a time when a number of Indian Navy
Officers quit the “Fighting Navy” (White Ensign) for a second innings in the
Main Fleet of the Merchant Navy (Red Ensign) and kept sailing on the high seas
till a ripe old age.
Nowadays, most Indian Navy Officers opt for a
second innings in the Auxiliary Offshore Fleet comprising small ships like
Offshore Support Vessels (OSVs), Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs), Multi-Purpose
Support Vessels (MSVs) etc
Maybe today’s ex-Navy officers avoid joining
the Main Fleet of the Merchant Navy, probably because it requires extensive professional
and seagoing requirements, higher qualifications and competencies, and involves
a tougher life on the high seas.
I have a book of humorous memoirs called “With
A Pinch of Salt” written by Commodore Vinod K Sharma, from the first batch of
Direct Entry Officers of the Executive Branch (Benbows), who served in the
Indian Navy for 29 years (from 1948 to 1977), followed by a second innings of
16 years in the Main Fleet of the Merchant Navy.
In the chapter where he narrates how he had
to adapt to a new culture when he changed over from the “White Ensign” to the “Red
Ensign” and became a Merchant Mariner, he writes that the most striking change
is the relationship between the various ranks and branches.
“While the Captain is the de jure Master, the Chief Engineer is de facto his own boss, and is addressed – and addresses himself –
as “Barra Saheb” meaning “Big Shot”,
while the Captain is merely “Captain
Saheb”.
The Chief Officer is called “Maloom Saheb” meaning “Mr. Know-all”.
The Second Officer is called “Aadhaa Maloom Saheb” or “The Half-Knower” by the crew, and he doesn’t
mind being addressed as such.
The relatively younger Third Officer is referred to as “Kuchh Nahin Maloom Saheb” meaning “The
Clueless Officer” …”
This delightful book “With A Pinch of Salt” is
a “must read” for connoisseurs of humour in uniform.
I am sure many of the stalwarts who have had
two innings, one in the Indian Navy and the second in the Merchant Navy, will
be able to tell us of their hilarious experiences while coping up with the
cultural change.
We too have “nicknames” and “monikers” in the
Navy.
And I am sure the sister services, the Army
and Air Force, have typical nicknames for various appointments too.
Come on, Dear Readers in Uniform – do tell us
about some of the more interesting and amusing nicknames in uniform that you
have come across during your career.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve
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1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Disclaimer:
All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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