So , What's it like in the New Navy
Just wondering what it is like to be a Chef in todays Navy . Maybe one of our younger (not you Rubes) still serving members , can let us Old Navy grumpy old blokes (thats us Rubes) ,know how things work now. Things like ; Where and how did you do your Cookery Training . Is there a sea / shore roster , how much sea time do you do , where do you do your shore time . What is advancement like now, are there billets at sea for Chief Cooks . Oh Yeah , most importantly ....is the White Mafia stll alive and flourishing . 8)

Jaffa, Thinking of signing on again, EH????????

Jaffa. I agree it would be great to hear what it's like . Do'nt think i would sign on again body could not handle the strain we sorry I put it under but nice to dream Rags

Sign on???? Me?? No way Jose!!!! Managed to bullshit my way though the last twenty , not going to try it in todays "correct" Navy . They probably don't know what a real rabbit looks like . Let alone a carton of duty free B&H . Must admit tho , the 60/70s was a great time to be part of the biggest "Boys Club" around (sorry Ladies) . Good ships , great shipmates and some really "interesting" ports to visit. In between times we got to do sailor stuff . Then you went back to a shore base , colllected rabbits and sweated off on your next sea-going posting 8)

I would like to compare a photo I have of the Main Galley 'Tross cooks from about '75 -'76 with an equivilent photo of todays cooks. We are wearing a combination of Collared Shirts. Plain White T Shirts and the Blue necked/cut off short sleeved T Shirts (PTI's wore 'em too) with a couple of battle scarred Foulies worn as well. I think the only thing we had in common were some aprons. I saw a few of todays cooks whilst visiting HMAS WESTRALIA last year. They wore collared shirts with ranks displayed on the top of both shoulders (epaulettes) and both the cooks and cookesses? wore those checked pattern daks instead of whites as we did. :shock: They were good hands though, nothing much has changed in that area. I reckon they might have been restricted by political correctness, but I reckon we could have unleashed a few characters with some Cowper Wharf Road hospitality. :twisted:

Those PTI t/shirts caused all sorts of confusion and a lot of angst amongst the PTI tribe. :shock: In about '70 a few of us at Cerberus were given 6 of the PTI's sleeveless blue bordered T/Shirts to try out. Bewdy , free t /shirts !!! Cause even quality Bonds t/shirts couldn't stand up to the rigours of the galley and the laundry . Come to think of it , we were 40+ years ahead of the times , you know the look , top stops here , daks start there and in between is a gut and belly button sticking out . 8) So early '70 I'm posting into Coonawarra , dressed in my flash new PTI's top and my best pair of "Yakka" white cook's strides and looking the goods ,as I was still into a lot of sport and swimming in those days . Cornered by the X.O. and was given a great pep talk about how hard it had been to get a permanent billet for a PTI at Coonawarra , and was I a Rugger player , could I organize some sport for the slack Comms rates (His words , Not mine) and did I bowl or bat . Took it all in and said "Sir , I'm an ABCK " Nine months later after I had played inter service Rugby and Cricket plus Aussie Rules for St Mary's , he still reckoned I had set him up . As an after thought , those t/shirts were also the start of the annual Cerberus aussie rules "grudge " match between the Cooks and the PTI's , guess who won most of them . :lol:

2004 chefs gear.
They have started to get issued with chefs kackets and check pants in 2004. We have proper chefs hats. I was posted to Manoora and stayed there for 20 months I know some people who have stayed there for years.

Yes Jaffa it was the very best boys club I have ever been part of. About those T/shirts when did they come in, as looking at some old books 77 Brisbane T/shirts, 78 Vendetta both shirts but 81Brisbane Those sit shirts except for Shotgun Cannon probley couldn/t iron.

The PTI type t-shirts were general issue for cooks about 73/74 , then in the late 70's we got the white shirts , but white t/shirts were still commonly worn at sea. Sad to say , my 35 year old 'foully' finaly died at the fangs of a new pup a couple of years ago . Guess he just couldn't handle the smells from it.