Sunday 5 January 2014

January 5: Whatever floats your boat ...


They left our good city, for places more pretty, sailed north to show off the flag,
They steamed up the coast, “we’re tops” they would boast, but in days that opinion would sag.
By the time they left north, more than thirty came forth, that big night in Darwin a weight,
That hung round their neck, their name was now kept, once more over and poor was their fate.

They started a book, which someone mistook for a challenge for chicks and for money,
The Medic weighed in, she not without sin, cause she thought the book wasn’t funny,
It got out of hand when three chicks they did band, and got to the skipper alone,
While they regaled him with fears, absent all tears, he saw shadows and leapt to the phone.

He called back to Fleet, who in a heartbeat, despatched Ms. Macca and Harks,
“You are not to inquire” Fleet said of the fire, but there wasn’t so much as a spark,
On the plane she did plan, about getting her man, coz she knew to Success he was posted,
I missed you before, she thought of her score, but this time ‘ole Pumpkin you’re toasted.

They set up some groups, to talk to the troops. The purpose? To gather intello,
“Girls tell us all, we’ll make them fall”, Macca and Harks they did bellow.
“It’s just all the Stokers, they just want to poke us” one of the pretty ones said,
“They’re so big and tough, and never too rough, we don’t mind if they take us to bed”.

In a Manilla hotel, his ego did swell as she gave him the come on all night,
They retired to her room, prone position assume, and neither put up a fight.
You should not be so close, they told him verbose, with someone not of your peer,
With a voice of despair, he said to all there, my peers are not worth the beer.

You must stick to your status, that is what matters, if you’re senior play only with them,
But that posed a muse, surely you’d lose, cause some of them didn’t do men.
So the troops congregated, for which they got slated, but what are your choices deployed?
If a peaked cap you wear, the range just ain’t there, so with juniors many had toyed.

In a corner of a bar, two juniors did spar, tongues lashing as clothes were discarded,
Another girl stared, as her shipmate was bared, wishing she was onboard when they started.
It soon became fable, involved a pool table and a witch’s hat used to invite,
Anyone who was there, to come up and stare, it was better than gawking at fights.

But back on the boat, the rumours did float, of what happened in China that night,
The drinking and sex, oh give me a Bex; someone would think it’s not right.
All of this drinking? Just what were they thinking? The Navy, just how it has changed,
In years past it was great, to get pissed with your mate, but today the rules are deranged.

When he saw fancy dress, young Spud was a mess, so to Jake he had a quick word,
“Mate, get out of my face, you are a disgrace, go away and don’t be a turd”.
But young Spud, such a jerk, he thought with a smirk to the Tiff I will air my concerns,
The Tiff said it’s no sin, and you don’t fit in, so don’t come to me when your bridge burns.

Three men put to shore, the rules all ignored. “You want reasons?” Don’t be bizzare,
We asked a tax guru, and he to screw you. You’ll get reasons when we know what they are.
We’ll set up a team, the reasons we’ll glean, from a series of questions and guesses,
They’ll badger and bully, explore the thing fully, and see what went on in those messes.

Five months they did pass as they sat on their arse, the inquiry punted afar,
Stuffed up for bias, “don’t know how that go by us”, with the Senate they started to spar,
CDF got the call, Johnstone appalled. “Angus, what’s your response?”
“We’ll have a Commission”, it’s my great ambition, he said with great nonchalance.

Judge Roger held Court, the reins he held taught, cards red and yellow kept ready,
You’ll end up like Tim he said with a grin, so keep your questions on point your tone steady.
“Resumeth your seat”, he’d often repeat, in the face of Counsel’s objection,
“It’s an inquiry” he told, “a thing to behold”, whenever he saw lack of direction.

Counsel Assisting tried hard, their best to retard, the flow of the facts, times and dates,
As the witness strode in, Mark tossed with a grin, a signed statement onto their plate.
Senior Counsel he crossed, his questions he tossed, a mixed salad of conduct and places,
He never looked left, his colleagues bereft, confusion etched thick on their faces.

So now they just wait, to be told of their fate, in the hands of others it lies,
They know what will come, as from the east comes the sun, it’s simple, they are despised.
The truth it’s a fiction, there’s been dereliction, in the care and support of these men,
Their careers are a mess, they’ll seek their redress, but they’ll never see sea-time again.

No comments:

Post a Comment