For all us oldies the 31st July marks the 40th Anniversary
of the ending of TOT. I shall be down in Pompey for Navy
Days and at noon I shall down a TOT of RUM in memory
of the passing of a great Naval tradition.

The youngsters don't know what they missed!

Bloody hell Ian that's frightening, where as it all gone. I can remember it like yesterday when we had the last tot ceremony on the flight deck of Triumph in Singa's.

In my diary !!!! as one of the sprogs amonghst us and still skin
I shall raise a glass of rum mid-day on teh 31st July

Cheers

Rattler

With acknowledgement to the provider.

Day of Mourning
Black Tot Day - July 31st, 1970, when the last “tot was drawn in the fleet around the globe; a rather touchy subject with the old and bold!” Black Tot Day was officially the last day that Pusser’s Rum was issued on board ships in the Royal Navy.

The Tot Song



In the Navy of the 70’s
The beginning of the rot
The day they killed the Andrew
Was the day they stopped the tot
Oh! They go to east of suez
Or west to Panama
When your bely’s ful of limers
You cant go very far
The legend of the rum tub
Is still there to be seen
But the motto looks quite silly
On the side of the goffer machine
You will hear old sailors saying
It’ll never be the same
And when they talk of bubbly
They don’t mean French champagne
Did jack flinch at Trafalgar
As he faced shot and shell
With a tot inside his belly
Our jack would sail through hell
At ten to twelve each forenoon
Since they Andrew first began
Jack drinks the blood of Nelson
From Jutland to Japan
Their Lordships sip their Sherry
And cry “more efficiency”
But what works on paper
doesn’t always work at sea
Now jack is a humble sailor
who doesn’t ask a lot
and after Jutland and Trafalgar
who dares to stop his tot
He’s always done his duty
to country and the throne
and all he asks is fairness
and to leave his tot alone


R.I.P.
31st July 1970 the day of the last tot.

Hate Rum - I was happy with my 3 tinnies of Special Vat, but would have been better to have those "free issue"

"Stun grenades" were great - export strength cider.

The tot was not free - it cost three old pence per day!

Well worth it though.

The abolision of the Tot was the best thing that ever happened for the Senior Rates. In its place we got three (civvy) tots of the spirit of your choice per day and Draft beer (CSB) came into the Mess. You could also drink your tots in groups of Three and Four Days all on the same day if you wanted and although it was illegal, we all used to bottle it.

Unfortunately I will not be able to attend my oppos memorial service and ashes scattering in Camborne, Cornwall in Camborne Church on 31st July - Final Tot Day - as I will be at a family wedding. But I will rasie a glass to my cabin oppo from the Falklands on HMS Hydra, ex CPOMEA(P) Steve "Robbie" Robinson who loved his tot and died after a short illness a few weeks ago in Spain. I will miss him more than I ever missed my tot. The church is next to The Plough pub where Steve and Eileen were Landlords for many years before retiring to Spain. RIP Shippers!

If it was free or not, I'd think I'd pass or maybe use it to bribe an old 3 badge salt with my issue for a M & M or something.

I hope this happens to me - What I mean is, the older you guys get, the better your memories seem to get ??

I joined up a mere 29 years ago and can't remember half my time (due to being pissed I guess !!) But you 60+ chaps seem to have memories like elephants ! BZ to you all

An article in the Grocer Magazine(24th July 2010) informs that Wood's Rum
is sponsoring a sampling event at Navy Days. So could be a freebie tot
time to remember the passing of this great tradition!!!! Black armbands
optional.

Have a look on my gallery, there is a shield which was made in Singapore.

This is where the Intrepid was on the 31st of July 1970. And yes I enjoyed my last tot

Found this maybe of interest to some

http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/RN/Rum_Ration.html

Enjoy