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Now you may have heard the saying :-
" 'ardships yer bastards, Yer don't know what 'ard ships are"
Discipline could be harsh still in the R.N. in the 1950's. At that time Boys I.E. males under the age of 18 entered the service in large numbers, and at the top end of the Offences table where Prison could be given as a punishment, the Navy gave under 18's the equivalent - The Cane referred to as CUTS.
In many instances the Divisional Petty Officers metered out their own brand of retribution as we were soon to find out, and the Apprentices in some instances took it upon themselves to correct another wayward Apprentice. Such misdemeanors covered Fighting, Theiving from another Apprentice (Note Theiving Coal from and Extra rations was fair game if it was Pussers) and Being unclean.
We were soon to witness the NAVAL SOLUTION to some of these
Boys caught fighting were made to box each other in the ring for 3 rounds under the Queensbury Rules in front of their Class mates and on one occasion, I think it may have been theft, the Divisional Petty Officer asked the offender if he wanted to accept his punshment or be taken before the Captain. Thinking of what he could have recieved from the Captain he plumped for the Div.P.O.'s remedy.
The whole Dormitory was duly mustered and lined up in equal numbers either side of the central walkway with good swinging space between them and issued with a "ROPES END", which is cutting of rope some 15inches long and about 1.25 - 1.5 inches in Diameter.
The offender then had to run along the line Known as " Running the Gauntlet" and each Apprentice was allowed one hit. This definitely ensured the Offender didn't repeat his Offence or any other knowing what it was like to be humiliated and beaten by his peers.
Another Apprentice in our Division but living in another 'ut apparently didn't pay sufficient attention during the films on cleanliness.
One Saturday afternoon there was a great "Kerfuffle" emanating from the passageway end of the 'ut which lead to the Bathroom area that serviced 8 'uts. On investigation it was found to be a group of Apprentices scrubbing another of our classmates with a course bristled Yard broom. I think the offender was from a background where lack of facilities and diffrent standards were prominent in those days and to him it was probably not unusual to only take a bath once a week, and then probably in the Local Bathhouse or Tub that hang in the Wash house area and shared by a number of Families. How things have improved over the last 60 years and yet I suspect not all have kept up with innovation.
Anyway I digress.
After the event the Offender had to attend the Sick bay as a number of bristles had lodged themselves under his skin and needed to be extracted professionally and a suitable anti-septic applied. The Doc enquired as to how he had obtained the injury, and on hearing the explanation commented that "Next time you will listen to the lecture won't you". No more was said on the subject and another probelm was solved.