>The Royal Navy has banned sailors from drinking alcohol for at least two days a week, in a ruling that would have been unthinkable in the days of splicing the mainbrace and the daily rum ration
>New regulations will require ships to remain dry on certain days, with crews restricted to 14 units of alcohol per week – the equivalent of six pints of lager.
>The order replaces the “two-can rule” imposed across the Armed Forces, which equates to around 21 units per week, well above the NHS recommendation of 14 units.
>The policy was outlined in official documents, entitled Alcohol Policy Onboard Ships, that revealed that drinking on board “remains a significant concern” to Navy chiefs, although some former officers expressed concern that the move might be a step towards dry ships.
>The policy is the latest attempt to curb drinking culture in the military.
>Junior ratings were previously permitted to buy three “half-pint” cans of beer a day, with no limit on the drinking habits of senior rates and officers.
>In 1970, the Navy ended its 300-year-old daily rum “tot” tradition in what is now known as Black Tot Day.
>The custom was implemented to boost morale but was eventually axed because of concerns about operational efficiency.
>The papers, seen by the Daily Mail, found that nearly half (48 per cent) of sailors were estimated to consume excess alcohol.
>“These figures highlight the critical need for stricter alcohol policies to safeguard personnel, enhance operational performance and mitigate risks to operational capacity,” the document read.
>It is understood the updated policy limits alcohol consumption to a maximum of three units per day for all staff, regardless of rank. With the two dry days, this would limit the total amount for any one sailor to near the 14-unit target.
>By comparison, the US navy operates a more stringent policy, with alcohol banned on warships. The rule has been in place for more than a century, having been introduced in 1914.
>American captains can authorise a single “beer day” for ships that have spent 45 days at sea, where sailors are allowed two cans of alcoholic beverages as a way to boost morale.
>The British restriction aims to move the Navy in line with government health targets.
>Warship bars will be stocked with zero and low-alcohol alternatives to “promote responsible drinking habits”.
>The move, however, has been criticised by former Navy chiefs. Retired Rear-Adml Chris Parry told the Mail: “This is very sad and I’m a teetotaller.
>“You have to trust your sailors and your leaders aboard ships to set the rules. I never had any problems in my career with crew members stepping out of line. You can screw down a system too much. Sailors take great risks and make big sacrifices.”
>Retired Cdr Tom Sharpe added: “This is an inevitable step towards dry ships. The Navy is changing. The modern sailor is more interested in gym and Wi-Fi.”
>However, retired Rear Admiral Philip Mathias, a former nuclear submarine captain, told The Telegraph: “In my view alcohol consumption and being at sea in a warship are incompatible.
>“Even if someone is not on watch, they will always be immediately available if there is a serious accident such as a fire or a grounding or the ship is in a threat environment being attacked by the enemy.”
>The Navy has a long tradition of providing sailors with alcoholic beverages.
>During long voyages in the 17th century, sailors were issued a daily gallon (eight pints) of weak beer, when water supplies turned rancid in wooden barrels or had run out entirely.
>The beverage was known by sailors as “liquid bread” because of the carbohydrates and vitamins it provided.
>Meanwhile, the rum ration has spanned over three centuries of Naval history.
>Sailors were given the drink straight until 1740, before Adml Sir Edward Vernon oversaw it being watered down to one part rum and four parts water because of concerns about how it was affecting service personnel.
>This tradition continued, via the creation of the grog – a drink containing rum, water and citrus juice.
>The rum ration was halved in 1823, before being cut in two again in 1850, and then its eventual discontinuation in 1970.
>On special occasions, a Splice the mainbrace order would be issued, meaning sailors received an extra ration of rum.
>The name originates from fixing the mainbrace rigging by splicing a long piece of hemp rope.
>The phrase came to mean that the crew would be rewarded with an extra drink after victory in battle, the change of monarch or a Royal birth.
>The last official Splice the mainbrace order was issued in 2012 for Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, although specific units did so to celebrate the birth of Prince Louis in 2018.
>A Royal Navy spokesman said: “The updated policy aligns with advice from the UK chief medical officer, ensuring that our people remain fit for naval operations and comparable with modern military and civilian maritime standards.
>“It also prioritises the health of our people, which is paramount, and ensures they are ready to respond to the dynamic demands of naval operations, while also continuing to enjoy downtime.”
NotoriousP_U_G on
Woke! Pint of rum a day is essential to any British sailor!
Local-Owl-1459 on
Nah that isn’t going to happen, no way, matelots are notorious drinkers unless things have changed…for the worse.
RecentTwo544 on
I thought we were supposed to be bolstering our armed forces, not pushing them into total collapse?
thedybbuk_ on
That… should be fine right? Even when I was younger I
couldn’t manage 6 or 7 days a week it made me feel dreadful. Or is the culture in the Navy still very alcohol orientated?
WickerSnicker7 on
The Royal Navy ruled the waves with everyone half-cut. This is known.
mpanase on
2 days a week?
That’s something that needs to be asked for?
MetalingusMikeII on
Better for their cognitive ability if they *don’t* drink alcohol, regularly…
FatYorkshireLad on
First the got rid of the tot, now this? We used to be a proper country!
ReputationApart5983 on
I saw a video the other day from 1970 where sailors were complaining their “tot”was cancelled. For 239 years sailors were allowed 3 glasses of rum a day until 1970 when it was cancelled for sailors but not officers. They were doing an interview with the sailors who were upset and all drunk complaining they worked better when drunk. Their rum ration was replaced with beer vouchers.
To make up for the lack of rum and the lash, sailors will be asked to put extra effort into sodomy if morale is to hold firm.
Cheaddar86 on
Ill be honest i cant think of much worse than being just VERY slightly drunk on a ship at sea, then again though I either have to be stone cold sober or pretty drunk, I cant get comfortable in that middle point at the best of times.
DaveN202 on
THIS IS ACTUAL POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD! I really wanted to use that sentence.
chunderwood on
One of my drunkest nights ever was in the officers bar of a royal navy ship in the Bahamas. I have never been in the Navy.
Tomby_93 on
They finally decided what to do with those drunken sailors then.
ThatZephyrGuy on
Unlucky if your “all night in” ends up on one of the ships dry days. No morale for you shipmate.
(For the uninformed, sailors keep watches, usually 1 in 4, and they have 1 night not on watch (an all night in) where they are permitted to drink, as drinking while holding a watch is forbidden)
Retention is a nightmare and the mob really thought that this was the best solution?
FoxyInTheSnow on
I was in the navy when I was a young man. Sure, they could’ve taken my rum. I’d learn to adapt. But if they tried to take my precious sodomy, there would have been consequences!
ItsTheAlgebraist on
Due to budget cutbacks, it’s now rum, sodomy, OR the lash.
18 commenti
>The Royal Navy has banned sailors from drinking alcohol for at least two days a week, in a ruling that would have been unthinkable in the days of splicing the mainbrace and the daily rum ration
>New regulations will require ships to remain dry on certain days, with crews restricted to 14 units of alcohol per week – the equivalent of six pints of lager.
>The order replaces the “two-can rule” imposed across the Armed Forces, which equates to around 21 units per week, well above the NHS recommendation of 14 units.
>The policy was outlined in official documents, entitled Alcohol Policy Onboard Ships, that revealed that drinking on board “remains a significant concern” to Navy chiefs, although some former officers expressed concern that the move might be a step towards dry ships.
>The policy is the latest attempt to curb drinking culture in the military.
>Junior ratings were previously permitted to buy three “half-pint” cans of beer a day, with no limit on the drinking habits of senior rates and officers.
>In 1970, the Navy ended its 300-year-old daily rum “tot” tradition in what is now known as Black Tot Day.
>The custom was implemented to boost morale but was eventually axed because of concerns about operational efficiency.
>The papers, seen by the Daily Mail, found that nearly half (48 per cent) of sailors were estimated to consume excess alcohol.
>“These figures highlight the critical need for stricter alcohol policies to safeguard personnel, enhance operational performance and mitigate risks to operational capacity,” the document read.
>It is understood the updated policy limits alcohol consumption to a maximum of three units per day for all staff, regardless of rank. With the two dry days, this would limit the total amount for any one sailor to near the 14-unit target.
>By comparison, the US navy operates a more stringent policy, with alcohol banned on warships. The rule has been in place for more than a century, having been introduced in 1914.
>American captains can authorise a single “beer day” for ships that have spent 45 days at sea, where sailors are allowed two cans of alcoholic beverages as a way to boost morale.
>The British restriction aims to move the Navy in line with government health targets.
>Warship bars will be stocked with zero and low-alcohol alternatives to “promote responsible drinking habits”.
>The move, however, has been criticised by former Navy chiefs. Retired Rear-Adml Chris Parry told the Mail: “This is very sad and I’m a teetotaller.
>“You have to trust your sailors and your leaders aboard ships to set the rules. I never had any problems in my career with crew members stepping out of line. You can screw down a system too much. Sailors take great risks and make big sacrifices.”
>Retired Cdr Tom Sharpe added: “This is an inevitable step towards dry ships. The Navy is changing. The modern sailor is more interested in gym and Wi-Fi.”
>However, retired Rear Admiral Philip Mathias, a former nuclear submarine captain, told The Telegraph: “In my view alcohol consumption and being at sea in a warship are incompatible.
>“Even if someone is not on watch, they will always be immediately available if there is a serious accident such as a fire or a grounding or the ship is in a threat environment being attacked by the enemy.”
>The Navy has a long tradition of providing sailors with alcoholic beverages.
>During long voyages in the 17th century, sailors were issued a daily gallon (eight pints) of weak beer, when water supplies turned rancid in wooden barrels or had run out entirely.
>The beverage was known by sailors as “liquid bread” because of the carbohydrates and vitamins it provided.
>Meanwhile, the rum ration has spanned over three centuries of Naval history.
>Sailors were given the drink straight until 1740, before Adml Sir Edward Vernon oversaw it being watered down to one part rum and four parts water because of concerns about how it was affecting service personnel.
>This tradition continued, via the creation of the grog – a drink containing rum, water and citrus juice.
>The rum ration was halved in 1823, before being cut in two again in 1850, and then its eventual discontinuation in 1970.
>On special occasions, a Splice the mainbrace order would be issued, meaning sailors received an extra ration of rum.
>The name originates from fixing the mainbrace rigging by splicing a long piece of hemp rope.
>The phrase came to mean that the crew would be rewarded with an extra drink after victory in battle, the change of monarch or a Royal birth.
>The last official Splice the mainbrace order was issued in 2012 for Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, although specific units did so to celebrate the birth of Prince Louis in 2018.
>A Royal Navy spokesman said: “The updated policy aligns with advice from the UK chief medical officer, ensuring that our people remain fit for naval operations and comparable with modern military and civilian maritime standards.
>“It also prioritises the health of our people, which is paramount, and ensures they are ready to respond to the dynamic demands of naval operations, while also continuing to enjoy downtime.”
Woke! Pint of rum a day is essential to any British sailor!
Nah that isn’t going to happen, no way, matelots are notorious drinkers unless things have changed…for the worse.
I thought we were supposed to be bolstering our armed forces, not pushing them into total collapse?
That… should be fine right? Even when I was younger I
couldn’t manage 6 or 7 days a week it made me feel dreadful. Or is the culture in the Navy still very alcohol orientated?
The Royal Navy ruled the waves with everyone half-cut. This is known.
2 days a week?
That’s something that needs to be asked for?
Better for their cognitive ability if they *don’t* drink alcohol, regularly…
First the got rid of the tot, now this? We used to be a proper country!
I saw a video the other day from 1970 where sailors were complaining their “tot”was cancelled. For 239 years sailors were allowed 3 glasses of rum a day until 1970 when it was cancelled for sailors but not officers. They were doing an interview with the sailors who were upset and all drunk complaining they worked better when drunk. Their rum ration was replaced with beer vouchers.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gh5PCghfbs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gh5PCghfbs)
To make up for the lack of rum and the lash, sailors will be asked to put extra effort into sodomy if morale is to hold firm.
Ill be honest i cant think of much worse than being just VERY slightly drunk on a ship at sea, then again though I either have to be stone cold sober or pretty drunk, I cant get comfortable in that middle point at the best of times.
THIS IS ACTUAL POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD! I really wanted to use that sentence.
One of my drunkest nights ever was in the officers bar of a royal navy ship in the Bahamas. I have never been in the Navy.
They finally decided what to do with those drunken sailors then.
Unlucky if your “all night in” ends up on one of the ships dry days. No morale for you shipmate.
(For the uninformed, sailors keep watches, usually 1 in 4, and they have 1 night not on watch (an all night in) where they are permitted to drink, as drinking while holding a watch is forbidden)
Retention is a nightmare and the mob really thought that this was the best solution?
I was in the navy when I was a young man. Sure, they could’ve taken my rum. I’d learn to adapt. But if they tried to take my precious sodomy, there would have been consequences!
Due to budget cutbacks, it’s now rum, sodomy, OR the lash.