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Anecdotes & Memories from Headquaters |
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The Anecdotes & Memories from the Waterguard Divisions listed below have their own sub-pages to facilitate faster browsing and for ease of maintenance. They can be viewed in the normal way by selecting the appropriate 'button.' |
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HM Customs & Excise Headquarters - Page contents: |
HM Waterguard Headquarters - Page contents: |
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'During the 1939/45 War, for obvious security reasons, an Official Pass was required to enter the Custom House in Lower Thames Street. One of the Commissioners rejoiced in the name of Otto Munday and one day on entering the House he was intercepted by a Watcher Constable, complete with Official Top Hat and frock tailed coat, who asked to see his identity pass.
The imperious reply was 'Don’t you know who I am? I am Otto Munday!
'I don’t care if you are Shrove Tuesday or Ash Wednesday' replied the Constable 'you don’t get in here without a Pass Gov’nor'.
Having had some dealings with their Honours from time to time, this incident may well have happened. The Hon Sirs were a Law unto themselves and I recall a newspaper clipping many years ago with a quote from a Government Minister who was alleged to have said that he was fed up with the Commissioners ‘wrapping themselves in their Royal Warrant’ when they were being brought to book from time to time.
Things did improve in later years when a Chairman was alleged to have said, 'Don’t call me Sir, call me Angus.' But of course he was trying to sell Reorganisation at the time.' - RW Gregor
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The Oral Examination from APO to PO!
Having been successful in the written part of the examination for promotion to the post of Preventive Officer, an Assistant Preventive Officer was called to London to attend the oral part of the examination. He was from one of the North East Coast ports and was due for his interview in the early afternoon, so he travelled down the previous night and took advantage of a night out in London.
Unfortunately he also took advantage of a liquid lunch before the interview. This proved not to be a good idea as when his named was called he entered the room tripped, and ended up spread-eagled on the floor in front of the Panel. Obviously he was covered with confusion and was no longer the Master of his fate.
Question 1. 'Mr X have you been drinking' to which the reply was 'Yes Sir'. 'Get out' said the Chairman.
The following day when he was back in his home port, his CPO asked him how he had fared at the Interview and he said that he had failed albeit that they had only asked him one question and that had been answered correctly! - RW Gregory.
The Reconstruction Examination!
The Reconstruction examinations were held in October 1946, first for the Officer grade, then for APO. I tried both but made a mess of the first, spending too long looking for answers to silly simple questions and did not finish the paper. When the APO exam came up a couple of weeks later, I knew the technique and as a result came higher up the list. Had the examination order been reversed, I could well have ended up as an Officer! I received notification of my success in February 1947, joined in March and went to WTC at Custom House in April. I think I would have been told if my course was the first, but it was certainly not far from it.' - Julian John Metcalfe PO
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