Introduction - 0 View from above upon arrival - 1 First Akbar door - 2 Gear - 3 Meeting the Division - 4 First Communion at Akbar - 5 Shepherd - 6 Lights out - 7 Vultures - 8 Get h’on Parade! - 9 Bandy - 10 Wakey–wakey! - 11 Smartening rig - 12 Economy Star - 13 Poetry Club - 14 The Writer - 15 The Skipper - 16 Boating - 17 Seamanship - 18 The Skipper's Kippers - 19 Moot Court - 20 Dirty Mary - 21 Cross–country - 22 Sailorboy - 23 Church Parade - 24 Fellini fragment on Jildy - 25 Deckscrap - 26 Cinderella Days - 27 Long Tom for 'Dead Men' - 28 Waiting for Podmore - 29 Akbar - 30 The Path - 31 Gear He got his gear in Bootroom Two, Port side Sluiced himself coldly down in Ablutions Said 'Ffarwel' to all of his straight brown hair. Togged up in cotton gun–shirt, blue cord shorts Gray–blue knee–high stockings and heavy boots. Then learned to wriggle into a jumper Of virgin navy wool, its sleeves unmarked And under–tied blue jean Navy collar Topped with a Port and Starboard matelot cap Black Navy silk with tie–tapes on the bridge. Already trained to move by Army drills He knows how to stand up straight and steady Yet has to learn the smoother naval ways Growled leatherneck gutturals from Jildy Before becoming of The Jungle Book.

© Bill Meilen & Ravensong International 2007.