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 Deckscrap A hundred troops are milling round Port side entry to the Latrine Yard. The hot word's out a Deckscrap! Between two lads with grudges Unhealable by passive words. Inside the yard a circle of faces urge the battlers on –– a Scouser wacker From down d’Dingle—hard as nails versus a tight Glaswegian poison–dwarf Used tae Santoying aboot wi'th'Baltic Fleet doon aroon' The wally closes o'Gorbals. It was street–fighting at its fast and sickening best. Two rock–hard lads vying for a Leading Hand's position. The Scouse went doon. nose–dived, pole–axed By the head–butt bullet o' a Scots Knock.

© Bill Meilen & Ravensong International 2007.