Mess Dinner Tradition

[geo]

good point,
Mixed dining-in & / or formal dining-in wouldn't require much in the way of a head table, guests of honour, toasts and whatever.
Full blown mess dinner.... whoa!!

Note that some units & messes have mess dinners every year to comemorate a battle, an armistice or something of the sort while others will only have mess dinners at the retirement of a CO or RSM.

Note that many mess' have a lot (dwindling) of older members who do not have the same bladder control as a strapping young fella has (before he reaches 50). To impose and expect our respected guests to "tie a knot in it" is not really reasonnable IMHO...

Messes have adressed this in many creative ways - respecting protocol while having respect for the old timers........ and inserting the Toast to the Queen earlier on in the dinner is a very valid alternative.

 

[dutchie]

At our annual Men's Dinner, the expectation of remaining in your seat until the toast to the Queen only applies to serving members and potential recruits. Vets and Association members can get up to visit the washroom if they like, but even still, all try and hold it.

 

[George Wallace]

The Annual Men's Dinner may be held in the Mess, but it really isn't a Mess Dinner.   Mess Dinners are more formal, and seldom have guests other than those a the Head Table, so many of the points being made about the problems with people's bladders are not really as prevalent as in other formal dining-ins.  

 

[Edward Campbell]

You may want to consider that our 21st century dinner night* customs reflect (but do not mirror) the general, civilian dining customs of the high Victorian and Edwardian periods.

Officers were gentlemen and gentlemen dined in some state, most evenings, even 'at home.'  The modern tuxedo is a take-off of the Edwardian dinner jacket â “ which was meant to be informal wear: not requiring a tail-coat and stiff, boiled front shirt.

In the '50s and '60s, in the Canadian Army, we still observed full, formal dinner rituals at 'mess dinners' and we had a more relaxed 'dining in' format.

Mess Dinner:

o Mess kit for serving members (patrols allowed for the most newly joined subalterns whose tailors had yet to finish the mess jacket);

o White tie/tail coat for civilians and retired officers;

o Sherry/whiskey before dinner;

o Seven course dinner plus a sorbet between the fish and red meat courses and a savoury at the end;

o Port and brandy for/after toasts and cigars â “ the subalterns did not leave the table until the port was all gone; and

o Bandy in the ante room.

Dining-in Night:

o Black tie (tuxedo) or patrol dress for officers whose tailor had not yet finished the black tie;

o Black tie for civilian s and retired members, too;

o Sherry/whiskey before dinner;

o Five or six course dinner; and

o Port and brandy â “ but maybe lesser quantities.

The distinctions were real â “ dining-in nights were informal and relaxed.  Mess dinners were events and they were parades, too.

An late Victorian/Edwardian gentlemen (circa 1900) would have known all the routines and rituals of an RCR Mess Dinner 65 years later; he would have known exactly what to do, etc and he would have felt very much at home â “ although he might have commented on the relative paucity of serving staff.

We change our customs with time â “ to make them work for us.  Some of our dining customs of 40 years ago are neither desirable nor affordable in 2005 so COs and RSMs change the rules as they see fit.  That is how it should be.

The purpose of any dinner night is to enjoy good fellowship with mess-mates; there may be additional 'aims' like entertaining guests.  No matter what the event we remain ladies and gentlemen, be we corporals or colonels.  We should, especially in our 'homes,' conduct ourselves accordingly.
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* They went by many names: mess dinner, guest night, dining-in, dinner night, etc.

 

[geo]

Well said Edward
you've hit the nail on the head.

Chimo!

 

[rifleman]

I liked no washroom breaks, it limited the speeches as the speech makers were usually older and their bladders filled first. Now they give the break and speeches go forever. Save the talks for the Bar area I say!!! The Engineers have it right no speeches at a mess dinner.

 

[Danjanou]

o Bandy in the ante room.

"Bandy"  in the ante room?

Is this a particular custom of the RCRs?

Exactly who or what is a "bandy" might one ask?

Now this sounds like a mess dinner tale worth hearing, then again maybe not this is a family site ;D

Don't you just hate typos.

 

[Sig_Des]

Ah...and Danjanou has just demonstrated the proper application of sarcasm to cut a post to pieces using only the lack of one letter in a word.

Well done >

 

[the 48th regulator]

I too thought it odd that he would spell such a a sweet elixir incorrectly, until I realized this is what he truly meant...

ban ·dy
tr.v. ban ·died, ban ·dy ·ing, ban ·dies

To toss or throw back and forth.
To hit (a ball, for example) back and forth.

To give and receive (words, for example); exchange: The old friends bandied compliments when they met.
To discuss in a casual or frivolous manner: bandy an idea about.

dileas

tess


EDITED FOR TRULY ATROCIOUS SPELLING, DUE TO SKIVING OF TIME AT WORK

 

[Sig_Des]

wow....

I stand corrected, and will bow to Edwards higher locution, and am humbled by 48th Regulator's phraseology ;D

 

[geo]

careful.....
he won't be able to get his helmet on

 

[Edward Campbell]

"Bandy"   in the ante room?

Is this a particular custom of the RCRs?

Exactly who or what is a "bandy" might one ask?

Now this sounds like a mess dinner tale worth hearing, then again maybe not this is a family site ;D

Don't you just hate typos.

There is, thanks to all in the heavens, but one Royal Canadian Regiment, members of The RCR (everything about Canada's First and Finest, including the The, always being capitalized) do not make typos; they do, ocassionally, leave little tests to see who is paying attention to detail.

And thanks, Tess; I owe you one.

 

[Sig_Des]

ocassionally

"Ocassionally", eh?   ;D another test?

 

[Danjanou]

Touche Edward, touche. the bandy or Brandy, your preference, is on me at the next get together.

 

[the 48th regulator]

Edward My friend, it would be an honor to be able to bandy about with you one day!

 

 

dileas

tess

 

[DG-41]

the subalterns did not leave the table until the port was all gone

As is right and proper. No sense letting all that good port go to waste!

Although Ye Gods, this was one thing where "lead by example" caused me way more pain than anticipated.....

DG