Simviation Forum - Senior Service

Jul 16^th, 2004 at 8:59pm

Webb Ex Member
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British friends, please tell me what a "Senior Service" is. The Elvis Costello song left me nowhere, but a couple of novels have left me believing it is some sort of cigarette. Google was not much help.

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Reply #1 - Jul 16^th, 2004 at 11:56pm

Smoke2much Offline
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The Senior Service is the Royal Navy. It is something to do with the fact that the Navy has been Commanded by the Admiralty since Henry VIII and until the late 1640's (or later !) each British regiment only lasted as long as the Colonel commanding it and thus there was no permanant army.

The RAF came about slightly later LOL.

Will

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Reply #2 - Jul 17^th, 2004 at 1:47am

Webb Ex Member
I Like Flight Simulation!

Will, that desn't jive with what I'm reading - I got the impression from Anthony Burgess that a Senior Service was a brand of cigarette.

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Reply #3 - Jul 17^th, 2004 at 1:52am

Hagar Offline
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Quote:

British friends, please tell me what a "Senior Service" is. The Elvis Costello song left me nowhere, but a couple of novels have left me believing it is some sort of cigarette. Google was not much help.

I don't know about the song but I think that the "Senior Service" in the novels would be the cigarette. These were the untipped variety & (I believe) one of the brands issued to servicemen during WWII. I used to smoke them at one time. The alternative was Player's Navy Cut or Capstan Full Strength,. These brands went out of fashion when tipped cigarettes became popular in the 1960s but some are still available if you look around.

This shows the well-known Senior Service logo but it seems to be a later narrow type pack & not the wider flat packet I was familiar with.

PS. Hi Will. I'm surprised you didn't know this. I suppose you're too young to remember them. Wink

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Reply #4 - Jul 17^th, 2004 at 3:44am

Scorpiоn Offline
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For some reason, I found all this info fascinating.

I must be thankful for Webb's ignorance! Wink

The Devil's Advocate.&&

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Reply #5 - Jul 17^th, 2004 at 4:02am

Hagar Offline
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Quote:

For some reason, I found all this info fascinating.

I would never encourage anyone to smoke but there are long traditions attached to it. Cigarettes were issued free to servicemen during wartime & the brand names go back into history. I imagine this would make reading older novels a tad confusing unless you know about them.

Strangely enough I heard a new song the other day either entitled or with some reference to "Woodbine Willie". Wills Woodbines were a famous brand of cheaper cigarettes & the name "Woodbine" or "Wood" was often used for any brand. The original "Woodbine Willie" was an army chaplain who became a legend in the trenches during WWI. http://www.leedsparishchurch.org.uk/woodbine/woodbinewillie.htm

PS. This is the original Woodbine packet.

This is why they were so popular.
Quote:

Wills, Wild Woodbine were originally sold in packets of five. Packets of 10 were introduced in 1916 and packets of 20 were introduced in 1930. The packet of five was still available up until 1973.

A packet of 5 Woods were held to One Penny until 1915 when a farthing was added to the price. This was only to last till Feb 1920 when the price soared two Two Penny. This price was maintained till 1939.

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Reply #6 - Jul 17^th, 2004 at 2:54pm

Scorpiоn Offline
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Again, this was fascinating.

I do suppose it the history behind all these brand names. I do wonder where Marlboro ciggies get their name from.

I heard a whole volley of name history on the radio the other day, although I can only recollect two at the moment.

Cracker Jack - The first man to taste the as-of-yet unnamed product declared, "This is cracker jack!" As cracker jack was slang for very good back in the day. Ask Fozzer for the year. Wink

Victoria's Secret - Done as a jest to Queen Victoria. As women were still very covered in that time, it was scandalous to insinuate what the Queen preferred as her undergarments.

Bless our useless knowledge! Grin

The Devil's Advocate.&&

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Reply #7 - Jul 18^th, 2004 at 3:11am

Hagar Offline
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Quote:

Again, this was fascinating.

I do suppose it the history behind all these brand names.

Fascinating indeed.

Quote:

I do wonder where Marlboro ciggies get their name from.

This is the Internet. You can find out most things if you know where to look. Wink

You might find this surprising.
Quote:

The Marlboro cigarettes story began in 1847 and was marketed mainly to women in London. This marketing strategy did not go over so well. In the 1920's, Marlboro cigarettes were then introduced to the American market as the cigarette of choice for women. It was also advertised as a mild cigarette. The Marlboro cigarettes brand never gained sufficient traction amongst smokers and was eventually taken off the market during World War II.

http://www.cheap-cigarettes.com/marlboro-cigarettes/

Quote:

Bless our useless knowledge! Grin

Amen to that.

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Reply #8 - Jul 18^th, 2004 at 9:06am