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Elsewhere on this site, the subject of the Royal Navies unique language is to be dealt with. Such language is liberally populated with technical terms of all descriptions, many of which are based on acronyms, shortened or alternative descriptions of an object or thing. Which through common usage has become a proper word.

 There are many published dictionaries, which give reference to the various languages connected to the sea or glossaries of such naval terms. Occasionally these include within the body of text various nicknames by which individuals, friends and ships are referred to.

Such inclusion is technically incorrect, as nicknames are not by definition words, but rather consensual references. Yet their inclusion in such worthy volumes is also useful and interesting.

Yet again because of the speed at which this living language changes, the reason why those 'nicknames' flood in and out of fashion, is not generally known or appreciated. But some will have existed for centuries and others change in relation to public characters.

For certain, in the first instance, the use of a nickname, is based on convenience, affection and friendship. But more extensively within the service, there are times when you call another man Sir, or by using his rank or its accepted abbreviation , like Bosun, Chief or 'hooky' rather. than to call him by his full rank and surname. Whilst on other situations an affectionate label like laddie or oppo is preferred.

Further down the scale, in friendship, we should know his forename, but in the RN such forename is often replaced by a more generalised denominator, such as chalkie, taff or scouse. Such familiar terms are easily worked out, when all you know of a person in uniform, is the name on his No 8 shirt pocket or the way he behaves or the accent he carries in his conversation. Whatever identifier you pick, there is a nickname to match.

Where your oppos are referred to by such term's so too are th ships in which we serve. Also listed here is a very incomplete table of the names which people speak of the vessels on which  the serve or have served. For others outside that group to be that familiar is judged on the context of the reference, but woe be tide anyone who uses such name in derision. 

 

MEN

Thus a mans nicknames were chosen to represent a physical quality, charateristic or the given name itself, or in direct contradiction or appreciation of opposites. Thus a very large man might earn the name 'tiny'. Whilst there are many people walking around known by names that do not appear on their birth certificates.

The profillic use of such nicknames in the RN, means that we seldom refer to anybody by their given fore names, and seek to apply some other identity. This may simply be the smoothing of a given surname by the addition of an 'E' sounding suffix or by a universally recognised alternative (vide chalky instead of White), & (Bill for Bailey). etc.

With such offering, made in humour or affection. Their use once given is univeral and almost impossible to break.

At this current time it is not intended to provide a list of sailors nicknames. As there are many other places such things are listed.

SHIPS

What we apply to our 'oppos' so we also address to the ships we serve in. Nicknames given to ships, again have great historical connections, although the reasons why some names have been attached are often lost in time, but again, the RN sailor seldom questions such reference but tends to freely adopt it. Although more often affection ally earned, such names can be derogatory and scornful. If the vessel is considered to be unlucky.

Generally though a ships, nickname arises for various reasons, some of them obvious. Sometimes simply a shortening or humorous derivation though very often it is to simplify a difficult unpronounceable name. ON other occasions it is simply a matter of word substitution, such as Smoke for London. It is in that area, that we often have difficulty in recalling or remembering the original associations.

For example complex ships names, like those named after Greek Gods, are often simplified so the Bellerophon becomes the Billy Ruffian. In this way, the men, can at times of stress, get their tongues around the name and thus the rallying call 'Ruffins to me' - is straight forward and obvious, "What Ship" - 'The Billy Ruffian' - or ashore when talking to you mates it becomes the 'Belly R'

In certain cases, ships when very formerly spoken of are always proudly given their proper names, but are otherwise, always affectionately  referred to with the diminutive and affectionate nickname, thus Ark Royal becomes The Ark. The ship is seldom ever referred to in other terms. On the other hand another capital ship, The Invincible will in nearly every context, retain its formal name, but socially and affectionately referred to as the Invinci-bubble. This would also be true with the Nelson , which from a ships boat would always be referred to in full but perhaps after a run of shore a sailor might say, 'lets get back to the nel ' or 'old nelly'

How each form of address is applied in daily usage is generally obvious, and with a little familiarity and care is easily practised, without error.

In postscript, some silly names like Pansy or Peony, are either carried in defiant pride or are completly altered, remembering of course, that ashore the sailors display the ships name on their tally. Other ships like HMS Western Super Mare are at all times too much of a mouthful, and are commonly and frequently altered or shortened by necessity. Humorously being changed to become Aggie on Horseback but usually referred to as just Aggie, although to avoid conflicting with the Sailors homes of Aggie Weston, might simply became the Old Mare.

Once a nickname is applied, it will be carried by successive ships of that name - However in some instances The reason or usage is commented on in the third coloumn of the table.

Naval Air Stations are always referred to by their geographical location and not by ship name - except in the formal sense - Air Station names are not nicknames. You can be drafted to RNAS Culdrose but never to Cul-D

P.S. When talking of an 'Oppo' it invariably will be said he served with "old ?? from the 'ood". Alternatively any old granddad 'sea daddy' or elderly PO, wil be reputed to have served with "Old Fucky off the 'ood", to emphasise his age.

In compiling this table I owe thanks to L/S Nobby Hall who served 1979 -2002 for a list of 28 ships. These are annotated in the remarks column by (N)

SHIP	NICKNAME	REMARKS
Achilles	Egg Shell.
Adelaide (HMAS)	delayed
Agamemnon	Aggie
Agincourt	Gin Palace
Andromache	Andrew Mack
Andomeda	Androm	(N) c. 1980-90's
Amphitrite	'Am and Tripe
Anson	Annie
Argus -	The Hatbox; The Diity Box	In reference to the original shape of the WW1 carrier.
Ark Royal	The Ark	Always The Ark unless Formal
Audacious	'Ow Dare She
Aurora	Roarer
Avenger	The Wrath/Raw or Raw Wrath	(N) 1980-90's
Bacchante	Bagshanty	(N) 1980-90's
Barfleur	Bellflower
Battleaxe	Old Biddy	(N) 1980-90's
Bellerophon	Billy Ruffian; Belly R
Bermuda	The Berma Doo	(N) 1980-90's
Bicester	The Bistro Or - We-re The gravy Boys (Bisto)	(N) 1980-90's
Bonaventure (HMCS)	Bonnie
Brilliant	Not so	(N) 1980-90's
Brisbane(HMAS)	Five Mile Sniper; Steel Cat
Cardiff	The Taff	(N) 1980-90's
Centurion	Century one
Ceylon	Tea Boat
Charybdis	The Cherry B.	Also (N) 1980-90's
HM Dockyard Chatham-	Tiddly Chats
Drake (RN Barracks Plymouth)	Jago's Mansions	1930's from Warrant Officer Jago who introduced cafeteria messing (N) circa. 1990's
Chrysanthemum	Christmas Anthem
Churchill	Winston	(N) 1980-90's
Cleopatra	Cleo	(N) 1980-90's
Conqueror-	Corn Curer
Courageous-	Outrageous
RNAS Culdrose	Cul-D
Cumberland	The fighting Snorker (sausage)	(N) 1980-90's
Curacoa	Cocoa  or Cocoa Boat	Thanks to Albert (John) Solly who was aboard when the ship was rundown by the Queen Mary for supplying 'Cocoa'
Cyclops	Old One-Eye
Dido	The Dildo or Rubber Hubby	(N) 1980-90's but only usually when not serving aboard
Dreadnought	Dreado
Effingham	Puffington
Emperor of India	E of I
HMS Excellent	Whaley (the Naval Gunnery School)	From the island on which the Naval Gunnery School is located - Always referred to as Whaley, and never excellent unless in strictly formal situation, where you would use the HMS prefix.
Explorer	Exploder
Formidable-	Formy
Fraser (HMCS)	Fraser Blade
Furious	Furibox; Curious
Galatea	The Black Pig	(N) 1980-90's
Glamorgan	The Glam The Glamorous Organ (Other related non complimentary terms)	(N) 1980-90's BS
Glorious	Uproarious
Gloucester	Fighting G
Hermione	Ermy-one
Hecate	He-Cat
Hood	The Mighty Hood
Hotspur	Tottenham
Howe	Any Blooming (?) How
Illustrious	Lusty
Indefatigable -	Indefat or occasionally The Indy
Indomitable	Indom
Inflexible	Inflex
Invincible	The Invince but more often Invincibubble
Iphigenia	Niffy Jane
Iron Duke	Tin Duck
Juno/Jupiter	Raving or Dodgy J	(N) 1980-90's
King George V'th	Kay-Gee-Five
RNAS Lee-On-Solent	Always referred to as Lee and seldom anything else
Liverpool	The Pool - or affectionately The Crazy Red Chicken	The later derived from the Liver bird emblem, sported on the funnel.
London	The Smoke
Lord Nelson	Nelly
Majestic	Magic Stick	(N) 1980-90's
Magnificent	Maggie
Manchester	The Manky Twat/ Bastard	(N) 1980-90's
Mersey	Misery
Minotaur	Minny-tor
Marlborough	Marlyboro
Nelson	Nel Nelly
Newcastle	The (wee) Geordie	(N) 1980-90's
Nipigon (HMCS)	Trawler Mauler
Northumberland	Northo
Penelope	Pepper-pot	From the funnels of the early cruiser.
Penzance	Jolly Roger Pirate	(N) 1980-90's
Polyphemus	One eye
Princess Royal	Pretty Royal
Queen Elizabeth	Big Lizzie
Repair	Refit
Resolution	Reso
Restigouche HMCS – Rusty Guts
Rodney - Rodnol
Royal Sovereign - Tiddley Quid
Saguenay HMCS	Saggy Pants
Scylla	Toothless Terror
Seraphim	Sea Orphan
Sheffield	Shiny Sheff	From its Association with Sheffield Cutlery
Sirius	Silly Ass	(N) 1980-90's
Spartiate	Sparty-arty
Stuart (HMAS)	Tartan Terror
Superb	Supr 'B'	(N) 1980-90's
Tartar	Lucky Tartar
Thetis	Tea Chest
Trafalgar	Raglafart ot Traffie
Vengeance	Lord's Own
Venerable	Archdeacon
Victorious	Victor
Warspite	Stodger; the Old Lady; The Grand Old Lady
Weston-Super-Mare	Aggie-on-a-horseback; The Old Mare
Wetaskiwin HMCS	Wet Ass Queen
York	The Yorkie	(N) 1980-90's

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ALL Other Words Gratefully received