What do the RAF call British Army personnel?

Dragoner

I imagine the Royal Air Force is above using vulgar names to describe British Soldiers.

The Royal Navy on the other hand have no such qualms. Their word for a British Soldier = PONGO - a small brown furry animal.

rowdy

Pongos.

Ellie

My boyfriend- ex RAF twenty five years- says the best thing to say is nothing- not if you want to keep your head on your shoulders!

David R

Pongoes because everywhere they go the pong goes with them. I was in RAF for 20 years and this rivalry is the strength of the forces.

Beastie

Pongo. You lot are Crabfat, they're Pongo's, Marines are Bootnecks.
I don't know what you lot call the Navy, we're just the Senior Service anyway. Matelot's, possibly, or Jack. But since they're both names we refer to ourselves with they're probably not the right ones.

I've got no idea why you get called Crabfat though. Pongo's, as someone pointed out, is because where they go the pong follows.

bert

After all as the junior service you must grin and bear it !!

Answer Me!

Pongo.
The reason that the Army calls the RAF 'crabs' is actually nothing to do with the Army, but originated in the Royal Navy. Crabfat was a paint that was used on warships and it was the same hideous grey/blue that is used in the RAF uniform. It's generally shortened to "crab" as in "get that crab off my ship" or "bloody crabs".
Get used to the banter - you've got a whole career's worth to come....

PS I've never heard anyone refer to the Navy as "Paddy Bashers"! Matelots or Jack are the only ones I have ever heard.

Neil R - you forgot Cabbage-head is used for Booties as well. Also Sludgemariner for Sundodgers.

LadyMoonlight!!

Pongos = Army

Paddle Bashers = Navy

Flyboys = RAF

Neil R

PONGOS - ARMY
CRABFATS - RAF
MATELOS - RN
BUBBLEHEADS - DIVERS
SKIMMERS - SURFACE FLEET
FISH HEADS - SURFACE FLEET
SUN DODGERS - SUBMARINERS
BOOTNECK - MARINE

There are a few we use in the navy there are many more!!!

scallywag

Brown Jobs if they are army, Boot necks if they are marines.

Nothing because were the heart and soul of all the Armed forces. Be The Best.

NCC

it depends on personality, i think. my father's stationed at an raf base, but he's not british.

not singing the yahoo tune

going back to the 70s and 80s when l served we used to refer to the army as pongo's and the wrac's and wraf's were known as buckets

trucker j

as an ex soldier we used to call new army recruits CROWS which means COMBAT, RECRUIT, OF, WAR

Northern Spriggan

Not sure but heres what they think of the RAF!
http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/RAF

Its pongo
http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Pongos

nikitas743

Pongo - "Where the Army goes, the pong goes"

tortoisewatch

I don't know about The RAF but the Navy calls them crap hats or squaddies mind you the Navy Calls RAF person ell Penguins because only 1 in a million flies

steven_costa10

The Army's nick name is Pongo's but its not a a small brown fury animal like Dragoner said. It refur's to the Army's militry standard's. The whole thing goes like this. Where ever they go the pong goes. Pongo's for short.

JOANNE M

well you could call them pongos thats what itis

Click Simple

Cannon fodder!!

Rob K

Why not extend the hand of cultural friendship and just ask them? You could be the first person to study this kind of inter-military banter and rivalry.

Wade H

Please Use Nothing.

Rise above it chap. Your going to be a professional.

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