Talking about Tattoos, I sat in Tatooist's shops all over the world and watched my friends get them but I never would??, I just didn't like them in fact I was on one ship where there was only one other guy besides myself who didn't have a tattoo.

One time in Hong Kong I along with a bunch of other guys of my ship the Australian Frigate HMAS Murchison was living it up in the Fleet Club in the lounge bar when some American sailors joined us, one of them was already half bombed and it turned out they had just visited Australia and at the same time as the Oueen and Duke, this one guy got carried away about all the fuss and ceremonies connected with the Queen's visit and how stupid he thought it all was. "Well" we made sure he had more booze than he could handle and finally passed out, a couple of my Australian shipmates carried him out and across the road to a Tatooist's shop and had Tatooed right across his chest "God Save the Queen". I would have give months pay to have seen that guy's face in the morning. Mauri

Mauri, I hope that guy didn't live on the Falls Road in Belfast. My father had tattoos on his arms and legs. I wish now I had looked at them. In fact, I never, ever examined them. You didn't do that in those days, not a girl anyhow. I only saw whatever was on view. I just remember one was a dagger; I'm sure he had a cross somewhere too. He had a fair number, all part of being in the army at that time. They were in two different colours as well.

Ann,

I remember My Father's tattoos, the dagger, a heart pierced with an arrow, a dagger, his Army badge etc & others I forget.

Crossing the Border they got us through many check points when the soldiers stopped us, as they recognised his tattoos from the various countries of the war. They always saluted Dad so there must have been a sign there.

So they come in useful sometimes, tho' I hate them on girls & too many on men.

Pat

Me too Pat, I see more and more young girls with their arms or back of the neck covered in tattoos, I think it is repulsive myself. Mauri

Mauri & Pat, we are the older generation now. We're probably repeating what our parents or grandparents would have said when Teddy boys and girls appeared, when Elvis gyrated his pelvis, miniskirts - I could go on. It's the latest fashion, that's all. We're a different generation. That's the way it goes.