Jim Mason
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Mexico CityJanuary to May 1975
Britannia was on a series of Royal visits, covering Madiera, Antigua, the Bahamas,Mexico, Belize,The Bay Islands, Honduras, New Orleans, Bermuda, Jamaica, the Azores and home.
The State visit to Mexico was between 24th and 27th February, and the band was privileged to travel from Cozumel to Mexico City in the President's private (and very luxurious!) plane. Accomodation for the band was in a very large hotel in the centre of Mexico City.
The business of the State Visit went well, apart from some very frustrating delays and some minor cases of altitude sickness, for which the British Embassy provided emergency oxygen masks. The facilities of the hotel included on the third floor, a "Night Club" staffed by a number of "Hostesses" and the members of the band (by Charles Darwin's theory of Natural Selection) did gravitate to this facility late at night.
On the morning we were due to leave, our bus arrived on time, and I noted that the "ladies" from the third floor had all congregated at the hotel foyer to say "Goodbye" to the band. As we were about to drive off, a policeman approached me and informed me that one of the "ladies" had, during the celebrations the previous night, had her dress torn off by one of the musiciians, and we could not leave until the dress had been paid for.
In my most official manner, I told the driver to ignore this and drive off.
The policeman then produced a hand gun, which he presented at my chest and said "You pay, or I shoot!" At this point, I decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and decide to appeal to the better nature of the rest of the band. I remember sayimg "The position appears to be that either someone pays for this dress, ot I get shot!"
The band held a quick conference ( I was a bit surprised that they even had to discuss it!) and decided that the tactful thing to do would be to pay the lady and get to hell out of Mexico City. Unfortunately, the guilty person (who shall be forever unidentified) did not have enough Mexican currency to pay the bill, so a collection was organised (to which I very gratefully subscribed) and I duly presented the lady with the proceeds.
The policeman stowed his gun away, shook hands and said "Thank You"
finally giving me a very smart Mexican salute (no joke intended) and we drove off.
The final irony was that, as we drove away, we watched the lady in question, tear up the currency notes and throw them in the gutter
I have often speculated since, as to what would have happened if we had not paid up. Perhaps there would have been an unexpected vacancy for a Director of Music!!
Jim Mason
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Co-admin
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Re: Mexico CityThank you for that one Sir but it serves her right!
| Jim Mason wrote: | | had her dress torn off by one of the musician |
She should have just let him wear it rather than try ripping it off him 
These foreign types just don't have the same sense of decency as us... pulling a gun on an officer, I ask you. THAT is what the Drum Major and Bugle Major are for, mind you, the lads would probably have a whip round to pay for the bullet 
Captain Dowrick has also informed me that you have quite a few dits to tell  don't be shy
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GeoffComber
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| Quote: | | Captain Dowrick has also informed me that you have quite a few dits to tell don't be shy |
Yes , please can we hear the truth about why you were banned from wearing shorts on the Yot ?
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Aaron Aardvark
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waaahhhhhh :smt046
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