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At random: "I saw the submariners, the way they stood aloof and silent, watching their pigboat with loving eyes. They are alone in the Navy. I admired the PT boys. And I often wondered how the aviators had the courage to go out day after day and I forgave their boasting. But the submariners! In the entire fleet they stand apart!” -- James Michener

Blue Liner Cigarette Issues Moderators: Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]
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Pedro

Posted 2011-09-27 8:46 AM (#51207)

COMSUBBBS

Posts: 2974

Location: Liverpool, England

Subject: Blue Liner Cigarette Issues

Duty Free cigarettes for Royal Navy personnel serving in the UK were known as "Blue Liners" because they had a thin blue line running down the cigarette to identify them as being duty free. The allowance of Blue Liners was 300 per month. This privilege was eventually withdrawn towards the end of 1991 when it was recognised these were not a healthy option anymore. They were issued to seamen at shore bases or to Reserve ships not at sea. Each month every person received 3 cigarette coupons each of which entitled you to 100 cigarettes or a tin of tobacco. As you can imagine your popularity soared if you didn’t smoke as the coupons were extremely tradable when bartering was the order of the day. For example, there was a huge demand by skimmers to own a white submariners sweater and for the right amount of Blue Liners they could have their little hearts desire to pose in and impress the girls with.

A sailor was allowed 25 cigarettes a night whilst on shore and 200 to go on leave with. Once at sea you could buy any brand you cared for at duty free prices but Blue Liners were a godsend if you were shore based. The sailors reckoned they were so cheap at just 3 shillings a hundred - (later 7 shillings a hundred - approx $1), because, they were the sweepings from the factory floor. In the 1960’s you could obtain plain and tipped versions. After they increased the price further, they were often smuggled, and lord help you if you were caught.

Of course in the early days health warnings were not printed on packs, but later packs of ‘RN’ carried them. I remember the CPO Wren who issued them in HMS Dolphin as a real nasty piece of work who couldn't be civil to anyone. One day she closed up her slop shop which was next to the sailmaker's loft and went for lunch. When she came back she found an enormous pair of crotchless canvas knickers had been nailed to her door. She went ballistic but her many enquiries got the usual response from the usual suspects - "Not me Chief." LOL

Pedro

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