Hedley Malloch Posted 25 June , 2017 Share Posted 25 June , 2017 I have come across a note on a soldier's record which says that he was 'a clean man'. This is in the section of his papers in which his employment prospects are assessed. What was meant by this phrase? Did it simply apply to his personal cleanliness, his habits ... or what? The date is 1914. The fact that the term was used at all implies that there were some some soldiers who were not clean, but I find it difficult to believe that the Edwardian army would have tolerated dirty ones. Many thanks in advance for all help received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madgarry Posted 25 June , 2017 Share Posted 25 June , 2017 I think it means he didnt drink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BullerTurner Posted 28 June , 2017 Share Posted 28 June , 2017 Clean in this context probably refers to an element of moral probity. Jack London refers to a clean young girl in into the abyss. Her claim to cleanliness is that she doesn't drink spirits...well not in a public house of course! In military references you often see the expressions "clean" and "smart" used to refer to the same soldier. Smart means usually that they were well turned out but clean is more often, in my experience, a reflection on their decency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Malloch Posted 1 July , 2017 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2017 The soldier was a lance sergeant, 20 years service and the only blemishes on his record were two drunkenness offences and a three month desertion to sort out some family problems, No lost kit, no late returns from leave, no making a noise in the barracks after lights out, no striking a comrade. And definitely no VD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tullybrone Posted 7 July , 2017 Share Posted 7 July , 2017 (edited) Just watching Charge of The Light Brigade on TV and Lord Cardigan (Trevor Howard) asks his Sergeant Major (Norman Rossington) in the riding school if a soldier is "a clean man" and on receiving an affirmative reply Cardigan says "I'll have him as a trumpeter then". If the words used in this exchange are an accurate representation of the pre Crimean British Army then the phrase clearly pre dates the Edwardian Army. Steve Y Edited 7 July , 2017 by tullybrone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Malloch Posted 8 July , 2017 Author Share Posted 8 July , 2017 From the posts here, it appears to mean that he had no vices. His service record bears that out. Steve Y, BullerTurner, Gary - many thanks to you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BullerTurner Posted 8 July , 2017 Share Posted 8 July , 2017 21 hours ago, tullybrone said: If the words used in this exchange are an accurate representation of the pre Crimean British Army then the phrase clearly pre dates the Edwardian Army. Indeed, it goes back into Georgian times (the mad one and Fat Boy...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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