31 July 2019 | Ottawa, Ontario. Weeks after the Coronation Review of the Fleet Commemoration & Anniversary Flight at Boulder Municipal Airport in Boulder, Colorado, singer and songwriter James Blondeau of Airplane Hunters, Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada) and Bomber Command Museum of Canada released and copyrighted a composition with a naval theme. The title of the work is Splice the Main Brace (©), and ironically the completed song was distributed on Black Tot Day 2019. “I always wanted to do a song about the Navy,” he confessed in a message to Military Aviation Chronicles.
Black Tot Day (31 July 1970) marked the final occasion on which the Royal Navy issued sailors with a daily rum ration. This issuance was referred to as “the daily tot”. The Royal Australian Navy had discontinued the rum ration in 1921. The Royal Canadian Navy’s Black Tot Day was 31 March 1972. Notably, the Royal New Zealand Navy continued to provide the alcoholic beverage until 28 February 1990.
Mr. Blondeau’s expressed request follows: “If you know any contacts in the navies or naval organizations in these three countries, let them know about the song.” He added, “I would like the nautical-minded to hear the tune and play the music as a tribute to navy veterans at events.”*
Undoubtedly, the recent 15 June 2019 Coronation Review of the Fleet Commemoration & Anniversary Flight, which featured former Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Grumman Avenger (Bureau Number 53503), provided some measure of inspiration and stimulated the artist’s creative processes. The anti-submarine warfare aircraft now belongs to the Rocky Mountain Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. The sortie took place during the 1940’s WWII Era Ball.
According to Mr. Blondeau, his song “is about the British navy (Royal Navy) and Commonwealth navies that have been drinking rum to celebrate events and the end of wars since before the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.” He explained the background of three verses. “The first references Lord Nelson and Napoleon Bonaparte,” he said.
“The third,” Blondeau stated, “references a Royal Canadian Navy Telegraphist aboard a minesweeper who saw these words [“Splice the Main Brace”] come up on his telegraphic typewriter the end of WWII.”
The Main Brace, a term referring to the rope used as support for the mast(s) that runs from the bow to the top of the mast and back to the deck to join together. Splicing the main brace meant to rejoin two ropes or parts of a rope by interweaving individual strands. This process was very difficult to accomplish, particularly when the ship was pitching and rolling in heavy seas. Thus, captains thought completion of the task merited and justified the issue of a double ration of rum to the crew.
Beginning in 1773, “Splice the main brace” was an order given to designated petty officers and senior ratings (enlisted personnel) to issue an alcoholic drink and over time it became a daily announcement. Additionally, the command could convey the granting of an extra ration of traditional rum or grog. The practice has also been utilised to note a royal birth, a visit aboard by the Sovereign, a signal victory, or to calm sailors before a battle.
Mr. Blondeau explained that the fifth verse “alludes to the future and the reason why the naval forces of Canada, United Kingdom and the United States defend the free nations.” Obviously, maintaining democracies requires free and open access to ocean shipping lanes and ensuring unfettered passage of shipping is a never ending undertaking.
Audio of and lyrics to Splice the Main Brace are below.
Splice the Main Brace ©
When Napoleon sent out his war ships for battle. . .
Nelson sent out his great ships for war.
When Trafalgar was won and the battle was over. . .
The Captain cried out, here’s a message for all:
Splice the Main Brace b’ys.
The great war is over. . .
And we are the kings.
We’re the kings of the seas.
Ages of sailors have been here before you. . .
So drink up me byes, so the legends may be.
The Atlantic was cold but the season was ending.
In May 45 in the radio room. . .
On the mine sweeping ship,
It scattered like lightning. . .
The wars over Boys, Here’s a message for you:
Splice the Main Brace b’ys.
The great war is over. . .
And we are the kings.
We’re the kings of the seas.
Ages of sailors have been here before you.
So drink up me boys, so the legends may be.
Now the future has come. . .
And they call on the young ones.
The men and the women. . .
Our forces will call.
If they ask me I’ll tell them. . .
I’m fighting for freedom.
Till the Captain cries out. . .
Here’s a message for all:
Splice the Main Brace b’ys.
The great war is over.
And we are the kings.
We’re the kings of the seas.
Ages of sailors have been here before you.
So drink up me b’ys, so the legends may be.
Splice the Main Brace b’ys.
The great war is over. . .
And we are the kings.
We’re the kings of the seas.
Ages of sailors have been here before you.
So drink up me b’ys, so the legends may be.
James Blondeau may be contacted via the Airplane Hunters website. *Please inform Mr. Blondeau if your organization wishes to employ the song.
_____________________
Military Aviation Chronicles thanks Jim Blondeau and noted maritime artist Peter Rindlisbacher for granting the use of the painting images.
Suggested Viewing
YouTube: ’31st July 1970: Black Tot Day ends the Royal Navy’s daily rum ration’
Sources and Suggested Readings
July 31, 1970: ‘Black Tot Day’ for British sailors as Royal Navy discontinues daily rum ration
Airplane Hunters
https://www.airplanehunters.org/
Battle of Trafalgar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Trafalgar
Black Tot Day Ceremony
https://www.nmrn.org.uk/news-events/events/black-tot-day-ceremony
Black Tot Day
https://www.onthisday.com/photos/black-tot-day
Black Tot Day
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tot_Day
Black Tot Day: rum rations for sailors abolished 45 years ago today
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/10210966/What-became-of-the-drunken-sailor.html
Grog
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grog
Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada)
http://www.57rescuecanada.com/
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Nelson,_1st_Viscount_Nelson
Napoleon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon
Pack, James. Nelson’s Blood: The Story of Naval Rum. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1982.
Peter Rindlisbacher
http://www.rindlisbachermarineart.com/
RNZN and the Rum Issue
http://navymuseum.co.nz/rnzn-and-the-rum-issue/
Telegraph Typewriter
http://jproc.ca/rrp/tel_twriters.html
The History of the Tot
http://readyayeready.com/tradition/tot-history.php
Military Aviation Chronicles 