Battle of Portaloo
Army captain bomb stripped squad naked and locked in toilet by drunk troops faces huge bill after smashing his way out in the...
WITH a hole ripped through a wall and debris littering the floor, it looks like the aftermath of an explosion – appropriately, perhaps, as this scene is inside the barracks of an Army bomb disposal unit.
But the devastation was actually the work of a captain, who smashed his way out of a disabled toilet after being stripped naked by his men and barricaded inside it during a drunken prank.
Trapped inside for six hours, and with his men refusing to let him out, the officer tore out the ceramic toilet and a steel handrail and used them to batter his way to freedom.
He is now being investigated by military police and is facing a bill for thousands of pounds for the damage.
The incident took place at Carver Barracks in Essex, home to 33 Engineer Regiment, the Army’s leading explosive ordnance disposal and search unit.
Just hours earlier, the officer had attended a formal ceremony to mark the reformation of 49 Field Squadron, which is part of the same regiment. During the UK’s military campaign in Helmand province, its soldiers heroically cleared hundreds of bombs made by the Taliban and ordnance planted by Russian troops during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.
The captain and his soldiers began drinking heavily after the ceremonies last Tuesday. According to Army sources, the junior ranks undressed their officer after he fell asleep in their rooms and carried him into the cubicle.
A source said: ‘When he woke up he started banging on the door, screaming at the blokes to let him out. They replied they’d only let him out if he gave them a pay rise.
‘Then he went on the rampage, demolishing the toilet and repeatedly smashing the rail against one of the walls. He made a big enough dent that he could then hack away at the plaster and climb out. The blokes found it hilarious. He’s in trouble rather than han t hem because e he should never have ave got drunk in their rooms. ooms. Now he’s going to have to pay a hefty fine or pay for the damage.
‘Hopefully, he’ll eventually see the funny side. At least it was an impressive display of initiative, how he used the tools at his disposal to complete a difficult task, while heavily intoxicated.’
The officer left behind a huge pile of masonry in making his escape. Remains of the toilet were also left scattered over the floor. The damage was reported to military police the following morning.
As long as the officer pays for the damage to the toilet, The Mail on Sunday understands he is not expected to face any serious disciplinary action. He is also expected to remain in his post.
As a rule, officers are not supposed to get so drunk with their troops that they cannot control themselves. Top brass believe such behaviour can inspire contempt for commanders among lower ranks. ‘Block parties’, where large numbers of troops gather in their accommodation to drink heavily, are also frowned upon because they occasionally end in violent behaviour and may also involve initiation ceremonies which see junior personnel, or troops who have only recently joined a regiment, being f orced t o commit unpleasant acts against their will in a bid to be accepted by their colleagues.
The Army said: ‘We are aware of an incident at Carver Barracks, Wimbish, Essex. It is being investigated by the Royal Military Police.’