Crabs

Jackspeak - A guide to Royal Navy and Royal Marines Slanguage.

Crab - A Member of the RAF - Crab Air - The Royal Air Force.

Original nickname for a member of the RAF following that service's formation on April 1st 1918 by an enforced marriage between the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. The colour of RAF uniforms is supposed to have resulted from the diversion of a huge but cancelled export order for the Tsar's Imperial Guard following the previous year's revolution in Russia. This light blue gray colour was identical in colour to the greasy mercuric oxide jelly (crab-fat) which was widely issued at the time for the treatment of body lice - Crabs. The descriptive term of Crabfats is still widely used by Naval/Royal Marine Aviators.

Crabs are also known as 'Civvies in uniform,' as with John Lewis they are never knowingly caught living in discomfort. On one occasion 200 miles inside the Arctic circle I wandered into the heads (Bathrooms) and wandered out immediately to call my mates. There, shaving, in all his glory was a Harrier pilot wrapped up to keep warm in silk PJs and a silk dressing gown.; he was somewhat dismayed by the appreciative cat-calls and smirks from 5 Royal Marines wearing nothing but flip flops. He obviously had not passed his Arctic Survival course.

Crabs get upset if you walk past them sideways. They are also the keepers of the great god RAF and his big 'Gonome Bird,' which is usually broken and has to be replaced by a civilian contractor.