Military brothels...

[Lancer44]

I'm almost sure that my yesterdays post caused server crash by some divine intervention.
Because post disappeared I recreated it.

Topic itself is intended not to discuss soldiers activities in such military establishments but their very existence
often denied by military authorities on Allied and Axis sides.
They were part of military logistic chain. Obviously during the war Home Front was not aware, (or wouldn't want to be aware),
about officially sanctioned military brothels.
I learned about such things listening to one of my father stories when I was old enough to be seated with his friends and listen to some really amusing things.

Just a bit of an explanation. In 1942 and 1943 Iraqi Desert resembled huge tent metropolis with military camps from all nations
fighting on Allied side in North Africa. Baghdad was a very friendly city, which was doing excellent business as the closest place where soldiers could
could go for short term leaves. Longer leaves were usually spent in Cairo, Alexandria or Teheran.

My fathers Polish Carpathian Lancers Regiment had its camp in oasis about 90 miles from Baghdad. Like every Allied unit camp had it's perimeter and was closely guarded - locals loved weapons and were not uncommon to find in the morning that occupants from one tent had their throats slashed and their rifles or Thompsons disappeared.

My father had this day a duty as Guard Commander, when in front of the tent used as a guard house, parked jeep with two British Red Caps.
They wanted to talk. One of them, sargeant had a wallet in his hand; the other Briton held pair of trousers.
Sargeant asked about Captain M.
My father said: - " There is no Captain M in this Regiment".

(He said that, because rank "Captain" was unknown in Polish Cavalry. For cavalry officer being called Captain was an insult.They used traditional "Rotmistrz", which come from German "Rittmeister" or tsarist Russia - "Rotmistr".)

British Sarge flegmatically opened the wallet, took out officers ID and read: "Captain John M, Polish Carpathian Lancers Regiment.
He left trousers with the wallet in the brothel. Girls called us. Everything is there. Even money. Give it back to him."
They handed wallet, trousers, jumped into their jeep and drove out

My father was left with an open mouth. He was just able to say: "Jesus Christ, it is our padre…". Unmistakenly face on ID photo belonged to their regimental chaplain.
After all adventures in Baghdad he was so intoxicated that went out on the street without trousers and fetched ride with Australians. They were always helpful and for them someone without trousers was perfectly normal.

(Some Aussies drove dressed only in their slouch hat or often Polish beret with white eagle - if drinking with the Poles.)

I hope you'll like this story.

Just to start discussion and gather more info, two links:

Love, Sex and War: The Girls They Met 'Over There.' John Costello

And second is a page with British soldier poems - it also mention… guess what? … the brothel!


A British Soldier Remembers WWII- Poems

Cheers,

Lancer44

[Jim O]

Thanks for posting this again after the server failure.

As I said in my lost response yesterday, no doubt if it had not been a priest, the girls would have taken the money and the pants would have been in the trash.

Do you know about the girls who staffed these "official" brothels? The Japanese were heavily criticized for forcing females from conquered areas to work as Comfort women during World War II. The link that you posted seems to discuss women who made the choice based on economics and not at gunpoint.

An interesting article on prostitution around US military bases (once you get past the agenda of the writer): American Military-Base Prostitution

There is evidence that forced prostitution still exists or at least did exist in Korea around US bases:

Base Instincts - TIME Asia Magazine, Aug. 12, 2002

[Lancer44]

Originally Posted by Jim O

Thanks for posting this again after the server failure.

As I said in my lost response yesterday, no doubt if it had not been a priest, the girls would have taken the money and the pants would have been in the trash.

He, he, he ... I don't think. He was an "officer", as a principle "officers ID" of all Western Allies had only service number, rank, unit name + photo.

(I don't know about soviets but I think it was the same).

No any indication about the "real job". Obviously to protect some intelligence, counter intelligence and operational staff.
Principle is principle and once he took crosses from his collar - apparently he never used priests 'dog collar", no girl would distinguish him from any army captain.

From what I heard about him at the front he was right ahead with the grunts with Colt M1911 on his belt, he was not ducking under artillery fire and generally was well liked by soldiers.

Originally Posted by Jim O

Do you know about the girls who staffed these "official" brothels? The Japanese were heavily criticized for forcing females from conquered areas to work as Comfort women during World War II. The link that you posted seems to discuss women who made the choice based on economics and not at gunpoint.

Yes, I know. In North Africa they were "imported" from Vichy Syria after it was taken. (Obviously Allied command did not want to create major muslim uprising by recruiting local women.)
I don't think there was any force applied - they were professionals.
Anyway soldiers paid in real British pounds and there was no tax in Dominions.

I heard that sometimes soldiers risked going into Kasba - area of town closed and forbidden for Allied soldiers.
They were going to various venues looking for exotic adventures. But always with side arms, group of at least ten and also a few Thompsons handy.
Apparently Poles, Czechs, Aussies and Kiwis could do it relatively easy.
Britons had no chance, they were treated as occupiers. Real occupiers.

Situation in Italy was a bit different. I would compare it to utmost economic pressure.
Poverty in which Italians lived was unbelievable. Allied soldiers with their American K rations, cigarettes, chocolate, chewing gum and plenty of food were kings. I remember my father's commander, Major, (bloke with some aristocratic background), saying that bottle of scotch, few chocolates and some SPAM and anyone could sleep with Italian Princess or Baroness.

I can guess that in Germany 1945 was the same situation.

Cheers,

Lancer44