St Andrew's Day Hong Kong Style by Wendy H. Jones

 

Now, before you think I've come over all patriotic the idea for this blog came to me as we are fast heading for St.Andrew's Day - 30th November to be precise. This took me back to a rather spectacular St Andrew's  Day dinner in Hong Kong. It just so happened that in 1991 I happened to be the messing member for the Officers Mess at BMH Hong Kong. There also happened to be a regimental dinner on the 30th November and not only was the messing member Scottish but also the matron and deputy matron. This fortuitous set of circumstances meant that the dinner just had to be Scottish from start to finish as the messing member had full control over the menu. 

I won't go into detail regarding the discussion with the chef over the menu. Let's just say he felt it may be a tad on the heavy side. Reading between his very lengthy lines I think his thoughts turned to the where does this blasted (other words are available) officer think I'm going to scare up all of this in Hong Kong? Suffice to say, I won the battle and the menu went as follows

Scotch Broth

Haggis with a whisky chaser

Fillet of Scotch beef

Athol Brose

Scottish cheese board.

I took my hat off to the chef when he managed the whole lot including the haggis. To say I was dumbfounded would be an understatement. The dinner was a triumph; everyone present said it made a great change and the celebratory mood was palpable. You can always rely on the AMS to enter into the spirit of any party. Whether the beef was actually Scottish is open to debate but after the whisky chaser I'm not entirely sure anyone cared. I had a blast, as did everyone else and I seem to remember some Scottish singing at the end, although my memories of that may be hazy. 

About the Writer

 

Wendy H. Jones served as a Nursing Officer in the QARANC between 1987 and 2004 leaving with the rank of Major. She never went on an operational tour but undertook many exercises as well as serving in numerous units in both the UK and overseas. Hong Kong and Jerusalem had to be two of the highlights. Moving into nurse education, she was proud to have served as Tri-Service Head of Pre-Registration Nurse Education. This brought her full circle to where she started as a student nurse in the QARNNS. She is now an author and lives in Scotland.