Show A Leg
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JoeNavy Staff
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Published on 06/17/2007
Many of our Navy's colorful expressions originated as a practical means of communicating vital information. One such expression is "show a leg".
Show A Leg
Many of our Navy’s colorful expressions
originated as practical means of communicating
vital information. One such expression is “show a leg.”
In the British Navy of King George III and
earlier, many sailors’ wives accompanied them on
long voyages. This practice caused a multitude of
problems, but some ingenious bosun solved one
problem that tended to make reveille a hazardous
event: that of distinguishing which bunks held
males and which held females.
To avoid dragging the wrong “mates” out of
the rack, the bosun asked all to “show a leg,” If the
leg shown was adorned with silk, the owner was
allowed to continue sleeping. If the leg was hairy
and tattooed, the owner was forced to “turn-to.”
In today’s Navy, showing a leg is a signal to
the reveille petty officer that you have heard the
call and are awake.
originated as practical means of communicating
vital information. One such expression is “show a leg.”
In the British Navy of King George III and
earlier, many sailors’ wives accompanied them on
long voyages. This practice caused a multitude of
problems, but some ingenious bosun solved one
problem that tended to make reveille a hazardous
event: that of distinguishing which bunks held
males and which held females.
To avoid dragging the wrong “mates” out of
the rack, the bosun asked all to “show a leg,” If the
leg shown was adorned with silk, the owner was
allowed to continue sleeping. If the leg was hairy
and tattooed, the owner was forced to “turn-to.”
In today’s Navy, showing a leg is a signal to
the reveille petty officer that you have heard the
call and are awake.