“Under the circumstances taking a quick shellacking was the least of our worries,” said one former service woman. “After one particular party I remember seeing quite a parade of red and mauve-lined bottoms in the shower block at the change of the duty.

“At Dartmouth, the Royal Navy officers training college, they used a system of cadet captains who administered what they called a ‘tick’ for any breach of discipline. This was a way of delegating the arduous and routine duty of admonishing former civilian trainees who were often late on parade or ‘incorrectly dressed.’ The system was, that if you acquired three ticks in one term then you received six of the best on your behind regardless of whether you were male or female.”