——Crossing the Line——

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Recently (July 1999) a lot of fuss was made over the public revelation of the RAN's custom of the "crossing of the line", as applied to our submariners. Resisting the temptation to editorialise (!), below is presented an exerpt from the Parramatta High School Magazine of June 1918; vol.1, no.5.

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"To cross the line is to cross or pass the Equator. The event is accompanied by a long-established ceremony. Those on board are summoned to King Neptune's court and ceremoniously ducked by "bears" and often soap "pills" are administered. The celebrations make a popular diversion from routine and are probably reminiscent of much older maritime rites..."

"The Wordsworth (ex-Brewer's) Dictionary of Phrase and Fable" Cassel & Co. Ltd, 1995 page 279

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