Reply to: 'on the ground'

[Freaki Li Cuatre]

"Our NHS" annoys me.

Such a loaded phrase...

[EternalOptimist]

The phrase may be new, but the concept is very old. In the Napoleonic wars, most casualties were inflicted by artillery, but artillery was not much good at holding ground on its own, you needed infantry for that, preferably heavy infantry. Cannon fodder. food for the guns.
ditto with Cavalry.

[mudskipper]

"hit the ground running"

That is another one, feckin ridiculous use of language if you ask me.

You'd win that one.

[minestrone]

Do you struggle to make friends? Which part of that idiom do you struggle with?

It is feckin ridiculous.

[vwdan]

"hit the ground running"

That is another one, feckin ridiculous use of language if you ask me.

Do you struggle to make friends? Which part of that idiom do you struggle with?

[minestrone]

I wasn't aware that they had Generals in the RAF

We all found out there were no spaghetti eating Doctors in the RAF as well.

[minestrone]

"hit the ground running"

That is another one, feckin ridiculous use of language if you ask me.

[Magpie252]

My Grandad worked for Bomber Command as an aide to a General and probably got to go home every day. Cushy.

I wasn't aware that they had Generals in the RAF

[minestrone]

Very difficult if they are dead.

[VectraMan]

Try telling that to the 55,000 men from Bomber Command who didn't come home

That was when we had slow planes and dumb bombs that had to be dropped from low altitude. Plus we took on an enemy with roughly equivalent weaponry. These days we only attack third world countries and do it from miles away. How many Tornados were shot down by The Taliban?

My Grandad worked for Bomber Command as an aide to a General and probably got to go home every day. Cushy.

[DodgyAgent]

Try telling that to the 55,000 men from Bummer Command who didn't come home

[Paddy]

Try telling that to the 55,000 men from Bommer Command who didn't come home

Very difficult if they are dead.

[Magpie252]

So "boots on the ground" means not in the air where the chances of any harm coming to them is pretty much zero.

Try telling that to the 55,000 men from Bommer Command who didn't come home

[SimonMac]

Because its the difference between announcing something, and delivering something

[d000hg]

Where and when did the use of this ridiculous idiom begin?

'Boots on the ground', 'troops on the ground', 'nurses on the ground' etc.

Until we develop some kind of anti gravity technology or grow wings can we just stop using it.

Well if you're on the battlements directing troops, you are NOT on the ground but at a safe distance from the fighting.

Isn't that where it comes from?