British officer addressing the troops in a foreign land – A very old joke, going back (at least) to World War II. I first heard it as ‘The British Officer in Rangoon’
The British officer addresses his troops: ‘I can understand your eye-openers in the morning, your flavoring of morning tea.
I can understand a drink before lunch and flavoring your afternoon tea.
I can understand cocktails before dinner and an after-dinner drink.
I can understand a nightcap before retiring, but this nipping in between must stop.’