I can well imagine that the quote is accurate, although it would have been said with a certain sense of dark humour and sympathy, not at all as unkindly and agg

I can well imagine that the quote is accurate, although it would have been said with a certain sense of dark humour and sympathy, not at all as unkindly and aggressive as it appears in print. As such, it fits in very well with the culture of the armed forces - particularly that of a senior NCO who has gone on to work for the Security Services. (And who is used to being given bonkers orders by his C.O.)