New comer, known as a “snooker”

Aberdeen People’s Journal, Saturday 31 August 1907

“Gentlemanly” Amusements.

After the exemplary sentences passed upon several officers of the Guards in connection with the recent notorious ragging case, it might have been thought we had heard the last of such scandals. According to a correspondent of the aristocratic “Times,” however, ragging still prevails, if not in the army, at least in the College which leads directly to the commissioned ranks. In the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich a new comer, known as a “snooker,” must be licked into shape. One of the operations with an unpopular fellow is to tie his hands together and push him into a swimming pond; and other performances which are gone through are just as dastardly. Of such gentlemanly dispositions are our future military commanders! Stoppage of leave, or even loss of seniority, has little effect with such hooligans. A stiff application of a birch rod would be more beneficial.