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RAOC Gazette - page 67

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Material type Journals
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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1980
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Early date 1980
Late date 1980
Transcription NO. 1 SECTION.
Although the tasks have been scarce again
this month at least those we attended were amusing. Captain
Roger Atkey and Corporal Chris Markham earned their ' water-
wings ' after making a waterboume approach to deal with a
shell lodged on a ship's anchor!
WOl Dave Young with Private Nick Jobling are consider-
ing mountaineering as a hobby, this was after they made their
spectacular one hundred and twenty foot cliff ascent to escape
the oncoming tide after clearing a sonar buoy. There were
cries of " How come he gets all the big ones " as Roger Atkey
rushed off to Coleraine to tackle ' a large vehicle bomb' which
had halted traffic on 'the main holiday route. It turned out to
be a hoax on a stolen motor-cycle!
The new accommodation in Fort George is taking shape.
Having won the political battle to save the building from being
pulled down everyone has been extremely busy on the restoration
programme. With the help of the new resident RESA: walls
have been removed, new doors fitted, bar counter installed and
the smell of new paint everywhere. By the time this goes to
press we will be fully operational at the Felix Inn which will
have an adjoining lounge and games room. Operations Room,
Crash Out Room, Administration Office and Stores are nearing
completion and vehicle cover is awaited. Thus after much
turmoil over the past few months everything is back on an
even keel.
NO. 3 SECTION. This has been a very active month both pro-
fessionally and socially which included a variety of lectures and
demonstrations ranging from a ' standard' to 2 Para wives
club at Ballykinler to a ' special' for the DGOS. Two stamina
sapping disco's at Lurgan and enough EOD activity to keep
most people happy.
Regular readers will remember a picture of our pet cat
' Felix' playing with a wheel-barrow control box. This some-
how came to the attention of the ever present newshounds and
resulted in our humble cat getting the full treatment from the
Daily Express, who sent a complete crew to visit us and make
our ' Felix' a national newspaper star. Felix being of in-
dependant nature, on the day decided he didn't want his picture
taken whilst driving a wheel-barrow or any such silly stunt!
Thus, the frustrated cameraman ended up following the cat
round the Mill and Lance Corporal Stevie Harrison didn't
help matters by offering to make the cat fly for the camera,
but he was graciously ignored by our visitors.
Personality changes this month include the following:
Lance Corporal Mark Snelson for Corporals Paul Newton and
Rupert (the well known typing error) Trade for Corporals Pete
Sterland and Rupert (not a typing error) Besley for Corporal
Steve Irving.
Congratulations to Steve Irving on marriage.
Headquarters Scotland
AFTER all the comings and goings of
last month, there is little of import to
report.
The Officers played another golf
match for ' the issue' at Stirling and the
Regional Depot have still got the trophy
on their mantlepiece!
We have all done our three mile keep
fit run. Not content with this, our Chief
Clerk Staff Sergeant Willie Day jogs
away after the test, over the Forth Bridge
into the fabulous Kingdom of Fife.
W02 Ken Marchant has been off to
the first of his resettlement courses and his relief has been
nominated.
We have all enjoyed our early summer with temperatures
in the eighties. Shirt sleeve order being worn without the
usual goose pimples. Late news—We are back to normal.
brings us to Corporal Dave Stewart who is at this -moment
finding his true talent as a Soldier in attending an RPC course
at Blackdown. Let there be no more doubters.
Finally we say goodbye to Corporal Alan Douglas, wife
Mary and family on posting to Cyprus. Their gain is our loss,
you will be missed Alan. We welcome his replacement Lance
Corporal Keith Fulcher from Germany.
South East District
CRAOC, Colonel Green recently held a
successful recruiting seminar for SEDIST
RAOC Officers and Warrant Officers at
the Tela Theatre, followed in the evening
by a buffet supper at Headquarters Officers
Mess which was attended by the DGOS
with Brigadier Short, Brigadier Berresford
and Colonel Alway as the principal
guests.
With the exception of a few branch
chief clerks (the job does have some advantages) all Head-
quarters Military were recently employed as umpires on the
6th Field Force Exercise Tiger Head. It was an opportunity
to get the DPM out of mothballs, do our bit, and make some
constructive criticisms at the same time.
W02 John Lloyd has escaped the rigours of Headquarters
life by fixing himself up with a detachment to Aldershot Army
Display 1980 for a few months, then its all systems go, towards
his retirement at the end of the year.
Strange how popular Brighton has become now that they
have a nudist beach, we're never had so many Officers volunteer-
ing to carry out Ordnance Inspections at RE Manning and
Records Office!
New arrivals are Major Lance Brett (S02 Admin/Org);
Captain Ian Jones (S03 Mat) and W02 Barry Shakeshaft—all
Ordnance Branch. Captain Roy Symons of ASU Aldershot and
Private Day posted into G Branch ex-Apprentice College.
Congratulations to W02 Clive Oldfield, Chief Clerk AQ
Branch on the award of his BEM. His investiture was at the
Garrison Sergeants Mess by the General Officer Commanding
South East District on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen.
Finally I just have to mention the Support Clerk, WOl
Geoff McNiece, who is withholding payment for previous copies
of THE GAZETTE until he gets a mention. So please don't
edit this out Mr Editor—I need the money.
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SATO HEBRIDES
WHERE is Sergeant Bill Pullen? That is the question on every
tongue, as the work begins to build up. When last seen he
was helping Kineton reach the semi-final of the hill cup. It is
rumoured that he has forgotten where the Hebrides is.
Belated greetings to Sergeant Dave Oakley and Corporal
Dick Partridge on their arrival in the Unit. Through this
magazine we would like to point out to Sergeant Oakley that
Army escorts are accountable items. The MTO would like
the next one returned; that is if he is unwise enough to part
with another.
Dick Partridge is to be congratulated on his appearance
for Kineton in the semi-final of the hill cup, where after
a good close game they were defeated by Blackdown. Which
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