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RAOC Gazette - page 78

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Corps RAOC
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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 4Mi Armoured Division
I THE main event of the month was the
^ d ^ ^
combined going away party of our DOWO,
^ ^ • ^ ^ k
WO) Albert Sutton, of 'Ar'nt those
^^^|^^^^
Soldiers awful,' fame and CC Ordnance
^^^^^^^^m
Branch, Corporal Sebastian Paterson, our
^^^^^^^V
exercise hit man and leader of Head-
^^^^^^^r
quarters DAA infiltration and snatch troop.
^^^^^^
It was rumoured that the night was so
^ ^ ^ _ _ _
expensive for the hosts that arrangements
have now been made to pass the hat
iround. All at Division had a thoroughly good night out and
Irish DOWO our congratulations on his commission and posting
s the Emerald Isle.
Finally, we offer our congratulations to W02 and Mrs Tom
rait on the birth of their son Martin, and welcome WOl John
ft'itter and Lance Corporal McKay to the Fighting Fourth.
AQ AND G STAFF CLERKS. Our Staff Clerks were granted
four days off by G and AQ Branch Chiefs, to participate in
adventure training. Ably led by WOl Roy Flannagan our
Super Clerk a party vanished to the Harz Mountains. Canoeing,
trekking and sightseeing (mainly the local guest house) which
included a look over the border to watch the East German
Guards was heartilly undertaken. Ice skating and tobogan-
ring (on wheels) was also experienced not a lot was said about
the latter!
Staff Sergeant Bob Boughen at the same time led a number
of the stouter volunteers on a one hundred and eighty kilometre
trek along the Westweg in Bavaria. A gruelling exercise say
the clerks, backpacking in atrocious weather, through country
that normally provides magnificent views at this time of
year (which is what was anticipated!) However, despite sore feet,
a good time was had by all. Somebody said there was a
shortage of RAOC Commandos!
Corporal Bennett, AQ Operations was selected to play
football for the BAOR Corps Team, a noteable achievement,
our congratulations on selection.
year we will take all. As the rugger and hockey strips are
put away out have come the cricket bats and golf clubs. Is
there no limit to our talent? Unfortunately, our real commit-
ments have resulted in a postponement of our adventurous
training camp until after the dreaded Crusader, as only a hand-
ful of us would have been available for this. One who got
away was Lieutenant Stamps who has returned from a fortnight
Au Pair visit to the Swiss Army.
Arrivals this month include Captain Hanlon, Second Lieu-
tenant Fox, CSM Botfield, Corporal Harry, Privates Fennell
ACC, and Roy.
We pride ourselves in our frequent photographs although
until now have concealed the name of the artist. He. Staff
Sergeant Robinson, when not on the back of a motorbike, is at
his happiest when catching us at work and play. He would have
produced some aeriel shots this week had we not concealed
ourselves so well that nothing could be seen to photograph.
We proudly present his latest work depicting- Lance Corporal
King on a recent exercise.
80 SUPPLY DEPOT
MAJOR GENERAL AKEHURST the GOC visited the Unit
recently. The culmination of the GOCs visit was a chipping
competition which resulted in one cracked window and a
hole in one of the POL storage sheds. What are the powers
of write off for a GOC?
ORDNANCE
COMPANY
THE dust and sweat are still upon me as I write this on return
from a weeks exercise on which we practised our many skills
and learned to sleep whilst doing most things military. This
exercise established a new Company record for the distance
travelled prior to a loss of vehicles from a packet. This doubt-
ful honour falls upon Second Lieutenant Fox who achieved two
hundred and fifty yards before losing three ten Tonners.
The GOC watched by Sergeant Loughran tees off.
On the sporting side, the OC was a member of the Han-
nover Station squash team which won the 1st Armoured
Division Minor Units League. Still on the squash net in the
Inter Supply Depot Competition between Bielefeld, Hohne
and ourselves we completed all our fixtures unbeaten despite
losing the talents of W02 Terry Stroud to Belize. The team
consisted of Sergeants Pete Mead, Lennie Loughran and Major
Roger Attrill. Also Sergeant Pete Mead plays for the Han-
nover Station Cricket Team.
Lance Corporal King on exercise.
It has been another hectic month involving all of us in
constant activity at work and play. To concentrate on the play
side of life the orienteering team came a creditable runner up
in the Division Minor Units Championship and the soccer
team did similarly in both the DDOS and Division Cups. Next
— 59
Corps Troops
'
CORPS VEHICLE COMPANY
AN interesting month was had by the Unit, during which we
deployed into our field location for Exercises Redcar Revenge
and Richmond Trial. The weather for the first five days did
nothing but rain. CQMS please take note, revise AFG 1098
for the issue of wellies for Crusader. Our two Staff Clerks,
Sergeant Coleman and Private Doyle roughed it with the rest
of us and shared the action. One night when Private Doyle
was at a listening post at midnight, a scream rang out, " Stand
t o ! " shouted the CSM, thinking the enemy was amongst us—
but it was not to be, it was only Doyle ' tactically withdrawing'
from, as he thought, a large rat. It turned out to be a hedge-
hog. Sergeant Coleman is now giving Doyle tips on animal
identification every Friday afternoon.
The Unit, being last year's winners of the Inter Company
sports day, organised and ran the event this year under W02
Barnett. The first event was the Chain of Command Race in
which we came second—no excuses (but we would have won
but for Lance Corporal Gardner pulling a thigh muscle). The
rugby seven-a-side came second, led by Corporal Watson: a
gruelling performance with some fine hooking in the scrum by

Book number R0404