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RAOC Gazette - page 80

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1980
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Early date 1980
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Transcription Two long serving civilians will also, sadly, be gone from our
midst on their retirement Frau Hiidegrade Groth our LPO
Supervisor, who first joined Ordnance Services in 1945 and
who was a founder member of the LPO Organisation will, no
doubt, be found in her garden. Mr Harry Spencer BEM, the
CQMSs assistant, has been with us since 1968 after long
service in the RA and with the GSU in Berlin. He will be
spending his retirement in Austria. Thank you both for your
loyalty and for serving Ordnance Services so very well.
Our ' Personality of the Month' will also be leaving us
shortly. Take a bow Corporal Moggie Hodginson. With his
Separture, there should be space for some Army vehicles in
Ihe Vehicle Park.
Corporal Hodginson has seen service in
Kenya, Belgium, Germany and lush Ludgershall. He holds
lust about every vehicle license in the book and his valuable
foluntary work as barman for the RAOC Association and
BATS deserves a mention. ' Moggies ' wife Lillian will also be
much missed by BATS.
RAOC In Cyprus
EPISKOPI. There have been a great number
of changes on the military side since our last
report.
We welcome Major Dobie, S02
Supplies and Contracts, Major John, S02
Org/Plans, Captain Walsh, Adjutant and Staff
Sergeant Thomas SNCO Materiel (Vehicles).
The Headquarters was kept very busy with
various aspects of Princess Anne's visit with
the main work load falling on the unfortunate
OWO WOl Downes. In the end it was a
great success and all went smoothly. The new Adjutant has,
since his arrival, had the whole Headquarters in stitches with
his ' Paddy' jokes. So to fill in the time he was spending on the
jokes, CRAOC has given him the job as Liaison Officer for
Logistic Support to UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon) which is now the responsibility of Headquarters
RAOC. We don't seem to be hearing that many Irish jokes
now, a great relief for most.
We entered two teams in a Joint Service Orienteering Com-
petition over thirty three miles and did quite well. Team A
(Sergeants Goodwin, Markley and Mrs Elaine Markley) managed
to finish in sixth place, our other team (Corporal Gordon, Mrs
Terry Gordon and Mrs Margaret Johnson) had to retire due to
an injury.
The Headquarters also entered o team in the Saxons six-a-
side hockey competition. The team consisted of CRAOC, WOs2
Bragger and Walton,' Staff Sergeants Wright and Fish (RAPC),
Sergeants Goodwin and Toze. We put on a fairly good show
for ourselves, winning two of our five games, drawing one
and losing the other two. A very enjoyable days hockey was
had by all and our thanks to Sergeant Toze who organised the
team, CRAOC and W02 Walton who supplied the after match
drinks, and WOl Downes who says he photographed the event
but due to processing ' problems' these photographs are not
available for publication.
H R H Princess Anne talks to W 2 Swann and Major Forrest with
Sergeant H u n t in the background.
to all who helped with its preparation. During the Royal Visit,
Corporal Perry and his family probably came closer to HRH
than most other families. Corporal Perry himself was presented
to the Princess as Secretary of the Cyprus Services Rambling
Club and his three daughters were also presented—one with the
Guides, one with the Brownies and the third at her school.
Sporting achievements hog most of the limelight this time
and we start by proudly announcing that Staff Sergeant Leek,
Corporal Mayoh and Lance Corporal Woodruff were selected
for the Army (Cyprus) rugby team which beat RAF (Cyprus)
fourteen to four. We also have other Army (Cyprus) sportsmen
albeit in slightly less physical sports. Sergeant Taylor was
selected for the Army (Cyprus) golf team and Corporal Sweeney
played in the Army (Cyprus) hockey team. Changing sport
again, the Unit entered three teams for the Akrotiri to Episkopi
Road race which covers a distance of fifteen miles. Those
making up the first two teams were Captain Brown, Staff
Sergeants Burt and O'Flaherty (detached from Supply Depot
Dhekelia for the duration of the race), Sergeants Franklin,
Markley and Mason, Corporals Gordon, Johnson and Lewis
and Lance Corporal Brammer. The third team was a ladies
team consisting of Mrs Terry Gordon, Mrs Margaret Johnson,
Mrs Elaine Markley and two guests. All three teams success-
fully completed the difficult course in which one leg is a two
and a half miles long steep hill. Along with several male
competitors, the three aforementioned ladies also completed the
Akrotiri ten mile road race in less than one and a half hours—
a tremendous achievement
Sergeant Neal has arrived from Blackdown to take over as
Training NCO from Sergeant Franklin. We also extend a warm
welcome to W02 Whelan and to Corporal Revill.
ACCOMMODATION SERVICES UNIT. The wind of change
is blowing gently on the personalities of ASU, with Major
\Vagstaff returning to UK where he is to take up a lucrative
post with a civilian firm and settle with Brenda and the boys in
the ' Gin and J a g ' Belt of Southampton, we wish them good
fortune.
We welcome his replacement Captain McCusker,
Captain Symonds has now handed over to newly arrived Cap-
tain Robertson.
The MQES at Episkopi was officially opened recently as a
Self Service'Shop, and since then has proved to be a popular
success, we reckon this in an Army First, even though cribbed
from the RAF.
Rationalisation is the keyword for 1980, at the end of
which, a more efficient streamlined organisation will, we hope,
arise (just like Aphrodite).
British Army Training Unit Suffield
THIS is a special article for lovers of
good literature who normally only
count the photographs of a certain well
known senior officer and check the
postings.
With the sun beating down from
the big blue sky and forgetting for a
moment the mosquitos and rattlers we
send long overdue notes from the Ord-
nance Company BATUS.
The hard work of our temporary
staff throughout ' what must be the
coldest conditions the British Army has
to endure has really paid off. In a
period of seven days we have issued
the wherewithall for an entire battle
group to go to war. The process went
surprisingly smoothly and SNCOs who have handed over the
AKROTIRI.
During her visit to Cyprus, HRH Princess Anne
saw, as part of her programme, a display by RAOC Cyprus
showing all the aspects of Army Ordnance Services on the
Island. Our display, ably stage managed by Captain Brown,
consisted of a selection of rations, ammunition and stores, a
Saladin and a simple diagramatic guide to the inventory re-
supply system all under the banner ' RAOC, We supply the
Services.' Those present to explain the display items and role
of the RAOC were Major Forrest, W 2 Swann (from the Supply
Depot Dhekelia) Staff Sergeant Leek and Sergeant Hunt (from
the Ammunition Depot). The display was most impressive and
Princess Anne showed much interest in it, altogether a credit

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Book number R0404