Back to Library Journals

RAOC Gazette - page 111

Image details

Corps RAOC
Material type Journals
Book page
Chapter head
Chapter key
Chapter number
Full title RAOC Gazette
Page number
Publication date 1980
Real page
Colour Yes
Grey No
Early date 1980
Late date 1980
Transcription Past Longtownians will be sad to hear that the local
Carlisle raft race was cancelled this year. Wc were told that it
had nothing to do with the fact that wo had won the race since
its inception in 1977 so 'Felix ' still rules OK!
Captain John Print, together with shoulder length hair has
just returned from a short tour in Northern Ireland. Mrs Ion,
his clerk, tells me she tried giving him a blow wave the other
day using of all things a convector fan heater!!
Enough frivolity—onward to more serious notes.
Congratulations go to: WOl Peter Smith on appointment
to Conductor; W 2 Tony Dcdman and Staff Sergeant Dave
Couling on being selected for promotion to their respective
higher ranks; Corporal Gary Craggs and his wife, Carol, on
the birth of a daughter, Frances; Corporal Derek Walker on
passing his ATI upgrading and finally to Staff Sergeant Dave
Couling again on achieving an 'A' grading on his Service Funds
Accounts course.
We welcome WOl John McGill who has joined us for
his last six months' service and Corporal John Napolitano whom
we are told is a Corps soccer player. Bill Harvie, please note.
Central Vehicle Depot Ashchurch
HEADQUARTERS
FOR once the ladies stole the headlines and never have so many
been dined out on one Ladies Dinner Night. For Mrs Thelma
Blakemore it was a particularly memorable occasion, being
in addition, her last Ladies Dinner Night in the Service. To
mark this occasion and the affection in which she is held, the
Officers presented her with a fine china statuette. Fortunately
we shall be able to enjoy the pleasure of her company at a
number of less formal events between now and final departure
in the autumn. Also dined out were Mrs Audrey Rose, whose
services to flower arranging will be especially missed; Mrs Pat
Jackson, veteran of the Ashchurch Thrift Shop; Mrs Liesel
Budge, who has so timelessly commuted from Surrey to join
us in all our social events and Mrs Sandra Cogley who has
made campanology a respectable topic of prandial conversation.
We thank them all for their varied contributions to the quality
of life here in Ashchurch and wish them well in the future,
wherever it may find them!
VEHICLE DEPOT
LUDGERSHALL
THE Equipment Section, comprising of Corporals Hallmark,
Pain and Riding, Lance Corporal Dunlop, Privates Pitfield,
English, Rennie, Brooks and Devlin, returned from a harrowing
experience on Exercise Tiger Head in Aldershot. Rumour has
it that the food wasn't as good as Mum's!
We congratulate Sergeants George Betts and Paul (Amby)
Thomas on their well earned promotion to Sub-Sergeant.
They celebrated in the time honoured tradition thereby boosting
the Garrison Mess bar takings considerably!
We also say congratulations to Lance Corporal Dunlop on
promotion and Lance Corporals Grey and Pape on their acting
promotion.
We say farewell to Private Brooks who is off on his first
tour abroad to Ordnance Depot Antwerp and welcome back to
Lance Corporals Wignall and Webb from Belize and BATUS
respectively.
STORAGE SECTION. Corporal Larry Hallmark is posted to
Berlin, Corporal Kevin Bacon, Lance Corporals ' Shue' Clark
and Taffy Webb—are posted to Antwerp; their gain, our loss.
Congratulations to Corporal ' Falkenetti' Blount on his
recent promotion.
This month we are sending men and machines to various
shows and displays at Aldershot, Devizes and Ashchurch for
the Freedom of Tewkesbury Parade.
KIT STORES.
Congratulations to Lance Corporal and Mrs
Cowell on the arrival of twins. Lance Corporal Cowell just
made it home in time from Northern Ireland.
Sergeant George Betts is at the helm most of the time
whilst Staff Sergeant Arthur Seymour keeps disappearing to the
Mess to ' cook the books,' it's a hard life when you're Treasurer.
We wish all the best to Lance Corporal Dunlop who is off
to the hot weather of Cyprus.
Lance Corporal Pape is now on a tour of Northern Ireland,
with Staff Sergeant Roy Davis on his way to FVD Reckling-
hausen—thanks for the excellent evening had by all in the Unit
club, Roy, the LOA will make up for what you spent.
We welcome back home Lance Corporal Carey from Omagh
after his four month tour.
And finally, flash news of our Officer Commanding: Major
John Rose will take over from Major Richard Hall this month.
VEHICLE DEPOT HILTON. Bill Colbournc and Steve Smith
return from the School of Ordnance, having successfully com-
pleted No. 39 MMD Course, despite some trouble with over
large vufoils. Steve, our DMA, says confidently that he can
now solve all management problems by resorting to Kepner
and Trcgoe, however, we have our doubts. He immediately
fulfilled his aims by stealing staff from any unsuspecting office,
press ganging Vera Hammond from the typing pool (con-
gratulations on your promotion) and Nancy Luther from the
Kit Stores. It's not over yet, as the ADMA, Phil Plume attends
the course in June. There is one advantage gained from the
staff re-shuffle and that is that at least the DMA office now has
someone who can sing, rather than one who thinks he can.
No-one can say that the Ladies of Hilton fail to take
advantage of equal opportunity; our Light Group is headed
by Mrs Hilda Morris and Miss Jean Gregson and Mrs Nellie
Wilson as Storekeepers whilst Messrs George Poxon and Allan
Minshall as Storckccping Assistants do their best to behave
like gentlemen in an area where the male species seems to be
coming ever more rare despite the contribution of driver
George Cole, who seems to know more than the GCP about the
location of vehicles!
Our Civilian Canteen will not only provide visitors with a
good meal but will also provide a good pint, drawn by a genial
host in the shape of Mr Ray Walker who, in his ofT duty hours,
is Officer-in-Charge Storage. For those who enjoy less passive
pursuits wc hear that the cricket team have been quietly
practising, their game must have improved however since we
bought them a bat and ball!
Good luck to Dave Lakin—he attended his Commanding
Officers Promotion Board this week. We also wish Nick Love-
ridge every success in his new career at Rolls Roycc, the drop
in their share prices had nothing to do with his arrival there
—honestly!
Management- Services Unit
BY the time these notes arc published our elite but small
group will have been depleted by one more, for we have just
said good luck and cheerio to our Master Baker WOl Jack
Redfern. It was most enjoyable to partake in two farewells,
one to have a drink on posting and another hurriedly arranged
to celebrate his appointment to Conductor. Well done on both
counts Jack and our loss is Berlin's gain.
Our northern outpost at Hessay has been increased by the
attachment of W 2 Jim Hargate. Mr. Bob Borchard, normally
our sole representative in the colder clime, claims he is over-
worked and lonely and hence the requirement for reinforce-
ment. Bob also claims he never gets a mention in THE GAZETTE
and whilst we are pleased to put the record straight perhaps
he should encourage Major Dai Phipps or Captain Jim Bridle
to pen the first OSU Hessay contribution. Trouble is they
are always either golfing or bird watching!
Our Second-in-Command Captain Ken Lawton is none too
happy these days. Off he went to the Isle-of-Man to watch the
TT races, only to find the island enshrouded in mist and
races postponed. On his return he learned that our team
seconded to DLSA, WOsl Eddie Bullock and Dick Cheesman,
noting that Ken is shortly posted to Didcot, had arranged an
office for him far away from the typing pool. We do believe
however they have arranged covered parking space for his
BMW motor cycle.
Our newest recruit, Mr Keith Amoss, is rapidly becoming
an instant expert on newbuilds. So impressed is everyone with
his efforts for the Ammunition Compound at Hadleigh, that he
is now repeating the operation at Tidworth. We do promise
you Keith there is more to work study than SORs, however
it cannot be all bad to create two new monuments so early in
ones career.
Finally, dismayed at always finding Lieutenant Colonel
Freddie Grant and Major Mike Blake on the Salisbury Golf
Course, instead of occupying their hot seats at Wilton, the OC
and WOl Matt Hudson have decided to join them. A new
vocabulary is thus emerging, expressions like ' birdies' and
' bogies,' not to mention ' pars,' are the in thing. Sportsmen
of the Corps you are warned!
— 86 —
REMEMBER THAT THE
DEADLINE FOR COPY IS THE 28th
Book number R0404