RAOC Gazette - page 114
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 |
4 Petroleum Depot AN eventful month in the way of Exercises. The Depot staff were split into three groups each going to one of the Company's of 1 Combat Supplies Battalion. First to go was 44 Company which Sergeants Taff Hillard ind John Hopkinson REME, Corporals Percy Hulse and Jock R'aters and Private Tony Cliffe joined. Apart from regimental training a barbecue was planned for one of the evenings by the Americans to which everyone was invited. They (the Americans) turned up in clothes you would iormally associate with the golf course, yellow check trousers Ind pink shirts with JR. type Texan hats. The SNCO's and Officers Mess tent was the high spot for them. The bar was a mass of Union Jacks, topped by a picture of Her Majesty The Queen. It was just like Buckingham Palace at the changing pf the guard and with all these cameras flashing we all tried to ippear as nonchalant as possible. The final day was devoted to inter squad competitions which Included intelligence tests, weapon training, trailer races, first aid and throwing Captain Wood in the ' Sludge Pit * com- petition. This evolved when he interfered in an inter platoon Wrangle and was taken to the local beauty spot ceremoniously lifted above the pit, a quick prayer offered up while he was dropped down. The lesson was not heeded as he did precisely the same thing again and our back up squad obliged to repeat the performance. The next wave of regimentalists were seconded to 43 Com- pany in the form of Staff Sergeant Ronnie Moffat, Sergeants Frank Jasper and Jimmy Gaskill. Corporals Paul Ford, Noddy Lampert and Dave Patterson. The training started with a vengeance on the first morning with bodies lying all over the ranges, ready for First Aid skills to be practised. Many ended up with real injuries! The area was densely wooded and by a stroke of luck on the second day we found a heated swimming pool. This provided a superb added attraction to the men of 43 Company after a hard days training. It did not however suit everyone as some thought it rather feminine to wear hats for swimming. Socially everyone enjoyed it and the reception from the American soldiers was exceptional. Just mentioning ' Cham- pagne brunch' is enough for those involved. If you want to know more contact CSM 43 Company. The third and last Company exercise is just about to begin as pen is being put to paper so watch out for a tale or two in next month's issue. This month has also seen the presentation of two medals to two of our SNCOs. Staff Sergeant Geordie Symons travelled to Bonn to be presented with his BEM by the British Ambassador. Sergeant Jim Botterill received his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal from Brigadier Whallcy. Welcome to Corporal Almond and congratulations to Corporal and Mrs Hulse on the birth of their first child, a daughter Emma Elizabeth. 15 Ordnance Group HEADQUARTERS HAN of the month as far as this Headquarters is concerned s undoubtedly WOl J. Greenhouse. Hard on the heels of jotification of his appointment to Conductor has come advice hat he has been provisionally selected for the grant of an Drdnance Executive Officer Commission. The Headquarters is well represented in the Vicrsen Com- jlex Tennis team. Colonel Edwards, Major Smith and Sergeant .'ower have played regularly in the matches in the Rhine Area Tennis League. More of their achievements we hope, however, will be reported after the DOS BAOR tournament. One thing is certain, though—what they lack in skill they make up in age! ORDNANCE DEPOT VIERSEN THE term " Flaming J u n e " could hardly be used to describe the weather, owing to the deep depression over the British Isles spreading to Germany. But it might be used as a mild expletive, because all month we have had the Inspector of Establishments Team as our guests. They have now departed, to be replaced by another team from Exchequer and Audit Branch. Ah well! Mention should be made of our ARU In- spection at the end of last month by Commander Rhine Area, Brigadier Thornton. He reported that he was more than satisfied with our military efficiency—a rewarding result of the • work and preparation that went into it throughout the whole year. The sight of our Commander, Colonel Edwards and the Photo Staff Sergeant Le Quelenec. Mountain marathon men. Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Rees striding out from their Quarters in the early morning to walk the eight kilometres to the office has become a familiar one in Viersen. Has I of E written out Staff cars for our senior officers? No—we don't think so anyway. The answer is simply that they are both in train- ing for the Nijmegen marches next month. They will both be up front leading the Unit team, but more about that in the next newsletter. Still on the theme of walking, the accompanying photo- graph shows our teams coyly displaying the certificates presented to them for participating in the ' Harz Mountains Walkabout' This jolly title does not properly describe the event, which is a marathon orienteering one covering fifty kilometres for two consecutive days carrying kit up and down twelve mountains, with reveille at 0400 hours each day. The participants who are left to right, WOl Dave Brunt, W02 John Watford, Staff Sergeant Jim Reid, Corporal Mick Mullen and RSM Ian Drew (whose idea it was in the first place!) finished overall fourteenth and twenty first (and third in the Veterans team!) out of the sixty one teams competing. Anyone due to be posted to Viersen be warned. Ve Haf vays of making you walk! Welcome to new arrivals Staff Sergeant Dinsdale, Sergeant Price, Corporal Smithers and Lance Corporal Payne. Con- gratulations to Staff Sergeant John and Sergeant Kreft on sub- stantive promotion. Congratulations to newly weds Lance Corporal Howell REME, and Mrs Howell nee W/Private Ashenden WRAC, Congratulations to proud parents Sergeant • and Mrs Birdsall on the birth of daughter on 16th April, and to Private and Mrs Lewis also a daughter born on 25th June. W u l f e n Station j^jfcl THE Station Fete was a great success. JflUjX\\ Even the weather joined in and added tf&^^/9jku warmth to a superb afternoon. We made y^^ll^Mt well over DM5,000 and most of it has ^RT^^^RHBL already been distributed to charities. * ' Jm^MnWi Following one success with another, ^^fffn/mM the Sergeants Mess Summer Ball was '^KtUfJmjf- held shortly afterwards. As our Mess ^j^&JiiWgF extension is not yet completed, WOl ^ W M v Dennis (two Ns this time!) Falcus and '*"' his organising committee W 2 Paddy Grey, Staff Sergeant Chris Keelor, Sergeant Bob Cunningham Norton and Sergeant Dave Groves, decided to hold it in the Station Cinema. The Cabaret was excellent, the buffet absolutely superb (thank you Corporal Beech). We believe all members and their guests had a most pleasant evening. Our wives club held a barbecue and invited twenty five ladies from Duisberg. Sadly the heavens decided to open up just as the guests were being offered their first drink. (Com- mittee please note—applications for clement weather should have been sent to the Chief Clerk!). Nevertheless all was not ruined. Sergeant Brum Gilmartin and his ADC Edith, together with others, moved everything to the Muna Restaurant and it turned out to be a very successful evening after all. — 89 — |
| Book number | R0404 |