Back to Library Journals

RAOC Gazette - page 148

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 tattan J?eto£
Ministry of Defence
^ ^
.
^f
I AM sure that all discriminating
^ ^ ^ ^ &w&s^^
GAZETTE readers will agree it is high
^^tjSj$$=3gf
time we saw some notes from Whitehall.
JK*gM»
THE GAZETTE provides us with valuable
o ^fsip^S^ 9
information;. for example on postings
JS^T2B|w$^^r
^ on 'y t0 ^ v e us
opportunity of
^^%
EwpCT c ^ W saying " Thank God he has gone there
and not me."
I would like to take this opportunity of mentioning one
Directorate in the MOD which brings terror to the hearts of
those fortunate enough to have so far avoided a posting here
and a smile of contentment to those that have been here, know-
ing that if fortune and OIC Manning smiles upon them they
may never return.
Of course I mean Military Operations, as if you have
not already guessed. I would like to mention our present estab-
lishment and perhaps a few notes about individuals, just to give
you an idea of the opportunities available here and also to let
you know who is beavering away in the corridors of power.
Heading the RAOC Contingent in MO Directorate is the
SO to DMO, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Wallis who has been
with the Directorate now for a mere five and a half years and
looks as though he could quite happily stay for another ten,
except that advancing years decree his retirement in just eighteen
months.
The Superintendent Clerk of MO is WOl Sam Johnston
who has recently arrived from BAOR and is looking forward
to a full tour here after a relatively short stay in Rheindahlen.
MOl is ably staffed by Staff Sergeant Cliff Lee and Sergeant
Harry Hay. Both are almost half way through their sentence
now and can just see the dim light at the end of the tunnel.
Harry's wife is expecting again very soon and we offer him and
her our congratulations.
M02 has only one staff clerk, Staff Sergeant Dennis Palmer,
who is leaving the Army soon on completion of a full career.
M03 consists of Staff Sergeant Paul Byron and Sergeant
Barry Humphrey. Paul has been in hospital recently and is on
sick leave at present, Barry naturally wishes him speedy recovery.
Until now he was unaware that people could stoop so low just to
get some time off work.
M04, our UK side of the MO set-up is supported by Staff
Sergeant Tony Townsend and Sergeant Eddie Larrard. Eddie
is due for posting to SHAPE and promotion and is being
replaced by Sergeant Sylvester. Tony recently spent two weeks
at Wimbledon as an usher and even though the weather was not
too good he thoroughly enjoyed being out of the office.
I hope this has given you a brief insight into the world of
MO. There are many Directorates within the Ministry with staff
clerks tucked away rarely seeing daylight, so perhaps we may
hear a bit more from MOD in future.
Headquarters Director General of Ordnance Services
SECRETARIAT
AND ORD 1. Major Trafford Davies has
moved to his new appointment as SO to VQMG, being relieved
by Captain Bill Burnip. In an Ord Id and le reshuffle we
have said farewell to Major Rick Ginn who by now should be
settling into downtown Toronto having joined the Canadian
Staff Course. Taking his place, moving only from the next
office, Major Robin Farey has now become our expert on military
manpower and recruiting whilst in yet another desk to desk
move, the newly promoted Major Tony Browne has taken over
the Grade 2 job in Ord le. We now await the arrival of his
replacement to complete the chain. Further along the corridor,
in the Training World, we have welcomed Captain Terry Wood
as the replacement for Lieutenant Colonel Roy Cobb who has
now leftus after thirty seven years of service with the Corps;
we all wish him a pleasant, relaxed and long retirement
ORD 2. No news is said to be good news and this is currently
the state of affairs in the Branch except that we have said fare-
well to Captain Ken Young to Ashchurch and welcomed Cap-
tain Ken Jackson as his replacement as S03 (Food).
ORD 4. Colonel Tony Futrell is busy packing his ' trunks' in
preparation for his trip to Monterey California where he will
be attending a Defence Resources Management Course, whilst
Lieutenant Colonel John Dyer has just unpacked his, following
a one week stay at St John's (appropriately named) College
Cambridge where the ISM held its annual seminar.
Captain Bob Willox, Messrs Paul Connor and Alex Thow
have returned from Cyprus following their investigation into
the cost effectiveness of the RAOC Static Laundry. Visual
evidence suggests they found plenty of time to soak up the
Mediterranean sunshine.
Messrs Richard Harwood and Peter Williams have recently
attended the Middle Management course at the School of Ord-
nance and hope to use their newly acquired skills to chart our
intrepid mariners to further glory.
Mr Alan Praill was narrowly beaten in the LE(A) Tennis
Singles Championships, therefore, fails yet again to qualify
for the next Wimbledon tournament. He hopes Mr Ken
Causley can provide the inspiration to guarantee success in their
forthcoming doubles final.
Finally we say farewell and good luck to Mrs Carol Riley
and Miss Jackie Cockerill who are both off to Germany and
to Mr Alan Clarke who leaves on promotion to HEO to become
an instructor at the RAPC Centre Worthy Down.
Directorate of Land Service Ammunition
RECENTLY we played host to a delegation from the Peoples'
Republic of China which had been visiting the British Army
Equipment Exhibition and were particularly interested in our
methods of storage and control of guided missile stocks. After
a formal briefing by GM Branch the party adjourned to the
Officers Mess for a less formal luncheon and an opportunity to
strengthen the bond of friendship with the odd cry of " Yam
Sing."
Photo Staff Sergeant
Christie.
Brigadier C. W . Smith, DLSA, greets the Delegation of the
Peoples' Republic of China on its arrival at Didcot. Also in the
picture are Colonel C. M . Jefferies and Lieutenant Colonel
A . C. F. Smith.
We also saw yet another party of Americans visiting a
proof. This time it was the L8A1 smoke grenade proof at Porton
Down, when we used our new TV camera and video tape
recorder with great success. One of the visitors was heard to
say, " Our firing at Heidelberg next week will not be nearly
— 1 5 —
Book number R0404