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RAOC Gazette - page 158

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Corps RAOC
Material type Journals
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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1980
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Colour Yes
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Early date 1980
Late date 1980
Transcription J^eto* from Hbroab
AFCENT
FOLLOWING the great success of last
years British Triathlon, AFCENT has for
the first time, recently staged the com-
petition as an international event with six
NATO nations taking part. The triathlon
for the uninitiated, is a test of skill and
endurance in three disciplines—shooting,
swimming and running.
Captain Colin Robinson and Sergeant
Alan Hollis excelled in the running
discipline coming second and seventh
respectively. Captain Robinson was also a
member of the three man British Army
team that came a creditable second to a very
formidable German Army Team. Corporal
Graham Page also gave a good account of himself particularly
in the shooting with a score of eighty eight out of an HPS ot
one hundred on the nine millimetre pistol. He only missed
third place on a tie by the narrowest margin of two bulls to
his opponent's three.
Sergeant Alan Hollis poised to start the running event of the
AFCENT Triathlon. Getting him underway, as official starter, is
Staff Sergeant Derek Head, a staff clerk working in the
Intelligence Division of Headquarters A F C E N T .
AFCENTs football team, The Knights, gave a marvellous
performance, beating 3 P and C Regiment by seven goals to two
in the North Rhine League, and this made up in some respects
for England's inability to find the net more than a few times in
the European Championships! This fine victory sealed the league
title for the Knights after a long and hard fought season.
Special mention must go to Sergeant Paddy Stanway who has
been inspired in goal and deserves much of the credit for the
Knights success. Prominent in the team also were SQMS Ray
Dewsnap, Corporals Neil Cox and Chris McLean.
Leaving sport aside, Sergeant Jim Gauld, chairman and
founder member of the AFCENT Folk Knights, exercises his
vocal chords and his musical talents by writing and singing his
own songs, three of which he has entered in the forthcoming
BAOR Forces Folk competition. We wish him the very best
of good fortune. Under his leadership and direction the Folk
Knights have enjoyed considerable success, and have just been
signed up to do thirteen shows for the Canadian Forces Net-
work radio station here in Brunssum in The Netherlands.

We welcome Corporals Chris McLean and Paul Meade.
Congratulations go to Corporal Keith Davis on passing his
RPC1, also to Corporal John Dickie and his wife on the birth of
their son Robert Thomas.
NORTHAG
GREETINGS from G3 Division of Head-
quarters NORTHAG whose turn it is this
month to act as scribe.
Our senior RAOC Clerk in the
Division is W02 Jim Gemmell of G3
Plans. He is ably hindered by Corporal
Brian Parsons and Corporal ' Q ' Haslam.
How a Corporal can become a ' Q ' is not
really known. Anyway, by 1995 or there-
abouts (subject to RAOC Records ap-
proval) he may yet become a real ' Q.'
G3 Air and G3 EW is skippered by
Sergeant Laing Purfitt who is assisted by a
Gunner. However, this Gunner, or should
I perhaps say Bombardier, hopes very
shortly to transfer to the Corps. I'm sure we will very soon
see a re-badged Corporal Mick Lynch in the Corps. Private
Mark Worral is Laing's EW apprentice. Perhaps we should
remind Mark that EW stands for Electronic Warfare and not
Entire Waste as he so constantly mutters in the corridors of
power.
Our Special Weapons representative is Lance Corporal
Nobby Clarke, who, when not lobbing his rockets (or getting
them), can be seen charging up and down the Autobahns in his
49cc Super-charged, Turbo (third Staged Tuned) Special Honda
Moped.
C and T Branch (Cakes and Tea I think it stands for) is in
the hands of Corporal Dave Turnbull. After only a short period
in the Branch Dave has now become a 28.5 WPM (Wrongs Per
Minute) typist. Could you possibly believe that before his
arrival in the branch he thought ty-ping was a city in Thailand.
Last but not least we have Staff Sergeant Kenn Quinn
who is Personal Assistant to our Brigadier. Ken leaves us
shortly to go on holiday to 154 Ammunition Depot; con-
gratulations on your forthcoming promotion.
I nearly forgot to say ' bon voyage' to our Super Clerk
Conductor David Barron who, although not really a member of
our Division, has done much to help us in the last twenty two
months. David will shortly be leaving Headquarters NORTHAG
on posting to 4 Petroleum Depot.
PS. A certain Man about the House (who wishes to remain
anonymous) approached me the other day and said that what-
ever happened I was not to mention his name in THE GAZETTE.
As instructed I have not done so.
Ordnance Depot Antwerp
THE Unit's annual regimental potted sports afternoon was held
this month. The big decision had to be made the day before
whether to hold the activities inside or outside. After con-
sulting the Belgian weather forecast and Corporal Rick Taylor's
temperamental knee, the decision was made to hold it outside.
Fortunately, somebody must have looked down on us favour-
ably, as, with minutes to go, the rain ceased for the afternoon.
QSMI Mick Lugg was very inventitive in his programme of
activities by including a water race, slow bicycle race, welly
lugging, pitching a golf ball, obstacle course, tug-of-war, trailer
race and a potato race. After an exhausting and bruising day,
the ' maintenance' team came out winners. A photograph of the
winners is enclosed holding their prizes.
Top row: Captain Postance, Privates Hothersall, Ives and
Hopcraft, Lance Corporal Eckersley and Corporal Colman.
Bottom row: Private Green, Lance Corporals Hymus and Jones.
125 — .
Book number R0404