RAOC Gazette - page 281
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 |
Preparations for our move from GCH to Girdwood/ Sydenham are well underway and by the time this is published we will be in residence in our new homes. This will no doubt bring tears of nostalgia to the eyes of many No. I Section veterans. In addition Sergeant Fordyce's love affair with Marauder has been resurrected as it has returned to the Province. All this activity has not unduly upset our social life as our Games Nights in the Felix Club have continued, with wins over the Corporals Mess Moscow Camp (twice) and the RUC. Sturdy, Mrs Sturdy's 'little lad')- Good grief! This we must see (we often wondered what he does). So we went and we are glad we did and congratulate all involved, and in particular Val Bramble whose decor we just adored.—Our photo shows ' Major General Sir Francis Cartmichael' (Sergeant Major Eaton) challenging Headmaster ' Doctor Rodd' (Captain Alex Sturdy). We said farewell to our Chief Clerk Staff Sergeant Joe Emery who is off to Hong Kong complete with droopy mous- tache. We do not consider there is any connection between his move and the announced clamp down on illegal immigrants into the colony. Good luck ' lad' you may arrive just in time to do a bit of border patrolling. And as we watch the brown autumn leaves gravitating to the ground in the non existent Autumn Sunshine we say that's it for now. Join us next month for an- other breathtaking episode of the " Irish Connection." NO. 2 SECTION. Captain Trevor White and WOl Dave Greenaway have been contriving events to keep us all happy and occupied. Fort George ' It's a Knockout' and ' University Challenge' spring to mind so a few words on those. ' It's a Knockout' was arranged for all Fort George Units by the ' T w o ' over a beer one night and games were then dreamed up. In all six games and a mini-marathon were played and some interesting and unusual uses were found for EOD suits, NBC suits and our famed SWD. Six teams took part, including some girls from WRMP Clooney Base, and a good time was had by all with the' eventual winners being 3 Platoon, 1 A and SH. Our star for the day was Private Geordie Carrick, an escort from the Pioneer Platoon. He was our ' stacker' driver in the mini-marathon and managed to com- plete the very demanding course in under three minutes when no other driver could do better than half way. 'University Challenge' took place last week when the skipper tried to kid us that he is clever by setting and asking- the questions. Only three teams took part due to pressure of work but the Section emerged as winners by a wide margin. Which only goes to prove that you have to be versatile to be a member of an EOD team. We thought that we had a ' hospital case' on our hands last week when the Magherafelt team came out of hibernation and was tasked five times in a week. Fortunately Staff Sergeant Ken Allen and his crew were able to cope with the sudden surge but they have now crept back into oblivion for a couple of weeks lie-down. In fact, it's got so quiet at Magherafelt that the local RSM has christened the team " RIP VAN ATOs." NO. 3 SECTION. A quiet month—although Bessbrook con- tinues to find work when all around is calm. There has, how- ever, been a lot of movement of people this month. Sergeant Barry Taylor, Lance Corporals Smiler Pape and Graham Markham have all left us and Sergeant Dave Gough, Lance Corporal ' Winston' Cox, Privates Tez Wootton and Geordie Johnson have arrived. Sergeant Dave Gough hardly had time to sleep in his bed before he was detached to Auchnacloy. This means there are now teams in Bessbrook, Auchnacloy, Omagh and Portadown. Bessbrook was visited during the month by the Solicitor General, Sir Ian Percival QC MP. During his tour of the mill he asked to speak to Staff Sergeant Steve Wilkes and his team and tried his hand as a Wheelbarrow operator. Our photo shows the Solicitor General under instruction. Seen on an Ulster Tourist map, " and still in South Armagh there is the picturesque town of'Crossmaglen—famous for its shooting and fishing!" ACCOMMODATION SERVICES UNIT (EAST) FIRSTLY we extend a hearty welcome to our new OC, Major Dick and Ann Gannon and Hamish, from Bielefeld, and hope they will enjoy a pleasant tour with us. (Hamish being the faith- ful hound, not the son, of course!). Then we have Captain ' M a c ' MacDougall ably holding down the hot seat (more ways than one) of Second-in-Command. Someone reading these notes will assume the hot seat position in June next. As previous members of the Unit will recall, MASAs (Mili- tary Accommodation Services Accountants) numbered seven in the beginning but over the years the numbers have depleted to the current three, namely: W02 John (days to do) Mc- Gregor, W02 Jim (I'm a tiger) Simpson and welcoming from ASU Brunei, W02 Chris (Hadji) Hadfield and family. Of course ASU does not end with the military, we also boast a considerable gathering of civilian ASAs, clerks, storemen and labourers, unfortunately, too numerous to mention but who are nevertheless contributing their lot to the smooth running of the Unit. Chief of this happy band is currently Mr Alan Nichols, our CASO. Once more this year the dreaded BFT raises its head but the OC can boast a fifty per cent pass already in the under forties, namely Q. Jim. On the squash scene, Q. Jim, a seasoned player, is holding his own well up the league whilst newcomer Q Chris can boast his first win of the season even though he is only in Division 2! Farewells to Major Len and Peggy Davis to Hong Kong, W02 Tosh Thompson to Colchester and W02 Ted Patterson to Deepcut 321 EOD Unit # s / -v. \ HEADQUARTERS SECTION. congratulations to all the Our latest recipients of the following well earned V (f\f\[ / N( '(U!)K u T W K ^ ^ f i n P>. ^^<^ Colonel Peter Forshaw OBE, Major David Hodgens MBE, Sergeant Jonn Anderson GM, W 2 Kevin Callaghan GM QGM, W02 Roger Hubbard for GOC's Commendation. AMMO INSPECTORATE. Activity in the Inspectorate has settled down to normal once again after the Specialist Inspection. Colonel Jeffries was whisked down to Omagh, St Angelo and Beleek—the western- most Army outpost in the UK—where he personally conducted a CRP of compo ' squashed fly ' biscuits as he viewed the bullet- marked walls of the police station. The excellent work by all members of the Ammunition Inspectorate resulted in an in- spection that went without a hitch. NO. 1 SECTION. Change is the order of the day for No. 1 Section this month, change in personnel and in preparation for a change of location. Staff Sergeant Dave Dennis and Private Taff Peach have taken over from Sergeant Bob (the Fonz) Blakely and Private Porky Walker. Also shortly to move are WOl Alex Marshall, Sergeant Dave Fordyce and Lance Corporal Steve Arnold. Congratulations to Sergeant Fordyce on his recent promotion. A ' D ' day recently saw all Belfast teams plus teams from Lisburn, Portadown and Magherafelt deployed to a total of seventeen jobs. It was not Lance Corporal Steve Arnolds lucky day, a Ford Transit deposited him on the seat of his pants when it exploded and on the next job his beloved wheelbarrow suffered Horn motorway! the Mail indignity man RCT for our of the being Eager day covered after Beaver spreading in Operator pig manure. letters became all Corporal over an honorary the Steve Ml The Solicitor General has some Wheelbarrow Staff Sergeant W i l k e s . 224 — instruction from |
| Book number | R0404 |