RAOC Gazette - page 6
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1978 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | No |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1978 |
| Late date | 1978 |
| Transcription |
11 is a pity, therefore, and a disappointment to him, that it has i-'t been possible for these innovations to be introduced into i , depots during his term as the last Commander of Base < -ganisation RAOC. He has always been admirably and very capably supported by his wife Elizabeth and they have both gained the respect and affection of all who have met them. We wish_ them both a very happy second career (there's not much question of retire- ment where this active couple is concerned!)* TWENTY FIVE YEARS ON THE Agreement between the Belgian and British Governments (known as the Gondola Agreement) setting up (he British Mili- tary Base in Belgium, was signed on the 12th of November 1952. To commemorate the twenty fifth anniversary of the sign- ing of the agreement a tree planting ceremony was held at Emblem Camp on Sunday, 13th November 1977 after the Remembrance Service, GREEN GODDESS CREWS RE-WRITE CWM RHONDDA The following is an extract from The Western Mail. . OLDIER FIREMEN in Swansea took the heat out of a row sparked off by a television parody of the Welsh National Anthem with their own version of Cwm Rhondda. They poured cold water on the exploits of the Two Ronnies' fictitious Nantgarw Male Voice Choir with the first public per- formance of the original Mumbles Road Male Voice Orpheus Choir, singing the Ballad of the Green Goddess—written by two Scotsmen and an Englishman. The song was performed for the visit of Brigadier Dennison, Commander RAOC Training Centre, where the troops of Wales's i\re fighting flying column were trained. After meeting the men and watching them train Brigadier Dennison met the Deputy-Commander for Wales, Brigadier John Parham, and leading South Wales police and fire officers before moving on to visit fire-fighting troops in Neath and Cardiff. " They are coping extremely well considering they are emergency firemen, trained for only a few hours. Many of them The Commander and Mr Hermans plant the tree. are quite young, but that is no disadvantage, they are old enough to be soldiers and to do this work" said Brigadier Dennison. The tree planting was carried out by the Commander " The armed forces exist to deal with emergencies and this British Forces Antwerp and Mr Frank Hermans who, as well is just such an emergency. It makes a change." as being the Chief Clerk of the Accommodation Stores Unit, is The Brigadier brought letters from soldiers' wives and also the longest serving civilian employee at the Base, presents from families separated when the emergency began. The impromptu choir recital came as a complete surprise to the visitors who listened with considerable amusement to IMPROVEMENTS TO TROOP'S LIVING verses like: CONDITIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND Our Green Goddess passes water In triumphant water spout, MEASURES are well under way to improve troops* living Tho" her age is five and twenty accommodation in Northern Ireland. These improvements will She still pumps the water out. cost about £500,000. (Chorus) Only about five per cent of soldiers serving in Northern We won't fail you, Ireland now live in accommodation which is regarded as being We won't fail you, sub-standard, i.e. below the standards normally expected even We will put your fires out, fires out, under the special circumstances of field service conditions in We will put your fires out. Northern Ireland. One of the three men who wrote the song, Staff Sergeant About £80,000,000 at current prices has been spent on works Keith Humphries, said, " We sang the hymn with the padre on - services for the Army in Northern Ireland over the past four Sunday, funnily enough, and this was something we made up on years. Nearly half of this has been devoted to living accom- watch that night to cheer the lads up. We didn't even see the modation, The number of men badly housed has been pro- Two Ronnies programme all the fuss is about. We did it for gressively reduced. our commander, Major Tony Rees, who is a Welshman, but we Six unsatisfactory sites have been vacated during the last zlso thought it would go down welt for this visit." year alone, and immediate improvements are being made to five Staff Sergeant Humphries said the locals had been very other sites. helpful in Swansea. Soldiers had been offered complimentary The sites in question are Magherafelt, Maghera, Newry, membership of two golf clubs and had been to the leisure Forkhill and Crossmaglen, and the position at each place is as centre although they did not get very much time in town. follows: The only disappointment so far seems to be the soldiers Magherafelt: The problem is being solved by the con- can't find anywhere to play rugby. " We were hoping to get struction of a new company camp which when completed will five or six to play on Wednesday but nobody wants them it conform to the required standards, seems. Some of us brought our boots in hope though,'] he Maghera: Steps will be taken to improve the accom- said. modation here when work at Magherafelt has been completed. The ballad has since been sung by the men on HTV and on Newry: The removal of a building contractor's hut will local radio. afford an opportunity to relieve overcrowding by providing new sleeping quarters for a number of men. THREE WIN CARS FOR 20P Forkhill: An additional portacabin will ease the situation by accommodating about twenty per cent of the occupants. THE names of the three lucky winners in the SSAFA 3-Car Draw, which raised over £28,000—more than any other SSAFA Crossmaglen: Work at present in hand includes improve- fund-raising event for twenty years—were drawn by HRH ments to living conditions, including washing, dining and Prince Michael of Kent at SSAFA Head Office on 24th Novem- recreational facilities. ber. The Renault 5 went to Mrs Merrifield of 107 Pitts Lane, Earley, Reading, Berks—ticket CA 8273. THE 19T8 BARI CUP INTER HOCKEY The Ford Escort Popular was won by S. Murray, 124 Oaker- FESTIVAL 16/ir MARCH 19T8 side Drive, Peterlee, County Durham—ticket BG 7720. THE festival will be held at Deepcut, commencing at 1000 hours The Mini 1000 is now the property of R« Williams, HQ on Thursday, 16th March, 1978, Base Organisation RAOC, Didcot, Berks—ticket DF 6395. 235 — |
| Book number | R0246a |