RAOC Gazette - page 19
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 |
W 1 Rainey* WG1 Wilde and W 2 Jarvis after presentation of their Long Service and Good Conduct Medals by the COC Eastern District, Good Conduct Medals to WOl Rainey, WOl Wilde and W02 Jarvis. On the sporting front we lost to RAF Newton twenty nine to ten at rugby football but that is not enough to dampen the spirits of our players. Central Ordnance Depot Donnington SO often we must start our notes in a mood of sadness. Our thoughts this month are with Lance Corporal and Mrs Andy Fox whose infant son, Stuart, recently died so unexpectedly. The Commander Base Organisation, Major General Minogue, paid his farewell visit to Donnington in November. We dined him out in the Officers Mess when his 199 A and sport- ing achievements were eloquently rehearsed by the Garrison Commander to the admiration of most officers attending—but to the General's own embarrassment. The next day he did a farewell tour of the Depot and we were able to arrange that he represented the Chief of the General Staff at the award of Long Service and Good Conduct Medals to four of our number. Our picture shows W02 Jim McClurg, the Chief Clerk of Regi- mental Wing receiving his medal from the General. WOl Bob military headquarters for Shropshire has been activated and the designated Staff Officer, Major David Eccles, has revealed un- expected talents in organizing round the clock cover without seriously appearing to lose any sleep. Whilst our activities have been small beer compared with those reaching television headlines in Birmingham, our own little force of half a dozen Green Goddesses is manned by a mixture of soldiers from the Corps and the 3rd Battalion The Light Infantry from Shrews- bury. We have welcomed visitors from all parts of the county and, in particular, the Comanmding Officer of the Light In- fantry Depot. Their fire fighting prowess has been much tested on false alarms, domestic fires emanating from chip pans, smouldering piles of rubbish in gardens and the aftermath of traffic accidents. All this was forgotten, however, when three large barns of one of our neighbouring farmers caught fire together in a howling gale. If the direction of the wind had changed by ninety degrees the whole—farm, farmhouse and all—would have gone, but as it was at least £120,000 of damage was done to sugar beet, potatoes and corn and the build- ings themselves. Five appliances attended the scene for some- thing over eight hours. This was valuable experience indeed. So far, alas, we have not been interviewed by television cameras nor have we been given the opportunity to express our views on pay, living conditions and so on to anyone other than a cub reporter from a local paper but we have a twenty page brief prepared so that nothing is forgotten. Remembrance Sunday this year was treated as a Regi- mental Weekend and on the Saturday morning some one hundred and seventy people of all ranks braved the elements in knockout competitions in football and hockey. In the hockey competition fifteen teams entered, including three from the WRAC. Those who played in the first round tell me that it was quite an effort for some of them to be up in time for the first bully-off at 0830 especially in sleet, high winds and heavy clouds. In spite of many novices to the game, competition was fierce and a WRAC team, ably led by their PTI Corporal Liz Dewsbury, reached the sem-finals. In the final, the favourites from the Donnington Division of DSM and consisting mainly of professionals like Swales and Stobie, were overwhelmed by the team captained In absentia by the OIC Hockey and comprising of those enthusiastic amateurs belonging to units too small to enter their own teams. The Parade marches past after the Remembrance Day Service* W 2 Jim McGlurg receives his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. Dando of the Royal Corps of Transport, Sergeant Taff Bellamy and Corporal John Robinson were also honoured by the award. We wish General and Mrs Minogue a long, happy and peaceful retirement. The most unusual feature of the past weeks, however, has been the need to deal with the Firemen's strike. The county On Remembrance Sunday itself, our Roman Catholic and Inter-Denominational parade services were held and exception- ally well attended. Our photograph shows a general view of the parade after the major service where the salute was taken by the Garrison Commander. In the evening Brigadier Mike Short and the Chief Administrative Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Terry Boxall, attended the Ceremony of Light held by the District of The Wrekin in the Oakengates Town Hall. The occasion was marked by the presentation to the District of a Roll of Honour containing the names and full details of one thousand four hundred men and women from the District who died in the two world wars. Besides a number of WRAC girls who performed very ably as ushers, a token part of the roll was read by four RAOC soldiers, including the Regimental Sergeant Major, and Miss Armstrong, a Warrant Officer Class I in the WRAC. This ceremony has done much to cement the already cordial and co-operative relationships which exist between the Garrison and the local authority and which have been particularly fruitful during the last year. Finally, we must make mention of recent marriages between Corporal Harrison and Miss Sheila Boyden, Private Tiffany to Miss Christeen Campbell and Private Kidd to Miss Mary Chadwick. Congratulations are also due to Corporal and Mrs Couzens upon the birth of their son Mitchell in October. — 248 — |
| Book number | R0246a |