RAOC Gazette - page 46
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 |
ment is not RAOC; those on the steps may be but, from their attitude, three at least seem likely to be hospital patients. Anyway, does this stir a chord in anyone's memory? Was our Corps Headquarters in the post World War I BAOR located in Cologne Hospital? Any offers? DRESS I USED to write quite frequently about Corps uniform though without much effect on it so far as I could tell. How- ever, I am delighted to hear that a com- ment I made two years ago has finally been acted upon; thirty seven pattern equipment is at last on the way out and fifty eight pattern is to be universal. I do not think we know when this is to be achieved but at least the budget has been drawn up and the decision taken. Hooray 1 On the other hand there have been two changes in the dress of our officers which, with due respect to the Corps Committee concerned, is a retrograde step. In the first place, I hear that officers of the Corps have been instructed to wear no other headdress but the beret in pull- over or shirt-sleeve orders of working dress. Of course no one can say that the beret is not functional, nor that it is not cheap: it clearly possesses both these qualities but are they the only factors in the argument? Are we not following the lanyard trail to total uniformity and if so, is this really what we want? Could it be that we are blinded by that old fixa- tion about our combatant status and our image in other men's eyes? Were our officers less professional in SD or side- caps and are they more so in berets? Alas, it is all too dangerous to generalise: there are those who contrive (almost) to look just the thing in combat suit and sidecap, and there are others who will never look anything like " field force" so long as they have heads to put their "soup plates" on. Soldiers too are faced with something of a problem as many have gladly purchased Corps sidecaps to add a little colour and distinction to their appearance; are they now to discard them and revert to bereted uniformity—so very practical but so very dull? The other change is that an officer can no longer wear his metal badges of rank on the shoulder strap of his shirt in summer. He now has to put them on a " sleeve," a pair of which will cost him some 25p. Not much to pay to save a small chore, you may say, and I agree. But look at the impression given? Metal badges neatly set on a properly ironed shoulder strap are crisp and smart; by comparison a ** sleeve" is nothing but a cheap device which in this context proclaims idleness. Yet, if II sleeves " are to be in, perhaps I could propose one small amendment to the order? Substitute embroidered cloth badges of rank for metal ones. They would be consistent with embroidered badges on berets and would of course be functional too. On the whole though, I wish we could leave our dress alone. It would be a good idea to print our orders on the subject in a bound booklet which was so expensive to produce that we would not wish, and could not afford, either to amend or to reprint it! BAOR—1920 MY illustration comes from a postcard kindly sent by a correspondent who found it amongst others in a sale. I am afraid it is rather dark but below the caption (evidently written by a German) can be seen a board advertising " RAOC Regi- mental Headquarters." However, peer- ing through my magnifying glass, I am fairly certain that the figure on the pave- WITHD RAWAL IT is now ten whole years since we left Aden. My goodness, how time passes, but what memories it leaves—if only we can get at them! For example, who was the officer who laboriously climbed Jebel Shamsan every week for two years in obedience to local legend which pro- claimed that such devotion would prevent a second posting? He was back on an emergency tour within weeks of leaving! Who remembers the pleasant greenness of Seedaseer Lines and the barren dry- ness of Little Aden and Bir Fukum? Does anyone recall the ammunition depot in the rocky fold between Manila and the Ordnance Depot— or the RAF Disposals Site beside it? Who for that matter was the RAF officer in charge of disposals but short of em- ployment who amused himself by racing perfectly serviceable Champs round his parish — backwards!? Who remembers shooting pigeons inside the marston sheds of the Depot? Did anyone go on the ill-fated adventure training expedition up country which strayed into the Yemen and was shot up? Who and When? I have dropped a few hints which have come my way. I should be very glad if you would tell me more about Aden (or any- where else) which you found interesting or amusing. Needless to say, photos will also be more than acceptable. X>EEPCTJT TALKING of with- drawal reminds me that it is now about ten years since the great upheaval at Deepcut began- Those who only know the new well- appointed Blackdown Barracks may be in- terested to see opposite this aerial shot of the old layout. Alma and Dettingen Barracks are of course still much the same, and the quar- ters behind them, but down the hill North Minden and the plateau have changed completely. South Min- den, now 44 Squadron RCT territory, is much the same except that there used to be some huts and a cookhouse, as you can see, near the main road. But the only features quite un- changed are the old H e a d q u a r t e r s (now S c h o o l of Ordnance) Officers Mess and the Church. I wonder if there is a moral there? — 272 — |
| Book number | R0246a |