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RAOC Gazette - page 62

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Transcription Medal. W02 Dave Greenaway is resigned lo completing
a
4
further 1 eighteen years to earn his and has been busy moon-
lighting with the North Wales Police. Captain Doherty's wife
Lynn presented him with a bouncing baby daughter in October
and he now volunteers for duty to catch up with sleep. WO I
Jim Martin took the plunge recently and became a married
man. We hope he and Maggie will have many happy years
together. It should be said that he is not volunteering for duty!
The usual array of courses have passed and are passing
through the School. The 1977 A ATs have completed their
thirty two weeks hard graft and will shortly be joining their
new units. Our best wishes for long and successful careers go
with them, Eurotraining Courses on the Lance Missile for
Technical and Stores personnel continue with increasing fre-
quency, and the instructors concerned are becoming expert in
dealing with the various idiosyncrasies of German, Dutch,
Belgian, Italian and American students-
Members of the 1977 ATO Course enjoying demolitions at
Sennybridge.
Left to right Major Jamal Luddin (Malaysia),
Lieutenant Phil Hanlon, Lieutenant Ron Edwards (Canada),
Lieutenant Pietet Poortvliet (Royal Netherlands Navy) and
Lieutenant Jim Carr.
Central Ammunition Depot Bramley
THE month started well with a Technical Inspection by Brigadier
Lee, Commander Arborfield Garrison.
An excellent report
followed and since it will be the last for CAD Bramley, it was
pleasant to end on such a good note.
Christmas saw all members of the Camp engaged in the
traditional round of celebrations. This year saw one innovation
in the form of an All Ranks Christmas Buffet Lunch, which
went down well enough with the aid of a modicum of Christmas
ale. Advantage was taken of the visit of the Warrant Officers
and Sergeants and Civilian Officers to the Officers Mess to
make a retirement presentation to Mr Popovic, the Camp
Leader of the EVW Camp. The Camp has now closed with the
transfer of the remaining EVWs to accommodation provided by
Basingstoke Council. ' Pop * has laid down his burden at the
age of seventy two, having carried on to that age because he
was truly irreplaceable. He was presented with a carriage
clock and one can but sum him up by quoting from the in-
scription thereon—" To Pop, whose own gift to his EVW
charges was compassion, patience and understanding in un-
limited measure."
Congratulations go to Corporal Hart on his promotion and
we say farewell to W02 Burgess and Sergeant Dawson on their
postings. We also say farewell to Staff Sergeant Round,
Sergeants Walsh and Smith, Corporal Caldicutt, Lance Corporal
LawTence and Private Bentley on discharge.
Vehicle Depot Ludgershall
THESE Corps GAZETTE notes for the month of December are
brought to you by courtesy of Lance Corporal * Nor * Hodg-
kinson. Most of December was taken up (on top of our normal
workload) with the preparation of Green Goddesses for the
current emergency. Fifteen of our lads have volunteered? for
the rather unwanted seasonal gift of firefighting, taking over
for the Christmas period from vehicle specialists from Ashchurch
who have been gallantly performing down m the South-West,
It would seem that some real-life actionmen may turn up in the
Christmas stockings of the Devonshire population.
Apart from that, we managed to fit in a Christmas Dance,
which was greatly enjoyed by all who attended. Music was
provided by a versatile group called ' Reunion,* and a splendid
buffet was prepared by the Tidworth Garrison Officers Mess.
Many thanks to our dance committee comprising Sergeant
Jim McConnell, Lance Corporal Ken Connelly and Private Paul
Mason, for a job well done. Also in the festive vein was the
Childrens Christmas Party, at which the Unit played host to
twelve children from a local children's home, as well as fifty two
soldier's children. It can be said that this was also a great
success, and the adult helpers Mrs McGrattan, Feehan, Hodgkin-
son, Kelly and Howard still have the bruises to prove it.
Sergeant George Halliday in the guise of Santa Claus handed
out gifts to each child before being overwhelmed.
Turning to sports and past-times, our camp Pool Team
consisting of Corporal Jeff Strange, Lance Corporal Alan Bateman
and Privates Jasper Scarrott and Phil Brodrick have been play-
ing with some brilliance and are consequently doing very well
in the local league. Still on the subject of sport, it was rumoured
that our football team may have actually won a game this season,
as well as putting pressure on the Training Centre team in
the Richards Cup competition match which we only narrowly
lost.
Lemons have been awarded to the following people:—our
administrative staff who sent eight HGV I drivers to pick up
vehicles which turned out to be Land Rovers—only warranting
half a * Yorkie * chocolate bar. Sammy Sampson, who de-
molished a window box with a tractor—nobody told him it's
easier with a trowel t Also Nor Hodgkinson who went to the
aid of a broken down vehicle equipped with a towbar but for-
got the shackles.
We offer our congratulations to A/Staff Sergeant Tom
Grant on promotion and say farewell to Staff Sergeant Jim
Sommerville and Lance Corporal Stew Johnson on posting and
to W02 Max Underwood, Corporal Bob Wilson and Lance
Corporal Paul Edwards on discharge, offering them best wishes
for their futures in civvy street. Finally we welcome Staff
Sergeants Beard and Hirst and Corporal Mitchell to the Unit.




Stores Section 102 Light Air Defence Regiment
Workshop REME (V)
THE Defence Auditor's visit is past and we have come out of
it quite well, to all intents and purposes our account seems to
be in a healthy state.
During November the Workshop and Stores Section fired
Annual Range Course at Magilligan Ranges in weather conditions
which could have been better, however a good standard was
obtained and all who fired qualified.
W02 John Burrows has recently returned from attach-
ment in lieu of Annual Camp with 6 Field Force Ordnance
Company at Arnhem Barracks Aldershot. During his time there
he took part in Exercise Avon Express on Salisbury Plain Train-
ing Area, and he has been heard to say more than once that
" November is not the most suitable time of the year to be
stuck out on Salisbury Plain, especially at his age"
Also in November the Sergeants Mess had a very success-
ful Dinner Night to dine out the former Workshop Admin
Officer Major Walsh. Whilst clearing up next morning, two
bow ties and a set of false teeth were found, any claimants?*
May we take this opportunity to wish all of our friends
throughout the Corps a happy and successful 1978.
— 288 —
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE CORPS
THROUGH 1 THE RAOC ASSOCIATION
Book number R0246a