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RAOC Gazette - page 144

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Publication date 1978
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Transcription two. Within the past few weeks we have said farewell to
several stalwarts of the stick, notably Captain Richard Bugler,
WOl Alan Gower (now commissioned), Staff Sergeant Bill
Newstead REME, Sergeant Dinger Bcil REME and Private TafT
Golden. They are replaced by Staff Sergeant Pete Firth REME
and Corporal Alfie Barrrett. We are also the proud possessors
o( a real class one umpire, Major Rey King, who ably sup-
ports Lance Corporal Dave Stocks Royal Signals our class
ihree umpire. If you throw in Major David Langdon's recently
acquired coaching qualification it could be said that where we
are weak in skills it is made up for in our knowledge of
rules and methods of play. The RAOC BAOR team continue
to be supplemented by our unit players notably Major David
Langdon with the occasional turn out by WOl Ken Pratt, W02
Ken Stuart and Sergeant Kevin Townsend.
Congratulations to W02 and Mrs John Watford on the
birth of a son Benjamin, and to Staff Sergeant Diviney on the
award of the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
Other Hello's to WOl Mick Lee, Staff Sergeants Maurice
Mellors and Bob Hughes and Corporal Aleck Cumming.
Goodbyes to Major Gordon Harmer to Headquarters South
East District, Staff Sergeant Bill Newstead REME to RARDE
Malvern and Staff Sergeant Mai (Ling) Davison REME to' 46
Command Workshop.
STORES SUB-DEPOT
DOLMEN
TO disrupt the feeling of well being we have the icy fingers of
ARU creeping down our spines. The Dulmen war machine has
been lectured, trained, taught, drilled, dressed, pushed and
persuaded to become two hundred and forty one snarling
efficient killers- Well at least that's what it says in the training
pamphlets. The DMA has volunteered to lead the rape and pillage
team should it be required on the day. The Officer Commanding
Regimental Administration has noted this kind offer but is
clearly a worried man. These past weeks have not been easy,
indeed he has been a veritable tornado of paperwork, statistics,
and programmes. At times he has not known if his large pack
is hung, slung, or counter sunk.
This month has already been extremely busy with visits by
the DGOS and the Inspector RAOC, both of which were very
successful. The DGOS during his visit met virtually all the
senior ranks in the Sergeants Mess and then toured the depot
which he has seen many times before as Commander Rhine Area.
The visit coincided with the worst snow storms Dulmen has had
for a few years, and the helicopter was grounded. The in-
convenience apart it all made for a pretty Christmas card
appearance; for the depot!
The arctic conditions have now gone and sadly the weather
is now quite springlike. Just the thing for running about in
combats and webbing! Now where did I put my helmet and
large pack?—I wonder if British Leyland have these problems!
(A report of the success of the Dulmen Cross Country
Team appears in * For the Record.')
VEHICLE SUB-DEPOT
MOENCHENGLADBACH
VISITORS to the Vehicle Sub-Depot lately have been seen
producing autograph books, for after a spate of BFBS time in
the Inter-Unit quiz (which we lost by one measly point) almost
half our total strength has been heard on the radio. We also
aired our greatness with a programme called "It's Good 'ere"
when everyone interviewed had a tune played for them, except
the Chief Clerk. RSM Terry Joll had everyone in stitches with
his hitherto unsuspected paternal views on * my boys,' and the
girls decided not to be left out of things when the * Wives'
Club went to Cologne and toured the BFBS Studios on their day
out.
W 2 Alan Gore had a marvellous stroke of luck recently
when granted twenty one days leave, and celebrated by turn-
ing up at his desk in mufti every day. He appeared wonder-
fully refreshed when returning to the fold in uniform. Lance
Corporal Hagger ensured his Char and Wad from here to
eternity by marrying former NAAFI Manageress Nikki Cole,
and having now completed his service joins her in NAAFI
service in BAOR so we haven't seen the last of him. Private
Davis has seen the light and is in the throes of changing his
trade from Vehicle Specialist to Staff Clerk. According to Staff
Sergeant McCaffery he is making an excellent job of it too.
Somehow, Private Steve Turner kept his lanky frame out
of the limelight in Northern Ireland and has recently joined
iis, as has Captain Crawford, RSM Barry Lambert, Staff Sergeant
Stan Richmond and his three canoes, Lance Corporal Dobson
and Privates Adamson and Weber with their respective families,
welcome all On the other side of the fence however, just to
keep the scales balanced, we have lost Captain Jim Bridle, RSM
Joll, Privates Kennedy and Gadsden, and Staff Sergeant Alan
Shipton who grew a large bushy moustache before returnine
to civvy street (We wonder why?).
W02 Alan Chapman has gone into the car buying business
—he occupies three garages at the rear of his Mess—and if y o u
want a shirt, pair of socks or shoes, shampoo or steradent, he
won't disappoint you with his high class emporium! The Com-
manding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Maurice Young, seems to
have won the pools™Lhough he says he hasn't—but has a
swanky new Peugeot Estate. Perhaps he has an emporium too!
Either that or he has been playing 4 Footie agin -the W a ' fa r
something bigger than marbles.
Father Christmas called recently and Nigel Smith is now
' Q *; Staff Sergeant Keelor, Sergeant Mardi and Corporals
Allen, Fensome, Partington and Galley are all admiring their
sleeves to see if the stitching is straight, while Corporal Auchter-
lonie sports his two stripes in silver on his cooks' whites. Captain
Robin Sider flogged himself and the lads into a frenzy during
the winter months, making sure that everyone passed their
BFT tests. When the ARU arrived shortly afterwards we
received a good report, apart from the fact that twelve of our
youngsters failed their BFTs. All the old dogs passed with
flying colours which seems to indicate that fags and booze do
have their uses while pure living and regular exercise don't—or
something!
Influenza is busily stalking our ranks at present,* 1 but while
those who are married accompanied enjoy a couple of days
spoiled by their better halves, those poor souls who live in the
Mess either slowly starve to death or get better fast.
Our Registry Clerk, Mrs Beryl Timpson, enjoyed a birthday
last week^she's twenty one and a bit now she says—and received
a stack of cards and sheaves of flowers which clearly indicates
the high esteem in which she is held by all. Our REME AQMS
Fred Brierley, alias McCloud, has just returned from Exercise
Snow Queen where he had a fortnight's ski-ing holiday in the
Bavarian Alps. He says it was a marvellous experience and
please can he go again next year. He lost one of his front
teeth it seems, and wants to go back to look for it!
Congratulations to WOl Peter Reed on being selected for
the Corps in the finals of the BAOR Inter-Corps Badminton
League, and to the Unit hockey team for their two to one win
over 14 Squadron Royal Engineers in the Rhine Area Minor
Units League semi-final. Well done!
3 Base Ammunition and Petroleum Depot \
FEBRUARY in Bracht was hectic, to say the least. Not only
were we visited by the DGOS, but only three days later we had
our ARU. The DGOSs visit went well, our photograph shows
him talking to a group of soldiers at the thirty metre range. On
the same day we were delighted to welcome Mrs Callan who had
a unit administrative tour of her own, conducted by Mrs
Musson. Her visit during the morning of 13th February in-
cluded all those areas of voluntary support so important to an
The DGOS, Major General Callan talking to soldiers of 3 BAPD
on his recent visit to the Depot.
In the picture from left to
right are: Escorting Officer Major Doyle, Major General Callan,
Corporal Simkiss, Corporal King, Lance Corporal Low (complete
with eye patch) and Private Hodgson.
56 —
Book number R0246a