RAOC Gazette - page 183
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 |
Army School of Ammunition WE now focus our attention on EOD Branch and this can be disposed of in few lines. Leading Disposer is Major Geoff Scott who refuses to let things get blown up out of all pro- portion. The Branch teaches normal disposals which include demolitions and burning, as well as disposal of lEDs* Cap- lain Harry Vaughan, one of the new boys in ammunition, looks after conventional disposals, is the School's accountant, carries out explosive demonstrations and assists on pre-operation exercises in his spare time. SAT of the Branch is WOl Jim Martin admirably suited to the post because of his organisational ability and crisis-cracking capacity. Workers in the Branch in- clude W02 Walt Greathead, Staff Sergeants Malcolm Boscott, Colin Kildutf, Paul Mitchell and Dave Couling, Sergeants Pete Phil pott and Brian English. Continuity is provided in the Branch by Mr Pete Munday, ex WOl AT, and electronics expert extraordinaire. The Branch is very ably supported by Corporal Fletcher, recently arrived from 15 Composite Ordnance Depot We congratulate Corporal Fletcher on his award of the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and our photograph shows the presentation being made by Colonel Berresford, Commandant CAD Kineton, in the School's Museum, It should also be men- tioned at this point that the photographs for the School are taken and processed by King Kodak himself, Staff Sergeant Dave Couling. Our military strength also is fast melting away. The Sergeants Mess is now down to nineteen members but remains cheerful and lively for all that. They are having a ball (literally) on All Fools Day and are planning a special Closure Regimental Dinner for 5th May; I have a feeling that this is going to be quite a night and will lay on a goodly supply of Alka Seltzer in advance! In other words, CAD Bramley may be a-dying but it hasn't exactly given up the ghost! Special congratulations to Mr Ron Armstrong on the award of the ISM which was presented to him by the Commandant, Lieutenant Colonel John Elliott, on 28th February in the presence of a goodly company of his friends. Since our last letter the following have departed to military pastures new—WOl Wafforne, W02 Corney, Sergeants Skekel and Nutman, Corporal Megson, Lance Corporal Staniforth, Privates Berkeley, Brichano, Carr, Cassidy and Mosley* Cap- tain Robertson, WOl Keelor, Privates Anderson, Clowes and Williams have departed to the delights and uncertainties of civvy street. To each and all good luck in the future. There has, of course, been no matching intake. And to close, sincere congratulations to WOl J. Garton on promotion to that rank. Central Vehicle Depot UK A VERY successful Regimental Dinner was held in the Officers Mess on 9th March. Guests included Brigadier Palmer from Headquarters DGEME, Mr Spencer-Cox, Tewkesbury Borough Mayor, Mr Devereux, Tewkesbury Town Mayor and Major Humphrey, OC Vehicle Depot Ludgershall. The Sergeants Mess held a Regimental Dinner on 31st March when WOi Holloway, Staff Sergeant Sutherland and Sergeant Belcher were dined out on leaving the Service. W02 Dick was also dined out on posting to 7 Field Force Ordnance Company. WOl Webster was dined in, and will take over as Senior Member from WOl Holloway. Welcome to Miss Lynne Martin who assumes the post of clerk to the Planning Officer. Farewell to Mrs Val Gregson on transfer to Headquarters REME and to Mrs Annette Corke on moving to Civil Administration in the Vehicle Depot. VEHICLE DEPOT ASHCHURCH CONGRATULATIONS to the hockey team in reaching the final of the South West District hockey competition. We now play the Junior Leaders Regiment RAC. Also on reaching the final of the District * Six-a-Side * competition only to be beaten one nil by the School of Signals. This was a very commend- able effort considering that we were the only minor unit out of thirty two in the competition. We welcome the following new members of the Unit. Staff Sergeant Fairclough, Privates Kennedy and Ronson and say farewell to Sergeant Boyd, Privates Richards and Major on post- ing and to Corporals King and Downing to civilian life. Lance Corporal Canale has returned after an attachment in Canada and Private Bowles from Norway after three months with a Royal Marine Commando. Congratulations to Private Won-al on his marriage to Elaine Davies and to Private and Mrs Watson on the birth of Amanda Louise and to Private and Mrs Jones on the safe arrival of Sarah Bernadette. Colonel Berresford presents the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal to Corporal Fletcher at the Army School of Ammunition. We welcome to the School Corporal Tony Corr, who is to be employed in EOD Branch, and Lance Corporal Mick Connell and hope they will both have enjoyable tours with us. On the hockey pitches of Black down Major David Hourahane, WOl Fred Murphy, W02 Ken Dickson, Sergeants 'Arthur' English, and Mo Allen were members of the unsuccess- ful CAD Kineton team which competed for the Bari Cup. Staff Sergeant Paul Mitchell is a leading light in the CAD Kineton football team which is doing very well in both League and Cup Competitions. VEHICLE DEPOT LUDGERSHALL LANCE CORPORAL RON AUDRAIN writes:—The last few weeks seem to be unnaturally quiet after the recent hectic period of firefighting and snow rescue work. The latter activity is the most recent in which we were involved and which we will cover in some detail. When the blizzards occurred in Somerset and Devon in February the Depot and its over-snow Volvos was almost ideally situated to help out, and having offered our services to Headquarters South West District, two vehicles and crews were mobilised. Team one covered the Barnstable area of North Devon and employed the dual talents of Corporal Jeff Strange and Private TarT Rees. Team Two covered the Okehampton area and consisted of Lance Corporals Alan McMurdo and Geordie Pollin. The main objects of the rescue operations were to get to the stranded elderly, and families with young children in houses isolated by the drifts, provide warm food and clothing where required, and to ensure that there were no persons buried in their cars under the snow. As the operations proceeded, grate- ful members of the community rewarded their rescuers with cups of steaming tea which were very welcome. Everywhere the Volvos were met with relief and thanks that unpleasant ordeals were over. Central Ammunition Depot Bramley GREY, wet and miserable it may be outside, but in Bramley the sun is shining. At long last, after months of uncertainty, there is a positive declaration of intent by the American authorities to take over the storage facilities here. CAD Bramley may die but AD Bramley will arise from the ashes and the name at least will live on. More importantly in these somewhat difficult times, a spectrum of jobs will be saved. MOD Police, Fire and Railway staff included, some one hundred and seventy personnel will continue to soldier on at Bramley though * soldier' is per- haps not the correct word to use since there are but few military uniforms in the revised organisation. Sadly though, we shall shortly have to say goodbye to some very old stagers with a lifetime of public service, mostly at CAD Bramley, behind them. Names such, as Cedric Squibb (forty seven years), Bill Stroud (forty seven years), Paddy Kehoe (forty years), and Cyril Davis (thirty nine years), spring readily to mind. They are all due to * leave by the end of April and all readers will join with me in wishing them, and all like them, well in the future, whether that be to total retirement or to some other occupation. 387 |
| Book number | R0246a |