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RAOC Gazette - page 193

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1978
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Early date 1978
Late date 1978
Transcription ic Arctic Winter and travelled South West. The journey
1 was very steady, with Private Griffin determined that a
lime driver in the shape of Corporal Petre would not lead
:onvoy into Vogelsang,
The exercise got off to a good start with everybody enter-
mio the spirit of things. Private Dick Reid has applied to
ge his name by deed poll after the exercise. He is now to
cnown Dick 'Tank Killer' Reid. For those of you at
Ordnance Support Battalion, you will be able to hear the
story behind this tale when he arrives at Devizes in late
f
. Whilst at Vogelsang we ran various inter-section and
^platoon competitions. The inter-platoon shooting cona-
tion was won by the old men of Command Platoon led by
£ Sergeant Dinsdale (Mr Dinsdale to the other senior ranks).
Assault Course competition, won by super 2 Platoon, 2
ion led by Corporal Alan Walmsley, did the course in a
>rd three minutes forty seven seconds. The inter-section
ipetition was won by 2 Secton of 1 Platoon led by Corporal
:herty,
We ended the exercise in traditional style by having Platoon
ties. Unfortunately for Second Lieutenant Couch it was
twenty first birthday at midnight and 2 Platoon was deter-
led to make sure he would remember that night. He did!
Our OC, Major Champion, is shortly to leave the Unit.
preparation for this a small farewell was arranged. Those
you who have read THE GAZETTE during the last two years
I know that Major Champion has a passion for running up
rmanns' Denkmal. We therefore decided that the only fitting
y for him to leave the unit was to run up the hill yet again.
e OC was taken completely by surprise, and despite his
igue he managed a smile when two hundred metres from
: crest he saw eight senior ranks standing by a chariot (lovingly
:pared by Corporal Dick Carr) which was to carry him the
.t of the way. Too tired to run back to the Unit, we piled
o transport and returned to the Park Inn, in order to celebrate
s memorable occasion.
On the sports scene, once again a team comprising members
the RAOC 4 Division is through to the final of the DOS
VOR cup at Dulmen. Last Saturday we were knocked out of
e semi-final of the zone minor units cup by 38 Engineers from
:rlin,
Elles Barracks hosted the RAOC BAOR table tennis com-
itition this year and once again Major Champion and Private
ielding won the doubles with Private Brickstock of the Stores
atoon, losing in the finals of the singles.
Combat- Supplies Battalion
'E'VE just finished the first round of the new fun game played
y consenting Majors known as * musical appointments.' In the
ast three weeks two Company Commanders and the Second-in-
ommand have all moved in a flurry of paper work. During the
ixt round perhaps we could go outside the Unit or even involve
ur NATO allies! The black spectre of the ARU has been
anished but we are left with a strange legacy, 49 Company
ad their chain of command tested by Headquarters 1 (BR)
orps and the result—anybody want a company of RAOC who
in do a left-about-turn? Elsewhere the day passed with Terrorist
Hacks, helicopter attacks and outloads, the sort of thing that
those who have served in the Battalion will remember happen
every day. During a short lunch break the DDOS was able to
present Long Service and Good Conduct Medals to W02
Graham Robertson and Sergeant Ted Callow.
The last of the bronzed martini drinkers are back from
Snow Queen and if there had been space we would have
included a few pictures to remind the story tellers that they were
not quite that good.
Corporal Nonis, our much travelled badminton champion,
organised a very successful Garrison Championship which was
very well supported by local German clubs. The prizes were
presented by the Second-in-Command Stuart Portman.
We say goodbye to Major Alan Knipe who moves on pro-
motion to Bielefeld, and a sad farewell to Stuart and Jenny
Portman who are off to the great LE(A). We wish them the very
best for their short stay there as they tell us a posting to Hong
Kong is imminent.
New arrivals include Lance Corporals Pawsey, and Polland,
Corporals Goldsworthy and Dean, Privates Martin and Holmes,
Lance Corporal Goulden and Private Spear.
Those lucky enough to get posted out included Sergeant
Van-Spall, Corporals Long and Nunn, Privates Aslett and Ahsam
and Lance Corporal Wells.
A/Staff Sergeant Disberry has at last made substantive rank!
5 Field Force
STORES PLATOON
15 FIELD
WORKSHOP
FEBRUARY has seen
all the members of the
Stores Platoon concen-
trating on the numerous
inscalings which have
recently
arrived.
Dwindling numbers caused by an Operation Banner tour have
forced us to call on assistance from 5 Field Force Ordnance
Company. Our prayers were answered when Privates Jim Mac-
Pherson and Jock McKirdy arrived on loan.
All this activity however has not caused a dilemma on
the part of Staff Sergeant Kevin Reardon who is still dashing
about making himself unpopular with footballers in the area
by continually muttering " It's not so much the red and yellow
cards but the way I use them." He has even found time to
play in a couple of Unit matches during working hours but
rumour has it he's sticking to refereeing in future.
Our OTC, Lieutenant Tony Evans, has just returned from
exercise in Bielefeld and has since been seen rushing about
getting BFG number plates etc for his can It is thought that
his murky grey Daimler Jaguar is really royal blue and now
that the weather is improving, we may soon find out!!
Corporal Mel (Smile you're on Candid Camera) Halls is
very busy with his newly founded Unit Photography Club.
Since his appointment as Unit Photographer he has made
quite a lot of progress having shot (photographically speaking)
pictures ranging from the visit of the Commander-in-Chief right
down the scale to a motley array of soldiers recently lined up
for an ID Card session,
We witnessed the recent departure of our Operation Banner
contingent. Staff Sergeant Ron Ferguson, Lance Corporal Bob
Beech, Privates Alan Esselmont and Steve Pro wen on their
way across the water. They are due back towards the end of
July, we wish them all a pleasant tour in Northern Ireland and
a safe return.
Stores Section, 5 Regiment Workshop
he last of the Martini drinkers*
memory.
Snow Queen is now but a
IT has been a long time since we had an article in THE GAZETTE
and as a combined Stores Section probably the last. With effect
from the end of March the Section breaks down into five
Detachments. One Detachment for each Battery Fitter Section
consisting of one Supply Clerk and one Supply Specialist of
assorted ranks. Obviously a split of this nature entails a lot
of work and headaches, doubled by our recent OP Banner
Tour, because we are having to cram everything into two months.
However, everyone seems to be putting their noses to the
grindstone and getting to grips with the task. By the time this
is published hopefully the majority of our problems will have
been solved and the breakdown accomplished.
Because of the breakdown, we also have an increase in
our strength. Members of the Section currently are WOl
Tom McCann, Staff Sergeant Sonny Bicker, Corporal Mick
Wootton, Lance Corporal Paul Prior, Private Clive Graham,
Sergeant Roy Lancaster who replaced Sergeant Bob Walker,
— 395 —
Book number R0246a