RAOC Gazette - page 68
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1977 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | No |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1977 |
| Late date | 1977 |
| Transcription |
come Lieutenant Pat Graham who has taken over the hot seat and to date has taken it all rather calmly* it may be that he is in d state of shock. We also lose Sergeant Brian Swanncl and Staff Sergeant Tom Taylor and thank them for their hard work during their tour. Welcome to W 2 Michael Reeves of the Queen's Own Hussars and Sergeant Ron Cooper who join as instructors in Clerical Training Branch, We understand Michael Reeves actually volunteered for the job Congratulations to Sergeant Chris Mabbott on gaining sub- stantive rank and being voted Footballer of the Year by the Training Centre second team. United Kingdom Land Forces ORDNANCE BRANCH THIS is the summer of great change within the Branch, Brigadier Gordon Newark our Chief Ordnance Officer for the last three and a half years retires this month. All of us wish him and Muriel, a long and happy retirement. Things are also happening on the Retired Officers front, as mentioned last month Jack LongstafT has decided that from June sailing is more pleasurable than driving the Organisation and Administrative chair. Ricky Richardson takes over the latter job so Benny Lynch is left to hold the Materiel fort with John (not retired) Evans. Mind you whether Benny will be able to keep track of which is the current system of supply or the right language to use is another matter. Kepi Blanc John is a full member of the Old Comrades Association of the French Foreign Legion md now we all know their system of supply (The French Forces not the Old Comrades), On two occasions recently he deserted us to attend Legionaire Reunions, one in La Belle France and the other In Dusseldorf. At the latter he met a Director of a Brandy firm who lives next door to the French ^taff College where John will be on a Logistics course later this year. This should be good for a few stories when he returns. Bill Ford is currently away on the biennial pilgrimage to Headquarters AFCENT for Exercise Allegro Express. John Cogley is visiting Suffield soon, Harry Parry nearly inspected the AES on Benbecula but was defeated by the British Airways strike, The only stay at home is Brian Allen whose only foray •his year, apart from golf, has been limited to an inspection at Ripon. On the subject of golf a Branch team played 10 Ordnance Support Battalion at Devizes. The result was in doubt right up *o the last hole when superior putting by the Battalion forced * draw. Not that it mattered, everyone enjoyed the occasion. HEADQUARTERS THE main events of note since our last contribution have been, firstly, activation of the Mounting Centre and some Cells of the Operations Centre to co-ordinate the reinforcement of Northern Ireland, with a multitude of those specialists required to cope 7/ith the Ulster Workers Strike, in the event, almost a non- •jvent, and secondly the departure of our Superintending Clerk, for the past 1,333 days Conductor Reg Phillips, and his replace- ment in Room C33A by Conductor Tain Leggatt W 2 Barry Morgan is now to be seen smiling on Wednes- days no doubt due to the fact the cricket season has arrived. Staff Sergeant Roy Sumner, that well known Wolves sup- porter, has taken over the running of the TJKLF Football team for next season; no doubt he hopes to emulate Sammy Chung! We are all keeping our fingers crossed for Sergeant Neil Jamieson, the longest serving member of the branch, who has fust requested an extension; it takes all kinds! Last but no means least of the RAOC clerks in the branch is Lance Corporal Kevin Mills who has remained strangely quiet since the demotion of Hearts from the Scottish Premier Division. How- ever, we believe he may be saving his vocal chords for his forthcoming RPC course for which we wish him the best of luck. In G SD, the Chief Clerk W 2 Pete Morris, is on leave in preparation for the forthcoming Security Inspection, confidence if ever there was! In G SD1, Corporal Steve Evans is detached lo the RAOC Training Centre on a course to obtain his RPC1, ve wish him the best of good luck, and Lance Corporal Mac' Donald is being allowed to grow his hair in preparation for his posting. In G SD2 Staff Sergeant Ivor Clee is skating around making sure all his documents and files are ready for the forthcoming Security Inspection, with much burning of the midnight oil. O n t o p of all this he has recently achieved success in the Civil Service ADP Test on which we congratulate him. A Branch remains in the capable hands of W02 Brian Taylor and Sergeant Mick Cartwright, there has even been a littie midnight oil burnt in that area, what with the Silver Jubilee Medal apportionment and the latest pay review, Public Relations Branch has been reinforced by Sergeant Frank Stephenson, fresh from a short seven day emergency expedition to Northern Ireland in a MACC role; he is looking forward to accompanying his mobile team to alt the comers of the world. Our Chief Photographer W 2 Tom Atkins recently went up in the world in more ways than one when he accom- panied the Minister for Energy on a helicopter tour of the scene of the North Sea Oil Rig Blow Out; as his official photographer, we can talk to him again now! The Public Relations Branch Travel Agency has been busy with Sergeant Alec Turner in Australia on exercise and Corporal Peter Maile has just returned from the USA where he was covering Exercise Gobi Dust. Postings In: Conductor Iain Leggatt, Sergeants Frank Stephenson and George Moffat. Postings Out: Conductor Reg Phillips, Sergeant Peter Griffiths and Lance Corporal Donald MacDonald. Congratulations: Corporal Steve Evans, Lance Corporal Donald MacDonald and Lance Corporal Farrington, on their substantive promotions. Transfer in: Congratulations to Lance Corporal Nick Egan on joining the Corps on completion of his high level probation on the C-in-C*s Private Office, Northern Ireland ORDNANCE DEPOT IF last month's article gave the impression we had been busy, this month's work load must top all records over the last two years. I refer of course to the " Strike," A programme was hastily drawn up, assembling crash-out crews to meet the expected rush of newly arrived units. With all leave cancelled, everybody waited with baited breath for the knock on our gates. In true Ordnance style all issues and receipts were met without panic or fuss. W 2 John Crosland's merry band of Vehicle Specialists tried very hard to lower the road level with their continual trips between the docks in Belfast and the Depot, whilst Staff Sergeant Trevor Griffiths was seen busy punching his pocket calculator and pulling out what hair he has left, while trying to solve the POL problem. Captain John Humphreys was tasked with domestic heating economy. With combating poor fuel deliveries and changing weather conditions, turning cold every time the heating was ad- justed. Off went the boilers and back came the cry for heat, heat! The strike over, we are now getting back to normality. Stores and vehicles issued now wend their way back to us, giving Sergeant Tony Irvin something to do in RSSD. We say farewell to Sergeant Charlie Hunter who has left us for 3 BAPD and Sergeant Bob Hare for Bicester. Privates Robins and Wedlock have joined us from BAOR. We also say farewell this month to Sergeant John Gorman who is leaving on redundancy after nineteen years service. John joined the Army in April 1952 and has seen service in UK, Middle East, Cyprus, East Africa, Germany and Northern Ireland. We all wish him luck in his retirement from the Army. — 46 PC AND A. The Unit's nerve centre continues to wade through excessive quantities of paperwork under the watchful eye of our HEO, Miss Mabel McCaw. Mr Larry Cree the OIC Pro- vision emerjges from his office periodically to coax Sergeant Bob Brien into providing a proportion of the technical spares required in the Province, Meanwhile, in between Golf Courses, BI Courses and leave, Lance Corporal Ken Bayley even manages to post a voucher or two. Corporal Taff Pickett, who looks after the progression of priority demands, is beginning to wonder if there is such a thing as * Routine.* His many daily dashes to the Storehouse may well have had a bearing on his Physical Education Test result. Lance Corporal Terry Carlin, who recently married and spent his honeymoon ski-ing at Aviemore, returned to his Mechanised Transport Accounts with a pulled muscle in his back. Who said ski-ing is not strenuous?? The OIC Control, Mrs Ivy Gibson, also looks after the RSSD and POL Accounts when she is not too busy. |
| Book number | R0246 |