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RAOC Gazette - page 82

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Corps RAOC
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Publication date 1977
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Transcription pleased with himself, that is until he felt the double barrel of a
rather large shotgun being prodded into his back by an even
larger Forestmeister. " You all dead *' he said " except for
you with white arm band. You more dead, I shoot you five
times." Pm toid that Major Fleming's white arm band looked
to have been washed in one of those inferior washing powders
when compared to the shade of white detected shortly after-
wards in his face.
The location of the Headquarters during the exercise was
by a very picturesque lake in the middle of which stood a
small island, When told by the NCO IC Administration,
Sergeant Smokey Attwood, that the exercise was ' d r y ' our two
MSOs panicked a little. It would be a good idea, they thought,
to ferry themselves out to this small island on a raft, con-
veniently sitting at the edge of the lake, in an attempt to hide
their beer. This they successfully managed to do. However,
during the second day of the exercise in an attempt to once more
reach the island and satisfy their thirst the raft sank leaving
them cursing in Yugoslavian at everyone within earshot. Satisfy
their thirst they did but it was with stagnant water rather than
German beer.
Other events during the month of May included Sergeants
Ken Dodd and John Hall accompanying QRIH on their border
patrol while Private Taff Davies gave the benefit of his RAOC
training to 26 Engineer Regiment,
Lance Corporal John Beiry returned to the field after a
six month detachment to BATUS while Lance Corporal Ossy
Edingbo rough continues to give good service to the Stores
Section of 4 Field Workshop currently serving in Northern
Ireland,
Congratulations are due to Staff Sergeant Mac McTaggart
on his promotion and also to our Adjutant, Captain Frank
Steer, on passing his German colloquial examination.
20 ORDNANCE FIELD PARK
WITH the football season almost at an end, 20 Ordnance Field
Park are celebrating it as a successful one. We entered four
major competitions during the season. Our biggest success was
winning the DOS BAOR Cup and our greatest disappointment
being losing finalists in the DDOS OFP Cup which we won
last year. We also had the distinction of being quarter finalists
in the 4 Division Minor Units competition and semi-finalists in
the BAOR Mini Minor Cup, Still with football, Sergeant Leitch
was selected to captain the BAOR RAOC team in the Inter-
Corps competition which was quite successful.
A team of eleven men led by Staff Sergeant Dinsdale, our
CQMS, took part in the annual Hoogeveen Marches to com-
memorate the liberation of the town by the Candian Black
Watch in April 1945.
Sergeant Smith has had recent success with tennis. He and
his partner, Major Hopkins RADC, won the Inter Division
Doubles Championship. He is also a member of the BAOR
tennis team this season.
Second Lieutenant Hurst is busy at the moment organising
a Garrison Sponsored Run to Hermann's Denkmal and back on
13th July.
Just recently we have had a run on parties to celebrate
various events, starting with an impromptu celebration for
Sergeant Slaughter's rebadging from the 2nd Battalion Light
Infantry into RAOC by our CRAOC, Lieutenant Colonel Robin-
son, The next party was a joint affair to say farewell to Sergeant
Price and Private Hall who are both shortly to leave the Army.
Sergeant Price, spending some of his redundancy money, is going
off on a Caribbean cruise during the winter months. The climax
of the parties was an All Ranks Fancy Dress Party in the JRC.
Some of the costumes were very effective. Few people were able
to recognise the Administrative Officer, Captain Binns, in his
hippy get-up and wig. The Fancy Dress Prizes were won by
Sergeant Grant who wore full Nazi regalia and Mrs Carr dressed
as Lady Hamilton.
Postings out: Sergeant Price.
Postings in; Sergeant Frater, Corporal Mack and Private
McGivney.
Combat Supplies Battalion
THE Battalion Shooting team have done well again. They
came fifth overall in the 4 Division Major Unit Skill-at-Arms
Meeting. Congratulations are due to Sergeant Hooper for his
placing of second in the_ SLR match and Lieutenant Williams
on his placing of second in the SMG competition.
Sergeant Merchant of our Battalion MT won the best novice
in the Open Motor Cycle Championships Rhine Area and was
placed twelfth overall. The Battalion team came seventh out of
sixteen teams.
Sergeant Graves received his BAOR colours for the year
1976/77 for Association Football, so even more congratulations
to him.
These notes are being written as 43 RP Company return
from camp and 49 RP Company go down for their fortnight
to be followed by 44 RP Company. For 43 RP Company camp
was a success. The Escape and Evasion exercise was well
organised and will be remembered by the participants for some
time. Private Greenaway did very well individually as did
Corporal Henderson and his section. The 0630 hours physical
training every morning made sure everyone was happy, fit and
fit to fight—at least until breakfast! Corporal Kershaw's services
as a medical attendant were enjoyed by two members of the
US Women's Army Corps who injured themselves on the near-
by confidence area. The WACs were part of a US Army Trans-
port Company exercising in the same area. All good for Anglo-
American relations!
As these notes were being written the Chief Clerk, Staff
Sergeant Benson, telephoned to announce his winning of the B
Division medal in the 4 Division Spring Golf Meeting. Con-
gratulations and well done,
To end these notes with a farewell, Major David Chapman
and his wife Bunty leave us shortly for Bicester. Not only
is the Battalion losing its fittest Company Commander, but the
Scouts are losing their District Commissioner. Bunty Chapman
did sterling service with the Guides who have benefited from her
assistance. We wish them both well in their new posting.
We welcome Sergeants Hailes and Chambers, Corporals
Long* and Lord, Lance Corporals Allen and Brookes, Privates
Stevens, Grewar, O'Neill, White, Smith, Bryson, Waddelt, Arfield,
Clyde, Westwood, Cutler, Comerford, Mitchell and Petrie.
We say farewell to Staff Sergeant Drennan, Sergeants Mc-
CafTery, Stent and Graves, Corporals Holmes, Collins and Scott T
Lance Corporals Leatherbarrow, White (Y List), Cole and
Stewart, Privates Witheridge, Sutcliffe, Cutler, Wedlock and
Trew.
Corps Troops Central
HEADQUARTERS RAOC
THERE was a day when the only time you saw a military body
in a track, suit was on a Wednesday afternoon. Not in Corps
Troops Central, it happens every Tuesday and Thursday. The
CRAOC assembles with all his military staff for a jog across the
Teutoburger Wald, this is enjoyed by all and sundry, especially
Staff Sergeant (pathfinder) Shepherd who said to the AOWO
(WOl Irwin) " Follow me I know a better way.*' It so happens
that the gallant pair ended up approximately seven kilometres
further down the hill than the rest of the gang. Still never mind
it was all in good fun.
We have said farewell to the following over the past
few weeks: Lieutenant Colonel Clayton to DSCS Bicester,
Lance Corporal Ward to Ordnance Branch Headquarters 1 (BR)
Corps on promotion to Corporal, Lance Corporal Preston to
1 (BR) Corps Stores Company on promotion to Corporal, and
last but not least Frau Olive Illic our typist for the last seven
years. We would like to wish them all the very best in their
new posts.
We welcome Lieutenant Colonel Man from UKLF as
CRAOC and Lance Corporal Moore from 3 BAPD.
1 (BR) CORPS TROOPS ORDNANCE FIELD PARK
THE final amount raised for the Jane Newton Appeal Fund
came to £1,485. This activity seems to have opened the flood
gates as the Corporals Mess, Headquarters 2 Armoured Division,
ran a sponsored rugby match to raise more money for the
fund,
Corporal Anson and Private Drabble have got the running
bug as well as they ran one hundred miles from BMH Iserlohn
to the BFBS Studios in Cologne in aid of Across. That great
financial wizard, Sergeant Eacock, went along as logistic sup-
port complete with his new highly flexible pannelled motor
caravan as he could not bring himself to run with the others.
The close of the winter sports season was marked by a
Unit sports day ably organised by our own AIPT, Private
Wells. MT Section won the event again. The OC was even
persuaded to partake in the tug-of-war and everyone took great
delight in ensuring that the 2IC was the dirtiest player off the
rugby field. The sounds of leather on leather have now given
way to the sounds of willow on leather as the OC goes about
the task of raising a Unit cricket side.
Stadt Guetersloh held a feast at the beginning of May and,
at their request, the OFP set up a fish and chip stall. This was
run by the Unit chefs, Corporal Bee forth and Private Park, and
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Book number R0246