RAOC Gazette - page 114
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 |
•3 Commander watched by the Representative Colonel Com- mandant, General Len Phelps and General John Stanyer and an enthusiastic audience. It is hoped it will see many more celebra- tions of a similar nature. DIRECTORATE OF LAND SERVICE AMMUNITION AS the assumption of the Staff and management role of am- munition grows, our staffing continues to expand gently too, Major Hugh Heap has exchanged his chair in the hot seat as DAQMG CLA for a new post as DAQMG Secretariat, having been relieved by Major Bob Willcox ex BAOR. Sergeant Neil Marsh has also joined the Secretariat from Hong Kong. In addition we welcomed Major John Goold, RAAOC, who joined the Proof Branch in an exchange officer appointment, He quickly settled in, just in time to play for Base Organisation Didcot in the recent Base Organisation Cricket Cup match. Whispers continue to permeate the downstairs corridors of power that in order to get a Far East posting you only have to he in Ops and Plans Branch! Captain H, McCormack left from there last month for Hong Kong; Captain Jim Bater departed, also for Hong Kong, in May; Staff Sergeant Appy Nanovo is posted to Brunei in the New Year, and Lieutenant Colonel Mike Newcombe is rumoured also to be going to Hong Kong! DIRECTORATE OF SUPPLY COMPUTER SERVICES WHERE shall I start? There's so much going on around me it's difficult to know. After many hours of thought, the decision was taken—at the beginning lad! The benefits of education are marvellous. On 1st June WOsl Dougie Dow, Garry Graves and Jack Hall were appointed Conductor. Our congratulations go to this trio. Thanks for the parties. It has been noted that an unnamed newly appointed Conductor is holding one a week, The next round of congratulations go to our Director, Brigadier Brian Dalton and Conductor Jack Hall on their award of the Jubilee Medal. Last but by no means least our warmest congratulations go to Colonel Brian Barratt on the award of his well deserved OBE in the Birthday Honours List, Captain Tony Course, having spent many weeks covered in plaster, decided enough was enough, and popped over to RAF Headly Court to get his cast removed. Our only new arrival at Didcot has been Captain David Watson. Our farewells go to Major Maurice Thompson on his retirement and to Bill Crossley. Bill Crossley deserves a special mention having served in the Corps during the war years and as a Civil Servant associated with the Corps since then. He has spent the past nine years with ISDW/ CSDW/ DSCS. Central Ordnance Depot Bicester THE presentation by the people of Bicester of Civil Honours to the COD took place on 15th June and a full report appears elsewhere in this edition. Corporal Guest and his Cannons Club Committee, 1 laid on an excellent ^ * ^ 'Jubilee Cabaret night. The volume of music was a new experience to the majority of the officers present and the knife throwing act produced two able targets in Mrs Gennette Jones and Second Lieutenant Mark Maginess, The Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal was presented by the Commanding Officer \6 Battalion Lieu- tenant Colonel R. B. Bowden (himself a recipient) to the RSM, WOl McElhoney (a fitting end to his career), W02 Ramsden WRAC, W02 O'Brien, Staff Sergeant Smallridge ACC, Corporal Bennett and Lance Corporal Hawkins. Congratulations to them all. 16 Battalion Soccer squad has rounded off a very successful season by clinching the Central RAF London League Division 1 Championship. 16 Batalion and RAF Northolt fought out a very close battle for the top spot and the position was still in doubt until the beginning of April when Northolt cracked and dropped three points in two games thus leaving the Battalion worthy champions. We look forward eagerly to next season, where in the Premier Division, we meet the ' big guns' of RAF Brize Norton and RAF Abingdon etc. The whisper is that Brize Norton boast ten RAF Select Players within their squad! The following players represented the Corps during the season: Sergeant Graves, Lance Corporals Langley, Dagnall, Taylor and Privates Ahmet T Whitehead and Crouch. The RQMS was heard to let slip that the Quartermaster reported into work one day recently—it was believed to be for long enough to write a leave application. He has been kept busy recently running a variety of sailing courses at the Corps Sail Training Centre on Calvert Lake. Recently courses have been run for novices, advanced helmsmen, instructors, the blind and a one day Senior Officers Dinghy Sailing Course, The latter included as students the DGOS who earned an Intermediate Certificate and AAG AG9 was awarded his Advanced certificate. This has nothing to do with a certain officer's wish to stay at Bicester a few years more but was purely on merit. The course for blind students was arranged through the Royal Yachting Association and seven blind students from all over Britain attended. A total of nine Corps Instructors helped in this interesting and rewarding week's instruction including Major General Minogue, Colonel Richard Cooke, Captain Mike Harris and Lance Corporal Tony Long. The blind students were quick to learn, fearless of the water and all keen to come again next year. The Travers Clarke Athletics Meeting saw an excellent win for the Battalion in the tug-of-war event. The team coached by Corporal Goulden and Captain Westbrook pulled Kineton and Donnington to secure the Trophy. The athletics team however had a disappointing day, with only six athletes reaching the finals. Corporal Blay was our only winner with a powerful putt in the shot. Interest in free fall parachuting continues to grow. Thirty nine members including fourteen of the fair sex have either taken up the sport or are waiting to try it. Our skydiving veteran, Captain Tilling, continues to fight off old age with displays at various shows, the latest at Wootton Bassett when he fell out of one parachute and ten seconds later opened another at 2,000 feet. Lance Corporal Robinson fresh from BAOR and three years experience with the Rhine Army Para- chute Association was more interested in the location of the airfield than the dining hall. The Close Combat Display team has now completed a number of shows and has kept the Medical Officer in business with two chipped shoulders, one broken arm, two dislocated fingers and a twisted knee. Despite this, team morale is still high and they are looking forward to the Colchester Tattoo where they are appearing. We welcome Lieutenant Colonel Gooley who has taken command of 1 Sub Depot and Captain Berridge as Administration Officer Headquarter Company 16 Battalion, vice Captain Mc- Nally. Central Ordnance Depot Chilwell WE open this month on two sad notes, in that we regret to inform old Chilwellians of the death of Mr W. Skeavington, OIC OS and DD Ruddington, only some two months after his retirement. This was very shortly followed by the sudden and tragic death of Captain Keith John- \ N* f? if son, OC RAOC Stores Section 38 Central ft^ ydf . JJ Workshop. To both of their families we ^S^^^jy' extend our deepest condolences. \ v y The * Dog and Stick' walks are in- ^***^ creasing in popularity now that the weather has improved (not that there's any option!) The latest of the series was a pleasant hike through the Manifold Valley in the Derbyshire dales. The pub lunches at the half-way point provide the inspiration for the diabolical one-in-three uphill leg and the sedative for the postprandial perambulation to journey's end—never has Depot Transport's Venerable Coach been viewed with greater joy! The Officers held a Ladies Dinner Club night on 15th June, the guest speaker was Mr Keith Train who spoke on ' Old Nottingham/ an entertaining and enlightening talk but he shattered some prized local legends, not least about Robin Hood. Sherwood Forest is just any old wood now—shame, The Sergeants Mess held a Regimental Dinner at which Colonel Reggie Edwards, Major Mai Jones and Captain John Wynn were dined-out prior to their respective postings. Other guests present were Major Don O'Mara and Captain Gordon McNicoL Preparations for our Garrison Fete proceed apace. We hope that we will see a repeat of last year's gorgeous weather to enable the Cannonballs to drop in on us once again, The Chilwell Garrison Players produced a 'Jubilee Re- view' at three weeks notice with their usual cast of ' thousands' —thirty four sketches in one evening must be value for money! For a change the cast were throwing eggs at the audience, as 84 — |
| Book number | R0246 |