Back to Library Journals

RAOC Gazette - page 117

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 Kins's Troupe, sounding remarkably like Abba, put on an excel-
:o- :" lirteen minute spot. The Silver Jubilee Appeal and the
\ iy Benevolent Fund will be rewarded by many people's
Sunday 12th of June was the turn of the kiddies and many
• groggy headed' soldiers were seen erecting tables and chairs
n a very overcast morning. Private Burrow's excuse for being
late must go down in the history books for originality if nothing
else. " I couldn't get my nail varnish off/ Let's hope Abba do
not suffer with the same problems! With 'races and rides/
followed by a super tea, the finale of the weekend was a presenta-
tion of jubilee mugs and crowns to the children by Mrs Thelma
Blakemore. A special mention must go to WOI Molloy for
hi-i weeks of fund raising and organisation which made this
(•;• ner special afternoon the ocassion it turned out to be. Part
o- the monies raised for the weekend were achieved by a spon-
su:ed swim.
Private Hamblin just before the end of his 2 5 t h lap.
The whole of this month seems to have been taken up, one
v ry or the other, with jubilee preparations. However, we must
r.-.'t forget those who have joined us namely Staff Sergeant
Martin from Ludgershall, Corporal Fairweather from Moen-
chengladbach, Corporal Thome from Dulmen and Privates
Clapton and Lewis from Training Battalion. Also those that
have moved on—Private Garlinge to Moenchengladbach and
Corporal Reed to the Corps Vehicle Company, and not for-
getting those who have jumped the broomstick, Private Garlinge
to Angela on 14th May; Private Major to Pauline on 28th
May: Private Adamson to Sally on 4th June and Private Watson
to Pauline on 21st May.
VEHICLE DEPOT
LUDGERSHALL
SINCE last month's Corps notes we have been visited by the
DGOS, Major General Callan. Regrettably the visit was all too
brief but the General did have the opportunity of touring the
Vehicle Depot and meeting quite a number of our military
personnel. To our amazement, at the end of his visit, he
asked if he might have a trip in a Scorpion. Our OC, Major
David Humphrey was last seen disappearing with the DGOS
in the general direction of the Test Track.
We give fair warning to all Units who deal with us. The
C p o t has recently been re-organised by Captain John Ore.
He keeps muttering that everything will work out in time and
being " loyal types' we are prepared to give it a few months
trial. Joking apart, the new administrative side is now running
very smoothly,
We have recently completed a special Vehicle Stocktake.
Staff Sergeants Alex McGrattan and Alan Spencer spent many
hours digging up vehicles that the Army had forgotten they
had. Fortunately we didn't have to rely completely for in-
formation on the Computer print-out as Annie Waugh's " Magic
^ .-;el" contained most of the necessary information. Captain
)_'..'*.£ Parsons, Ted Thome, Edith Lamb and Private Mike
Cjjver completed the team.
We welcome Staff Sergeant Dave Hutchinson, Lance
Corporals Da,ye Cajidie, Larry Fowler and Geoff Widdowson.
Farewell to Staff Sergeant Scouse Martm to Ashchurch,
Sergeant Geoff Patton to Germany, Lance Corporals Andy
Watson to Germany and Tony Sharp to civilian life,
Regional Depot and Ordnance Support Unit Stirling
A GALA atmosphere has been evident in the Depot this month
as we joined with the country in celebrating Her Majesty's
Silver Jubilee. A Jubilee Casino Night, organised by Betty
McKay and her committee, was held in the Association Rooms
and proved yet another successful event.
Continuing in the spirit, the flags came out again, literally,
as a backdrop to a ceremony held to mark the presentation of
three Imperial Service Medals and a First Aid Certificate to
RAOC employees of the Regional Depot and Barrack Services
RAOC Scotland. The ceremony also included the presentation
of a cheque to the Queen's Silver Jubilee Appeal and the un-
veiling of a plaque showing the potted history of two carronades
which have been sited outside the Depot Headquarters to
commemorate the Silver Jubilee of our Sovereign and Colonel-
in-Chief.
Haying long hoped for fair weather we need not have
worried for we were blessed with glorious sunshine, just reward
for those who had put so much effort into making the day a
memorable one. Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Clifton, our
CRAOC, presented Imperial Service Medals to Mrs Helen
Henderson and Mr Arthur Martin, retired employees of the
Regional Depot and to Mr John Hannah late of Barrack
Services RAOC Scotland. Mrs Christine Clark received a First
Aid Certificate and Red Cross badge. Major Peter Ferguson,
accompanied by our RAOC Association Branch Standard Bearer
Mr Ben Jackson, then presented a cheque towards the Queen's
Silver Jubilee Appeal on behalf of members of the RAOC
Association in Stirling and employees of the Depot.
Attention was next focussed on the two carronades, the
history of which was explained by the OC, Major Andy Dunn*
For many years in the past a pair of bollards were embedded
in the ground beside the disused Regional Depot wharf. They
had apparently been used for mooring barges coming down the
River Forth. Two years ago a firm of Civil Engineering Con-
tractors were carrying out certain repair work and dug up the
bollards which turned out to be two pieces of ordnance. On
closer inspection they were discovered to be the barrels of
carronades which were first manufactured by the Carron Iron
Works in IS 14, just a year before the Battle of Waterloo. They
were registered for Army Service in 1839 as fortress guns which
is indicated by the date stamped on the barrels. The General
Manager of Carron at Mungal agreed to renovate the barrels
and also to manufacture two sets of wheels. The problem then
arose of where to find the gun carriages. However, the CO
of 26 Command Workshop REME gallantly came to our aid
and with the financial backing of the Command Economy
Fund eventually arranged to have replicas made from the
original drawings. They have now been assembled and placed
on site not only as an interesting historical link with the past
Lieutenant Colonel Clifton (left) and Major Dunn w i t h the
recipients of the medals, inspect the refurbished carronades
after the unveiling.
Book number R0246