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RAOC Gazette - page 132

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1977
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Early date 1977
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Transcription of the Jubilee Medal, Colonel Styles, WOl Ford, Staff Sergeants
Murray and Mason.
The Sergeants Mess Summer Ball was held at the Hilton
(where else?) and from the accounts of the survivors, appears to
have been a success*
Our commiserations to a certain Sergeant in AQ Branch,
who was foolish enough to ask a technical clerk the meaning of
* cms/ When informed that it meant centimetres, he replied
* o n '— an a pt comment. His misery was further increased when,
a few days later, he issued a letter, purporting to come from R
' Q ' MS Branch, BFHQ, The situation can only improve.
We welcome into the RAOC Sergeant Vic Greenwood, on
transfer from RMP, and wish him success in the future.
COMPOSITE ORDNANCE DEPOT
"AH H A " Now that the CO is away in Thailand I can say
what I want to. " I have got news for you and it is all bad "
says our acting CO, Major Neville Pryce, As a bolt of terror
strikes me when he glares and twirls his moustache, [ shall
have to restrain my natural ebullience and get on with it.
Pride of place must go to the Unit annual camp. From
stories I have heard (I volunteered not to go) a hard time was
had by all. The CSM took Staff Sergeant John Lloyd for a
stroll over Kau Sai Chan island. They left camp at 1720 hrs
and returned at 0215. John has sworn to get his revenge.
Brigadier D. T. Crabtree, Chief of Staff, HQBF visited the
exercise location during the third week and went for a ' swan '
in an assault craft He wasn't too happy about the soaking
but it cheered up the lads. Corporal Keith Marshall of SPSD
claims to have slept with a rat in his sleeping bag. I thought
that girl friends weren't allowed. Sergeant Stt\c Bonta received
a shock when he beached his assault craft on the island. He dis-
covered a decomposing body buried in the sand. How he
managed to eat his twenty four hour ration pack afterwards
is beyond us, Corporal Jim Law of ASD pulled out of ambush
position with rather too much enthusiasm and tripped over a
water pipe. After doing a pathetic_ imitation of a bird, he
landed in a crumpled heap and sprained his ankle—the things
some people do to get out of a night exercise! Everyone agreed
that the training was hard and the weather appalling.
The Unit bowling team, after holding the lead for most of
the league, slumped at the end and finished second. Still, we
have one of the best records in the Colony, three wins and four
seconds in the last seven leagues. Sergeant Cheshire managed to
hold the highest average in the league so he is all smiles.
Having played in the local TV's station team and scooping up
most of the prizes
he has had to buy a bigger hat. Why every-
l
one calls him Trophy' I don't know, I thought his name was
Mick.
We welcome Captain J. P. Connelly, W02 Price-Sanderson
from DSCS and Staff Sergeant Waugh from 3 Division Airhead
Ordnance Company.
We bid farewell to Major Hunt, WOl Young, Staff Sergeant
Gemmell, Sergeant Edwards and Corporal Harrison.
SPSD. Life continues at its usual hectic pace the only break
being for those who managed to get away for a week to Summer
Camp, leaving the rest to solve the mundane, everyday problems
like the demand from a Gurkha Unit for three uncastrated
goats—must be female. The butchers could supply three female
goats but were at a loss how to handle them.
For those ex-members of SPSD waiting with baited breath
for news of the launching of the Unit boat—it is still in the
carpenter's shop. Staff Sergeant Bob McNaught greatly im-
proved it by putting two large holes in the bottom so the water
could drain away when a wave washes over it.
The OC Captain Roger Bensaid has still not intimated
which Christmas he expects it to be in the water. There is no
truth in the rumour that he is delaying the launching until
he has mastered the art of stepping from a boat directly onto
dry land.
Family bowling continues, recent successes were Corporal
Mel Treen and Mrs Angle Stewart who won the individual
club championship.
Congratulations to Corporal and Mrs Andy Sharkey on the
birth of a baby boy.
The second annual ' it's a knockout' between the Army,
RAF and St Andrews School was held on 3rd June. Of the
eight team members no less than five were SPSD. They were
Captain Roger Bensaid, Staff Sergeant Dave Timms (captain),
Staff Sergeant Manny Avellano, Corporal Keith Marshall and
Lance Corporal Pete Stewart. The Army won in a close finish
despite the fact that two of the judges were also SPSD. WOl
Fred Woolhouse and Staff Sergeant Bob McNaught.
ggsiottation Betas
Shropshire Branch
SADLY we must report to all our past members that Joan,
wife of Dr Cedric Shaw who has been the Garrison Medical
Officer for twenty five years, passed away on the 6th June.
Our sincerest sympathies were sent to Cedric, and his two sons
and two daughters.
Cedric was in the news two days later when he was a
recipient of the Queen's Jubilee Medal for his service to Cadets,
St Johns and other organisations.
Our next Function will be the St Leger Draw Night on
Tuesday 6th September when we shall have a Band, Cabaret and
Buffet in the Families Club, Venning Barracks. Unfortunately,
we are limited to fifty five couples (or one hundred and ten
singles!) so be sure to book your tickets early. This will be our
Jubilee Night! Contact Captain Jock Forrest (Retd), Building
Fl COD Donnington (Ext 566) for your tickets.
Dortmund Branch
THE last six months has seen many changes in the Dortmund
Branch and the easiest way to illustrate this is to show the
organisation as it is now:
COMMITTEE — Chairman: Lieutenant Colonel J. Morton,
CRAOC Corps Troops West; Vice Chairman: Major E. H.
Miliar, DADOS (CS) Corps Troops West; Hon. Treasurer:
Major C. Mclnnes, OC 86 Supply Depot RAOC; Hon.
Secretary: WOl A. Brant, AOWO HQ RAOC Corps Troops
"West; Members: WOs2 D, Ashdown and D. Jackson, Staff
Sergeant T. Luxton and Sergeant D. Dupree, Unit members
from within the Dortmund area.
The Branch Annual General Meeting was held on 8th
March with some thirty three Unit representatives in atten-
dance. Usual business took place, giving details of accounts,
committees etc,
Events to take place during 1977 are:—2nd June, Boat
Trip on the Rhine; September, Association Dance; October,
Visit to Wine Kellar; December, Children's Christmas Party.
The Boat Trip down the Rhine on 12th June was very
well supported, one hundred and seven attended and it was an
excellent day.
Our present membership strength numbers one hundred and
eighteen all ranks.




lEfyt Orientation of
Ctoic Honour^ to
Central dMmante ©spot ptcttfter
{Continued from page 68)
How simple that sounds and yet how difficult it can be to
march well with precision and swagger. These officers and men
were, in the words of ' Soldier Magazine/ as good as any
infantry. Perhaps the privilege of marching before crowds of
people inspired the marchers, certainly the rousing music played
by the Corps Staff Band helped. All members of the Corps
felt pride on this June evening.
As the parade marched through the town the windows of
the overlooking houses and the pavements, were filled with
cheering and applauding spectators. It made eyes shine and
faces smiled with emotion. Later the officers and warrant
officers on parade attended The Mayor's reception at a
local hotel where suitably engraved silver salvers were ex-
changed in honour of the occasion.
A fitting end to what had been a perfect day.
00 —
Book number R0246