RAOC Gazette - page 157
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 |
JL A T Jt%. 44 Parachute Ordnance Field Park (V) Photo Captain M. Parsons 3 RAOC lance Corporal 'Alex * Curmin winner of the Nicol Trophy for Young Soldiers in the recent RAOC individual regatta, YES, the Corps still has a Unit wearing the Red Beret of Airborne Forces 44 Parachute Ordnance Field Park (V), based at Heston near Heathrow airport, is a thriving Unit and well recruited even though it officially lost its parachute role on the 31st March 1976. Members of the Unit stiil manage to parachute usually with our German allies and a total of twenty six members of the Unit are fully qualified Bundeswehr Fallschirmjager entitled to wear the German Parachute Wings. Last year the Unit won the 44 Parachute Brigade Battle Challenge Trophy at the Brigade Rifle Meeting. This com- petition at company level—including the Companies from all three Battalions—consists of a battle march and shoot, night shoot and anti-tank shoot. To crown its success last year the Unit won the trophy again in 1977 plus the Champion Minor Unit Trophy. These successes were largely due to the efforts of the two PSIs WOl Gary Hawthorne and Staff Sergeant Ian Drew in preparing the teams for the competition, WOl Hawthorne must be almost unique in the Corps in that since leaving Boys Service, he has served continuously with Airborne Forces in every rank from Private to Warrant Officer Class L He served in 16 Parachute Ordnance Field Park, Parachute Squad- ron RAC, 1 Parachute Logistic Regiment, 562 Parachute Squad- ron RCT and finally in 44 Parachute Ordnance Field Park (V). Summer Camp 1977 was an unqualified success. The first week was spent at Scheuen with 7 and 11 OFPs and the second week at the German Parachute School at Schongau. in Bayern. The Unit was able to parachute from the cl60 and the UH-1D helicopter. The only time language proved a difficulty was when we jumped from an aircraft containing ourselves, French Airborne, German Fallschirmjager and American Special Forces* We all got down in one piece anyway! restored and in running order. He recently took part in the Weymouth Vintage Rally and won four trophies in the event. A deserving reward for his hard work. Percy Lester has been awarded the BEM in The Queen's Silver Jubilee Honours List. This award comes after forty years connection with the Services. Percy is in charge of Trans- port Services and fuelling in the Vehicle Depot, he has spent thirty one years in the Depot and served from 1932 to 1945 in the Royal Tank Corps taking part in the D-Day landings. He iiow holds the role of Community Advisor to Wiltshire for LudgershaH's civil defence. We seem to have had a bahy boom in the last month and we congratulate, Lance Corporal Alan Johnson on a daughter, 4 Lorraine Frances, Lance Corporal D a v e ' Dover on a daughter, Michelle, Private *TafF Freeman on a daughter, Sarah Jane, and Private Paul Mason on a son, Michael John, Finally, on comings and goings, we welcome Sergeant Feehan and Private Clarke and say farewell to Lance Corporal Davfd Thomson. Regional Depot Thatcham All who work at the Depot were saddened by the sudden death of Major Harry Player, Harry, who was due to retire in November, was OIC Returned Stores Group. He was a mine of information on Ordnance matters and well liked. A large gathering attended the military cremation at Swindon. To Harry's wife a^d daughter we offer our profound sympathy, Major General M, Call an visited us in May. It was the Generals first visit here and^ he visited every department in the Depot and spoke to as many employees as time permitted. Those who know the Depot, will be interested to learn that our 'outstation' at Warminster is finally closing on 1st Septem- ber. Mr Kelly, who has run the Sub-Depot there for some years, is transferring to Thatcham. The Commanding Officer was recently at Warminster to present Imperial Service Medals to Mr Wilfred Taylor and Mr Ivor Hughes. Both retired last December after thirty seven and forty nine years respectively of public service. Major Peter Scriven leaves on posting to Bicester and in August Major Noel Turner departed to the corridors of power in the MOD. We wish them well, as we do Captain Dick Gannon, who,left in June after a six month attachment on posting to BAOR. The Unit piper Lance Corporal Jock Burns drinking the tradi- tional ' dram ' after playing at a gathering of British para- chutists and German Old Comrades during Exercise Dammer Berge. The Commanding Officer of 272 FaHschirmjager Battalion presented the ' dram.' OC 44 Parachute OFP (V) Major A , S. Craven, looks on. Seven members of the Unit were included in the street lining party for Her Majesty The Queen's visit to St Pauls on the 7th of June and Lance Corporal Norman Wedgewood dressed as a World War Two parachutist, was on duty in the foyer for the premier of the Arnhem epic 'A Bridge Too Fan' Corporal Terry John was the Unit representative when Her Majesty reviewed the TAVR at Wembley Stadium. Regular permanent staff of the Unit are at present; OC, Major Stuart Craven; UWO, W 2 Pete Buirell; CQMS, Staff Sergeant Maurice Drennon. Our representatives at Brigade Headquarters in Chelsea are: BOO, Captain Richard Bird; Chief Clerk, W 2 Tony Crossland; A / Q Clerk, Staff Sergeant Gerry Crossland. Finally a word of farewell to our two PSIs who have left the ' Maroon Machine' for the last time. We hope that their hats, Postman type, Very Large are not blocking out their view. WOl Gary Hawthorne, posted to Headquarters 3 Division as DOWO; W02 Ian Drew, posted to 5 Field Force Ordnance Company as CSM. |
| Book number | R0246 |