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RAOC Gazette - page 210

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Corps RAOC
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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1977
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Early date 1977
Late date 1977
Transcription 4 Division
HEADQUARTERS RAOC
^ ^ ^ ^
HERE is the latest news from the Fight-
^ ^ H ^ ^ ^
ing Fourth in our new location.
^^H^^^k
" What's that you say, those stalwarts
^^^J^^^B
on the move? Has progress reached in-
^^^^^^B
to the centre of civilization?" Yes, during
^^^^^^m
the last three weeks the Headquarters
^^^^^^
have been the scene of much reorganiza-
_ mm _ mm ^^^_ m ^^
tion. Clerks scurrying with arms full of
files or carrying tables and desks.
Officers conducting harried telephone conversations whilst
sal atop filing cabinets before being carried off, or worse,
restructured. After much sweat and toil, we moved ourselves
to oar new offices in the main Headquarters building. The
early difficulties which had people queue ing for the use of a
telephone and others wandering around asking " Where's so
and so now?'\ are now resolved and life is settling back into
something approaching the old routine. Unfortunately, some
of the divisional Units were not informed of the move. As
a result, Sergeant Hall our long suffering C Supplies Clerk
received queries about road accidents and diverse police matters
whilst the DOPT received priority demands and E and MA
returns.
A new face on the scene is that of Major R, J. York who we
welcome from Manchester University to take over the task of
DADOS Combat Supplies. The previous incumbent of this
position Major Fleming has left us to go to the quieter and
more restful life at Blackdown. He has been told, (much to
his relief) that the nervous shakes caused by his exercise drivers
road habits will soon go.
On the sports scene, with the football season on us once
again, our Chief Clerk Sergeant Reardon has taken his black
football strip out of mothballs and is seen walking around
the Headquarters showing various coloured cards to people.
Our first casualty of the season was Private Bates who has
been hobbling around with a sprained ankle and a look of pitiful
agony on his face that would do justice to Sir Lawrence Olivier.
Another snippet of news in the Big House is that Lance
Corporal Edingborough is back in the fold—but not before he
took a short holiday in St Tropez mingling with the tycoons
and starlets. It was fantastic, he said with a fixed, glazed look
in his eye! Private Broadbent has at last succeeded in obtaining
a driving course and reports are coming in from the Head-
quarters and Signal Regiment of terrified white haired instructors.
Lance Corporal Berry has started looking down drains in
anticipation of his transfer to RAMC. A certain private in G
Branch who wishes to remain anonymous is trying to convince
everyone that Records are going to promote him due to his
footballing expertise. The correspondent can only add, " No
chance Wally. M
r

6 ORDNANCE FIELD PARK
"WHATS happened this month'*?. Well not much except a
multitude of departures and arrivals and the general hatch and
match of the Unit
Corporal Shepherd and Lance Corporal McFarlane took
the Bath Unit to Italy on Exercise Monte Bianco which I
suppose could account for the presence of two Italian look-
ing gentlemen at the gate with shotguns. They managed to
justify their existence by operating the Bath Unit for one
hour per day. By the look of the guys at the gate they managed
to justify the other twenty three hours as well!
About twenty h\e members of the Unit participated in a
visit to the Belgian Army 4 Lansiers Tank Battalion and spent
a very entertaining afternoon clambering over various pieces
of equipment. They then spectated while Leopards were put
through their paces.
Lieutenant Pat Callan was welcomed to his first Unit in
the traditional manner. He has now taken over 2 Platoon and is
busy preparing for the CRAOC's Exercise in September. We
were all shocked to find that his ability to chat up the locals
was far better than everybody else- He is fluent in German
speaking (BSc no less).
A cricket matchwas held between the Officers and Senior
NCOs and the remainder of the Unit.
A good time was had
by all with the * power band' of the Unit taking the beer,
The arrivals were Lieutenants Bank and Callan, Staff
Sergeant Lee, Sergeant Ellis, Private Avis on and Craftsman
Crowley; the departures were Lieutenants Nisbett and France,
Staff Sergeant Gillingham, Lance Corporal Quinn and Private
Seymour.
Congratulations go to Mrs Crosby. Mrs Gawthorpe and
Mrs Ward on the additions to their families and to Corporal
Talbot, Lance Corporals Pearce and Broster on their promotions.
20 ORDNANCE FIELD PARK
WE are in the middle of the leave period at the moment and
consequently the few people left in the Unit are very busy.
The Bath Unit has just returned from Exercise Monte Bianco
which was a UKLF mountaineering expedition in the Italian
Alps sponsored by the famous Italian Alpini Regiment
Once again we have played host to Second Lieutenant
Morrison of Edinburgh and Herriot Watt University who is on
his summer attachment with us. Being a keen signaller Second
Lieutenant Morrison soon had the signals rovers on the road
with his annual signals exercise.
On the sports scene we have been very busy training for
the new football and rugby seasons. The rugby team has got
off 4 to an enthusiastic start with several friendly practice matches
to toughen themselves up.' The soccer team have got off
to a slow start with a 4-2 defeat against 3 Tank Transporter
Squadron RCT. They have promised us that they will 'buck
up,'
We held a sponsored run to Hermanns Denkmal for Det-
mold Garrison and now have all the sponsorship money in;
this amounts to just over £1,000 which has been donated to
Her Majesty The Queen's Jubilee Appeal fund.
Our congratulations go to Private and Mrs Potterton on
the birth of their first child, a boy.
We say goodbye to Second Lieutenant Wallace this month
off to commence his infantry attachment with 3 RRF. We
also say farewell to Corporals Davies, Stevenson and Hart who
all leave the Unit after three years dedicated service to the JRC.
Corps Troops East
HEADQUARTERS
IT is now the holiday season and members of the Unit are
returning from far flung parts of Europe wither sun-drenched
or rain-drenched, depending on their luck.
Members of the Unit are now busy preparing vehicles
for Magnum Spirit and other rallies or practising squash in
preparation for the 1st Division league.
79 SUPPLY DEPOT
DURING the past few months the Unit has held a 'Super-
star* competition covering assorted indoor and outdoor games.
The winner, by a very large margin, was our Depot Superin-
tendent, W02 Jim 'Grant, also the oldest member of the Unit
His next sporting attempt will be the DGOS Fitness Challenge.
CQMS Tony Mclntyre and Sergeant Stan Jenkins on joined
the team representing Hohne Station for Forces Chance against
the BBC Radio Team, which comprised of Ted Moult, Neil
Durden-Smith and the delectable Sue Lawley of Nationwide
fame. The programme is due to go out on the air in Sep-
tember or October,
Major Philip Inman our Officer Commanding has handed
over the reins of the Depot to Major Michael Cutchey. To
mark^ Major Inman's departure a magnificent barbeque was
held in the Depot, The dress for the evening was western style
and ' Big Phil' cut a fine figure as Town Marshal—watch out
John Wayne! An enjoyable evening was had by all and appro-
priate farewells made.
We offer our congratulations to Captain John Hardcastle
and Corporal Pete Hallam who have both recently taken the
matrimonial plunge. Last but by no means least we welcome
Sergeant Tommy McGurk to the Bakery and say a temporary
goodbye to Sergeant Charlie Potts on his detachment to the
land of the Kangaroo.
80 SUPPLY DEPOT
SINCE our last notes we have had a busy period, during which
our limited manpower resources have, at times, been stretched
to the full. Corporal Mick Bishop attended a four week Col-
loquial German Course at the Hec Mulheim. and is to be
congratulated on achieving a good pass. Our Master Butcher
Sergeant Dennis Endean, not to be outdone, set forth for Dul-
men in a most apprehensive frame of mind to spend four
weeks being restructured* He returned, even if not converted,
a fully qualified RAOC Storeman Bl.
Corporal Mick Bishop and Lance Corporal Dave Mont-
gomery were detailed to report to Sennelager during Jubilee
week and helped to organise the Hildesheim Garrison Mess
163 —
Book number R0246