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RAOC Gazette - page 214

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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 houider of pork, one hundred and sixty pork chops, three
urtdred pounds of fruit and vegetables, one hundred pounds of
- -;id. ninety six mars bars, five pounds of ice cream, fifteen
^r-es of soft drinks and twenty four cases of beer,
After the eats there were pony rides and races for the
children.
The organisers, Staff Sergeant Tony Collins and
Sergeant Alan Dobbie, also took along a tug-of-war rope which
was put to good use. In every case the civilians beat the
military—as well as outnumbering them. Wives and children
also competed although who won what was not always clear,
Arrivals: Corporal Dave Green.
Departures: Major Frank Falle and WOl Geoff Coaker.
A sudden departure was also made by Sergeant Harry
Jagger who was unfortunately, medevaced to the Royal Herbert
Hospital where he is now undergoing traction in an effort to
get him fit again after a severe recurrence of an old back in-
jury. We wish him luck and a full recovery, but some people
will go to any lengths to avoid paying for farewell drinks, won't"
they?
RAOC AKROTIRI
BIG NEWS of the period is the fact that Major Ken Cooper
has ceased to be OC and is now concentrating on his island
wide duties as SATO. The chair has been taken by Major John
Edwards on promotion, to whom we extend our congratulations,
The combined RAOC/REME Akrotiri cricket team have
just completed the season and anxiously await the result of
one match which will decide whether or not they have won the
league. Our cricketers are Staff Sergeant Taff Davies, Sergeant
Alan Gager, Sergeant Ron Parker and Sergeant Rick Mayor.
Our volleyball team continues to improve and next year
we'll really show the rest. The team has consisted of Major
John Edwards, Captain Lawrence Wood, WOl Rick Thistle-
thwaite, W O l Pat Mackey, Sergeants Alan Gager, Ken Allen,
Bill McDonald and Taff Parker, Corporals Dennis Head, Wally
Williamson, Bob Freeman, Scobie Greasley. Trevor Edge and
Private Bill Black.
As well as%. Unit beach party we have also held a childrens
Jubilee Street jParty, with a bar and bar-b-q available for the
adults. The children had their party at the Pen Club, and
after the eats they came down to the Depot by Noddy train,
where there were more Noddy train rides, rides on fire engines,
side shows and a greasy pole competition over a rather large
pool. After the children had been taken home and baby minders
installed the adults rounded off the day with a disco. Our
thanks to Sergeant Bill Parker, childrens party, bar-b-q and bar
organiser, WOl Jim Harper, games and side shows and all the
other helpers for a most excellent day.
Arrivals: Sergeant Mai Caswell, Corporals Stephen Mason
and Eddie Picket.
Departures: Sergeants Stan Connors and Jeff Keelor.
RAOC DHEKELIA
VOLLEYBALL dominates our sport scene and the team, as well
as some of the more agile wives, insist that the close proximity
of the court to our air conditioned bar has nothing to do with
the game's popularity.
Captain Ron Young, the assistant
Barrack Officer, continues to feature on the tennis scene and
caused a major upset in the recent Cyprus Silver Jubilee Tennis
Tournament when, assisted by one other, he beat the favourites
in an early round of the Mens Doubles.
WOl Joe Hawthorne leaves soon after a long and dis-
tinguished career as a professional Depot Superintendent and
preparations are well under way for a succession of farewell
parties,
Another long career has also come to an end now that
WOl John Potter has left the island and, by the time this is
published, the Army. He is leaving for a new job in Saudi
Arabia and at farewell drinks in our club he was presented
with an engraved onyx cigarette box by WOl Harry Black-
burn from all RAOC Cyprus personnel.
John Potter had
been RQMS Dhekelia Garrison for some years.
Arrivals: Corporal Pete Martin.
HEADQUARTERS LAND FORCES CYPRUS
THE Cyprus summer has gripped everyone here in the Head-
quarters, with soaring temperatures, the highest recorded for
niany a year.
A few changes have occurred in the Headquarters, due
mainly to RHE and the implementation of the new establish-
ment, but we are surviving nicely. News from the front indicates
f* few more changes in the future,
On the sporting scene, our gladiators still continue to shine,
^taff Sergeant Dave East and Sergeant Alan Love grove have
been selected for the first Army cricket trial—we hope you
succeed in making the Army team, Staff Sergeant Graham
Hillier and Sergeant John Flannagan can be seen twice weekly
on the squash court, trying to play squash and losing a few
pounds before the football season begins. Sergeant Alan Love-
grove reached the quarter-finals of the Jubilee Tennis Tourna-
ment and also got a smack on the head from a cricket ball.
Latest reports we have show that his work has improved slightly,
but they changed the ball because it went out of shape. Our
newest football referee, W 2 John Andrews, has already got
his feelers out to referee games for the new football season.
Rumour has it that he didn't get paid for playing football,
but he can't resist £1 to referee a garnet
Our Registry Corporal Tony Corrick, has instituted his
very own driving school. Driving lessons at the moment are
being taken by Sergeant John Flannigan and Corporal Tom
McCallion. The roads in Cyprus have been kept clear of
traffic whilst they are behind the wheel.
Our Superintending Clerk, WOl Jim Burden has been in-
formed that he will be commissioned in the near future—many
congratulations. Records have also been kind to Staff Sergeant
Graham Hillier and Sergeant Kevin Hogg for promotion to
substantive Staff Sergeant in the near future. Congratulations
also go to Corporal Les Murphy on promotion. Sergeant Kevin-
Hogg secretly married Sergeant Patsy Deeley (WRAC), to them
we offer our congratulations and all the best for the future.
Patsy, before her marriage, answered the 'phone by saying
"Sergeant Deeley." Now she answers "Chief C l e r k " ! !
To the following we wish a fond farewell and good luck -
W02 Colin Auger and family, Staff Sergeant Frank Bruton,
Sergeant Will McBurnie and family. Sergeant Ray Dawson and
wife, Corporal John Giddings with guitar and joke book, and
our WRAC element of Sergeant Jan Black and Lance Corporal
Liz Elder.
Our new arrivals are: Sergeants Dave Sutherland, John
Flannigan and family, Eric Shaw and family and Corporal Tom
McCallion and wife. To you all we hope you have a pleasant
tour in Cyprus.
UNFICYP Cyprus
SINCE the publication in February of our last contribution
to T H E GAZETTE, most of the personnel here at that time have
changed, with the exception of a few * old stalwarts' who are
on continuity tours. The changeover of personnel occurs so
frequently that it is impossible to mention all departures and
arrivals. Readers may however, be interested to know details
of the RAOC Organisation within UNFICYP.
The Headquarters element consists of the Force Ordnance
Officer—a Major, the Force Ordnance Warrant Officer—a WOl
Technical Clerk, a W 2 Staff Clerk who is Chief Clerk in the
Personnel and Logistics Branch, a W 2 Staff Clerk who is
Chief Clerk in the Operations Branch, a Staff Sergeant Staff
Clerk, PA to the Chief of Staff, and a Corporal Technical
Clerk who works in the Personnel and Logistics Office. There
is also a Sergeant Photographer in the Military Public In-
formation Office (MPIO).
The Headquarters British Contingent element consists of
the Chief Clerk who is a Sergeant Staff Clerk and his assistant,
a Lance Corporal Staff Clerk. Another Lance Corporal Staff
Clerk works in the Headquarters of the UNFICYP Support
Regiment.
Attached to the UNFICYP Military Police Company is a
Corporal RD responsible for the FAMTO and other miscel-
laneous stores, whilst in the UNFICYP AAC Flight a Lance
Corporal Technical Clerk acts as the FAACO NCO.
RAOC is also well represented in the QM department
of the Support Regiment where the RQMS a W 2 RD, a
Sergeant RD and a Lance Corporal RD (both Storemen) and
a Private Staff Clerk comprise the majority of the staff. A
Corporal Butcher is also employed in the Junior Ranks Kitchen.
The UNFICYP Workshop Stores Section is commanded
by a W 2 Technical Clerk. His staff consists of a Corporal
St ore man, two Private soldiers who are Technical Clerks and
one Private Driver—all RAOC.
The largest element of RAOC is employed in the UNFICYP
Ordnance Detachment. This Detachment is responsible for the
receipt, issue and control of all stores required by UNFICYP
Contingents. Only a very small inventory is held, however, as
most items are demanded by the Ordnance Detachment on an
as required basis from the Stores Depot in the Sovereign Base
Area at Akrotiri. The staff of the UNFICYP Ordnance Detach-
ment consists of a Captain OIC, a W 2 Storeman as 2IC and
twelve soldiers of varying ranks and trades.
165 —
Book number R0246