RAOC Gazette - page 240
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 |
On our return we had only seven working days to complete ..'ur preparations for Exercise Arrow Express which took place :\ the Zealand Peninsular of Denmark. Seventy nine members f the Unit plus forty vehicles was our contribution to what was \.i be the largest exercise in Europe for many years. As the exercise took up almost the whole of September there is very little else with which to regale our readers other ihan the usual postings. Congratulations to Staff Sergeant Ian Beattie, Sergeant Leroy Payne, Corporal Paul Goodeve and Lance Corporal Steve Jordan on promotion to these ranks. Congratulations also to Lance Corporal and Mrs Jones on the birth of their daughter Sonia on the 8th September. Postings Out: Private Dennis Tiplady (Commando Logistic Regiment), Lance Corporal Freddy Fox (Donnington), Sergeant Pete Beaumont (BAOR), Lance Corporal Andy Hood (BAOR), Sergeant Ken Bartlett (Kenya), and Corporal Pete Rodgers (Belize). Postings in: Corporal Barry Whitebread, Lance Corporal Dave Wilkinson, Privates Clem Graham, John Mooney, John Pike and Paul McConnochie, Private Joe Neale ACC, from 2 RRF, and last but not least our brand new subaltern, Second Lieutenant Kevin Marshall, from Sandhurst. 10 Ordnance Support Battalion 11 ORANGE FORCES land in Denmark, secure a bridgehead before enveloping the entire country. Their aim is to bring Denmark into the Orange sphere of influence." This scenario brought the Battalion to the shores of Denmark and also meant that 48 AMF(L) Company would find themselves on the side of Blue AMF(L) forces whilst the rest of the battalion, as part of the UKMF, would find itself on the opposing Orange side. Memories of the move to Denmark still remain foremost in most cases, but then travelling in the backs of ten ton vehicles or on the decks of German landing craft could be judged as being quite realistic. Creditability was soon lost, however, when the beaches of Korsor were stormed by fierce-looking soldiers armed with suitcases. Most soldiers managed a trip to Copenhagen and some of them even sampled the liquid delights at the Carlsberg factory. The more cultured members of the Battalion found themselves attracted to the museum pieces on display behind the Central Railway Station! Eastern District MAJfOR DEREK MARKHAM, our new DADOS (Materiel) duly arrived to replace Major Len Fullilove who has been liter- ally floating around (on his catamaran or something) these last few weeks. We warmly welcome Derek and Ann and hope they soon adjust to the tempo here. More about Len's departure next time. W02 Bob Hubbard, our ROWO, recently won several hundred pounds on the football pools. For tax purposes this bounty has been credited to his wife, Sylvia. The Headquarters Superintending Clerk, WOl Eric Chesney, who is emigrating to New Zealand on completion of service, bade farewell at a dinner and dance held in the Garrison Sergeants Mess, His relief, WOl Keith Ford from Hong Kong, was welcomed at the same time. Our Chief Clerk, WOl Alfie • Barlow, despite the weight of years, is playing football again this season. Having been picked for the 19 Brigade Sergeants Mess team twice running he must now be considered a * regular.' All officers have had their ' mug shots' taken now. We trust the results aren't going to prejudice the scheme at this early stage. DGOS, when he visits, will have a chance to compare them with the real thing anyway. Finally, we wish a quick recovery to Major Eric Osman (Retd), a colleague in the branch, who has unfortunately joined Mr Dick Suff on the sick list. Clerks and drivers of Battalion Headquarters after a session of Section Bartledrilfs. With both halves of the Battalion supporting their respective dependencies, the battle moved up and down the island of Zealand. Those of us in the south, joined by our Regular Shadow and Reserve Army sub-units, soon embarked on regi- mental training, sport and shopping trips. We soon became the centre of attraction for visiting Officers from many NATO countries. At one stage, a visit by the Queen of Denmark seemed a possibility, but unfortunately she went elsewhere, Central Ordnance Depot Chilwell THE news of overriding importance this month was the announcement by the Minister of Defence that COD Chilwell is to close. The exact timing is not yet determined but it will not be earlier than April 1981. This decision was com- municated personally to all civilian staff by the Commandant. There was under- standable disappointment that 'Fair l Value * rather than alternative Slimline * proposals are to be implemented; never- theless there was some relief that a decision has been made at last. The first of a planned series of briefings on conceptual aspects of the rundown have been given to all employees by a management team led by the Com- mandant. For the uninitiated, Chilwell was created in 1915 as the National Shell Filling Factory and at that time was very ad- vanced in the industrial relations field, providing canteens, rest rooms, sports grounds and even a hospital for its staff, During the Factory's life over nineteen million shells, twenty five thousand mines and two thousand five hundred bombs were produced and almost every shell fired by British troops on the Somme was made here. In 1916 a massive explosion killed one hundred and thirty four civilian workers and many more were injured. For the great spirit generated by the workers in getting the factory back into production the same day, the Minister of Defence dubbed it * The VC Factory,' In 1919 the West Midland District THE * beavers' of the branch are now all back at their desks after the summer holiday ' silly season/ Our DO WO (Con- ductor R. J. White) is on leave, but not on holiday, moving into his new house and outhouses, where he is to pursue his agricultural interests. Our DADOS (Combat Supplies) Major Rodney Brown, our fitness expert, now cycles home (or at least as far as the local railway station) at weekends. This is not part of his fitness campaign, we hasten to add, but because he lost the toss of the coin with his wife for ownership of their car during the week. How- ever, he has been using this as * Public Relations,' quoting it as pan of his District POL economy campaign. The ROWO (SQMS R. Jones), a staunch Liverpool Foot- ball Club supporter, attended a very expensive match at home recently. During the match someone stole his newly acquired 1 Mini/ and it has not been seen since. On 13th September the CRAOC, Lieutenant Colonel J. A. Turner, presented the Army Fire Service Long Service Medal to Leading Fireman Brian Roycroft of the Army Fire Brigade, located at COD Donnington. Leading Fireman Roycroft joined the Army Fire Service in June 1957, having seen Military service with the Royal Artillery from 1952 to 1955. 183 |
| Book number | R0246 |