RAOC Gazette - page 285
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 |
Commando Ordnance Squadron THE past few months, since our last contribution to THE GAZETTE, have been full of activity in both the sporting and technical fields. First some mention of the Corps Swimming Championships in September, at Aldershot. Fortunately, the whole of the Plymouth element of the Squadron was able to attend as the Commando Logistic Regiment was under canvas on Salisbury Plain at the time. In fact there were so many green burets in evidence that it could have been mistaken for a Royal Marine Championship! With our small team of swimmers battling against major unit sides we succeeded in gaining fourth place out of the seven entrants, not too bad for a Unit with a strength of fifty all ranks. But for technical disqualifications we may have done even better, however, the basis of next year's team is evident. Individual recognition must go to Private Fleming who won the one hundred metres breast-stroke race for the second year running. It is a pity there is not a minor units championship to encourage more field force units to take part. 4 On the rugby scene Private Phelps and WOl Tug' Wilson 1 represent the Corps this season, with ' T u g captaining the Corps side. We also provide our fair share of the Commando Logistic Regiment team and have several Devon port Services players. A soldier is Royal Marines Boxing Champion. The boxing season has started well. On the 12th October Private Phelps won the Light Middleweight division of the Royal Marines Championships with a fine display of con- trolled aggression. The fight was stopped in the first round! A week later Phelps capped this by taking the Light Middle- weight title of the South West District Championships. He slipped up a bit this time, though, as the fight was not stopped until Round Two. Private Tuner was extremely unlucky to be beaten on points in the South West District Middleweight final in a very close bout, The cross-country season is here again and fortunately, most of last year's squad are still with us. Although our star performer Private Phillips is not present this season we have a formidable replacement in Private Tiplady who has just joined us on completion of his Commando Course, and has already been * poached' to represent South West District In a more technical vein, the Squadron has been involved in a major vehicle and stores reorganisation. Although we are great believers in * small is beautiful' the continued increase in stores holdings has finally forced us to abandon the land rover and trailer concept hitherto used by our Assault Ordnance Detachments (AOD's) in favour of four tonners. 3 AOD, which is permanently deployed with 45 Commando Group, is going through a particularly busy period at present. They have just completed three weeks pre-Norway training at Glen Clova on Skye in appalling weather and are now up to their ears in issues and receipts; 45 Commando has only recently returned from Northern Ireland and is busy preparing 1 Clockwork 7 8 ' deployment to Norway. We welcome back Lance Corporal Ziverts from his attach- ment to the Corps Mobile Recruiting Team, and Staff Sergeant Herratt from Berlin. W02 Smith has left us and we wish him well after a long tour with the Marines. Congratulations to WOs2 Talakuli and Knight on their recent substantive promotions. Finally, in case you have above that the gladiators have carried out a thirty mile trek 26th October. Vive le fitness, gained the impression from the all the fun, the whole Squadron to the North Cornish Coast OQ Vive les feet! RAOC Didcor HEADQUARTERS BASE ORGANISATION EARLY October saw the Base Organisa- tion Golf Society's Autumn Meeting at the Goring and Streatley course and a good attendance for the competition which resulted in Major Peter Cheesmorc of DLSA winning the Captain's prize; the runner-up being Lieutenant Colonel Tony Futrell of Headquarters Base Organisation. Another more social occasion was the marriage of Colonel and Mrs Vic Baguley's daughter Elizabeth to Mr Roger Stuart an officer in the Merchant Navy. After the wedding ceremony at the nearby All Saint's Church a large gathering assembled in the Officers Mess to wish the happy couple bon voyage. Recent arrivals are Major Roger Hanington into Logistic Planning and Major Sean Brown in the Operations Branch; the latter in place of Major John Strelley who is retiring in the near future to a life of gentlemanly ease in Somerset. Also nearing retirement is our Commander Major General Paddy Minogue who has just returned from his bricks and mortar course and is now preparing to face the rigours of his handover ritual. We are delighted to see Lieutenant Colonel Bill Bendall the CREME back at work and looking so well after a long absence and illness. The rebuild of part of the Camp premises, damaged by subsidence during last year's drought, is nearly completed. How- ever, one wonders whether there will be a need for such accom- modation in the future as the civilian restaurant, once the scene of many civilian and military festivities, has already closed and its contents been sold off. In a similar context, to the dismay of many of the older members, there was insufficient support for a coach to the Officers Club dinner and we have to forgo our annual celebration. To compensate we had a very pleasant ladies dinner night at the end of October, our last with General and Mrs Minogue, one of two the other being a combined DLSA/DSCS function, To round off, as one writes so far in advance of publica- tion, it has just been realised that this is our last contribution under the title of Headquarters Base Organisation as the next will be from the Directorate of Base Depots. More of this next time. THE DIRECTORATE OF LAND SERVICE AMMUNITION DURING September and October presentations and awards have been thick and furious. Long Service and Good Conduct Medals have been awarded to WOl Ken Taylor, W02 Derek Wood, Staff Sergeants John Lloyd and Paddy Grey. The presentation to WOl Taylor coincided nicely with a farewell party to our Director, Brigadier Jim Lawrence-Archer, given by Ammunition Inventory Branch at Bicester, The Didcot presentation to W02 Wood, Staff Sergeants Grey and Lloyd took place in the Sergeants Mess where the Director presented the medals in the presence of the recipients families, the Station Warrant Officer, Senior NCOs and invited guests. The presentation was followed by a most enjoyable lunch time Buffet party. On the 3rd of October the RAOC Officers Mess Didcot proudly received on behalf of the Corps, a lovely silver cigarette box presented by Petrofina in admiration of the work carried out by Ammunition Technical Officers of RAOC in Northern Ireland. (For a full report see page 203.) THE DIRECTORATE OF SUPPLY COMPUTER SERVICES WE start off this month with a report from our Bicester detach- ment During the last month the Ammunition teams lost five members of their ever-diminishing and long-suffering staff. Captain John Patmore went off to New Zealand on a four month rest cure, WOl Mick Tilley retired after twenty five years service to take up a work study post with Rothmans, Major Malcolm Gilbertson joined 12 Army Staff Course, Major Mike Hudson-Peacock left after many years in ADP— to join GSOR's ADP Co-ord Branch, and Lieutenant Colonel John Shircliff was posted to Ordnance Headquarters BAOR. — 216 — |
| Book number | R0246 |