RAOC Gazette - page 303
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 |
Arrivals: W02 Brown, Privates Graham, Johnston, Mc- Eriean and Manning. Departures: W02 Grant and Lance Corporal Wye. {Your notes unfortunately arrived a week after the deadline so it was not possible to print your photograph.—Editor.) British Forces Hong Kong * HEADQUARTERS THIS month saw the visit of the DGOS, the departure of Colonel John Styles to Didcot, and the arrival of Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Richardson as our new ADOS. The DGOS*s visit was, as ever, hectic. General Callan covered a lot of ground, spoke to many people in differ- ing tongues, and, we hope, enjoyed re-visiting the Colony, WOi Garrod and W02 Edwards were selected to represent the Army (Hong Kong) at soccer against the Hong Kang Club side. Future honours have been nipped in the bud by their RHE, with WOl McCrea, in the next few weeks. We wish good fortune to them and to their families. ORD ODE TO HONG KONG The remainder of this month's contribution was perpetrated by Staff Sergeant Mick Mason: — We welcome our readers to Hong Kong Land of Junks and sweaty pong Here are members of KAOC surrounded by a yellow sea Trades are represented by the score with the members of our Corps Butchers, Bakers, Clerks Staff and Tech AT's, Pet Ops and Vehicle Spec Some are too far away to mention others oft escape attention What e'er their rank or class or creed within these lines of some you'll read Lieutenant Colonel Richardson is new in Ord as ADOS here h e won't be bored Majors Gibson, Winton, White with Captain McCormack will see him right WOl Garrod is ever so merry his posting's cancelled to Londonderry He celebrated the fact with a bottle of sherry And Staff Sergeant Craig and Sergeant Berry Staff Sergeant Murray, Sergeants Morgans and Tock are part of W02 Jenkln's flock while Corporals Nimmo, Watson and Hartley render support, both ably and smartly W02 Le VaMant {Bob to some) Is AQ's chief and Boy Scout's chum All day and night he works right well ably supported by Sergeant Snell Staff Sergeant Mason hides in MS what h e does is anyone's guess Sergeant Thomson, Q Qtg's clerk is seen quite often going home in the dark W02 John Esson in JSPRS is the new PEC in our Sergeants Mess W02 Edwards of great footballing style Is leaving Stats soon—for the Emerald Isle W02 Sandison takes over and to him we say cheers Sergeant Jim Burnett will buy you the beers JSIS loses WOl McCrea like Mai, to NI he will soon wend his way W02 John Hobson takes over his chore to work far beyond that locked iron door Corporal Worthington, with his ear tuned fine listens to John recalling the Rhine Lance Corporal Arnold we shall not forget who does he work for, COS or Joint Sec? There's also Ian Williamson, with whom we're all pals perhaps It's because he's Chief Clerk in ALS Is that the lot, no bless my soul down in the Workshop hides a Corporal Baal Join us in cheers across thousands of miles to those who have left and to Colonel John Styles COMPOSITE ORDNANCE DEPOT IF anyone ever tells you that the four seasons don't exist, it would be prudent to put a little faith in the statement. Here we are in October and it's blazing hot—whatever happened to Autumn, or Spring for that matter. With surprising economy the Colony makes do with only one Season and a diminutive cold spell thrown in to placate the non-indigenous inhabitants, (I think it happened last week.) In this day and age, when Women's Lib is almost a by- word and Germain Greer a household name, it was with passing sadness that Corporal Steve Smith saw yet another bastion of male supremacy collapse around his head. His wife Jill, mother of four, had talked for years of going on a parachute course. but there is a difference between talking and doing—so a bet of HK $500 was laid upon the outcome. It was on her third jump that Jill twisted her ankle landing in a ploughed field, but she is going back to do the fourth jump and then continue with a free fall course—she can afford it out of the HK. S500. The Composite Ordnance Depot has been visited by the DGOS, Major General Callan, who toured the Depot and also Stonecutters Island. The DGOS, during his visit, presented his certificates to Major Jeffries and Staff Sergeant Brookes for achieving the three mile qualifying time to pass the DGOS challenge, The local Moon Festival has come and gone leaving many occidentals wishing that someone has forewarned them of the delights of ' Moon-cake' a concoction rightly regarded by many as the precursor of liquid cement At the present moment, an awesome sight presents itself to the casual bystander; the ponderous majesty of military machinery grinding into motion, high powered decisions by modern military executives, the chain of command running like precision Swiss clockwork; unspoken sacrifice and selfless heroism; no obstacle too great that it cannot be overcome—is it mobilisation? No, it's the Christmas Draw. For those about to leave Hong Kong, considerable im- portance is being attached to the phrase: * Indulgence Freight. 1 Plans and stratagems involving cubic capacity and weight, entitlement and extra allowances, are drawn up and discarded, re-drafted, scrutinised for loopholes and finally thrown in despair into the waste paper bin. The Composite Ordnance Depot is taking on shades of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow. We bid farewell to WOsl Chisholm and Coles., and Corporal Child. We welcome Major Phillips the new Officer Commanding of the Ammunition Sub-Depot, Corporals Hughes and Brightman. SPSD. Composite Ordnance Depot arranged a weekend training camp on Stonecutters Island in honour of the DGOSs visit but when they saw the strength of the SPSD dominated B Platoon, they cancelled it—using Typhoon Freda as an excuse. The families bowling for August was won by Mrs Maureen Pembroke and—to cries of not again!—Staff Sergeant Manny Avellano, The Unit Boat has been painted, named, surveyed and certified seaworthy. Unfortunately, no one in the Unit can drive it without passing the marine departments stringent test so Sea Jade III remains in the Depot. (It's time we had a picture of this vessel—so long in the building—Editor.) WOl Fred Woolhouse is trying to add Basketball to the many skills of SPSD. The idea seems to be to learn a new rule and forget an old rule each time we play. The Kowloon Motor Bus Co. were apparently unhappy with the design of Corporal Trevor Asquith's new car so one of their buses helped him to change its shape. The Unit held a farewell dinner for WOl Mick Garrod and Staff Sergeant Dave Timms at the Golden Crown Restaurant and Night Club. Dave was knocking on the door at 0600 the following morning asking for his camera which he claims he accidentally left behind. A likely story. Staff Sergeant Bob McNaught and his good lady Margaret showed a nimble pair of heels by winning the prize for best Rock and Rollers in the Sergeants Mess. Either the Unit fitness programme is doing Bob a power of good or it is a case of geriatric ague. We say farewell to Staff Sergeant Dave Timms and hope his replacement arrives in time for next month's journal. CORRESPONDENTS PLEASE send in any short items of general interest that may happen in your Unit or your area, for publication in the front section of THE GAZETTE. If accompanied by a picture so much the better—though this is not essential Stories of the length and style of those published this month under " For the Record" are required. Keep them short—make them interesting. — 230 — |
| Book number | R0246 |