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RAOC Gazette - page 45

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Publication date 1981
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Transcription now quietened down considerably the state of emergency still
exists.
Our two ATs have both had the opportunity to create some
' bangs." Sergeant Steven Mason dealt with a device which was
handed into the police in a brown bag as a * sample.* W02
Frank Smith at the request of the local police dealt with a
device which had been placed in a building which houses the post
office, magistrates court and surveyors department in Belize
City. Apparently the police were so pleased with this they
gave W02 Smith another device which they had had in their
storeshed for several weeks. No wonder he's losing his hair!
The saga of the unit boat, St Barbara, continues. Having
obtained a brand new and considerably more powerful out-
board motor for her,
Sergeant Tony Long performed a Kami-
l
kaze stunt which bent * St Barbara and injured some of the
occupants. One of our new arrivals, Corporal Chris Little,
received several stitches in the head and as a consequence has
sworn to stay a land lubber for the rest of his tour.
Our arrivals and departures list is as usual lengthy. We say
farewell to: Sergeants Pensom, Crago, McShane and Cooney,
Corporals Duncalf, White and Sullivan, Lance Corporals Davies,
Swan, Willis and Meek. We welcome Staff Sergeant Anderson,
Sergeants Kelly, Wykes, Duncan and McNorton, Corporal Little,
Lance Corporals McBride, Tomkins, Trambowicz and Private
O'Keefe.
British Forces Hong Kong
HAVING been * invited * to give a mention
to G Branch for a change, even though most
of the work appears to be done in AQ, I
thought it would be nice to devote the
whole of these notes to the workers in that
illustrious department
However, as the
song goes "Where do 1 begin, to tell the
story
?".
Corporal Dave Muir of GSD has been working very hard
of late, due to the absence on leave of the Chief Clerk SD,
Staff Sergeant Lin Cornthwaite AAC, on the Hong Kong Force
Level Increment. His fatigue evaporated however, when he
learned that his wife Maria, taking an interest in his work, had
produced a Force Level Increment of their own. On 3rd April
1981 at the BMH Hong Kong, young Barry John Muir came
into the world. Our congratulations go to the proud parents.
To top it all, when the results of the latest EPC exam were
released, Dave discovered that he was not only a proud parent,
he was an intelligent, proud parent.
I mentioned above that most of the work appears to be
done by AQ; this could be due to G Branch's apparent obsession
with sport.
Sergeant George Garrow of G Ops is a devotee of the ancient
Korean martial art of Tae-Kwon-do. Taking up the sport in
1964, he worked his way up the grades to become a black belt
by 1970, Unfortunately, because he did not then take such
an active part in the sport until last year, he has had to be re-
graded as a blue belt and must take again the various examina-
tions to re-attain his previous ranking. This probably explains
the weird sounds emanating from his corner of the office from
time to time. Visitors to the branch discover that listening to
Korean spoken with a Scottish accent is quite illuminating!
Corporal Mick Shepherd from the G Ops/Anti Illegal
Immigrant Control Centre has at last had his talent for hockey
(amongst other things—for details see last month's GAZETTE)
recognised when he was selected to play for the CBFs XI in an
annual match against the Taipan's XI. The result was a one all
draw with the Taipans retaining the cup as they won last year.
If W02 Mel Lee (ex-Chief Clerk G Branch) is reading
this, he'll be pleased to note that G Branch won the Lunch-
time League Overall Winners Cup for this season. From a
league of twelve teams playing deck hockey, volleyball and five-
a-side football, G Branch, choosing from Mel Lee (until he left,
of course), WOl Dick Hope and Sergeant John Lindsay of Stats
and Records, Sergeant Gordon Russell of G Training, Sergeant
Sid Bates of JSPRS (how did he get in?), Corporal Dave Muir
(again!) and Corporal Mick Shepherd (also again!), won the deck
hockey and were runners-up in the volleyball and five-a-side
football. This was enough to make them overall winners.
Perhaps now we'll get some work out of them!
Composite Ordnance Depot Hong Kong
THIS month saw the completion of two exercises. The first
Jungle Heights was an adventurous training expedition to climb
Mount Kinabalu, at thirteen thousand four hundred and fifty
five feet the highest mountain in South East Asia. Led by
Major Neill, a team of ten members from Composite Ordnance

Depot, spent two weeks in Sabah East Malaysia and successfully
achieved their aim. Back in Hong Kong Exercise Puilthrough
was a three day section survival and initiative exercise on one of
the many outlying islands of the New Territories. Mosquitos
formed the main enemy and needless to say scored a large
number of hits on friend and foe alike.
The Basic Fitness Test was completed with a repeat per-
formance for the Unit Annual Report a few days later.
Having achieved a one hundred per cent pass rate the unit is
now tying with three other minor units for first place in Hong
Kong's annual fittest unit competition. The next stage will be
with Water Wings Personnel Various for the run off on the
Swimming Test.
General interest turned to hockey with the outstanding achieve-
ment by the unit hockey team on a possible treble. The first
trophy was captured with an outstanding seven two win in the
Minor Units Cup Final against BMH Hong Kong. There's no
truth in the rumour that the medics were worried about the
increase in injuries in sport—as the injury tally showed—BMH nil
Composite Ordnance Depot one. (Sergeant John Blake). The
second struggle was between the Major Units and Minor Units
cup holders. The Ben Line trophy has been competed for
annually since 1954. With formidable opposition in 6 GR
a spirited game ensued. The result of a nine nil win for Com-
posite Ordnance Depot did not show the true picture of play.
Sergeant Sandy Baxter was heard to say: " No stationery for
you ' \ every time he was beaten to the ball and 6 GR kept the
pressure on right to the final whistle. With the unit team lead-
ing the League Table for the treble, the final game of the
season resulted in a three four loss. A few outstanding games
have to be played by other units before the final positions are
known. Our congratulations go to Major Ahearne, WOl Andy
Roberts, Sergeants Sandy Baxter and lohn Blake, Corporal John
Gaughan, W02 Paul Rogers and our five Sikh AD Policemen.
VEHICLE GROUP. On the sporting front Sergeant Brian
Tomlin has returned from a twelve day sailing trip to the
Phillippines, He went as crewmember
on board the Joint
1
Services Yacht ' White Dragon. Brian says the shouts of
"Hello Sailor" are falling on deaf ears now. Corporals John
Gaughan and Ron Audrain are gearing themselves up for their
coming rugby tour to South Korea with their Club Tigers.
Both Ron and John have been training hard seeing who can
down the fastest pint and who can stay out the latest on
Saturday nights. Our congratulations must this month go to
Lance Corporal Nigel Coole on being awarded his green belt
at Karate.
Farewells this month go to: Staff Sergeants Geordie Adam-
son and Paddy Teegan, Sergeant Zack Fazackerley, Corporal
Danny Kay and Major Jones and families.
Helios to Major Mundy, Captain Munce, Sergeant Skerritt
and Corporal Tony Barker and families.
Royal Brunei Malay Regiment
THE change in climate has sent our new
OC, Major Kirby to sea, he has joined the
boat owners club and can be seen each
weekend sailing off into the sunset. We
suspect this may be in preparation for his
language course, so he can manage all the
nautical terms to compete with members
of Flotilla,
The rugby season now draws to a
close, with all players looking forward to
the end of season tour to Manila. We have
had a good season, but still only managed
to finish second to Panaga. Our stalwarts of Lightfoot and
Pickford worked well.
Cricket stumps now replace rugby posts on the padang.
WOl Alan Braithwaite is still recovering from the after effect
of the pre season tour of Singapore, his problems were as a
result of the third innings,
Our Flotilla Stores Section WO, WOl Andy Meachen is
still basking in the glory of his pantomime fame and at the time
of writing is touring the Composite Ordnance Depot Hong Kong
with WOl Sam Talakuli as his road manager,
Recent months have seen dwindling numbers of Corps
personnel in the Regiment, but the * Ivory Tower' of RHQ sees
the welcome return of an RAOC officer later this month in the
post of DAQMG1. Major Harris from COD Bicester is the
lucky man and we look forward to his arrival. We would
like to thank Major Winter the present DAQMG1 for the
support he has given Logistics during his tour with the Regi-
ment, we wish him the best of luck in his next posting as DS
at RMCS,
34 —
Book number R0250