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RAOC Gazette - page 67

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Transcription with a total of one hundred and forty eight years of Civil
Service. We wish Mcsdames Pauline Wmficld of Technical
Records, Ivy MeMahon of Direct Procurement- Lois Hannibal of
Waterproofing Kits Provision (much in demand in Chilwell
recently) and Mr Ron Jones of MTSP every happiness in retire-
ment.
Members of the Division seem to keep on walking for
charity, although this is not a pedestrian organisation. Recently
a mixed group (to clarify this, it included male and female,
civilian and military) of thirteen took part in the Radio Trent
twenLy five mile walk in aid of the disabled. Reports of sore
feet suggest that the collection should perhaps have gone to the
walkers. Happily however, such disablement as occurred was
only temporary.
To continue at the physical level, W02 Francis (whom we
congratulate on recent promotion) organised a badminton league.
Unfortunately, only Martin Rawson from the Division reached
the final of this most successful and popular event.
Mr Ken Hartle, Colonel Vehicle Division's chauffeur, has
had an exceptional month. Firstly, he won a £100 holiday for
two in the Lake District in a Derby County Football Club
raffle. Ken is not only lucky, he is also brave. He has to be
to support the Rams in this hotbed of Red hysteria (M15 to
note: this is a football allusion). Furthermore, Ken has just
been awarded the ROSPA medal for twenty two years of safe
driving. The photograph shows the presentation of this medal
by the acting Commandant of COD Chilwell, Colonel Underhill.
Congratulations!
Col one! Underfill! presents Mr Ken Hartle with his ROSPA medal.
We also say farewell to W02 Francis on his posting to
Control Division at Bicester. Oxfordshire County Council has
been warned to expect high attrition rates on the tarmac of
roads in that area. We greet his replacement Staff Sergeant
Whittington, on arrival from that rival concern, Technical Equip-
ments Division Donnington.
Training Centre
THE Ministry of Defence 4 hit men * have been amongst us! A
team of specially selected I of E Inspectors, under their * god-
father ' Lieutenant Colonel John White, Queens, * took to the mat-
tresses ' in our conference room.
Many Depot steadfasts, still reeling from the assaults upon
their waistlines imposed by the Commander's new PT policy, are
now living in fear* Will we survive?
Will they believe the job justifications we all painstakingly
listed on grubby little pieces of paper? Will we be here for
next month's GAZETTE? Phone us, but there may be no
answer 1
While we are still all here, we would like to welcome our
new G Start Assistant WOl Bob Le Vaillant! Not only has he
brightened up the office with his Hong Kong posters (for in-
centive) but is already a leading light in the Scouting world as
the Guards Depot 'Akela'! Sergeant Dave French, another
ex-Whitehall Warrior shook the mothballs out of his No. 2
Dress and took part in the CO's Farewell Parade (eat your
hearts out CDS Registry!). We are still trying to convince
him that you don't have to do everything by numbers. Which
is also the case with Corporals Steve Geary and John Legg
who have recently completed their RPCl Courses at Bicester.
Sergeant Kev Mills ("it wasn't like this in the New Territories")
has managed to get himself on to a driving course as his only
hope of ever getting 'accelerated' promotion!
Our attached * new clerk," Private Stuart Mayfield, is
keeping the older members of the Headquarters up to date on
the latest disco dances and what it is like to be young in
1981. Our Repro Section now consists of W02 Jim Diviney,
Sergeant Vorn Truss, Lance Corporal Bob MacNeillage and
three civilians so at long last they are now at full strength.
' Bon Voyage' and best wishes to Mrs Rhonda Perry who has
left us for life anew in BAOR. Sergeant Truss has managed
a trip to Gibraltar playing cricket and hopes to go to Germany
on a lour with the Corps side—that is if he can fit it in with
his Resettlement Courses! Congratulations to Lance Corporal
Macneillage on passing his driving test and hoping all goes
well with the birth of his first child in August.
CENTRAL
VOLUNTEER
HEADQUARTERS
IT is with deepest regret that we have to announce the death of
Lieutenant Colonel Ray Dickey after a long illness, courageously
borne. His cheerful presence will be sadly missed by all at
CVHQ. An obituary notice appears elsewhere in THE GAZETTE.
The TA Annual Camp at Fremington draws near and there
are signs of feverish activity as preparations and plans are made
for the influx of TA soldiers.
The IE(A) inspection is now over, and there were smiles all
round when the news reached us that we had retained our
present establishment.
We welcome back Captain Ian Turner after three months
at JDSC
The time has come to say farewell to Staff Sergeant Frank
Herron who is leaving to start a new career in civvy street. We
wish him all success. In his place we welcome Staff Sergeant
Trevor Long and hope he and his family will have a happy
tour at CVHQ.
TRAINING
COMPANY
THE month passed fairly rapidly after Gibraltar Platoon's
much publicised passing out parade which was shown on
Southern TV. (Private Roberts was the star attraction—see
the June GAZETTE.)
On our return there were two excellent athletics meetings,
the first of which was our own Training Company competition,
The winners were Malta Platoon, Anzio Platoon being pipped at
the post following a disqualification in the one hundred metre
relay. Bad luck Anzio!
The star performers from the company athletics went for-
ward to the Training Centre competition, which a Training Com*
pany team won heavily disguised as the Training Battalion and
Depot, Sergeant Lonnen won the eight hundred metres and
one thousand five hundred metres, Private Slattery the one
hundred and ten metres hurdles and Private Cross the four
hundred metres. The Company also dominated the field events.
Corporal Daniels won the shot, Corporal Smillte the javelin,
Second Lieutenant Ling the discus, Corporal Wicks the pole
vault and Private Ruddy both the long jump and the triple
jump. The Company also won the one hundred metres relay
and Major Keating had a moral victory over Lieutenant Colonel
Curtis in the Old Soldier's Race, the latter having obviously
celebrated his birthday early this year!
Training Company is now in the grip of the IE(A) and a
St Vitus dance, following a further swingeing cut in the recruit-
ing figures for this year. Those amongst us with excellent eye-
sight maintain they can see the light at the end of the tunnel!
We must welcome Sergeants Warburton and Mullen and
Lance Corporal Cummings. We say goodbye to the Chief
Clerk Sergeant Armstrong who leaves us for MOD, Sergeant
Kreft who goes to the Apprentices College and Private Rose
who goes to Headquarters Northern Ireland.
— 50
Northern Ireland
HEADQUARTERS
THE increased tempo of operations has
resulted in various members of the Corps
normally in sedentary employments getting
our DPM and battle bowlers to standby as
part of a contingency force. It has not been
called to arms yet as the Spearhead Battalion
in the form of I RRW arrived. The all en-
compassing term * Materiel' has been used
to the full as fire extinguishers, wet blankets,
Brook blankets, non inflammable clothing
have all been needed to combat the petrol bomb. New items
Book number R0250