RAOC Gazette - page 71
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1981 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | No |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1981 |
| Late date | 1981 |
| Transcription |
his 2IC is trying to find out what Captain Kay^ replacement is like No need to worry Q he does play rugby, so all cannot be bad. On a more serious note, 3 Platoon have been doing a lot of training with helicopters. They are hoping to start their own flight soon. p 4 Petroleum Platoon are still recovering from Exercise Flashpoint 2, with 6 Platoon. The Petroleum Platoons Captain Simon Ward, who is also the Operations and Training Officer led the blue forces, whilst Captain Phil Hughes with Lieutenant John Wiggell led the red forces. Fortunately everyone returned safely to camp. 4 Petroleum Platoon under Sergeants Smith and Sharkey are now preparing for the International Air Tattoo SI at RAF Greenham Common, where they will be responsible for the receipt, storage and issue of aviation fuels. Before we end, it would not be right if we did not mention Exercise Legstretch, a sponsored walk undertaken by an eight- man team from 47 Company in aid of 4 Contact A Family Centre' Devizes. The team walked one hundred and forty miles in three days and raised over £700 by sponsorship. The valiant walkers were Corporals Brooks and Soellner, Lance Corporal Brennan, Privates Carpenter, Stewart, Thompson, Martin and Roberts, and W 2 Malone who paced them for the last two days- Lance Corporal Mountford masterminded and organised the event. 48 Company have just returned from a very wet and windy two week exercise in Northern Italy with the AMF(L). Some members of the Company will move from Italy to Portugal for a subsequent exercise and are praying for a sunny welcome. The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Champion, visited 48 Company.in Italy and managed to squeeze in a few days sightseeing. It is hoped that we will see many old friends at our Open Day on 5th July. The event will host the Wiltshire Lorry Driver of the Year competition and will also include spectacular static and arena displays. A speedboat is first prize in our raffle, the proceeds of which will be donated to the Army Benevolent Fund and local charities. Unit or individual requests for tickets should be sent to Chief Clerk T 10 Ordnance Sup- part Battalion. The Battalion football team have been in the news recently. Firstly, in the South West District Minor Units league where they were unlucky to lose the final to the RCT. Secondly, in the RAOC six-a-side competition where after valiantly reaching the final with twenty goals for and only nine against they lost three to two to the Training Battalion. The basketball players, thanks largely to Corporal Clark's efforts, were runners-up position in the South West District League. The hockey team reached the final of the Shield Com- petition in the Bari cup but were beaten by COD Bicester. Former apprentices would still recognise the department but who knows what our new SAT. Conductor Tom Galloway, will do to change all that. He assures us (hat he is going to reshape the slalT before he starts on the department. Everyone here is busily waiting for promotion news: Staff Sergeant Dave Heath says he wants to be selected for promotion to W02, after due consideration the stall at Chepstow have selected him lo buy the next round. Last but not least we congratulate our ATO, Captain Paul Hen wood, on his efforts in the Corps rugby team. All apprentices should note that it is worth a good report to be first to tell the captain how many times, and where, his name appears in the latest edition of T H E GAZETTE. 6 Field Force Ordnance Company SAILING is now catching on in the Com- pany. We regularly sail at Hawley and now Lance Corporals Alan Liddle and Jim West, Privates Jimmy Greaves, Paddy Peacock and the OC all attended an Elementary Sail- ing Course at Bicester—and passed! We shall see just how much they did learn when we get them to our Summer Camp in Tenby South Wales next month. Our two teams that have been entered in the RAOC Inter Unit Regatta in June are now practising hard. Later in the month the Company provided a guard for the British National Gliding Championships at RAF Greenham Common. Colonel Shephard, the CRAOC who is incidentally the Chairman of the British National Gliding Association promised to arrange for everyone on the Guard to go up in a glider. Everyone took advantage of the kind offer bar Sergeant Zycinski who says he gets dizzy just going upstairs to his office! Private Stant was put off gliding for life and still goes a sickly green at the mention of it. In mid-May the Company held the first 6 Field Force Technical QMs* Convention which was opened by Brigadier Beckett, Commander 6 Field Force and was attended by some forty QMs and their RQMSs. During the morning, presentations were given by our OC Major Gordon MacDougall. Major Paddy O'Conneli the S02 Ord of Headquarters 6 Field Force, Captain Dick Carman, Company 2IC and W 2 Martin Esser, WOIC PC and A. During the afternoon the QMs toured PC and A and the Storehouse, which had received yet another coat of paint for the occasion. At this stage we should mention Lance Corporal Alan Storey for duties beyond the call as the duty blanket stacker. Congratulations to Privates Keith Yates and Lee Anderson on passing their POD Course; to Sergeant Hughes and Lance Corporal West on their recent promotion and to Sergeant Hughes for successfully completing his AH Arms Low Level Air Defence Instructors Course, also to Corporal Jimmy Brechin, Lance Corporals Col Renicks and Jock MacFarlane on their substantive promotion. Welcome to Lieutenant Turrell our new Admin Officer, Staff Sergeants Dave Langham and Tom Dewhurst, Sergeants Carey and John Moore, Corporal Palmer, Privates Wild and Harson A C C Army Apprentices College Chepstow AFTER five years in the department Con- ductor Chick Fowles has departed for pastures new. Perhaps this can be said to be the end of an era. During the latter period of the Fowles era some notable characters left the de- partment on retirement. One of these is that widely known character of the Am- munition World Les Gunningham. It is just over a year now since Les departed complete with a carriage clock and a Black and Decker Workmate. These gifts were bought by Les's colleagues, past and present All those who contri- buted will be pleased to know that Les still keeps in touch with the Ammunition world and especially Chepstow. His contact with Chepstow is strengthened by the frequent calls for help and advice by his successor. Another well known character who has retired is Jack Golder. Jack is as busy as ever working the land and spread- ing the proverbial in order to promote the growth of his produce. Monty Munday is still in the department and claims the rights of longest serving member of staff. All the ammunition technicians and apprentices defer to this on the 1 grounds that the elderly should be treated as ' Elder Statesmen. The civilian instructor who has replaced Mr Gunningham is one Tom West who claims that he is only filling in for a third tour a: the college. There are two groups of apprentices in the department at the moment. Group 79C and Group 80C. The former are in their last term and are looking forward to their final exams and then it's a case of * Look out world, here we come/ 6 54 Field Force QMs Convention. |
| Book number | R0250 |