RAOC Gazette - page 87
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 |
3rd Armoured Division SINCE we last produced notes for the Corps GAZHTTE, the Divisional exercise season for 1981 is now well under way. During the early part of May we de- played to the Field on Exercise Staff Ride, a Staff College Demonstration exercise to show potential senior commanders how we operate in the field. This was closely followed by Exercise Red Duke, a Divisional CPX, where we deployed on a crash out basis wear- inc NBC suits which were not removed till endex, six days later and with the weather being so hot a few of us lost weight as a f h e weather in this part of Germany has been excellent of late with temperatures reaching the upper eighty degrees fahrenheit and with Major Gerry Page, our S02 Accn Services, spending so much time down the Mohnesee Sailing Club, it is rumoured that he has moved his office down there on a pern Our I 1 new CRAOC, Lieutenant Colonel David Bolting has iust arrived to takeover from Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Parry- Davies with Major Richard Rhodes, another newcomer, to take over from Major Steve Thornton as SOZ Materiel. The CRAOCs driver Lance Corporal Nobby Clarke has opted to drive a pen. rather than vehicles and leaves to go to the Depot at Blackdown to train as a Supply Clerk. Farewells this month go to Lieutenant Colonel Parry - Davies, Major Thornton, W02 Sam Bartram and Lance Corporal Nobby Clarke. . Our new arrivals are Lieutenant Colonel Bottmg, Major Rhodes and Sergeant Sharkey. Photo Peter Griffiths. Headquarters RAOC. ORDNANCE COMPANY A VERY successful sporting month for the Company, ^ The first of our prizes came when the Orienteering Team, consisting of Major Baz Dickson, Captain Gary Hawthorne, Lieutenant Ray Tindle, Second Lieutenant Paul Saddleton and Sergeant Ray Nonhcott, won the 3 Division Minor Units Orienteering Championships. Two shooting competitions added to our honours. In the RAOC Full Bore Shooting Competition the team came third in the Minor Unit Competition and fifth overall. The squad, W02 Chris Kimpton, Sergeants Ray Northcott, Bob Roberts and Bill Rice, Corporal ' P o p ' Barrett, Lance Corporals Alan Kelly and Bob Durrant and Private Richard Turner, also excelled themselves in the Div SAAM, placed runners-up in the Minor Units. Congratulations to W 2 Chris Kimpton who came second in the individual Pistol Competition. We were honoured to have a visit from our sister German Company, the Nachshiibe Kompanie 200. During the day the companies competed against each other at football, volleyball, bowling, shooting and in patrol races. The Walkenried Hut in the Harz Mountains was used for an Adventure Training Weekend. Under the direction and coaching of Captain Gary Hawthorne and Staff Sergeant Alex Ridley a day was spent teaching and practicing rock climbing and abseiling, whilst Sunday was spent on a not so leisurely walk! Finally we must welcome a large number of new faces; Sergeants Rice, Cork and Shorkey, Corporals Kennedy and Miller, Lance Corporal Steele and Privates Sheard, Waller, Kirk- bride and Pearce. We also greet our new subaltern Second Lieu- tenant Paramore. We say goodbye to Staff Sergeant Ludlow, Corporal Hollins, Privates Briggx and Parker, but congratulate Sergeant Shorkey, Corporals Miller, Collins and Goody, Lance Corporals Hughes, Phillips and Richardson on promotion. 4th Armoured Division HEADQUARTERS GOSH, what a busy month it's been here in Herford. We all moved off in our psychadelic romper suits for a four day motoring and camping holiday and only just got back in time to have our May Day Bank Holiday. No sooner was that finished before we were visited by the Managing Director and his wife from Head Office. In only one and a half days General Brown visited nearly all the RAOC units within the division, and, with his wife joined the RAOC officers and their wives for a supper party. The whole visit proved an outstanding success. The RAOC officers and soldiers, their wives and families thank the DGOS and Mrs Brown for calling in on us and assure them of a fond welcome in the future. The CRAOC, Major Richard Jarman and Captain Jon Campbell spent three days playing noughts and crosses with establishment forms and drawing huge organisation spiders. Everyone is trying to find out what all this secret effort was about but it all seems a bit hush-hush at the moment. Then some of the Headquarters RAOC staff watched the Ordnance Company football team win the CCRAOC football competition from Richmond Associates. The Adjutant found himself in the difficult position of not knowing which team to support, having relatively recently arrived in Herford from Bielefeld, home of the Richmond team. Anyhow many con- gratulations to the Ordnance Company, The division has also been visited this month by Colonel Bowden from RAOC Manning and Record Office, whose presenta- tions proved both enlightening and educational for those who attended (PS I'd like a posting to ). Harry Petty* our Fire Adviser, has been away on a course for most of the month* but in his absence has had his results for the Membership of the Institute of Fire Engineers. Harry gained the highest marks of any candidate in the examinations, a distinction and a special prize. Good on you Harry. Cap- tain Jon Campbell has also achieved a minor success in passing his PQS 2 exams. Lastly this month we say hello to Lance Corporal Swan who joins us as DOWO's clerk. We wish you and your family a happy tour in Herford. We also say farewell to Sergeant Del Carey who leaves us on posting to Aldershot—our best wishes for the future. ORDNANCE COMPANY THE day of the ARU saw the whole company on parade with Crash Out Kit for inspection by the CRAOC. Following the inspection the company rapidly changed into PT kit for its BFT run. Happily all the previous training paid dividends be- cause only two soldiers out of the whole company failed to make it in their allotted time. Following an early dinner the company then deployed into the field so that both its military and technical role could be tested. The next morning saw the company tactically deployed and prepared for any eventuality. The GOC arrived at about 0900 hours and saw the company carrying out its role of supply- ing the Division. Later in the morning the Company came under attack by a party of infiltrators (courtesy of the RGJ) which was dealt with as per the Training Manual. At the same time an NBC attack was initiated, which the company reacted to without fuss, and was very highly rated by the observers. The afternoon took the form of an inter-section competition comprising of different activities from anti-ambush drills, First Aid to fault finding on vehicles. The day finished with General Akehurst addressing the com- pany and saying that not only did he see the company on the annual ARU but had seen it in the field on a number of occasions and was more than satisfied that it could carry out its role, — 68 — |
| Book number | R0250 |