RAOC Gazette - page 107
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 |
I ROMAN STROLL IN August AD43 a Roman invasion force numbering over forty thousand men under the command of Plautius. landed un- opposed on the Kent coast. Their objective was Camulodunum, modern Colchester, They met no opposition until the Medway. The commander then sent a. message to the then ruler of the Roman Empire, Claudius, who duly arrived with an elephant corps and twelve camels. In the ensuing rout, four thousand seven hundred Britons were killed and eight thousand taken prisoner; and Colchester fell. Claudius returned to Rome and Plautius now completed his task. With the Twentieth Legion in reserve at Colchester, the remaining three fanned out and occupied land behind the frontier Claudius had laid down—a line from Lincoln to the South Devon coast. The new defences were served by the two hundred and thirty mile. Fosse Way—Britain's first military frontier road, Along it were forts manned by detachments of troops. Beyond (his line were the wild unconquered tribesmen. But within the new frontiers, the process of ruling—and civilising—the islanders could now begin. Sergeant Paddy Cullen and his team get help from an obliging AA Man! At last the big day arrived and. with a Land Rover and trailer fully loaded, they were off on the long walk. The route was from Axmouth to Kinington (nineteen miles), Dinington to Shepton Mallett (twenty eight miles), Shepton Mallett to Colerne (twenty eight miles). Colerne to Kemble (twenty six miles), Kemble (o Slow in the Wold (thirty one miles). Slow in the Wold to Radford Semele {twenty six miles). Radford Semale to Narborough (twenty one miles), Narborough to Newton (twenty nine miles), and Newton to Swinderley (seventeen miles). Ten days later and all in good spirits they arrived outside Lincoln Cathedral. Then back to Kineton. weary, but con- gratulating themselves on completing the Fosse Way Walk as our Roman forebears had once done. The collecting tin held approximately £150 and the total donation to charity was not far from the original goal of £1,000. From left to right: Sergeant Paddy Cullen, Corporal Paul Carrahar, Private Jerry Hands RPC t Private Julia Green WRAC and Staff Sergeant Bob Waller. This year the Fosse Way again resounded to the sound of military footsteps, as a team of servicemen and women from the Kineton Station set out to retrace the tracks of the Roman Legions but this time in aid of charity. Whilst in BAOR Sergeant Paddy Cullen did quite a bit of walking, notching up approximately ten thousand miles. During this time he formulated the idea of walking the Fosse Way, an old Roman road. On his return to the United Kingdom, he was posted to CAD Kineton, and the idea started to become reality. After getting clearance from the various personnel, a team was put together consisting of Sergeant Paddy Cullen, Staff Sergeant Bob Waller, Corporal Paul Carrahar, Private Jerry Hands RPC and Private Julia Green WRAC with the following looking after the administration: Privates Ding Bell, Annie Edgcombe and Linda Smith WRAC. During last summer the area around Kineton resounded to the pounding of marching boots every Wednesday afternoon. This training built up, culminating in the twenty eight mile Rut- land Walk in October, resulting in the team coming first in a time of approximately seven hours. — The team with the back up truck pause under a modern Fosseway sign post. 84 — |
| Book number | R0250 |