RAOC Gazette - page 123
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 |
ACT 2. Stage: The same, Friday morning. Dawn. The QM, Major Willy Williamson, who has previously been sighted wearing NBC suit and respirator, greets the new day from his * temple * steps. The day is spent estab- lishing a training circuit in anticipation of the arrival of the two TA Companies. 45 Coy are the guinea pigs used to practise staff on Urban CQBR, extended assault course, grenade range and a host of other military skills stands. During Friday night the TA Companies arrive and Saturday commences at 0600 hours with a massed BFT by companies, followed by breakfast and then onto the circuit. During the day the Battalion is visited by Colonel P. Palmer, the Commander LSG. The night is spent with the TA Companies marching onto the training area from distant parts to take up defence positions, whilst the regular units patrol the area and finally mount an attack with the dawn- There is a brief pause for breakfast and whatever sleep can be quickly fitted in. There follows an inter-company competition, where three eight man teams from each sub-unit compete on the assault course, the thirty metre range and in a trailer race. The winners are 45 Coy. ACT 3. Stage; Staffordshire, Monday morning. While 47 Coy complete a modified military skills circuit, 45 Coy go to the neighbouring National Park for a combined hillwalking and map reading exercise over a route of some fifteen miles, depending on whether one prefers going over hills or around them. The highlight of the day occurs in a lonely farmyard where a group of walkers is accosted by a shaggy dog which sinks its fangs into the leg of the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Champion. Top breeders recom- mend it because of its solid nourishment The following day is 47 Coy's turn for Exercise Derby Walk. One group of officers, whilst taking refreshment in a public house, are baffled by the lack of response to their praises of the Derbyshire countryside. Outside their fears are confirmed when overtaken by a StarTorshire County Council refuse truck. EPILOGUE. Stage: M6, Wednesday morning. The final four tonners are seen moving South in search of the M5 and the sun. 48 AMF(L) COMPANY. Since Easter 48 Company has been kept particularly busy. After much hard work on the part of Sergeant Barry Phillips and the MT Section and Lance Corporals Alan Kubars RE and Smudge Smith in the POL Platoon a successful PRE inspection was completed. With the PRE over the Company deployed to Italy and Portugal with the A M F on Exercises Andante Exchange and Ardent Ground, Italy, famous for its sun, proved to be very wet Despite the rain and consequent frequency of tent moving all members of the Company managed to get bronzed and acquire Venizian souveniers. All that is, except for Lance Corporal Smudge Smith who having introduced to the delights of Italian Pizza became so hooked he ate his way through his LOA. It was unfortunate that Lieutenant Jeremy Lawrence and Sergeant Colin Geary found little time to join the Company in the field, they had to spend many tiresome hours travelling between our location and the US Air Base being used as a Supply Depot Their time on the road was only matched by the time they spent at the Supply Depot with an Italian/English dictionary in their hands! Why is it we ask that the Americans do not speak Italian? Lance Corporals John Dempsey, Pat Knox and Steve Green apparently had similar problems getting away from the comforts of the Supply D e p o t By the time Endex was called, Major Paul Wallace-Stock our new leader, was well and truly blooded and a member of the Company was heard to remark "not only is orienteering a way of life but short cuts must be in the blood." The annual AMF(L) Gunnery Exericse, Exercise Ardent Ground, gave some members of the Company the opportunity to visit Portugal. W 2 Pete Land and Corporal Marston had a fruitful exercise having to rely on the local Portuguese Supply Depot for rations. The stores section led by W 2 Barry Brooks looked after all the gas requirements—calor or hydrogen and Lance Corporal Burgin the laundry bundles. Staff Sergeant Hannah of the POL Section managed to get the best tan in the Company. Captain Andy Wallace and W 2 Dick Stacey of the Ammunition Section kept spirits high but found moving trees easier than pallets of ammunition. Italy, Portugal, Swynnerton, a PRE, an I of E Inspection and visits from Major General Sir John Acland and Brigadier Berresford, not to mention 4 Petroleum Platoon providing a tactical fuel farm for real POL supply at the Greenham Com- mon International Air Tattoo, the last few weeks have raced < Photo Captain Andy Wallace, Enjoying the sun in Portugal. past. By the time these notes are published we will all be recuperating after our annual Open Day and looking forward to Exercise Amber Express in Denmark. Commando Logistic Regiment ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^^^^H^^^^HB ^^^^^•i^^^^H ^ ^ | H I ^ ^ ^ ^ | H ^ H ' ^ ^ ^ H I^^^H ^ ^ ^ ^ | Hi^BKJBHHi ORDNANCE SQUADRON FROM reading previous issues of the Corps GAZETTE, is it really true that we are the only part of the Corps who don't need to train for their BFT? Joking aside, the first three months of this year have been spent on the annual Royal Marines deployment to Norway. The Squadron's main elements were situated in the Trondheim area, undergoing Arctic Warfare Training in between the normal daily technical work. Other commitments included three Local Resources Teams, one situated in Trondheim supporting 3 Com- mando Brigade minus one deployed with 45 Commando Group in the Narvik area, and the other with 42 Commando in Andalsnes. 42 Commando were also supported by an Assault Ordnance Detachment from the Squadron and elements of the Workshops Stores Troop. On returning from Easter leave a working party of twelve men travelled to CAD Kineton to refurbish all the Brigade's simulated ammunition, (which was used on Exercise Teamwork last September). Four other members of th& Squadron went Adventure Training in Cyprus with the Workshops Squadron at the same time. The Regimental Training Exercise Wagon Train followed held, as usual* on Salisbury Plain. The Squadron practiced battle tactics and other military skills in preparation for Exercise Rough Diamond, which will be preceded by an amphibious landing by the Regiment, The cross country team has represented the Squadron well, with Corporal Phillips, Lance Corporal Clarke and Private Whelpdale all finishing in the first ten in the RAOC Cross Country Championships and obtaining overall second place. The team also won the Commando Logistic Regiment Shield for the eighth successive year. Four other members of the Squadron, Statf Sergeant Griffiths, Sergeant Donal, Lance Corporal Robson and Private Dineley were in the winning football team that did the ' double * by winning the Plymouth Command Cup and also achieving the Division one winners against stiff opposition. Finally, (the list of new members to the 'Green Machine* is almost too numerous to mention), but we welcome Corporals Short, Walker and Olejnik, (back for his second tour), Lance Corporals Ahmed, Anderson, Robson and Sneyd, and Privates Heaton, Keenan, Norton, Ramsay and Wood. Sergeant Gilling has moved across to 59 Independent Com- mando Squadron RE FAMTO, taking the place of Sergeant Crook who returns to the fold, Sergeant Ward has gone to 3 Commando Brigade Headquarters and Signals Squadron FATSO replacing Sergeant Holt. We also lose Lance Corporal Sutcliffe to the Corps Display Team for the summer and Private Thomas to BATUS, Canada for four months. Postings out include Captain Wiseman to Bicester, Sergeant Daw kins to 3 BAD, Lance Corporal MacBride to Belize, Lance Corporal Clarke to Paderborn and Private Wright to Tidworth. — 98 — |
| Book number | R0250 |