RAOC Gazette - page 125
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 |
interest to our surveillance team. The leader kept creeping around the area snatching at weapons and crying out ''Another crate of beer!" Further evidence of the suspect qualities of leadership in the British Army. Radio surveillance of the forward location proved difficult. An operator called Hallam came on net and admonished all those who did not use correct procedure. There was also a mysterious call sign " Bertie *' who due to the text of his messages we suspect of being either a covert observation team or the bedding storeman, It is evident that this unit carried its own source of enter- tainment. Cannon and Ball were thinly disguised as Gannon and Byrne and as funny as a Siberian tea party. Gannon proved to be a master of mime—his calling in of helicopters would have shamed Marcel Marceau. The rear location carried its own food on the roof which obviously was of some concern to the OC. He insisted on check- ing their numbers at strange hours to see if all were accounted for. This unit was repeatedly attacked by elements of 3 Queens but showed a marked reluctance to open fire and waken the village. In conclusion, comrade, the morale of this unit was extremely high even when broken down into sub units. They inloaded and outloaded twelve hundred tonnes of ammunition in thirty six hours. Their admin and feeding was of the highest order as was their attention to security, damage and tactics. One feels constrained to admit that this purported Base Depot Unit exhibits a worrying degree of professionalism allied to an almost embarrassing sense of urgency and zeal. showed well in the Long Jump. It was careful planning, hard training and support of All Bicester personnel that brought the very proud Commandant, Brigadier Richard Cooke and Com- manding Officer 16 Battalion RAOC, Lieutenant Colonel Alastair Wallace, to their feet at the end of the day. Lance Corporal Ncv Haynes had the honour of collecting the field trophy on behalf of the team, whilst Lance Corporal Shaun Taylor, whose last day it was with the Battalion prior to his posting to Germany, had the honour of collecting the Travers Clarke Trophy. It wasn't easy but it was fun and the trophies make it all worth* while. Very well done both teams. Now for the rest of the news. Sergeant Pete Parker who was sent to Bicester on a ' temporary' posting some fourteen months ago, paid a visit to M and RO. We all laughed until he returned with a posting to Pakistan! We have since heard there is a queue of Staff Clerks from Wigston to Leicester City Centre. The Bicester Army Fire Service charity paddle down the Thames, reported in the last issue, proved to be a resounding success! A very creditable sum of over £1,500 was collected, a good day was had by ail and they proved what fine men they are. The Commandant recently presented an Imperial Service Medal to Mr A. T. West, Mess Hand from Graven Hill. On the same day, Brigadier Cooke presented the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal to Sergeant Garth Hood, REME, Head- quarters 23 Group RFC Armourer, Central Ordnance Depot Bicester HEADQUARTERS. What a tremendous month! The athletic teams, both male and female, have done an excellent job, under the training and guidance of Captain Mike Hart, coach for the men. and Corporal Cathy Wilson WRAC for the girls. The girls started with a win in the ^ South East District Inter Unit Com- petition; their win gained them a place in the Army Championships. The team consisted of Corporals Bernie Lewis, Joan GaskilJ, Lance Corporal Avis (black eyes) Thorpe, Privates 'Ab * Bache, All Lynham, Rose McDonald, Toddy Todd and Lauren Jeffrey, Well done girls, you certainly gave the incentive the men needed to win the Travers Clarke trophy. What a day that was, from the very start with the fancy footwork of the teams* Captain, Captain Ian Wafforne, when the team bus had not arrived at 0925 hours, to the very final relay on which success depended. -^^p: Sergeant Hood and Mr West celebrate with the Commandant after the presentation. Major Brian Casbolt has moved from his appointment as CMC Traffic Branch to a temporary * slot' as Assistant to Senior Stores Officer for a short time prior to his move to assume the appointment of SO/DMO, MOD. He has been replaced by Lieutenant Colonel J. E. Hart who has joined us from DLSA, for what we hope will be a very happy tour. Having recovered sufficiently to put in a * stop press,' I feel I should mention the Officers Mess Summer Ball. With a theme of the Royal Wedding the Committee under the Chairmanship of Lieutenant Colonel John Syson converted the Mess into a palace for the night and gave us a most memorable party, Congratulations on a very successful evening. Mind you it left one officer very limp. Travers Clarke 1 9 8 1 . Winning team 16 Battalion RAOC. It would be difficult for anybody to describe the build up of excitement from the 'first* win which was first and second in the Hammer (non team event) by Sergeant Geoff Cox and Lance Corporal Nev Haynes* the first and second in the Javelin by Sergeant Larry Power and W02 Dave Kuester, the excellent showing of Lance Corporal Steve Vosper and Private Deke Deacon in the high jump, even the strongarm stuff of Staff Sergeant Brian (old man) Bolam and Lance Corporal Dave Snape and the very capable running of the highly trained 'Any Arfield, Gary Doran, Dave Mansfield, * Shadow' Macpherson, Shaun Taylor and Taff Hillman—who with Dave Mansfield also 100 16 Battalion THIS month we bid a fond farewell to Major Tony Phillips, Major Peter St C. Scriven and to Captain Denis Kilbride, who have departed on posting. A farewell also goes to Lance Corporal Angie Tuckett WRAC who has moved to *D' Company WRAC. In their places we welcome to Bicester Major Monty Wood and Major Paul Woodley. To the Battalion itself we welcome Private Gill Souter WRAC who is battling hard along- side Corporal Tony Read our new recruit to the RAOC having recently transferred in from the Infantry. HEADQUARTERS COMPANY. The Company Adventure Training in Wales has successfully been completed with only one casualty, Staff Sergeant Kevin Townsend who landed a broken collar bone. Planning is well under way for the next series of exercises, this time in the Lake District. |
| Book number | R0250 |