RAOC Gazette - page 151
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 |
FIFTY YEARS CROWN SERVICE UNDER FOUR MONARCHS MR B. HUGHES BEM, FSOI Army Fire Service COD Bicester completed fifty years Crown Service July 1981. and has served during the reigns of King George V, Edward VIII, George VI and Queen Elizabeth H. Enlisting as a boy trumpeter with 178th Heavy Battery RA (TA) he Jater transferred to the 2nd Cheshire Field Squadron RE (TA), a mounted unit in which he served as a sapper, and sub- sequently enlisted in Regular Air Force service in 1935. Pre-war, he served for a commission in HMS Courageous in the days when the RAF served aboard aircraft carriers, and was in the Mediterranean Fleet during the Spanish Civil War when HM ships were frequently bombed by both sides. He also served in Cairo, Palestine and Khartoum. During the 1939-45 war he served for a time as aircrew with 230 Sunderland Flying Boat Squadron and was a member of the crew who flew Anthony Eden, the then Foreign Secretary, and General {Jumbo) Wilson from Egypt into Athens at the start of the Greek Campaign. During the evacuation of British/Allied Forces from Greece and Crete the Sunderland Squadron he was with flew a shuttle service from Suda Bay Crete to Alexandria, Egypt carrying ninety passengers each trip. The passengers included the Greek and Yugoslav Royal Families and their staffs. Each passenger flown out could only board the aircraft with soap, towel and uniform as they stood, and to the immense chagrin of all ranks, no matter who, had to leave their kit on quaysides to be plundered, when three hundred and fifty people lost their lives. He a t a attended the 3 BAPD RAOC forest tire which burnt for a week throughout the depot without the loss of any ammunition PARTNERSHIP OF NATO DEPOTS THE first formal introductory visit took place recently to in- augurate the impending partnership of three NATO Depots Ordnance Depot Viersen played hosts to Lieutenant Colonel Joseph L. George L'S Army and a party of officers and senior ranks from Combat Equipment Battalion (North) who are stationed in Moenehengladbach and Major Rulf Pietsch and his officers and senior ranks from the Bundeswehr Depot at Straeien Photo R. Dzenis. British, American and German get together in tripartite affiliation. The Federal Republic Ministry of Defence have given formal agreement to the ' twinning' of Geratedepot Straeien and Ordnance Depot Viersen. and plans are in hand to make it a "tripartite' affiliation with the inclusion of Combat Equipment Battalion (North). Our photograph shows the guests being shown activities within the Depot. ACCOMMODATION SERVICES CONVENTION Operational Tactical Discussion. A t a major forest fire at Bi-achr THE 1981 Accommodation Services Convention was held recently in Berlin, The convention was attended by Colonel Newcombe from LE(A), Mr J. Leggett from DDSM, MOD and Officers from BAOR and Berlin, including Brigadier Whalley DOS BAOR, Commanders Supply and OCs ASU. The photograph taken at the end of the morning session shows the military and civilian Officers who attended the con- vention. in 1976. The last days of the Crete evacuation found Mr Hughes, then a flight sergeant, a patient in a field hospital at Maleme when the German parachute invasion commenced. The hospital was overrun by the German paras, and in a subsequent counter- attack by New Zealand Maori troops was retaken. In the confusion Mr Hughes was posted missing, believed killed. After crossing through enemy lines Mr Hughes with other Allied troops escaped from Crete when he was evacuated by the Royal Navy by submarine from Sparkia to Alexandria, Egypt. Post-war RAF' tours of duty included Malta, Cyprus, BAOR and Singapore, where he was serving when the Macleod Report which civilianised the RASC Army Fire Service was produced. Following attendance on a Civil Service Limited Com- petition Board 1961 he was offered a direct entry Fire Service Officer appointment at 3 BOD RAOC Singapore, and was the first civilian officer to serve in FARELF. This was his first contact with RAOC units. Subsequent appointments have included Borneo, BAOR and Belgium where as Fire Adviser Antwerp he attended the fatal [/Innovation departmental store fire in Brussels May 1967 Officers from U K and BAOR who attended the 1931 Accom- modation Services Convention held in Berlin on 25th June, 1 9 8 1 . 20 — t |
| Book number | R0250 |