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RAOC Gazette - page 10

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Corps RAOC
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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1978
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Early date 1978
Late date 1978
Transcription m
If
®ux Colond=tn=CI)ief
Vixit* Her Corp*
AS 1978 marks both a Silver and a Diamond Jubilee in the
history of our Corps, it is particularly appropriate that Her
Majesty The Queen, our Colonel-in-Chief, should visit Her
Corps in this special year.
The first fifteen days of May produced over three inches
of rain—almost a record for the whole of the month, however,
the sixteenth dawned bright and clear and fortunately remained
so for the rest of that memorable day.
The route the Queen was to take to the parade ground
where the Guard of Honour was waiting, was lined by soldiers
of the Training Battalion and Depot and the Apprentices
College, On arrival Her Majesty was welcomed to Oxford-
shire by the Lord Lieutenant of the County, Colonel Sir
John Thompson.
He presented the Representative Colonel
Commandant, Major General J. T. Stanyer to the Queen who
then presented the DGOS, Major General M. Callan T Her
Majesty's ADC, Brigadier G. E. Dennison and the Commander
Bicester Garrison, Brigadier M. B. Page,
The Guard of Honour was commanded by Major K. N.
Collins, half the Guard being provided by 16 Battalion the
remainder representing other units of RAOC in UK. The Staff
Band completed the parade. In bright sunshine it was a colour-
ful ceremony the uniforms contrasting sharply with the back-
ground of spectators; the Queen standing out clearly in a
turquoise coat and matching hat.
On leaving the parade ground Her Majesty was given a
short presentation on present and future developments in the
Corps, after which she toured the Control Division of the
Directorate of Supply Management and the ADP Installation
of the Directorate of Supply Computer Services—meeting many
of the staff. Lunch was then taken in the Ambrosden Officers Mess.
The Queen arrives at Bicester,
After lunch the Queen planted a walnut tree in the Mess
garden; symbolic of a scheme which, during the next two
years, will see the planting of some six hundred mature trees
and two thousand saplings within the Depot area.
In Building D4 Her Majesty then saw a demonstration of
various new types of warehousing equipment culminating_ in
the selection of an item she saw initiated earlier in the morning.
At the nearby railway platform, appropriately now called
Queen's Halt, the Queen named a new locomotive " Conductor."
On the way to the ceremony the route was lined by eight
serving Conductors.
Her Majesty then travelled by train to a series of displays
provided by the Director of Land Service Ammunition, sub-units
of 10 Ordnance Support Battalion, 7 Field Force Ordnance
Company and the Army Fire Service.
En route to the demonstration area a party of Roman
soldiers were to be seen saluting Her Majesty as the train
passed by. A dramatic reminder of the long and historic
connection of this particular part of Britain with things military.
After speaking to many of the soldiers in the demonstration
area the Queen left for the Garden Party held at the Black-
thorn Sports Ground. The Garden Party was attended by all
ranks of the Corps and their wives, members of the Army Ord-
nance Department, together with military and civilian guests,
As Her Majesty finally left she was presented with a bouquet
by Lesley Brownlow, the daughter of the RSM of 16 Battalion.
So ended a truly memorable occasion on a very beautiful
day and one of which the whole of our Corps can be justifiably
proud.
The Royal Salute.
Book number R0247