RAOC Gazette - page 30
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1978 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | No |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1978 |
| Late date | 1978 |
| Transcription |
The event of the month (June that is) has to be the retire- ment of Mrs Allison, who leaves us after thirty seven years in the Civil Service, the last fourteen of which have been with Ord- nance Branch. Endowed with a memory of elephantine capacity she has been compensating for the vagaries of the filing system for as long as anyone can remember. We wish her every happiness in her retirement and thank her for the many occasions on which her memory has brought us back from the brink. We welcome Lance Corporal Dave Asquith who joins us for a brief introduction to Ordnance prior to transferring into the Corps from the Light Infantry. South East District EXERCISES have been keeping many of us busy recently. Lieutenant Colonel Keith Holtby has been out on Exercise Check Rein and our Chief Clerk, W02 Alan Carroll found himself on Exercise Hot Line. Major Bill Whiteley (Retd), on the other hand, has probably had the most enjoyable month sunning himself in Spain far from the cares of mobilisation. Yes, we are jealous! Major Bob White (Retd) has been ill in hospital. We are all pleased to see he has made a good recovery and he is now back at work after some convalescent leave. Thanks are due to Mr Ken Lewis of ASU Winchester for standing in for Major Bob White during his absence. We welcome WOl Pete Burrell who is taking over the RSME Stores Section from WOl Terry Derbyshire. WOl Derbyshire is off to CEP Stores Section Long Marston and we wish him all the best 6th Field Force HEADQUARTERS ON the 1st of April, the 6th Field Force, together with the Logistic Support Group (LSG) were declared in NATO to be fully operational as the United Kingdom Mobile Force (UKMF). April has been the month for duty trips abroad (to Italy, Denmark and Germany), or better known as * swans.* There was of course great competition for the better ones, places that were thought to be gay and exotic and with a high rate of LOA. Amongst these swanners was our DADOS, Major Chris Bedford, who spent a week in the fleshpots of Verona participating in a Headquarters Landsouth exercise. Our Ord Clerk (and also acting FOWO) one Private Ian McCarthy was telling everyone that with the DADOS away the branch was now only working at ninety five per cent effectiveness! Another swanner was Sergeant Bob Boughen in Denmark participating in Exercise Beat Blow. Our two principal staff officers, the BM and DAA and QMG had to be content with a trip to Rendsberg Germany, The exercise season got underway in April with three; Exercise Check Rein on 24th—26th April, was the first in a series of exercises being set by the GOC Soedist to test the Force. During Exercise Hot Line earlier in the month we had one * Casevac* Our A Clerk Corporal John Bain tripped over a chair in the AQ CP, landed face first onto the operations table and broke his nose. Some say he only did it to get off the Exercise. We bid a hearty welcome this month to our new Superin- tending Clerk WOl Fred Stephenson who, with PT kit in hand, has joined from Headquarters NORTHAG, Congratulations to Corporal Gary Sumner, our new ' super dooper' paratrooper on passing * P ' Company and being awarded his parachute wings. Stop Press. Our CC 'G,' Sergeant Evan * Bionic Man* Douglas is still attempting to pass his BFT. ORDNANCE COMPANY OWING to my less than superb performance on the bi-annual BF test I have been volunteered to write this month's GAZETTE Notes, so here goes! To start with our twice weekly early morning PT sessions under NCO IC Torture, Lance Corporal Alan Holden, has really sorted the men out from the boys, but seriously our first at- tempt, with the under twenty nine year olds, at getting the Unit through the new BE test was very successful, with nearly a one hundred per cent pass rate. This month there weren't any Unit exercises but a chosen few did go out into the woods, (they didn't meet any bears) to have their photographs taken doing things(!) all in aid of our contribution to the forthcoming Aldershot Army Display. Earlier this month our Unit football team travelled to COD Chilwell for the semi-final of the Richards Cup, but were beaten by a very good Chilwell team, hard luck lads. And now to our congratulations spot. Firstly to W02 Alan Whiteley and Staff Sergeant Pete Mudway on the award of their Long Service and Good Conduct Medals for eighteen years unblemished service. The presentations were made by the Commander 6 Field Force Brigadier Gray in the Sergeants Mess and followed by a suitable celebration. Secondly to Private Tony Frangos on his return to the Unit after his short tour in Ulster, his return was celebrated but really, a Zulu warrior dance on the motorway! ; to Corporal John Chapman on firstly the birth of his daughter (congratulations too, to his wife, who we believe was also involved) and secondly on his second stripe; to Lance Corporal Pete Ellis and wife on their new addition to the family, may the force be with him; and lastly to Private Mick Ryder for returning from leave on the right day—he said in an exclusive interview that he would stress that it was a cold day and he did think that he was being promoted! We all wish a speedy recovery to Staff Sergeant * Uncle 1 JoCk Maclean who is at present in hospital following an accident on the assault course. Never mind about the QMs Jock, your Celtic cousin Staff Sergeant Pat ' That'll come in handy' Kelly has got it all in hand—or so he says. South West District THIS is our first contribution to THE GAZETTE from Bulford, and with the move to new accommodation we have a new clerical staff struggling with MAOS and Mat. Regs. Congratulations to W02 Tan Read who was recently presented with the British Empire Medal by the GOC, Major General Lyon. The award was for his work whilst in AFCENT. The month of May sees the arrival of the new CRAOC, Colonel Harverson, and the departure of Colonel Bromham. Colonel Bromham goes as DSM at the Logistic Executive (Army). We also say farewell to Sergeant Chris Light on ' retirement * and Corporal Dave Burkill REME who has been assisting Ord Branch, We wish them all well for the future, Eastern District EXERCISE EASTERN PANTHER a CPX run by the District Headquarters for 7 Field Force has been one of the main highlights of the month. Majors Dicker Rowe and Markham, accompanied by WOs Ford, Dick and Jagger, all in full combat suit, ready to man the AQ cell was a rare sight. Major Tony Rowe is about to move to LE(A) Andover, and Carl Dicker is to takeover from him, having secured at least one extra year here. Major Tony Hill will be a civilian by the time these notes are published, Mr Dick Suff has already left the OSU so the new leaders are expected to be Lieutenant Colonel Elliot-Bateman and Mr Pushman. Meanwhile back at OSU Thetford, Mr Jim Harding will be in charge of the Fair Value reduced establishment. Our congratulations to our CRAOC. Lieutenant Colonel Venning and DOWO WOl Benton, both of whom have secured prosperous jobs ready for retirement later this year. On the recreation side of life Eric Welch and Eric Osmar are on leave in Tenerife and Majorca; civilians must be well paid. Captain Don Young, that intrepid hockey player, anc W02 Dick have been on a two day seminar in Deepcut during which they played for the Ban Cup. Finally, personnel who have served with Barrack Service- Colchester, now ASU, must note that Percy Bid well has finally consigned his A40 to the scrap heap and he is now the prom owner of a nearly new (1969) Austin 1100. |
| Book number | R0247 |