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RAOC Gazette - page 213

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1981
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Early date 1981
Late date 1981
Transcription Headquarters Scotland
- ^mmm^mzzzz
ANOTHER month has come and almost
gone and for a few days summer hap-
pened in Scotland, In the aftermath of
the official opening of Stirling most of us
have been fitting in a few days leave and
handing over to newcomers.
The Festival and the Tattoo are in
full swing so the city is a place to be
avoided as it's full of tourists who* don't
know where they are going, adding to
travelling time and frustration
We have welcomed M«jor John
Schreuder, Major Richant Powell and Mr
[ rry Pettey (FSOl) and have said farewell t j Major Joe
Ruynon-Jones, Major Roger Bicknell and Mr Sid Orrey (FSOl).
STORES SECTION RA RANGE HEBRIDES
THE OC. Captain Slade is still training strongly for his Com-
mando Course with his runs and the storehouse will soon be look-
ing like an assault course with ropes hanging from the roof! At
present he is in Belize on detachment.
Our new WOIC PC and A W 2 Dave McCarthy has
arrived, spent a few hours looking at his new job, disappeared
r Leave, then promptly went on a Provision Course to Black-
y l wn!
Sergeant Norman Coom has also gone south to Black down
on the same Provision Course. Seriously, the best of luck to
you both. When these notes go to press both will have returned
to the fold and perhaps started re-organising the PC and A. At
the moment Staff Sergeant George Robinson is running the
PC and A and also trying to stop the doors of his car from fall-
ing off. He is seriously thinking of buying shares in BP because
his car is leaking so much of it!
Corporal Terry Byrne returned from St Kilda then went on
tachment with the CCF on the mainland.
Corporal Paul Trent is starting to snaffle packing materials
and MFO boxes in between mutterings of " I wonder where I
am going after Cyprus" and 4 * I hope my relief is on time."
Lance Corporal Jarman decided that he needs to be looked
after for the rest of his life, so went on leave to get married.
Best of luck to you Taff and Pat when you tie the knot.
Lance Corporal Alan Pickup was on St Kilda showing the
flag, but has been reprieved from his solitary confinement by
Private Dewar. (This is what you get for passing your Bl
Dave).
Meanwhile now that Ken Ray has left, our two civilian
: .oremen Murdo and Peter are kept busy, Mary Ann is typing
away and like Joan in the PC and A is keeping everybody from
the OC down happy with cups of tea,
To finish, welcome to W 2 McCarthy, his wife Liz and
family from everybody in the Section and hope that you enjoy
your stay.
Stop Press. You can stop worrying now Corporal T, Corporal
Ian Patterson and family have arrived, FOR HIS SECOND
TOUR!
the morning of the Fete our Chief Clerk Staff Sergeant Tosh
Stokes on bended knee, pleading with the Garrison Sergeant
Major for tables, chairs etc, which somebody had forgotten
to order for the Ord Branch Staff and Major Derek Eve in a
life and death struggle with a ferocious lamb in his attempt to
weigh it for the Guess the Weight of the Sheep Contest.
The day was a huge success and the Branch doubled its
takings of the previous year,
It would be difficult to single out any one person to give
the credit for the success of the day, we were all involved one
way or another but a special thank you to Mrs Margaret
Burnouse and Mrs Judith Wheldon who were the organisers of
the Branch's stall and thereby mainly responsible for the
success that it was.
In the time honoured tradition of the Branch we bade
farewell to Miss Kathy Bird who left us on promotion to take
up a new job with the Department of Employment—a useful
contact in to-day's uncertain climate.
We have welcomed two newcomers to our happy band,
Mrs Sue Thompson who joins us from another department of
the Headquarters and Mrs Pam Judges from civvy street We
wish them both a long and happy stay with us.
REGIONAL DEPOT CATTERICK.
The Regional Depot
Catterick had a visit by the I of E team and rumour has it
that, after their visit, no one was more surprised than Captain
Mac McGill to find he still had a job.
Private Wallace is a busy lad these days, having recently
passed his B3 drivers course he is now applying for an RPC2
Course to be followed by an attempt at EPC3—this lad is going
places; Blackdown, Leaconfield
South East District
A relatively quiet month with most of the
staff disappearing ghostly white and re-
turning a few weeks later various shades
of brown and looking refreshed,
For
those of us who are working it is of
course a frustrating time, it always seems'
that whoever one wants to speak to is on
leave and, ' err? no I really can't help you
with that one * is the standard reply from
whoever answers the telephone.
CRAOC, Colonel S hep hard, the President of Army Gliding,
is away at present and is participating in the National Gliding
Championships being held at Dunstable.
Fortunately the
weather has been much better than the last time the Colonel
went gliding (to Greenham Common) when Wellington boots
and anoraks were the order of the day.
We welcome Major Keith Mentzel, our new S02 In-
spections who has joined us to form the new South East District
Inspections Team,
We also welcome our new Chief Clerk
WO2 Dick Farren from Hong Kong. He replaces WOl Mel
Lee who has not left the Headquarters but becomes the new
'Super Clerk.' Finally we say farewell to WOl Geoff McNeice
our old one who is off to the land of ammunition at DLSA.
North East District
HEADQUARTERS.
The only event of
note from the Staff Clerk element this
month is the departure of our 'A* Branch
Chief Clerk, W 2 Andy Halliwell. Andy
is posted to Headquarters South East
District and has been relieved by Staff
Sergeant Danny Martell from Head-
quarters BAOR.
We wish them both
well in their new appointments.
WOl Mike Mason is on leave yet
.• -,ain, it's amazing how his leave always coincides with York
Race Meetings!
Staff Sergeant Jack Rowley has had his relief nominated
and looks forward to each mornings mail with more than usual
relish.
Corporal Geordie Bird and Private Bob Smith are keep-
ing Ops/SD on the straight and narrow—the latter spends all
his free time getting his kit in order for his RPC2 course.
ftRD
BRANCH.
Our distinguished visitor this month was the
v
< 1 • O who came to visit our two TA Companies. He met 57
J Company (V) in Leeds, on their drill night and S Field
[ orce Ord Company (V) when they weTe doing their APWT on
Sirens all Ranges.
Another North East District Fete in aid of SSAFA has
come and gone but the memory lingers on. For instance; on
— 177
Western District
LIKE most other rural communities
Shrewsbury is basking in sunshine and
enjoying a kind of festive and euphoric
optimism totally uncharacteristic of the
gloom engendered by the recession.
Nationally we have been heartened by
the pomp and grandeur of the Royal
Wedding and gripped by the incredible
success of the MCC whilst locally our
town is thronged with visitors to our prestigious annual Flower
Show. Amid these many distractions some of us have been
actually working.
Personality news this month is dominated by the departure
of our DOWO, WOl (SSM) Bill Oliver, who not only leaves his
post after two years but completes his Army Service and becomes
a * civvy' (his expression—expurgated); we wish him success in
finding a rewarding and satisfying new career and thank him for
his writing efforts to serve the needs of our units and the staff-
In his place we welcome WOl (SSM) Terry Jones who joins us
from BAOR and is struggling to * relearn ' the meaning of the
word 'Austerity'—or should it be * Privation'?
As is so often the case the more significant events of the
month seem to be crowding themselves into its closing week
when our SD2 C Sups returns from leave, our S03 returns from
his JDSC Course, our new D F A (Mr Bill Rogers) reports and the
Book number R0250