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RAOC Gazette - page 224

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Publication date 1981
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Early date 1981
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Transcription 3 Base Ammunition Depot
OUR lives have been shattered by the departure of our RSM
Chippie Chandler (Para and Cdo course not completed) RAOC.
He has left us for UK where (so he tells me) he will command
the TA, A man of many words and keen sense of humour he
will be missed by all here. Most of the departments were able
to say au revoir to him. He will certainly be missed in the
Sergeants Mess for his long and entertaining speeches.
On a serious note we thank him for his work that he put
into the unit, both on the military and social side. We wish
him well in the future with the TA and when he eventually
leaves the Army,
Other notable departures have been Major Marshall who
goes to Manchester University reading Tennis, Corporal Geordie
Ruddick, the thinner member of the Bracht football management,
leaves us for a new appointment and who can forget Sergeant
Happy Walters XR3!
As already reported in previous months our swimming
team has been competing in the BAOR Minor Units Champion-
ships. In the recent finals held in Berlin, the team, managed by
the Sergeants Mess PMC, W02 Dave Marsh came runners-up
in the competition. Most of the team members improved on
their previous times managing to come second in every event.
The team then travelled to the UK to compete in the Army
Finals. Notable performances came from Private Ian Shaw
who came second in the sixty six metre freestyle, Corporal John
Rigby third in the sixty six metre breast stroke, with the four by
sixty six metre medley and four by sixty six metre freestyle
relay team coming second and third respectively.
The overall position was 3 BAD in second place with 229
Signal Squadron overall winners. Congratulations and well done
to our team for their tremendous performance.
Private Ian
Shaw is now training with Army Squad in preparation for the
Inter-Services Competition.
By all accounts the cricket team is still desecrating the
rugby pitch.
Lance Corporal Stretch Johnson, ably sup-
ported by Messrs Golden, Watters, Lawrence, Edmunds, Hill
and Wright have contributed to a fairly busy season. Fortunes
have been mixed with the team chalking up five losses and four
wins. It is hoped that they can even the score up in their
last match. From the results seen the team seem to suffer from
Englanditis no batting good bowling. However, Major Ben Cooper,
the OIC, promises to come out of retirement next season.
One of the functions which raised money for the childrens
summer activities, was a very successful party, held to celebrate
the recent Royal Wedding. Organised by a group of very hard
working wives with the help of some military, it provided a sit
down tea, train rides and various stalls designed to take parents
money. It was a great success which showed approximately
DM2,500.00 profit; which the children are currently enjoying.
Marriages and births have been rife this month with
Corporal John Brown, Lance Corporals Dave Wright, Sean
Taylor taking the plunge into wedlock many congratulations to
them and their wives.
Also congratulations go to Lance
Corporal Winter (daughter), Corporal Mark Jones, Lance
Corporal Taylor, Private Cheshire (sons) and their wives, on
their recent additions to their families.
Farewell ta: Major Marshall, WOl Chandler, Sergeants
Taylor, Wood, Walters, Wilde, Corporals Lister, Ruddick,
Cannell, Lance Corporal P. L. Jones and Private Pettit (to the
ACC).
Welcome to: Sergeants Drew, Keep, Corporals Burnett,
Povey, Riley, M. A. Ward, Lance Corporals Black and Birch.
15 Ordnance Group
HEADQUARTERS
THE main item of note as far as this Headquarters is concerned
has been the return to UK of the Commander, Colonel
Carruthers, for the wedding of his daughter Lee. The latter is not
known to the Corps, for until her marriage she was a Captain
in the WRAC serving at Training Centre. Previously she was in
COD Donnington.
The ceremony took place in the Memorial Chapel Sandhurst
and the subsequent reception was held in the Officers Mess of
the WRAC Staff College. The groom, Lieutenant T. A. Dennis
Royal Marines, serving in the Brittania Royal Naval College
Dartmouth, ensured a nautical representation in the congregation,
and even produced a French General in support, but the Corps
was well represented. The brides brother, of course, Captain
H. G. Carruthers, Parachute Regiment, started his army career
in RAOC.
Lee proposed to maintain her contact with the Corps by
serving with a RAOC TA unit in the Plymouth area.
Keeping the Corps in the public eye.
ORDNANCE
DEPOT VIERSEN
THE most notable event to report is our involvement for the ten
day * Home Town' display which depicts activities, crafts and
industry in Viersen. The title theme is * Viersen Land between
the rivers Niens and Nette/
Our involvement is a full window display in the main
department store. Hortons, depicting activities within the unit
and giving a history of Ordnance Services Viersen. In addition
we are providing, in the main car park, free entertainment for
the children in the form of the Bracht * Noddy Train' and a fork
lift personnel escalator. Our photograph shows the industrious
team Sergeant Salisbury, Privates Davies and Walker, W/Corporal
Gillbrath on the opening day, still smiling, before their nervous
breakdowns. Major Jim Lynam co-ordinated the activities,
The only sporting activity has been cricket in which we
finished our league fixtures with a thirty three run victory over
Ordnance Depot Antwerp. There is now only the league title
play offs and the DOS Cup final to come. Our snooker experts
are looking forward to the KO and League this winter in which
we will be represented for the first time. 4 Old Bill' our retiring
Chief Clerk SQMS Cowell, is now being commended instead
of cursed for teaching his victims how to play. His tactics are
universally regarded as evil, or excellent, depending on whether
he is opposed or partnered by his colleagues, for the succession
of vile snookers he invariably leaves on.
ICP. We have now reached the period known in ICP as the
4
Silly Season ' as units are out exercising throughout BAOR.
This of course means an increase in the amount of priority de-
mands arriving throughout the night and to contain this we
have much to their surprise, managed to add our WRAC mem-
bers onto the Duty Clerk roll to help the flow of priority
indents and reduce the amount of duties of the male clerks.
Staff Sergeant Cass Clayton, Sergeant Maggie Devlin,
Corporals May Cock burn, Mark Foreman and Dave Patterson
have all been away on Education Courses and we hope to be
able to report, with general success.
Lance Corporal Sharon Con yon and Corporal Mo Dunn
have both passed their Bl Clerks course, Sharon works in the
Disposals Cell and Mo in Major Assemblies Control.
Captain Harry Jones is at present in Hedley Court Hospital
where the doctors are trying to sort his leg out for once and for
all. He broke it playing rugby in February and has been on
crutches and in and out of hospital ever since. Best wishes for
a speedy recovery.
There has been a bit of a reshuffle with the military estab-
lishment, SSM Barry Erskine is now WOIC Cat 2/3, SSM Jerry
Singal and Staff Sergeant Cass Clayton writing procedures, SQMS
Wally McKie on Manual Provision and Disposals, SQMS Manny
Avelano and Sergeant Maggi Devlin are now in the Issues Cell-
All in all quite a change round. At least with so many of us
knowing others jobs there should be no problem fitting leave in!
SQMS Barry Stevens is rarely in the office these days.
He is continually driving around the countryside trying to find
Tertiary Depots. Some of the Tertiary Depots within BAOR
are very difficult to find, even the RMP posts within the towns
and cities are unable to help on occasions. More petrol is used
up searching for units than the actual trip from Viersen to the
town itself and back again. Try explaining this when you put in
your claim,
— 186 —
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Book number R0250