RAOC Gazette - page 75
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 |
NB, The Supervising Officer emphatically denies being beaten by his Assistant in a Basic Fitness Test last month! ORDNANCE BRANCH THE branch bade farewell to Sergeant Allan Mellitt who was a victim of the Stephenson Report and not altogether with the branch for the past eight months! The hardy band who do the field exercises were at it again in April on Exercise Pack Saddle, in fact a very pleasant outing with Major Don MacColl taking a course on Mule Skinning before deploying, he ended up with the film crew and was seen walking around with a loin cloth and large gong! shades of J. Arthur Rank (or something like that). It has been a relatively quiet month with some of us doing the BFT test and some of us not doing it; Major Stuart Rowseli on leave again and Staff Sergeant Jim Gleeson returning a shadow of his former self. On the sporting front, we have now entered the Com- mander's Cup summer season (anyone for tennis chaps) but it has not stopped raining since mid-April. However W02 Joe Fletcher has organised a shove-halfpenny team! 1st- Armoured Division A HEADQUARTERS MAY has not been the most exciting of months for us in Verden. Nearly every- one has spent the month doing routine work, although June promises to be more exciting, with two exercises, the start of the summer leave season and, yfio^^w ^^~ttiS> hopefully, better weather. TO^^Jr^jtfS^ As everyone in the Army must now *3 ^ * — " " ^ "^ be aware, the new BE Test was intro- duced in April and most of us here have at least attempted it. Judging by the state of same people at the finish they probably wished they hadn't. We are still wait- ing for our two over-forties, CRAOC and DADOS C Sups, to get into regular training for their test in October. Our congratulations go to Corporal John Griffiths and Lance Corporal Bill Winchester on substantive promotion to these ranks. Corporal Griffiths 1 celebrations were rather spoilt by his unorthodox method of entering camp which resulted in a sore head. This he swears was the result of the fall from the fence! Three members of the Headquarters have left us this month. Mr David Tobbitt, the Area Fire Advisor, leaves us after a stay of only one month for Logistic Executive (I wonder, sometimes, if promotion is worth it!). Sergeant Paul Swainson has departed for Scotland enroute to civilian life and Private David Dewar has moved to 6 Field Force, Our only new recruit this month has been Mr Stan Talbot, our new Area Fire Advisor. We can only hope he stays longer than his predecessor. ORDNANCE COMPANY IT'S been a very busy month here in sunny Soltau as both the weather and Units using the SLTA begin to warm up. Second Lieutenant Lloyd organised an adventure weekend in Bavaria doing a pre-recce for the big exercise Southern Summer. The weather was dry and he managed to complete a revue of the site for our new bridge, the previous years model having been washed away by floods. Just to make sure we took along a Sapper who is going to draw up some plans. Sth May saw the first Unit FTX underway with some long drives and night movement as far as the Danish border. The driving and the detachment of a stores platoon tested every- ones stamina and ingenuity. Private Austin tried to free fall from the top of a ten tenner but forgot his parachute, he now limps nearly as well as Sergeant Fogg who in his eagerness to check his guard fell down the CP steps. Mr Fagg won the * golden blanket' on a walkover (or a lie in), there being no one in his class. In fact we had an out- scaling recommendation for him from ICP due to lack of move- ment, however as he claims he is protected stock, this had to be over-ruled! Commiserations to Private Solomon who was left on Stand-to whilst his mates got some well earned rest. The footballers came runners-up in the Soltau Garrison Minor Units League which was a fine end to a good season. Not to be outdone the tug-of-war team under the coaching of Corporal Walker came fourth in the Division tug-of-war championships. May has also seen the departure of Corporal Hampton from Stores, for whom a farewell football match was played. The game went on until Corporal Hampton had at last scored, a much delayed relief thanks to some over zealous goalkeepjag from Corporal Milburn, Corporal Hampton has been posted to the UK delegation of AFCENT. Congratulations to Staff Sergeant Hesketh and Lance Corporal Bird on their promotion, to Private Pennock and his wife on their recent addition to their family and Sergeant Hayes on attaining A Grading on a Bulk Refuelling Course. We would like to welcome to the Unit; Lance Corporal Beveridge, Privates Ball, Elkington, Sheppard and Wilcox. STORES PLATOON 7 ARMOURED WORKSHOP DEAR BOSS, us lads buy THE GAZETTE to see faces which we recognise and follow the exploits of those we know in the Corps. Please reassure our faith in the system, by submitting our smiling post exercise faces shown in this informal snap. Will it survive the editing system {Yes, but not the post—if arrived too late for this month. See next months issue.— Editor). Meanwhile back at Fallingbostel our football team con- vincingly beat Forward Company four to one in the Workshop Inter Company Competition. However, Production Company deservedly beat us in the final despite our enthusiastic efforts. Our few loyal supporters must be mentioned for their vocal support and singing in the rain. The Platoon held a Bar-B-Que at Tnterbau Community Centre and everyone attending agreed it was an unqualified success and thanks must go to Sergeant Duncan Learmonth and his merry men who organised the whole thing. After passing an initiation test with Sergeant George Cairns, our ' Big Wheelers Club * welcomes Corporal John Barclay and Privates Smudge Smith, Ray Gammon, Jeff Adams and Jeff Wood, with HGV3 membership. This months congratulations go firstly to Corporal Dick Sargent on promotion and secondly to Corporal Dick Sargent on buying everyone a beer to celebrate his promotion. Also congratulations to Sergeants Steve Ward and Duncan Learmonth who anticipate elevation in the near future after reading Manning and Records latest letter. Frau Gurda Wolk, our only civilian storewoman, received a Meritorious Service Certificate having completed twelve years employment, with the Workshop. Lance Corporal Bob Wilmot, caught at last for his RPC2 course, excelled and came top of his course, We welcome to the fold Miss Dawn Rogers who joins our Distaff side in the Control Office and Private Mark Elkington who is taking his suitcase out on Exercise Shake Out as he hasn't had chance to unpack it since he arrived. Goodbye and best wishes for the future go to Lieutenant Nigel Lloyd who leaves us for his reading and writing course at RMA Sandhurst 79 SUPPLY DEPOT THE Depot has played host to three wives clubs of late, 14/20 Kings Hussars, Queens Dragoon Guards and 45 Field Regi- ment. The ladies main interest centres around the bakery, where, after a small demonstration of how to make bread, the ladies are invited to try their hand with remarkably good results. They return home delighted with their * handywork.' We congratulate W 2 Dave Timms on sub-promotion and passing a Service Funds and Accounting Course. As we rush to make the deadline, we are hosting 6 Supply Platoon RAOC (TAVR) who are on a fortnights training with us. Their shooting results with the SMG were of the highest standard. On the military side, most Friday afternoons are taken up with some form of military or recreational training which seems to be enjoyed; however trying to convince our Bakery staff that BFT stands for something else besides Bulk Forma- tion Time is not easy. We welcome Captain Ron Crawford as our new 2IC and Sergeant Doug Mclnnes as Chief Clerk. Congratulations to Sergeants Charlie Potts and Stan Jenkin- son in gaining distinctions in a recent EPC(A) Course. Charlie Potts in Communication Skills and Stan Jenkinson in Man Management. DEAD-LINE DATE FOR RECEIPT OF COPY WILL ALL contributors kindly note that the deadline date for receipt of copy at T H E GAZETTE Office really is the 29th of the month for publication a month later. |
| Book number | R0247 |