RAOC Gazette - page 99
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 |
Httttt& to tfie Cbitor IF YOU COST IT—YOU CANT AFFORD IT From WOl (SSM) P. J. BURRELL Sir,—Recently whilst thumbing through old copies of THE CORPS GAZETTE, I came across the following extract. In view of the current running costs for a car, I thought your readers might be interested in comparing today's costs with those of yester year. Extract from RAOC GAZETTE dated March 1923: " THE FIRST YEAR COST OF RUNNING A LIGHT CAR Enquiries are often made as to the cost of running a light car, so perhaps the following data may be of sufficient general interest to warrant their insertion in T H E CORPS GAZETTE. The following figures are for the twelve months December 1921 to November 1922. The car concerned is a 1922 model 8-hp Rover two seater (air cooled engine) collected direct from the works at Coventry on 6.12.21 and having covered 5,160 miles during the twelve months under review. Item Expenditure Cost per Mile £ s. d. (Old Pence) Fuel 16 5 1 .76 Engine Oil 3 5 7 .15 Gear Oil 1 1 4 ,05 Spares, Replacements and Sundries 5 4 10| .24 Tyres Nil — Tax 9 .42 Insurance 8 8 .39 Garage 13 .60 Washing and Polishing Luxuries Total 56 4 10± 1 7 15 6 2.61 .06 ,70 Depreciation Total 72 12 4} 85 3.37 3.95 Grand Total 157 12 44 7.32 OUR MAN IN BELIZE From LIEUTENANT COLONEL D. R R. COBB Sir,~~My compliments upon the excellent pictorial coverage given to our Colonel-in-Chiefs visit to Bicester on the 16th May in the June issue of T H E GAZETTE and to the choice of cover for that issue; it was nostalgic to see the old Corps badge to the fore again. It was also most pleasing to read a contribution to Station News from British Forces Belize, the second consecutive con- tribution. However, I must gently chide ' our man in Belize * regarding his opening sentence, '* It is reliably reported that these will be the first GAZETTE notes ever received from Belize." To my certain knowledge there were six contributions in 1971; eleven in 1972 and four in 1973; I know because 1 wrote them! Admittedly we were then called RAOC British Honduras and I feel the gaps in the monthly contributions were justified. In that period we * enjoyed' hurricane Edith forty miles north of Belize City; tropical storms Fern, Ginger and Laura, which latter caused wind and mud damage, plus flash flooding to forty feet in twenty four hours; a threat of invasion from Guatemala to the west and from Mexico to the north; a force build-up to five times the original level; Hercules, Belfasts and Britannias * dropping i n ' more regularly than BR commuter trains. The now established Holdfast Camp was a grove of palm trees; San Ignacio was a tented patrol camp and there was no base at Punta Gorda. The Western and Humming-bird ' highways * were dry weather tracks twenty seven miles out of Belize City and often cut by rain. One may feel there are tales which could be told of those turbulent days, only the suggestions of which could appear in the Station News. However, now we have four Corps Officers there, (DADOS —or is he an S02 Ord? ; F O O ; Camp Commandant and a QJVt), I feel confident that contributions from Belize will be more frequent than envisaged in the ultimate sentence of the June contribution—but do let's be accurate, chaps! * * * THE CORPS BADGES From WOl J. GAULD Sir,—Reference the cover of the June 1978 issue of THE RAOC GAZETTE ' T h e Visit of Our Colonel-in-Chief/ I would be grateful if you would kindly furnish me with the ' i n service 1 dates of each of the badges depicted. Could you also please include the relevant dates of cap badge which preceded our current badge i.e. the one bearing the King's crown. The first cap badge of the Corps was approved by Queen Victoria in 1896. One with 'Ordnance' in the scroll for Officers of the Army Ordnance Department and the other with- out the scroti, for the Army Ordnance Corps. These badges remained until 1918 when the title 'Royal 1 was conferred upon the Corps and a new badge approved by His Majesty King George V. The shield was placed within the garter and surmounted by the Tudor Crown with the motto ' Sua Tela Tonanti * in the scroll. The cap and collar badges adopted the new design but used 'Royal Army Ordnance Corps' in the scroll instead of the motto until 1946 when the position was reversed. The changed badge was brought into service in 1948. The latter badge you refer to was introduced in 1949. It was decided that a Unit would only be allowed one badge for all types of head dress and the fact that the badge was con- sidered too large to wear with the beret and not ornate enough for wear with No. 1 Dress it was proposed to adopt a smaller design to meet all requirements for all ranks. Consequent upon her accession to the throne Her Majesty The Queen commanded that the St Edward's Crown would supercede the Tudor Crown previously borne on the badges and buttons. The date of introduction was 1953. There was no cap badge before 1896 but of course Chaco and Helmet Plates were worn with the initials MSSC (1865) ASC (1869) OBASC (1880) OSC (1881) AOC (1897). The badges depicted on the cover of the June edition were not to scale. Editor. REMARKS Fuel—Average consumption about thirty five to forty on town work and about fifty miles per gallon on long runs. National Benzole mainly used. Spares etc—Essential spares—plug, exhaust valve, electric bulbs etc—accounted for most of the expenditure. Replace- ments consisted of small items such as new valve springs, joint- ing rings and washers at each decarbonizing (Decarbonized five times altogether). Tyres—Owing principally to good road surfaces and care- ful driving, all five covers are still in good condition and apparently fit for about another two thousand miles each. Washing etc—Now having a private garage, this work is done by myself, so this item is now non-existent. Luxuries—Include speedometer, mirror, side curtains, foot pump, extra air inlet and mascot. Depreciation—This includes a £40 drop in the list price of the car. Cost of car, new, £227. Present second hand value about £140. This item, for the ensuing twelve months, should not exceed £30, though—on the other hand—the expenditure on tyres cannot be expected to continue at 'nil.' It must be admitted that a cost of over 7-J-d. per mile for a small car, of the lightest and simplest type and exclusively owner-driven give one furiously to think, but facts are stubborn things. The little Rover has, however, given excellent service, and is now running as well—in some ways better—than when new. It is anticipated moreover, that (owing to the disappearance of * Washing etc * and ' Luxuries/ and the reduction of * Depreciation J ) the next twelve months running will be covered at a total cost of just over 4d. per mile, for, say, a total of five thousand miles, SITUATION VACANT VACANCY for Buying Office Supervisor. Duties include: Supervising 7 Staff (currently female) Administrative Clerk. Provision of Central Services. System, including filing. Salary £3,500 per annum. Enquiries to: Mr W. W, Barnard, c/o E. H. Butler & Son Ltd., Morris Road, Knight-on-Fields Trading Estate, Leicester. 74 |
| Book number | R0247 |