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RAOC Gazette - page 274

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Publication date 1981
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Early date 1981
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Transcription Forward Vehicle Depot Recklinghausen
THIS months notes start with the revelation that the TA season
is alive and well and felt most at FVD Recklinghausen. A
certain Lance Corporal in Storage can be heard muttering
expletives along the lines of " Who are these people at S Man 27"
or iL I haven 1 ! got any, ask Issue Progress to make an In Flow
Selection.'* But it hasn't all been work, with Staff Sergeant
O'Connor (with the assistance of the Tech Officer and Private
Griffiths) taking his intrepid band of make-do matelots to
Mohnesee for a spot of dinghy sailing, with hopes of doing well
in the Corps Regatta. I have been asked not to mention the
FVD v 154 FAD Cricket Match so I won't, (mention it that is).
Sergeant Spencer has taken some other members of the depot
on a ten day jaunt to Norway on an Outward Bound Scheme,
but the Depot Superintendent hopes to see him at work for a
few days before his posting to Ashchureh!
The OC Major Braithwaite has been even more keen to see
us sweating blood than usual and PT> Cross Country, Orienteering
and long runs are the order of the day. The FVD footballers,
in anticipation of the coming season, arranged a friendly match
against the local Stadtsparkasse, but unfortunately the team
arrived for the match during a thunderstorm and the pitch was
flooded.
Staff Sergeant Lark in sounded really disappointed
about missing it, but cheered up visibly when talking about the
hospitality afterwards.
On the social front the Unit Barbeque was held and was
voted a huge success, a grand time being had by all, especially
the kids.
Our resident Bleep Lance Corporal Daniell was
seen with a rather forced grin on his face as he went round
and round pn the depot Noddy Train. On the food, which
was of course delicious, a special mention must be made to
Corporal Williamson, the * Chef' for all his hard work. Towards
the end of the day the OC was seen leaning rather heavily on his
stick (rumour has it that it was not all due to his leg injury).
We welcome Privates Whittington, Doel, Brown, McCormack,
Noble, Fowler and Slattery to the unit. Congratulations to
Private Hughes (059) and wife Christine on the birth of their
son Simon.
1st Armoured Division
A QUIET TIME, to say the least. The
occasional S02 Sup could be seen wander-
ing the corridors, without the usual furtive
glance over the shoulder occasioned by the
slightest sound,
DOWOs and ADOWOs
could be seen to sit at their desks, auto-
route maps spread, working out the best
routes for leave claims—not a rattle of a
tube of Aikasettzers or a rustle of a Rennie
packet to be heard. Even the golfers were
smiling and Lance Corporal Ranger even
made one sentence without a sarcastic comment in it, although
those who heard the statement were so taken aback by the con-
tent that no one could remember exactly what was said. The
Headquarters was obviously suffering from leave euphoria.
Major Busby has obviously played the Art of Course
Leave before. He contrived with the local doctor (after skill-
fully working his knee into a door-post) to be allowed to spend
a few days lazing in the sun at home prior to going on leave in
Italy! Major Ted Walcroft took his leave in Verden and W 2
Sexton went camping in Denmark.
Major Charles Bayley arrived to take over from Major
Myles Green halgh, who has disappeared to the British sector of
Berlin (do they need Unimogs there?) Finally Lance Corporal
Price attended a training session with the Headquarters football
team, with the hope of gaining a position. All he collected was
stiff muscles and a resolve not to bother in the future,
Second Lieutenant Cousins disappeared with a merry bun c t
of lads to Corsica to climb mountains and returned with tales of
nudist beaches. We shall have to wait for next month's nofeg
to find out how Ihey ended up on the * low road T as opposed tn
the ' high route * they were meant to climb,
Captain Josling went off sailing in the Divisional Regatta
along with Second Lieutenant Robertson, Sergeant Long and
Private Muldoon. The gallant crew rescued a thiry five foot motor
cruiser, MV Condor but despite this noble effort, they came
last but have promised to do better next year.
Congratulations to the cricket team who have had a very
successful season culminating in the RAOC (BAOR) final where
they were beaten by a splendid team from Viersen. I bet our
barbecue was better than theirs!
It is with deep regret that we inform you of the death in a
road accident of Mark Cuddy, a civilian dependant who worked
in our Orderly Room. Our sincerest condolences to his parents
Mr and Mrs Cuddy.
'
HEADQUARTERS
1 ARMOURED
BRIGADE
THINGS have been pretty quiet here just lately as it is the
holiday season. Most of the RAOC staff have been away on their
* hols' and Lance Corporal John Webber is just about to dis-
appear to get married so we wish him all the best m married
life. Also disappearing with Lance Corporal Webber is Private
Liam Mackin who is to be the best man (or is it worst?). Corporal
Andy Day has just returned from two weeks in sunny England
and is shortly to embark, with other members of the Soltau
fishing club, on a twenty four hour sponsored * fish i n ' to help
raise money for the Neurological Research Unit being built in
Soltau, More details will be forthcoming in next months issue.
WOl Stan ' Bowler' Sheriff continues to lead his merry
men in his own way, whilst still getting in plenty of practice at
the local bowling alley. We should also give a mention to
Private Neil Cunningham, although since we last wrote he has not
done anything worth writing about! Finally this month we have
been threatened with violence if we do not mention the other
two female workers in the Headquarters, Carole the PA to the
Commander, and Sue the G4 (Q) Clerk, coffee maker extra-
ordinaire, clock watcher supreme and tailoress.
Well that's it for this month, so get your copy of the Corps
GAZETTE next month for another exciting instalment of " Life
in 7th Heaven/ 4
ORDNANCE
COMPANY
A BUSY month for all of us up here in the far north. Few have
left us and few have arrived. We welcome Lance Corporal
Adkins, Private Bond and Corporal Murphy and we bid fare-
well to Lance Corporals Brown and Crampton, Privates Robin-
son and Taylor.
The VQMG paid us a visit as did Major General Howlett
our G O O We really have been in the public eye.
Christmas arrived early for the unit. Due to a generous
welfare grant, six large parcels arrived filled with camping
and climbing kit. The O C s office looked like a climbing shop
for several days and soldiers now avoid the main corridor in
case they are invited to spend a ' gentle week-end in the Harz
Mountains/
— 228
79 SUPPLY
DEPOT
FIRSTLY we must welcome our new OC, Major N. O. H. de
Foubert. We wish him and his family (when they join him)
a hearty welcome and hope their stay at Hohne will be a happy
one. We also say welcome to Sergeant Jim Wilde and family,
our new Chief Clerk, and also to Corporal Paul Ford and family,
our new 21C to the Petroleum Depot!
On the departure scene, we have to bid farewell to one of
the characters from the Depot, in Corporal Pete Waddington,
Corporal Waddi is off to greener pastures at Ord Depot Northern
Ireland. However, just before he left us, Corporal Waddington
had one more walkabout adventure. In July of this year he
packed his bags and ' flip flops * and headed east to Darjeeling
in Northern India all set for a Himalayan Wanderweg. The
weather on his arrival proved to be extremely inclement due to
monsoon conditions. Even though his wanderings were curtailed
somewhat, it did not prevent Waddi from renewing old and
making new friendships, including a tea planter's daughter!
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