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RAOC Gazette - page 115

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1978
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Early date 1978
Late date 1978
Transcription Oh, well no more crash out—exercises—camps until Operation
Banner is over. All mentioned? Captain who? Oh, the OC
must speak to Captain MacEwan about working hours next
time he's in I
STORES SECTION
3 TANK TRANSPORTER SQUADRON WORKSHOP
JUST a quiet recap on the staff of our Unit: Our leader WOl
(Conductor) more brackets " don't forget it Sir " Colin Hallows,
who is currently, between tea breaks, running two Stores
Sections. Well he disappears occasionally muttering " Munster-
lager
see you on Friday."
Sergeant Chas Macdonald in between making the occasional
issue and desperately trying to keep ahead of the Stats, is try-
ing to design an instantly collapsible archery target stand. As
you may guess he has been bitten by the toxophily bug, any-
how, congratulations are due as he managed to sneak into third
place in the BAOR (Novices) School at Bad Lippspringe, whilst
the Unit Novices Team took first prize.
Lance Corporal Andy Carr was married on the 1st April,
belated congratulations. Andy has now managed to find him-
self private accommodation and has brought his wife out to
join him, welcome to Karen. Now perhaps Andy will settle
down.
Lance Corporal Lee Kennedy, our senior, junior, one and
only storeman has just recently passed, with honours, his B2—
Bl upgrading course at Dulmen, Congratulations I Don't go
on leave too often Lee, because that means that Lance Corporal
Carr will have to look after receipts, Sergeant Mac will have
to postpone his design programme, and Conductor Hallows
may have to make the occasional issue.
The rest of the Unit have yet to be posted in, I am sure the
establishment was only a joke.
STORES SECTION 20 ELECTRONIC WORKSHOP
ITS taken a long time but at last we have finally managed to
submit an article, no doubt GAZETTE sales will at least double
when word gets round.
We are a small stores section with a strength of eight al-
though on the day the photograph was taken we were some-
what depleted. Shown in the photograph standing left to ri^ht
is our WOIC W02 Andy Meachen who joined the Unit on
the amalgamation
of 19/20 Field Workshop and claims he's
J
'Thacker s Trained' whatever that means. Next to him is
the corner post of the section (though a little rounded at the
edges) Udo Zoerb who having been here twenty two years has
seen them leave as Corporals and come back as Captains.
Next in line comes the long haired lover from Aldershot David
Zimmer who says he would love to join up but he doesn't
want a commission. Which brings us to the oldest teenager in
steering wheel of our Land Rover. Sergeant Keppie says that
in about two months time he will be ready to start the engine 1
In the slouched position is last but not least Private David
Coundley another refugee from 19 Field Workshop (also claims
to be "Thacker's Trained' whatever that means).
Missing from the line-up is Corporal Mick Cuthbert-^
perhaps he didn't develop.
Also missing from the picture (although well developed) is
Annette Zue-HlsdorfT the lovely young lady whose main task
is to keep the Q supplied with cotfee and to distract Auditors
and Technical Inspectors; just by chance she's also a good
clerk. That just about completes the family, one wonders how
such a band was ever allowed to get together.
Belated farewells to past members of the Unit: Lance
Corporal Terry Woods for Donnington, Private Tony Foulds
to Ludgershall and Sergeant Alan Gaddas on redundancy.
Forward Vehicle Depot Hilrrup
THIS is the first newsletter from what must be the newest
Ordnance Unit
The Forward Vehicle Depot came into
existence on the 1st April 1978.
Our opening was conducted with due ceremony by the
DOS BAOR. Brigadier Crawley who was accompanied by
Colonel Cos grove, Col Ord, Org and Plans. Their arrival
caused some consternation, as our helicopter landing pad had
inadvertently been used for the storage of a rather large
quantity of anti-freeze, however, the pilot skilfully brought
his machine down between the Headquarters Block and the
local pig farm. Sweet smell of success was therefore the open-
ing phrase of the DOSs address.
The Officer Commanding, Major D, G. Cassidy, considers
that his ammunition background in Northern Ireland will stand
him in very good stead considering the state of the vehicles,
although he can claim some previous connection with vehicle
depots in that his father, the late Colonel * Hoppy * Cassidy,
commanded 545 OVP, Ben Al Madem in 1942. However, as
Major Cassidy was not born until 1943 the experience is
tenuous to say the least.
We have little to brag about yet on the sporting scene
although the Second-in-Command has been busy forming various
teams of gladiators to represent us in football, rugby, cricket
and tennis, his aim obviously to be to fill the empty cabinet
left behind by our predecessors in the Barracks.
SQMS John Gear, our Senior Vehicle Specialist, is
obviously destined for great things as his first task was to
layout a three mile course for the DGOSs challenge. Sergeant
Pat Track, with typical Irish thoroughness, defeated all at-
tempts to educate him in the finer points of hockey, his robust
Hurley type play immediately caused the newly appointed
local medical officer, Dr Hans Schneider, to regret his lack
of knowledge in orthopedics.
In our next notes we hope to introduce more personalities
and include a photograph of the opening ceremony.
Welcome to The Gazette—Editor.
1st Armoured Division
A
r
HEADQUARTERS RAOC
THE month began well for the officers
with a dinner night at Soltau. Judging
by the size of the drinks bill everyone
present must have thoroughly enjoyed
themselves!
During Exercise First Race, the first
-^ CRAOC exercise involving 1 Armoured
TOli^JjfgggBg?
Division Ordnance Company, the DDOS,
Most of the Unit.
H2 -^2X**^ v
Brigadier Macdonald, was dined out in
the field. This was a relatively short
affair
as
most
of
those
present were having great difficulty keep-
the business Sergeant Ken Keppie who since the world cup has
ing their eyes open towards the end, the exercise being most
given up his favourite sayings such as "Ally For King" and,
notable for the lack of sleep of the participants.
"Nay Bother Jimmy/' He was last seen locking himself in
Sergeant Al Cowlishaw, accompanied by S02 Comba'
a Thomas Bin marked * Do Not Open Until 1982.' Sitting on
Supplies, having completed a Pre ARU inspection in Hohn^
the left is Private Mark Batty who has recently arrived from
decided to inspect the golf club facilities. Having found the
1 Bulk Transit Platoon Devizes.
At the moment he is
club to be of a high standard he ' conned' the Quarter Master :
delirious about the fact that we allow him to sit behind the
of 45 Field Regiment into proposing his membership and Ma terie
— 90 are now feverishly trying to get the part number for golf balb
from the computer.
Exercise
Park,
a Divisional
took discovered
place
toward-
how
the end
we of don't
the Hurst
month,
know!
Corporal
We
believe
John
that CPX,
Griffiths
we won
the
battle,
tha
bu
Book number R0247