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RAOC Gazette - page 125

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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 &ecorti
A
MATTER
OF
DEGREE
COLONEL JOHN SKINNER recently received the degree of
Bachelor of Letters at Oxford University. The photograph with
his wife Sonia, was taken after the colourful and traditional
ceremony in the Sheldonian, where military uniform is seldom seen.
John was selected to take up a Defence Fellowship at
Oxford in 1975 and spent a year as a resident member of The
Queen's College—an institution of learning founded as long
ago as 1340, Those who listened to his
talk at the 1976 Study
Period or dined as his guest at the l Top Table ' at Queen's
will know that his memorable year there was enjoyable—as wel]
as instructive and industrious. His studies concentrated upon
the organisational structure of land forces and he submitted a
thesis to the Ministry of Defence early in 1977. In this he
described how the organisation of NATO and, in particular,
the Belgian, British, Dutch and German contingents of Northern
Army Group had evolved, before developing some concepts for
the future structure of operational command, reinforcement and
logistic support. This resulted in the military qualification of
*" Defence Fellow/
Photo Captain M. Parsons.
To be Commandant of the Army
School of Physical Training.
Physical training and of course sport, is not new to Norman
Bruce. In his early days, as a National Serviceman, he was
an assistant physical training instructor at 2 Training Battalion.
Well known in sporting circles he holds thirty one rugger caps
for Scotland and is Vice President of the Hampshire Rugby
Union and a selector and a Vice President of the Army Rugby
Union.
Those who have served with him will well know that he
has always been extremely keen on fitness. We wish him well.
ON
BURBERRY RECALLED
A VISIT TO HMS DOLPHIN
MEMBERS of COD Chilwell and the Nottingham Police recently
visited the RN Submarine School, HMS Dolphin. The visit had
been arranged by Lieutenant Vic Bird RN who led the Naval
Fire Team located at Chilwell during Operation Burberry and
was in appreciation of the hospitality shown, by the Unit
The visit began with a trip in the Submarine One Man
Control Simulator, a sophisticated piece of equipment which
Photo B. J\ Harris,
Oxford.
However, his work did not end there for he was en-
couraged to convert his MOD thesis to the form required for
an academic submission. This took a further six months of
evening and week-end work, with a ' viva' in March of this
year, followed by the award of his Oxford degree.
Having talked to John, T know that he would wish me to
add how grateful he is to Professor Michael Howard for
supervising his research and writing, and to Lord Blake and
the Governing Body of The Queen's College for making him
so welcome.
THE
CAP
FITS
LIEUTENANT COLONEL N, S. BRUCE is to become the
Commandant Army School of Physical Training and Assistant
Commandant Army Physical Training Corps in December. He
is the first RAOC Officer to hold this appointment.
Lieutenant Bird RN welcoming aboard H M S Grampus, CPO
Hannigan, Major T i m Lane, Lieutenant M i k e Murphy* W O l
Tom O'Grady, Sergeant M i k e Strong, Captain John Schreuder,
W O l Pete Bath and PC Peter Metcalf.
Book number R0247