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RAOC Gazette - page 303

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Publication date 1981
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Early date 1981
Late date 1981
Transcription pressed down South recently. The good Major wrote last
inth's GA/LTTH notes. 'It is the only recent occasion on which
hide Division was in grave danger of winning the Nobel
i i/e for Literature.
In our operational mode, we have activated (he Vehicle
Division Ops Room on Exercise Live Log. This was yet an-
other organisational triumph, marked in the main by the amount
of sleep allowed to watchkeepers by the pink.
We were recentiy visited by the Representative Colonel
Commandant, Major General Stanyer. After a tour to meet
the troops, we gave him a demonstraiion of the electronic
wizardry of SALOME and of the trial on-line equipments in
MTSPB, used for communicating directly with major civilian
•ppliers.
The same evening he was guest of honour at an Annual
t hilwell RAOC Association Reunion.
WOl Wilkinson and
Sergeant Buck of Vehicle Branch, despite gross equipment
failure, maintained a steady flow from behind the bar.
All of which reminds one of the recent visit of the Mayor
of Derby. Councillor Florence Tunnicliffe, to the Division. The
photograph of Mr Colin Penny demonstrating the Video
Terminal to her and her party, inspired a couple of com-
petitions. The winner of the ' Spot Eric Morecombe ' challenge
is now serving on the Forward Ordnance Detachment Ulan
tetor. Unaccompanied of course. The winner of the caption
ompetition has the distraught looking Officer centre left think-
ing " Please not the DSM March again," The runner-up is
Wnd fresh from his recent success at the Leicester Square
Odeon
" SALOME provided the real laugh, down for the
demonstration.
i
Photo Derby Evening Telegraph*
Mr Colin Penny at t-he mighty Wurlitxer.
are
ful
up
sad
transferred. Nonetheless, we confidently wish you a success-
New Year also. In one sense, business is booming as we lake
management of the tri-Service Defence Vehicle Fleet, It is
that some old friends will be re-deployed in the process.
Training
Centre
CENTRAL
VOLUNTEER
HEADQUARTERS
AFTER a tour of duty at CVHQ of over three years our Com-
mander, Colonel John Gregan, has left on posting to Ord 4.
All military and civilian staff join in wishing him all the very
best in his new appointment In his place we welcome the new
Commander, Colonel John Brown from BAOR, and hope he
will enjoy his time with us.
This month also sees the departure of WOl Bernie Brace
who has left on posting to Ashchurch on commissioning. Con-
gratulations and all the best WOl John Robertson has moved
down the road from the Apprentices College to fill the vacancy,
and we extend a hearty welcome to him.
This has been a month of departures and arrivals as we
have also seen Corporal Neil Manson, our Pay NCO, leave
on posting to the Royal Marine Commandos. His replacement
is Corporal Mick Birtwistle who is now being initiated into the
mysteries of TA pay and allowances.
EMPLOYMENT
TRAINING
SCHOOL
ADMIN WING. Now that Mr (ex Sergeant) Sandy Short has
left us its time for another member of the staff to join the
queue; Corporal Brown you are now a potential civvy. Talk-
ing of civilians, welcome to Nick Price who is filling the newly
established post of Clerical Assistant
There are two civilians who it has been discovered have
always been ignored when notes are prepared for THE GAZETTE;
they are the Course Admin staff, Doug Herbert and Edie
Roberts. They look after all course personnel at this School—
keep up the good work.
Regrettably this month we must say a sad farewell to our
Commandant Lieutenant Colonel Stark on posting to Alder-
shot. In his place we welcome Lieutenant Colonel Gane from
Donnington.
Our congratulations to Corporal Moore on receiving the
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal this means he has not
been caught or bubbled in what I'm sure was an enjoyable fifteen
years service!, and to Staff Sergeant Moore on his sub pro-
motion. Finally a warm welcome to Staff Sergeant Bill King
who recently joined the Printer Training Branch.
VICTUALLER TRAINING BRANCH.
The permanent staff of
this branch were involved in the preparation of the Royal
Wedding Feast. Sadly the photograph showing the Royal Ox
being prepared for the Royal Wedding Feast at Windsor Park,
slaughtered by WOl Dave Jackson and Sergeant Mick Miller,
didn't come out well enough for publication.
Other members of the staff are: Staff Sergeant John
Cummmgs, Sergeant Fred Robbins and Mr Charles Jones who
recently replaced Mrs Ann Spicer to whom we say a fond-
farewell.
The asphalt-pounders of MTSPB have been at it again, enter-
ing the RAF LurTenham Walk and the Nottingham Half
Marathon. The Luffenham Walk team was basically all military
with the exception of Mrs Marion Dench, Working with the
military section, she has adopted the friendly RSM role, look-
ing after them all week with medicinal coffee and buns. Some-
one has to. She finished looking remarkably fresh, which is
more than can be said for some of the others, Mrs Brenda
Whittington and son Adrian also completed the course,
The Half Marathon was a slightly different matter. Vehicle
Division had three military and two civilian representatives plus
a guest runner, W 2 Dave Francis from Control Division. All
finished in reasonable time if not in reasonable order. Corporal
Alec Matthews running for Bass Charrington as well as DSM(A),
was given special leave; from the Cadland Inn to compete in the
run. At the finish he was seen advertising the restorative powers
of the said brew. During the race he advertised this refresh-
ment on a specially presented tee shirt from the brewery. Men-
tion must be made of our two civilian representatives Stephen
Shelton and Martin Owen, who returned the very creditable
:imes of one hour nineteen minutes and one hour twenty two
ninutes respectively and finished in the top one hundred and fifty.
And now. Colonel David Porter, his nimble-fingered abacus
rattlers and his inky-fingered quill drivers, wish all readers a
very Happy Christmas from Vehicle Division. Alas, the New
Year will bring a reshaping of Vehicle Branch as some functions
— 251
TEXTILE REFITTERS.
The Textile Refitter branch is still in
the capable hands of Staff Sergeant Len Moore and Sergeant
Kev Keogh who were both recently selected to play snooker
against World Snooker Champion St^ve Davis at a snooker
celebrity evening held in th& Training Centre, scoring twenty
seven and thirty respectively. The football season is well under
way and Sergeant Keogh has started where he left off last
season scoring own goals. Staff Sergeant Moore is now setting
his sights on ski-ing and then retirement.
VEHICLE SPECIALISTS WING.
We would like to welcome
WOl Vic Green from Antwerp for his second tour of duty in
the unit Did Jim fix it for Vic as he did for the rest of us—
last five out of six instructors are ex Ord Depot Antwerp. Look
out all Veh Spec Sergeants in Antwerp.
We congratulate Sergeant Bob Law on the outstanding result
gained on his AMIC course at Beaconsfield, we would appreciate
the immediate return of our stores. Incidentally, there is no- truth
in the rumour that the Veh Spec Wing is taking over from the
RAOC Museum; the newly acquired cannon is merely being
renovated prior to its retirement outside Headquarters RAOC
Officers Mess.
TRAINING
COMPANY
THE last few months in Training Company has seen six hustling,
bustling platoons leave the fold until, in mid-September, the final
platoon passed out. Training Company (on the surface) seems
v
Book number R0250