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RAOC Gazette - page 315

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1981
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Early date 1981
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Transcription f nbsen, which is all part of the security plot T suppose. Major
!• ••; King, and SSM Jimmy McLarty were due to go to 3
\ moured Division on the same exercise but were warned off
bv the stewards of the course.
On the sporting front a certain W02 decided that his
golf would improve if he dressed like a professional and wear
plus-twos, and having conned Mrs Down into making these,
he chickened out and left them along with his golf swing in his
locker.
We must say farewell to SSM Terry Golding and his
family on their return to UK pending retirement. The over-
estimation of the capacity of his luggage trailer has led to the
p ssibility of a washing machine being towed in tandem. We
>h them all good fortune and every success for the future.
British Forces A n t w e r p
HEADQUARTERS
HOW true that old saying * time waits for no man,' stand still
in this Headquarters and you could endanger your life.
Op Flagstaff (the build for our new Ops Complex) was
pushed through on paper by Lance Corporal Sambrook, many
> lephone calls were made by our DAA and QMG to help it
jng, the Staff Captain drafted, changed and re-drafted the
layout while the Commander (frequently) asked for sitreps, the
Chief Clerk and Corporal Nelson talked about the organisation
of the Central Classified Registry. During the constant activity
(brains, bricks and wires) some noteable members from ODA
and RCT were heard to mumble L it wont work/ With less than
two days to go the workmen left, in went the tables, chairs and
three thousand odd SASCO cards for the R C T s board and
Exercise Plain Sailing was under way. Did it work, at Endex we
alt thought it had (the old way was over), the future looks good,
nd busy, said the Commander. Well done PSA. a little pressure
.oes a long way.
Visitors as always were many; to mention but two, we
had the C-in-C BAOR followed by the COS BAOR. The staff
in our little * fort * did well an both occasions and proudly
took both visitors round the new Ops room during the early
stages. The COS's visit brought out a few hidden talents, the
Chief Clerk and Corporal Nelson were seen performing the task
of waiter during the Commanders working lunch. Oh must thank
the pilots for missing the ducks, while bringing in the COS and
his MA they had to give way to our local pets (some twenty
ucks that live by the old Fort) w r ho happened by the HLZ. The
omd and COS almost had fowl sandwiches during their working
-unch.
As with the visitors diary, the conference schedule for
the Staff Officers is on the high side, who said officers don't cry.
The ' allotted' in-tray for Captain Shute is growing in size
(please note). Lance Corporal Sambrook has left us for a
spell, he's off to Deepcut on a Bl Clerks course, we wish you
luck Frank. The Chief Clerks hair is almost white, he was last
W 2 Scott our Chief Cferk getting instruction on map marking
from our senior Staff Clerk Corporal Nelson.
heard to say l not again Sir. the Commander must want his
briefing map altered again!
We hope to encourage Captain Shute to write a few lines
when he takes up his job with us. By the way the growing loss
of hair from Corporal Nelson's head is a true indication that
this years pantomime will be as good as last years!
Ordnance Depot Antwerp
THE Vehicle Depot, or tech admin as the pamphlets would call
it, is busy preparing itself for the Technical Inspection under the
new leadership of Major David Williams and Depot Warrant
Officer WOl Bill McDonald. For the enthusiasts, the new eight
tonne Bedford has now crossed the channel.
The quietness around the camps could have been caused by
the departure of the combat supplies platoon to Germany for
Exercise Red Claymore. Private Ronny Preston must have been
the most surprised soldier of the party, being posted to this
rear depot and then within eight days of arriving here, finding
himself out in the wilds of Germany. Reports would suggest
that Private Lowe managed to stay awake for his stags, it is
hoped that he manages to stay awake during his A and C course.
The rugby team have started the season off well, winning
their first match in the Belgian League.
Two last minute
members of the supporters club (they only have two anyway)
were pressed into playing. Captain Richard Byrne and Sergeant
Jim Whitehead. Both did very well in trainers, along with
the rest of the team. In the BAOR CCRAOC Cup the team was
beaten in a hard fought game against 49 RP Company. Per-
haps they will have better luck in the Rhine Area Minor Units
competition!
Congratulations to Lance Corporal and Mrs Neil Flesher
on the birth of their daughter Frouwine—guess the nationality of
his wife!—and Lance Corporal and Mrs Sandy Sanderson on
the birth of their daughter Evlin Lindsey, Lance Corporal and
Mrs Mick Ogden on the birth of their son Gary. As Sergeant
Mick Lowrie is hovering around, his promotion should be*
mentioned and congratulated. The Orderly Room are giving
even bets that Sergeant Mick Lowrie will be married by
March 1982.
Welcome Corporal Bill Fagan, Lance Corporal John Sword
and Privates Ronny Preston, Mick Green and Graham Stewart.
Farewell to Sergeant Mick Jory, Lance Corporal Alex Gurmin
and Private Toby Ives to ODA detachment,
Finally, a quick mention for the leader of the Combat
Supplies Platoon, namely Captain Peter Shute, who after the
strain of the exercise, has managed to have himself posted to a
staff job in Headquarters BFA, lucky person!
3 Base Ammunition Depot
BRACHT, unusually, have been hit with an exercise bug during
the last month. Planning Branch have owned up to organising
the first, aimed at improving our mobilisation outloading
capability. With sirens sounding during the night at regular
intervals, we were putting on respirators whilst the locals were
digging NBC shelters, positive lhat the Third World War had
started,
We were then involved in Exercise Livelog, working in twelve
hour shifts, receiving large quantities of ammunition from UK.
In both cases the troops were frequently on and off vehicles.
In the middle of all this our OC Troops staged a Biathlon
Competition, just to get the parts operating smoothly prior
to Livelog. Before readers get the wrong idea, we are not under
six feet of snow. Our Biathlon consisted of a four thousand
metre run and a shooting practice with nine millimetre pistols.
All the gladiators were shocked at the end of the competition,
when Corporal Geordie Bush was announced as overall winner.
Major Robinson was second and Lance Corporal Sean Taylor
third. Private Pascoe ACC shamed the unit by winning the
overall pistol competition. Major Bill Grant our SASO (co-
erced into the competition at the last minute) won the vintage
class pistol event, but not with a Flintlock as suggested by Con-
ductor Pete Neale! All in all it was a very successful competition
with ninety six competitors taking part. It is planned to enter
teams in the AFCENT Triathlon in November, the other event
being ' Wimmin.'
Whilst on the subject of running, the unit is now under-
going phase two of the BFT. Pure enjoyment can be seen on
the faces of all those taking part.
Sport is in full swing, all our teams are doing well, some
better than others. The Rugby Team beat 28 Signal Regiment in
— 263
Book number R0250