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RAOC Gazette - page 153

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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 The DOS BAOR, Brigadier Crawley, visited the Depot
„••, the CRAOC 3 Armoured Division on 4th July 1978.
pi'';•;:•- n ' s v ' 5 ' t *^ e ^ O S found lime to present the Depot
c'Jpcrlnundent W 2 Jackson with his Long Service and Good
Punti-"ict Medal. W 2 Jackson was heard to be muttering
•omeihing about those individuals who get their medals at the
fifteen year point.
The DOS BAOR, Brigadier Crawley, congratulating W 2 (SQMS)
Jackson of 36 Supply Depot after presenting him with his Long
Service and Good Conduct Medal.
4th Armoured Division
.—
HEADQUARTERS
RAOC
^ ^ ^ ^
FLAMING June hit 4th Armoured
^ ^ H ^ ^ ^ L
Division like a wet dish cloth, the office
^^^|^^^b
has never been so full, it is in weather
^^^^^^^B
like this that we can really see who be-
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ B
Longs to Headquarters RAOC.
^^^^^^m
Some members of the branch parti-
^^^^^^
cipated in an escape and evasion exercise
at Vogelsang and seemingly had a great
* — — ^ — " *
time and even our DOWO has stated he
•A'O'jid go again next time.
We give a big welcome to Mr Petty the Divisional Fire
Officer on posting from Hong Kong.
lucky day! We did arrive eventually, only to be greeted with
the news that Lance Corporal Lewis ACC had been hurt in a
crash ; we hope he recovers quickly from his injuries.
The Exercise started with a local assistance and a football
match with the village football team. After a terrible defeat
we pledged revenge in the shooting match, but we did not win
that either.
A visit to the local brewery was a high spot for most.
The sight of four million litres of beer was too great a challenge
for our merry men, but they did try and we had our first
cases of ' Bavaria flu.'
Visits were arranged to Dachau, Lindau, Fussen and Kemp-
ten. The slightly more military, activities included canoeing,
climbing, swimming and two walking exercises.
The first walking exercise was more of an initiative exercise
based upon the story of Alice in Wonderland. Patrols were
put on the ground with some very extraordinary equipment.
Each patrol had to carry an enormous playing card and a jerry
can of coloured water. Their task was to look for some of the
main characters from the story of Alice in Wonderland. Corporal
Clarke was the White Rabbit and could hardly believe his eyes
when a large pair of fluffy white ears and a white nose was
produced for him to wear. Second Lieutenant Walker was the
madhatter and received some very strange looks when he sat
by the roadside wearing a white tee-shirt, shorts, top hat and
tails sipping pimms and lemonade. We believe the white van
is still patrolling the area in case he should reappear.
Our second exercise was arranged by the local German Army
Unit. They took most of the company up the steepest, highest
mountain they could find to culture the finest blisters you could
ever wish to see. After our little walk we were in no fit state
to do much else, but come home which we did the following
day.
The journey back to Detmold was as smooth as anyone
could wish for and we would like to thank other motorists for
missing us completely this time.
.
ORDNANCE
COMPANY
AT the time of writing, the Company is preparing to move to
Bavaria for its Summer Camp with, unfortunately, Wellington
boots and ponchos high on the packing list. Knees are being
worn out in the hopes for good weather. The usual months
of meticulous planning have gone into the event with the
normal amount of paperwork plus forms for forms so it is
only hoped that the Camp will be worth the effort,
We caught the OC, Major Walton, leaping up and down
with a grin across his face—feeling really pleased with him-
self. Then we discovered the reason, Mrs Walton had presen-
ted him with a baby girl. Both are very well and we all offer
our congratulations.
We welcome Lieutenant S. Clarkson on summer attach-
ment from University, Sergeant Kelly t Lance Corporal Halliwell,
Privates Morris, Taylor and Martin.
THE VISIT TO BAVARIA.
Elles Barracks seemed almost
deserted when most of the Company started their long journey
to sunny Bavaria for Exercise Long Hop. The exercise was
appropriately named since our journey was soon liberably
sprinkled with many events.
Sergeant Unwin was the first to go when his Bedford lost
some of its more vital parts* such as its brakes. The vehicle
^'as put on tow and taken to our next petrol stop, where we
almost demolished the petrol pumps and a new car. CSM
Flowers was seen, like a modern day King Canute, standing
between the pumps and an advancing Bedford trying with all
^ rmght to stop the demolition, of pumps and car. The power
°f a Company Sergeant Major must not be underestimated since
there was no damage.
With Captain Gunson suitably sedated we continued our
journey only to be involved in a multiple-pile-up, it was not our
5 Field Force Ordnance Company
^ ^ ^ ^
^Hfflf"^^^^
^^EnkjL^^^^^^^_
^HSQft^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^KSSKz^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.
^KjwKp^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
AS 1 am currently
standing in as 21C, OIC
(Admin), MTO and
Training Officer
only right that I should
have my revenge by
WSJBBJ^^^^^^^^^^
writing THE GAZETTE
•y^J2^^^^^^
Notes
this
month.
^^^^^^
Anyone upset by the
contents should contact Sunray who is doing all the other jobs
in the Unit and who helped me write these notes!
At the end of June we dispatched nine intrepid, budding
superspies on a border patrol. The patrol was reasonably un-
eventful except for our so-called SAS (Special After Shave)
trained MT Sergeant who amused the East German guards by
getting three refusals from his Land Rover at a ditch. For-
tunately, Private Steve Carter removed the offending vehicle
with slick efficiency.
For the past two weeks the majority of the Unit has been
relaxing at Summer Camp at Vogelsang. If it hadn't been for
early morning runs, assault courses, battle PT, orienteering, field
firing in full kit and innumerable regimental training periods
it would have been quite enjoyable. In addition to our own
training we seemed to run everyone else's and generally add a
little bit of class lo the area. Organising visits for the DUS
(Army) Mr Derek Stephen, the Chief of Staff BAOR, Com-
mander 5 Field Force, and CRAOC 2 Armoured Division has
given the OC an additional qualification of OIC Cooks Tours,
Vogelsang.
Of the winners of the various competitions, pride of place
must surely go to Corporal Dick (Grandad) Hansford and Private
Billy Morrison for easing in first in the Unit orienteering event.
Congratulations also to Squad 1 (The Paraplegic's Own) for
winning the orienteering and assault course competitions, Squad
2 for the pistol shooting (well done Private Phil Handley) and
Squad 3 for making up the numbers. W 2 Lex Mootoo won
the long distance sleeping event by a short snore from the
21C and Training Officer and W 2 Paddy Starrett and Sergeant
Gannon the Senior Ranks Ramble. Meanwhile back in the
barracks Second Lieutenant Evil Knievel tried unsuccessfully
to get a new sport (cycle jumping) off the ground!
The 2IC amused himself by introducing the Force Com-
mander to the Brigadier's battle inoculation training near the
grenade range whilst Lance Corporal Dennis Dominey frightened
a high flying jumbo jet on the sixty six millimetre LAW range.
123

Book number R0247