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RAOC Gazette - page 155

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Corps RAOC
Material type Journals
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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 Corps Troops East
79 SUPPLY
DEPOT
(/...•1ET month on the whole, although the last Corps
Si-ills did cause a bit of a flurry with Staff Sergeant Tony
4cfntyre< Sergeants Stan Jenkinson, Tommy McGurk and
n
hariie Potts all provisionally selected for promotion. Sergeant
:
onimy McGurk's joy was completed with a posting to Berlin,
\ u i Sergeant Stan Jenkinson's lessened with his further tour
rj BAOR cancelled by his imminent posting to UK. Ah well!
In order to boost the Kellar Bar takings CDP 4 under
he command of that high speed Hyster pilot SSM George
\ntterson have joined us from Scheuen, along with LTCC
I under Sergeant Ian Wood RCT, The fact that the Depot
l longer has a jerrican mountain has nothing whatever to do
viih ihe arrival of all those lovely sixteen tons Fodens we
night add!
Much to the relief of the CQMS the PRE Inspection has
passed without incident, and he has gone away on leave to
recuperate, along with the Depot Superintendent, who is by
now busily hurling worms at the local fish population in the
hope of rendering some of them unconscious.
Congratulations to Corporal Charlie Cannings on his
marriage to Miss Theresa McGurk, sister of Sergeant Tommy
McGurk and to Sergeant Brian Taylor on being awarded his
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal; he got away with it
alter all!
Forward Vehicle Depot Hiltrup
OUR second months notes for this newly formed Unit record
primarily that we are busily getting down to the real purpose
of our existence. The stock of vehicles is increasing steadily
as receipts pour in from the many and varied sources of todays
modern Army,
We have had a visit from Lieutenant Colonel Sfiircliff,
AQV1G S Man, of Headquarters BAOR who arrived by staff
car which was a bit disappointing as we had procured a bicycle
pump in anticipation of the logistic help he usually needs!
The military manpower of the Unit continues to build up
in numbers and military training is very much the order of the
day on Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
Arrivals: Captain O. C. Morriston; Captain (OEO) N. F.
Black; W 2 F. T. Wheeler; Staff Sergeant N. A, Chute;
Sergeants L. Bell and G. N. Smith; Corporals J. L. K, Wilde,
P. JL Jones and N. Ramsbottom; Lance Corporals R. N. Sorn,
G. P. D'Estlchoux, B. Pierce and J, S. T. Bradfield; Privates F.
Monday. S, T. Treadwell, L. P. Reece, A. S. Higgins, F. R.
Forie and Q. F. Goodwood.
RAOC in Cyprus
-^^
_^f THOSE who have served in Cyprus will under-
cfa
i stand the meaning of * high summer' for that
JS
I * s w n a t w e a r e experiencing as these notes are
I Q&J/ft
I
compiled. It is regularly 95 "F and frequently
•P^rnflMf
100° and more in the shade which is excellent
wijjfej^ftW
for swimming but hardly conducive to work.
^SVt^v
Nevertheless the past two months have been
^^E^F
interesting and the usual reduction in activity,
^^^r
associated with the summer months wherever
^^
one serves, has passed by unnoticed this year
mainly because of our commitment to UNIFIL which has
affected everyone to a greater or lesser extent. To put the
task into perspective the Supply Depot is now rationing more than
twice as many people as there were before UNIFIL and the
Stores Depot is purchasing locally such diverse items as
binoculars and wardrobes, pillows and desks all in large
qi:entities and much to the pleasure of the local manufacturers.
M. re quarters and hirings are being activated as families filter
back into Cyprus which keeps the Accommodation Services Unit
busy, and with the prevailing temperatures it is not perhaps
surprising that the Army Fire Services are more in demand than
they would wish to be.
Be that as it may everyone is delighted to be here and they
make every effort to enjoy to the full the superb facilities for
sport and social activities which exist on this island, and to get
to know it and its delightful people wherever they can,
General Sir Edwin Bramall, Vice Chief of the Defence
ptot: (P and L) visited us and whilst at Dhekelia presented W 2
i-^iie Head with his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
The event was suitably celebrated by the General, W 2 and
Mrs Maureen Head and other members of the Unit. Champagne
be
mg the order of the day.
Teams were entered in various competitions which were
part of the Near East Shooting Association Meeting (NESAM).
The pistol team of Major Trevor Seabrook, Major John Edwards
and Corporal Eddie Pickett managed to reach the semi-final
of the falling plate competition but were defeated by the
eventual winners,
As usual, sporting activities dominate these notes. The
weather and half day working makes it difficult to serve in
Cyprus without becoming involved in some kind of physical
activity even if it only means swimming in the sea. Being a
member of the RAOC in Cyprus places further pressure on
people to compete in sports, the Unit being so keen that those
who don't participate would be more easily listed than those
who do. However, it is encouraging. to note that most of
those who don't compete usually turn out to support and the
numbers of RAOC supporters often outnumber those from
larger Units on the island,
Cyprus Inter Services Tug-of-War: This event is sponsored
annually by RAOC Cyprus with Major Trevor Seabrook acting
as organiser this year. We entered one heavy team and two
light teams which for a total RAOC strength of about one
hundred all ranks, including staff clerks, was quite a good turn-
o u t The light team from Akrotiri did very well having trained
harder before the event and came third overall. The new
RAOC Cyprus T Shirt was much in evidence amongst the
supporters,
Inter-Services Athletics: The Army won this event with the
help of Sergeant Trevor Edge and Corporal Tom McCallion in
the three thousand metres steeplechase. Our congratulations to
both competitors.
Cyprus Walkabout:
Training is under way for this event
already with Sergeant Don Pearson determined to ensure that the
teams do as well, or even better, than they did last year. Staff
Sergeant Bob Burt is doing a grand job as team manager.
Cricket: RAOC Akrotiri combined with 48 Command
Workshop and entered a team in the RAF Akrotiri Station
League. Although in with a chance of sharing first place right
up until the last game the team came second after losing the
match against the eventual league winners. Our members of
the team were Captain John Vickers, Staff Sergeant Taff Davies
(Team Captain) and Dave London, Sergeants Ricky Mayor,
Ken Allen, TarT Parker and Trevor Edge, not forgetting Corporal *
Eddie Pickett.
This was a fine performance and if all had gone well it
would have been the first time an Army team had won the
league.
Entertainment: An RAOC Families Day was organised to
give all RAOC personnel and their families the chance to meet
together in casual surroundings and generally enjoy them-
selves.
Tents and sunshades were erected on the beach at Ladies
Mile and families from Nicosia, Dhekelia, Ayios Nikolaos,
Episkopi and Akrotiri turned up to compete in another ' It's
^
,
RAOC Cyprus once again dominated the RCT Open Day ' It's
a Knockout * Competition when, despite Captain Lawrence W o o d
playing the Joker on the only game the team lost, they still won
by one point. The team consisted of Staff Sergeants Taff Davies
and Dave London, Sergeants Don Pearson and Ken Allen and
Corporal Dave Davies.
Lady members of the team were Mrs
Marion Davies and Mrs Christine Allen with W O I Jim Harper
acting as team manager.
125

Book number R0247