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RAOC Gazette - page 214

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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 South West District
NO stranger in RAOC circles, our photo
shows Major Dave Roberts, who has been
working in Ordnance Branch this last month,
and his slay has been a good opportunity for
him to see Wiltshire, the county in which
his father was born.
The Headquarters is fully engaged pre-
paring for our first mobilization exercise in
Bulford and dust is everywhere as the retired
officer element search the attics for their steel
helmets. No doubt the supply system for
gin has been carefully worked out, but one wonders if the
canine element
will be in the Headquarters during the three
1
day 'shut in period—the mind boggles.
After a tour in Northern Ireland with the Lifeguards.
canal which unfortunately warranted him reporting to the
MO for a tetanus jab!
The Unit has also acquired three new Long Service and
Good Conduct Medals since our last notes; Staff Sergeant
Mick Elsey BEM, Staff Sergeants Pat Kelly and Jock Maclean,
were presented with their medals by the CRAOC SE District
PT sessions continue! Mornings see the squads line up
outside the gym—medium pace squad, fast squad and very
fast squad. Then the juggling for position takes place. Very
quickly the CSM Barney Appleyard has his say and the
percentage of men in the squads dramatically reverses to the
groans and agonised looks of those who are allocated to the
fast squads, A new twist to PT, we now go swimming as well.
A flurry of activity can now be seen in the Unit lines as
all the vehicles are prepared for their move to Schleswig-Holstein
via Denmark for Exercise Bold Guard. Our bath Units under
the control of Lance Corporals Phil Lee and Ted Watson assisted
by Privates Mick Peebles and Mick Ryder have already
established themselves in Germany, and the rest of us follow
shortly. More about Exercise Bold Guard next month.
Lieutenant Tan Turner, our Stores Officer, was married in
August and our photograph shows him and his bride Sue
departing for the reception in what Ian thought was going to
be the Force Commander's Staff car on loan. Fortunately, his
posting order to Belize for a six months unaccompanied tour
was cancelled the day before, the wedding!
Welcome to Sergeant Jim Brady and Arnie George also to
Private Paddy Fleming.
W e can't afford a carriage!
Major Dave Roberts checks his boots before joining SW District's
Hill Walking Croup.
North East District
ONE never knows how to begin news-
letters. I had thought of remarking about
how Dog William (to whom CRAOC
belongs) automatically wends his way
straight to the bar when taking CRAOC
to lunch, but, discretion being the better
part
50 Ordnance Support Battalion has
now disbanded and the restructured Com-
panies have ventured into the field on
their own, 57 Company put a brave face on life's adversities
and volunteered for two weeks in Germany whilst 8 Field
Force Ordnance Company is making a maiden voyage with
the parent Force on Exercise Live Canter. Our best wishes to
them both for a successful future.
Farewell to Major Jim (he never told us what the O stood
for) Mangham, who, after a last impassioned plea from the
Barlow ramparts (" burn everything, spare nought") to the
gentry from Defence Sales, has ridden off into the twilight of
a civilian world. His departure was the excuse for a superb
farewell luncheon in the Barlow Mess. As Jim would want
me to point out, the impending loss of Barlow Mess is far and
away the most disastrous blow of fair value.
Due to some constant exhortations Stores Section of 38
Engineer Regiment have managed to send in an introductory
item for THE GAZETTE. Their role in supporting the Regiment
carries members of the section to BAOR and Northern Ireland
with amazing regularity so that they are seldom together as a
complete Unit.
STORES SECTION 38 ENGINEER REGIMENT
SERGEANT BILL GREGORY and Lance Corporal Taffy
Reeve are currently with 51 Field Squadron RE in Northern
Ireland and are burning the midnight oil to good effect from
all accounts. They local purchase by day and account by night,
— 174 —
Book number R0247