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RAOC Gazette - page 223

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Corps RAOC
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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 some hard games Bracht again came out winners. A great
utart to the season and a winning trait which we hope will
L , pn iiiiue.
The football team has reformed after the close season,
^ftcr a close game against Rheindahlen Garrison they won.
Another good start, keep it up lads.
The Bracht Fencing Club has gained a new high faluting
title. It is now a Martial Arts Club, so as to include karate.
A in person report arrived today from Sergeant Nolan
Despite the lack of sleep
f our Northern Ireland contingent.
and boredom spirits are high. The entertainment scene is good
arid a circuit of the perimeter provides fitness training. They
hope soon to be bringing out their own paper ' The Rag and
Oil'
Captain David Clare sails away from us to take command
of the Captain Mannerings Own, otherwise known as 41 RP
Company. Any rumours of his intent to press gang new members
need not, I'm sure, worry people in the London Area. We
congratulate him on his promotion to Major and wish him the
best of luck.
Private 'Speedy' Elstub disappears from the Unit this
month. His bubbling happy character will be missed by every-
one, We wish him the best of luck on his forthcoming visit
to Alaska and on his 4 new posting
to UK-
Captain Martin Thruster s Thwaite has joined us from
the wilderness of the Hebrides. We're glad to have him on
return to civilisation,
Congratulations to Lance Corporal and Mrs Dann and to
Private and Mrs Crossland on their marriages. Another new
member has joined the Unit, Master Bruce Strachan, well done
Sergeant and Mrs Strachan.
Further congratulations go to W02 Regan (acting), Corporals
Towells, Norbury and Seton (sub ranks) and Lance Corporals
Lee, Carwell and Straw (acting) on their promotions.
Staff Sergeant Barr has been detached to the New Zealand
Army for four months and we welcome W02 Goddard from
the New Zealand Army.
Posting In: Captain Thwaite, W02 Humphries, Sergeant
Pearce, Corporal Race (ACQ, Lance Corporal Gibson, Privates
Francis and Knight.
Ordnance Depot Antwerp
SEPTEMBER sees the start of the parade season here in
Belgium, From early in the month various cities and towns
in (he area hold parades and memorial services to commemorate
their liberation. The various anniversaries occur as the Allies
moved North /East towards Holland and our parade detach-
ment has a busy time of it for a while,
Our photograph shows the ODA detachment in Antwerp
for the * Tank Ceremony.* Leading the column is Captain
John Kitwood, with RSM Gunner close on his heels. In the
front rank can be seen Sergeant Penny, Lance Corporal Danny
Riding and Lance Corporal Nobby Clarke.
The Tank Ceremony at Antwerp was followed the following
day by the Liberation Ceremony in the city and the following
weekend by a further parade in Geel (the area of the Albeit
Photo Private Hodder.
embers of Ordnance Depot Antwerp on parade at the * Tank
Ceremony ' in Antwerp.
Canal at Geel was the scene of fierce engagement in September
1944),
We have occasion this month to welcome our new Quarter-
master, Captain John Humphreys who has joined us from
Northern Ireland. Our old Quartermaster Major Ken Lloyd is
feeling particularly old at present—it seems he cannot get his
chair legs to balance with his seats.
Arrivals: Sergeant Rice, Corporal Bennet and Lance
Corporal White on his return from Northern Ireland.
Promotions: Staff Sergeant Davis to A/W02.
Congratulations to Private Jones (838) on successfully com-
pleting his Veh Spec B3-2 Upgrading Course, Corporal Crompton
on successfully completing his Sup Spec B3-1 Upgrading Course
on restructure and to Private Devlin on his recent marriage.
15 Composite Ordnance Depot*
STORES SUB-DEPOT VIERSEN
WE open this months notes with the news of the most com-
mendable achievements of one of our Corporals, namely
Corporal Charlton of whom we are justifiably proud Repre-
senting Viersen, the Corps and BAOR he won for the second
year running the RAOC BAOR Individual tennis championships,
Then in the RAOC UK tennis championships he was both singles
and open doubles winner, in the Rhine Area tennis champion-
ships, runner up in the singles and winner in both doubles and
mixed doubles. Ho was runner up in the BAOR tennis champion-
ships in the mens open doubles and runner up, representing
RAOC, in the Arms and Corps doubles. He also was a joint
winner in the mixed doubles in that championships.
From there he went onto the Inter Service tennis match
BAOR and as a member of the BAOR team, contributed in the
doubles towards the end result of a victory for BAOR against
RAF G in a result of ten matches to three matches.
Mention of the Unit team must be made too, they finished
a creditable fourth in the Rhine Area tennis league scoring
valuable points towards the Bavin Shield. Our regular stalwarts
have been Colonel Edwards, Major Smith, Corporal Charlton
and Corporal Burke (now posted).
The rugby season is upon us once again and the Badgers *
of Viersen have been seen sloughing off the excesses of the
close season under the critical eye of RSM Black. Fixtures
to date have all been against Garrison teams and although
going down fairly heavily in each game we are improving daily.
The Squad has been strengthened by an infusion of beginners
all keen to wear the colours. Sadly, we are losing Sergeant
Bob Scott, our Evergreen Hooker, to Big Brother Bracht.
His contribution to the morale of the team by his never-
say-die efforts and good humour is incalculable.
May his
* Speed-Juice * never diminish.
Helios to Major Watson, Captain Callaghan, WOs2 Kennedy,
Ashdown and Newsham and Private Drysdale.
Congratulations to Sergeant Coom and Lance Corporal
Nicholson on their promotion,
VEHICLE SUB-DEPOT MOENCBENGLADBACH
ANY doubts which may still have existed over the intention
to close this Depot must surely have been dispelled by the
arrival of the painters and decorators in Block 9. Those of us
who have lived with peeling walls and graffiti over the past
years are now finding it difficult to wipe that knowing look
from our faces as we edge past the slapping distemper brushes
and the dripping pails. The portents are unmistakeable—there
is to be a new * Laird of Ayrshire * when 23 Regiment RCT
move into our offices within a matter of a few weeks*
Some of us won't be too sorry to hand over the reins
as our capability to discharge our responsibilities becomes
increasingly difficult due to the unscrupulous plundering of our
remaining staff. For our remaining weeks we will be taking
over the smaller offices shortly to be vacated by 23 Regiment
and it looks as if we'll be too busy to even think about taking
our well known Centurion Tank monument with us. No doubt
somebody will devise a fitting ceremony for its removal when
the time comes.
Other news is hard to categorise in a tidy editorial style
so we are obliged to enter a * scrapbook type' paragraph. Staff
Ord's (VSD Workshop) narrow escape from fatal injury when
he was crushed by a heavy steel door is an event we would
rather not have happened but we are delighted at his miraculous
recovery from multiple injuries not least on behalf of his
charming wife who has borne a very trying period so bravely.
It might be kinder not to mention our other recent hospital
patient but we're happy to report that SQMS Gore is up and
about again although he'll b e ' walking wide' for a week or two.
Book number R0247