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RAOC Gazette - page 225

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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
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posting to Dulmen and Corporal Mick Bennett to Ord Depot
Antwerp.
We welcome SSM 'Todd and Linda Slaughter and family
r* r om the Apprentices College, Private Chris Betmead and wife
f ro m Bicester and Lance Corporal Mick and Gail Lincoln and
children from Kineton.
We extend warm congratulations to WOl Mick Wright on
his Mentioned in Despatches on the latest honours list.
FVD RECKLINGHAUSEN
THE Unit being now officially twelve weeks old, continues to
march forward in we hope the right direction, although the
Orderly Room continues to be flooded with posting preference
proformae naming Hiltrup as first preference.
Whilst we are awaiting badly needed reinforcements, the
rug'sy season has already taken its toll of our depleted strength.
As Lance Corporal Steve Skidmore left hospital with a broken
ankle, Private Alex Gurmin entered with guess what—a broken
ankle! They exchanged a grimaced nod of greetings.
Our weekly prayers meetings continue to be a great help in
getting problems solved, although yours truly says an extra
prayer for himself, hoping he records everything the other fast
talking gents around the
table like to get off their chests.
1
Private * Stretch Atkinson, another casualty on crutches,
has moved in on the Orderly Room, temporarily, where I think
he fancies his chances as a budding Staff Clerk.
The OQ Major Ray Holland, is busy making plans in his
spare time (didn't know he had any), for his rally driving
pursuits.
Private John Carroll, in preparation for his forthcoming
introduction to German course, has been heard to mutter in
between his usual punk rock patter, words which sounded like
Guten Tag' and 'Auf Weidersein.*
We say farewell this week to our odd job man Staff Sergeant
Joe Hogg, his latest appointment being CSM, and wish him
well at Rhine Area. We welcome to the Unit Private Brian
McKeown and wish him a successful tour.
1st British Corps
STAFF CLERKS
G EPS/TRG. A particularly busy time within the
branch for both the exercise planning and train- ,
ing staffs. However, it seems that hard work does
not go unrewarded since three of our team were
' given the nod* by No. 2 Promotion Board whose
selections for elevation were recently published.
Congratulations therefore go to Corporal (now
Acting Sergeant) Allan Morris, Lance Corporal
(now Acting Corporal) Bill Laight and Private (now
Acting Lance Corporal) Brian Marsden.
As a result of these promotions we had to say farewell last
month to Allan Morris who has returned from whence he came;
only this time to command the good ship R and D* Our thanks
go to him for all his hard work on the Exercise Planning Staff,
and also for his invariable cheerfulness and loyalty as a branch
member. I am sure that R and D will present him with its own
peculiar challenge. Recently married Corporal Bill Laight
returned from his leave/honeymoon looking if anything slimmer
than ever; he assures us though that this is due entirely to
humping heavy wedding presents
! Anyway, for his sins,
he has moved back to join the exercise planners once again,
Finally, a welcome to the branch goes to Private Stewart
MacDonald who has joined us on secondment from ' Wally's
Warriors' in the R and D. We hope the shock ain't too great!
All the rest of us, including WOl Frank Linnane, are still alive
and almost sane.
GSD 1/2. After the long cold summer and with the second
part of the Basic Fitness Test looming upon us the emphasis of
the past few weeks has been to get and keep fit. Corporal
" Scouse' Hayes has returned from Exercise Paper Break with
what he calls his * new body.* We cannot see any difference!
Staff Sergeant Mac MacLaren and his Para friend Sergeant
Dave Leek, have started playing rugby again and have enticed
Private Tony Mackey to join them. We wish them good
hunting for the coming season. Corporal Colin Stephens has
returned from leave having performed the duties of Best Man
at Corporal Bill Laighfs wedding in Scotland. We too would
like to wish Bill and Kathy our warmest congratulations and
hope they have many happy years together. Lance Corporal
Jim Shanks passed his driving test at the first attempt, and
>s now more qualified to drive Sergeant Alan Buckwell around
the bend! Alan is leaving the Army shortly and we take this
opportunity to wish Ellie and him all the very best in civilian life,
Welcome to Private Ian Blatherwick from the Depot
wish him a pleasant tour in Bielefeld.
We
ORDNANCE BRANCH
A RELATIVELY quiet month with no exercises to bother us
and most members of the Branch trying to square their leave
accounts before the Winter sets in.
There has been two departures, Major Maccoll and family
to Chilwell and Major Cottington to 7 Field Force; the very
best of luck to them and the good wishes of all the Branch.
On the sporting scene, fishing is the in thing, with none oE
the energetic sports to bother us; but there are rumblings in the
distance about playing-off the remaining rounds of the Com-
manders Cup and of the impending BFT Test, where an Olympic
qualifying time is required (in boots as well).
A hearty welcome is extended to Major Bob Fitzsimmons
the new S02 (Blue)! sorry 1 mean Maint and congratulations
to Sergeant Brown on his recent promotion.
1st Armoured Division
WE welcome Major Kevin Dreyer from
New Zealand who is over here on
Exercise Long Look. After a lightning
tour of Ordnance Units in the Division
and Corps he has settled down to organise
the visit of Division Dump Company.
He has one point in his favour on this,
he won't be here to answer for any of
m s m sta es
^JRJJ?5js—£tt5j£p^
^ ^ - So far he has managed
^G? ^%l*g2>^ iff
sight seeing trips to Hamburg and Paris,
although for the latter he claims he only
went as the official New Zealand representative to the inter-
national Citroen car rally.
Many months ago I promised to include a photograph of
myself, and at last I've got round to i t To those of you who
have not had the pleasure, I'm Corporal Allirog and have been
in Verden for many years. If any one knows of a spare female
of the species I would be most interested as there aren't many v
of us in BAOR.
A
We've heard of guerillas but this is ridiculous.
Congratulations to Corporal Bill Winchester on his pro-
motion to that rank. He was unfortunately away on a course
when it came through so he has been landed with two celebra-
tions instead of one. I hope there weren't too many on his
course!.
ORDNANCE COMPANY
THIS month has been particularly successful for the Unit on
the sports side. The football team surpassed themselves in the
first round of the Army challenge football cup with a win of
five to three over 1 Royal Anglians. Goals were scored by
Sergeant Alan Frampton two, Corporal Billy Ferrier two, and
Private Geordie Bannister, The cross country team got off to
a good start as well by winning their first match in the minor
Units league. Private Alan Kirby came in first in the team and
finished a respectable twenty eighth against the major Units
running.
The beginning of the month saw a visit by the DDOS
Brigadier Whalley. The DDOS presented the Long Service
— 133 —
Book number R0247