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RAOC Gazette - page 255

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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 SUPPLY DEPOT BULFORD
II" ;.. blushingly over one year since we were last in print and in
jhu'. time we have said* farewell on retirement to Major Aitken-
head our depot officer. We dined him out at the Sergeants
Mess, in which he presided as senior member many years before.
YYe have also lost W02 Betteley, Staff Sergeant Coulter,
Sergeant Fyffe and Corporal Casey and given a hearty welcome
to their replacements; W02 Shreeve, Sergeants Coulbeck and
Sharrock and Lance Corporal Gilbert in the posts of Depot
Superintendent, Chief Clerk, Master Butcher and Depot NCO-
Become a butcher and see the world is certainly true here:
Sergeant Sharrock has spent six weeks supporting the 'inner man'
on Exercise Bold Guard in BAOR and excellent reports were
received on the quality of meat and the service he arranged
•single handed through the local economy; Corporal Gairns
looked after the Grenadier Guards for eight weeks in the
Sudan on Exercise Jagged Thorn in splendid fashion and
managed to get Outstanding gradings on both Supply Specialist
Courses at Blackdown later; Private Hornsby, not to be out-
done, is currently doing a six months stint in Belize and reports
are encouraging.
Small in number we may be but we try to play our part
in the Sporting Sphere: the OC, Major Johnson, has hung up
his cricket umpires coat and is currently satisfying his lust for
blood, sweat and tears on the boxing circuit in the capacity of
iudvje; W02 Shreeve has just passed the judges course and so
will be joining him. Sergeants Coulbeck and Sharrock are the
squash enthusiasts and the former ensures maximum success
with BFT, whilst the latter has just qualified as a squash coach.
It really is all go 1
Finally to ensure one hundred per cent mention of our
military strength, we congratulate Private Stephenson on the
birth of daughter Karen and give a hearty welcome to our raw
recruit from Blackdown, Private Tillman, as the latest addition
to the Butchery.
North East District
BEFORE the next I of E and before the
Superintending Clerk hands in his biro
(shared with the GSOl) on retirement we
thought it appropriate, whilst we still have
staff clerks in the Headquarters, to let
the Corps know that we in this beautiful
City of York do exist and thoroughly
enjoy being in this Headquarters.
There is a fascination in being posted to
a District Headquarters. Jobs materialize
that abroad were never heard of—this year we have managed
to occupy our (four) selves with such different tasks as Army
Aviation exercises, shooting competitions, marching competitions
and of course the firemen's strike.
Besides the routine military duties we manage to fill in
an excellent social calendar. We have become involved with
such respectable bodies as the Dunkirk Veterans, the British
Legion and the RAOC Association (one of us actually does
entertainments member for this august body!).
Because of the large volunteer commitment we also spend
many weekends with TAVR on the moors around Catterick; a
rewarding relationship even though TAVR are basically restricted
to weekend training.
Surprisingly the staff clerks all passed their PE tests. Lunch-
time sees our members running madly round the gym or, in the
case of two more sensible, swimming in the fine new baths near
the Headquarters,
We are at present preparing to move to a new Head-
quarters building just down the road. Planning for this keeps
u:s busy mentally and it will no doubt remove some of our
fat when we physically move. I have no need to tell our
readers of the delight expressed by the staff lucky enough to
be here to execute a plan devised over the years and long for-
gotten by the architects!
In case we have been lost from your social calendars the
names of our staff clerk gang are:—Superintending Clerk WOl
M. J. Richardson (ex everything and shortly ex Army), W02
Darrell Gee (shortly off to the land of LOA—note, after the
move of the Headquarters), Staff Sergeant Stephen Kinsey of
Jolly ' G * and his able (if confused ex RAPC) Sergeant Lawrie
Wardell.
The writer finally must thank his sponsor (as it's confidential
time), CRAOCj Lieutenant Colonel Hardie, for permitting—nay
encouraging—him to pen these notes which it is hoped will
convince all staff clerks that the grass is indeed greener (albeit
deeper) in this excellent Northern Headquarters.
48 A M F ( L ) Company
THIS past month has been exceedingly quiet,
however it is definitely the lull before the
storm.
The Company has been put through its
airportability preparation and armed with the
constructive criticism of the AMC Team, are
now finally adding the last touches in readiness
for our big test exercise some time in
November.
Captain Mike Lewington has been putting
the Company through its paces, on the Ranges and now only a
handful of Company personnel are still to qualify this year.
Undoubtedly the system will catch the strays once they return
from such far flung places as Kenya and Australia, and they will
be shot through the mandatory practices with vigour.
Sergeant Tony Lundte and Corporal Ginge Gaskill have
been on Exercise Bold Guard and apart from the disastrous
weather, had a very enjoyable time. Being well versed in
exercise weather they did have their wellies with them.
On the sporting side we congratulate Private Lucky Luxton
on representing the Corps at squash when they defeated REME
at Deepcut. The Battalion football team has had a triumphant
turn around and is now playing well with their best win being
twelve nil against D. Med Ludgershall. Unfortunately they
were beaten in extra time seven to six in the South West
District Cup by A Squadron, 3 RTR.
We say goodbye to Staff Sergeant Bob Green our Chief
Clerk off to sunny Hong Kong, we don't know how these Staff
Clerks do it, and to Lance Corporal Pratt off to Bielefeld.
Welcome to Corporal Kite and Private Coward.
Army Air Corps
HEADQUARTERS DAAC ORDNANCE
(AIR) BRANCH
IN the September issue of THE GAZETTE
only the military staff were named which
represented fifty per cent of the staff; the*
civilians were omitted, they are Admin
Clerk Joan Hardy, Data Cell Julie
Cameron, Engine Cell Jean North and
the Progression Cell Jock Baynham, Mary
Holland, Liz Taylor and Maxine Burden*
October has been quite a busy month
with our normal workload We had the
Inspector of Establishments team looking at our establishment,
the outcome we should be able to report in our next contri-
bution.
There is also great activity in the branch preparing the SD1
Ord (Air's) presentation for the DGOS Study Period.
The SOI Ord (Air) made a flying visit to Northern Ireland
at the beginning of the month to visit the RAOC who are
there in support of the Army Air Corps. On his return it was
noted he had sustained an injury to his finger, this we don't
think was due to * active service/
As I am writing these notes the SOI has just tipped his hat
and is off to Majorca for a spot of well earned leave in the sun.
By the time he returns we shall have moved our offices across
the road to the Headquarters DAAC building to give moral
support to W02 John Craig, the Chief Clerk.
Major Mark Lacy our S02 Ord (Air) is busy making plans
for his annual visit to BAOR to sort out the problems on the
4-72 computer and of course do some Christmas shopping and
get his duty free with the assets he hopes to obtain from the
sale of his Ford Granada, from which he has already purchased
a bike, Ford UK being on strike!
HEADQUARTERS AAC \(BR) CORPS
HEADQUARTERS AAC at Bielefeld are blessed with the
wisdom of Major David Carpenter, the expertise of Corporal
Graham Fullagar and suffering with Staff Sergeant George
Mathers who has returned to the fold relieving Staff Sergeant
John Malin who has departed on promotion.
HEADQUARTERS AAC UKLF
AS this is our first contribution for some time, we hope that the
phrase * No news is good news' will suffice. As a result of a
Working Party recommendation, 1 AAC Support Section RAOC
was amalgamated with the RAOC Stores Secti-on 70 Aircraft
Workshop REME on 1st November, to form a new Unit at
Middle Wallop, designated No. 1 Aircraft Support Unit RAOC.
The Annual Technical Inspections have now been completed
so all Unit FAACO NCOs in Cyprus, Belize, Northern Ireland
— 209 —
Book number R0247