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RAOC Gazette - page 267

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Transcription ^nuner t o was
it? We must also congratulate all the sentries whose
ta
jriv'^
' °f mushroom gatherers, blackberry pickers and
v lt ^,rs was astronomical. We had a Bar-B-Que on the middle
wee.end where Sunray and the Admin Officer slaved over
hot coals and fed not only our own Unit but sundry visitors.
One QM rep asked if he could take a Bratty back to his QM as
' he'd never believe it.'
Meanwhile in the CP there was a mini mutiny! The CSM
refused to make the OCs forty ninth cup of coffee which is a
pity as it would have established a new record for the number
f cups made in an hour. The Admin Officer and the Second-in-
Command Captain Paul Harrington agreed that as Oxygen was
a t a " Nil Stock' situation either the weed puffers packed it in
A healthier OC whose withdrawal symptoms
n r else. Result?
meant he sat and sulked in his own tent! Other high points that
deserve a mention include: Lance Corporals Martin Trotter
and H. Riley's field trials of camp beds; Packet Two who tried
to cam up in a cul-de-sac (Sackgasse to you Q Paddy Starrett);
Corporal Danny Cullen^ one and a half twisting back dive
from the cooks truck which meant he missed another exercise.
We were pleased to host Colonel Berragan from Head-
quarters DGOS in October who, in part payment for lunch,
was kind enough to present Long Service and Good Conduct
Medals to Q Starrett, Staff Sergeants Bolden, Tame and Keefe,
Sergeant Matthews and Corporal Hansford. It is amazing what
can be learned from listening to citations at occasions such as
thsse. 1 had no idea that we had a Gurkha Goat Sexer in the
Orderly Room.
PS. Which Scouse driver stamped on a snail on the exercise?
He reckoned it had been following him for two days.
3rd Armoured Division
A
HEADQUARTERS
RAOC
WE are about to enter the second
Divisional sports week since arrival in
BAOR and the aim. of the Triangles
Competition is maximum involvement.
Thus, all manner of lists are being
circulated for volunteers, some of the
fancy foot work around the list-bearers
would not be misplaced if set to music.
Anyway, watch this column next month for the update on this
saga,
With such a small establishment, postings are normally few and
far between however, by the time that this appears, we will
have been deprived of the services of Lieutenant Colonel
Corn well, Major Ahearne and WOl Hawthorne, away to
UNFICYP, Northern Ireland and Chilwell respectively. We
certainly have the full spread of excellence in this batch of
postings; they will be missed and we wish them well.
The reverse of this coin is the arrival of Lieutenant Colonel
Parry-Davies, Major Harness (temporarily) and WOl Davy whom
we welcome.
We have also had a promotion. The branch Chief Clerk
Sergeant Barry Brooks, has been elevated to Staff Sergeant,
well done and don't bother to unpack the MFO.
Finally, from the Divisional Headquarters, Happy Christ-
mas and New Year to all RAOC in the Division and to their
families; from 3rd Armoured Division Season's Greetings to
the RAOC at large.
ORDNANCE COMPANY
THIS month saw the Unit deployed as logistic support for
Divisional Units on Exercise Red Dragon, The exercise ran
smoothly enough 1 until the duty watchkeeper heard oyer the
radio that all 'A Vehicles were to cease movement. However,
this did not stop a certain member of the prowler guard from
directing a squadron of Chieftains from the QRIH through
the company location!
The Unit Christmas Draw seems to be rearing its head
once more, as over the exercise period a total of over DM 300
has been 'graciously donated* by Unit members as fines. It
got so bad at one point that Captain Chilton was fined five
tickets for indecision by a Corporal!
The Unit tenpin bowling team consisting of Sergeants
Dillow and Hodgkiss, Corporals Barraclough and Mash am
competed in the 1st RAOC tenpin bowling championships.
They finished a creditable second and particular credit should
be given to Corporals Barraclough and Masham. They agreed
to compete just nine hours before the start due to two of the
original team being unavailable. They were all pleased at
taking a drink off their old rivals—Headquarters RAOC 3
Division,
We would like to congratulate Sergeant and Mrs Dillow
on the birth of their third son, Carl Peter. Private ' Robbo'
Robertson was once more selected to represent the Corps at
football and Lance Corporal Kilnan represented the Corps
at rugby.
Welcome to Lance Corporal Short who has joined us from
UNFICYP, and to Private Duffy from the Depot.
STORES PLATOON 5 ARMOURED WORKSHOP
EXERCISE RED DRAGON has ended and we are all back
in a warm and dry Storehouse, With the so called * Indian
Summer' we are having, it is so warm and dry that everyone
wishes they were out in the field again! We only succeeded
in bogging one vehicle down, though REME recovery success-
fully rescued it, after having first removed the front bumper in
a less than orthodox fashion. Are front towing eyes on ten
tonners there for decorative purposes only?
The trickle of Northern Ireland veterans back on R and R
is producing some real * war stories.' It is not the stories
that are so interesting but the strange Shetland pony manes
and the many varieties of facial fuzz. It must be exceptionally
cold over there!
Private Taff Phillips has returned from his sailing course,
to our surprise we haven't heard any nautical slang, just the
same old cries of * boyo,' Privates Dave Marshall and Andy
Miller are both back from their self imposed exile, are they
both wiser men for the experience?
Our congratulations to Corporal and Mrs Phillips on the
birth of twin girls, and to Private and Mrs Kirkwood on the
birth of a girl. We can now all understand why Corporal
Phillips has bought that huge estate car, it may not be just
to put his model aeroplanes in.
STORES SECTION 26 FIELD REGIMENT WORKSHOP
THIS is our first contribution since the Unit was formed last
year. We are not really backward in coming forward—the
reason for not submitting an article for publication until now
was a very carefully thought out strategy—it was reasoned that
if the powers that be weren't aware of our presence they wouldn't *
want to come and visit us or carry out Technical Inspections
and such like things.
However, someone somewhere has spilled the beans so we
thought it was time we put the record straight,
The Section is ten strong, presently manned by WOl
Stan Johnson, Sergeants Stu Ambrose and Paddy Fitzpatrick,
Corporals Arthur McCartney and John Pascoe, Lance Corporal
Paul Isbell, Privates Kevin Ryan, Les Lock, Gary Lester and
Colin Skinner.
Since formation life has naturally been pretty hectic with
Inscaling, Practice Camp, Operation Banner and a very pleasant
two weeks 'live firing * in the American Zone of Germany,
when a few members of the Section managed to get out to see
the guns firing.
Our congratulations to John and Jan Pascoe on the safe
arrival of Rachel Louise, and a welcome to Privates Gary
Lester and Colin Skinner.
86 SUPPLY DEPOT
AT the time of writing these notes—if one were to mention the
words * Salmon Canned' one would receive a thick ear!
October sees 86 Supply Depot in the midst of a very
busy period.
Apart from replenishing exercise Units with
Compo and POL, twenty five hours a day, eight days a week,
we are engaged in unpacking Compo boxes and looking for the
dreaded Salman fly? About the only flies we have seen are
those buzzing around Corporals Brian Bolton and Pete Stewart's
faces down in the Compo Store at the back of the Depot.
Staff Sergeant Peter Mudway has left us after only twelve
weeks in the Chief Clerk Supplies chair. Apparently his services
were required as a W02 at 1 (BR) Corps Stores Company. We
welcome in his place Staff Sergeant Mick Mullarkey and family
from Chilwell. Since his arrival he has learnt how to raise and
lower the 86 Supply Depot flag and play golf. The rugby and
car mechanics we understand he learnt prior to his arrival.
An arrival of another kind has been the birth of a
bouncing baby boy called James to Corporal Bob and Mrs
Danielle Stevens. We understand the Petroleum Operators Roll
has been extended by one. Congratulations Bob and Danielle
from everyone at 86 Supply Depot.
Moment of the month of September must have been the
presentation of the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
to Corporal Brian Bolton by Major General Walsh who visited
the Depot accompanied by the Commander Dortmund Garrison,
19 —
Book number R0247