RAOC Gazette - page 115
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1969 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | No |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1969 |
| Late date | 1969 |
| Transcription |
Land Forces Gulf @ HEADQUARTERS: The last baby to be born in l%8 and the first one to arrive in 1969, at RAF Hospital Muhar- raq, were additions to the local RAOC contingent;—to Captain and Mrs T, Bollen, a New Year's Eve son; to Sergeant and Mrs Phillips, a New Year's Day son. One of the maternity ward nurses was Conductor Dennison's wife. ORDNANCE DEPOT BAHREIN: This month's Muharraq musings start with a report on success in the unusual sport of night navigation. This occupation seems to have been born of a marriage between night compass march- ing and orienteering, the offspring taking the form of a com- petition. organised by Headquarters Bahrain Garrison, in which units were invited to enter two-man teams. The Ordnance Depot was strongly represented by five teams; Corporals A. H. Evans and D. G. Maggs, Corporal C. J. Reynolds and Private D. Hogg, Corporal M, B. Hamilton and Lance Corporal R, Hibbert, Lance Corporals R. J. Chatterton and J, L. Wallace and Privates J. D. Anderson and R. S. Gamble. The entire squad was under the control of Sergeant N. L. Kelly. Three days spent in reconnaissance and training obviously bore fruit as Reynolds and Hogg came in fourteen minutes ahead of a field containing Officers, Senior Ranks and Junior Ranks from all units on the Island. The winners received handsome pewter tankards and a NAAFI voucher for the wherewithal to fill them. Much of the praise should go to trainer Kelly, whose exploits with maps and compass recall that his notorious name- sake was well known for activities in the trackless wastes. This conclusory paragraph was to have been devoted to sports reports, but the sports fields are all submerged in several inches of water. Readers who presume Bahrain is a desert area, to be devoid of rain, may be interested to learn that it quite often musters three and a half inches a year. Congratulations to SSM J. R. Merritt on promotion and on the award of the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. 4 FLUG.' HQ Far East Land Forces •g'• I HAVE noticed much activity by our sail- m V***^ V + ^ ^ J ' % fr atermtv * SQMS Whitwham being a Mpi^K^lW member of the winning team in the Singa- t^t^Jutfw P o r e district regatta and then of the run- X^^^^/y£ ner-up team in the FARELF regatta held ^?V I \ y * n Hong Kong. Did also note that Cap- , $ \ I fjf tain Harper has finally sold his boat and ^^^^Kw that Majors Church and Woodley are ^^**^p-^* busy repainting their own craft. | | ^ H | H H | To the airport on several occasions to •HHBHHIB bid farewell to divers members of our company: The Director flying to Hong Kong, Colonel Richardson to Kineton, SQMS Downes and Sergeant D, Trebble to Blackdown and Staff Sergeant Ramshaw to BAOR. Did also welcome Colonel Stretch to our company. Did accept liquid refreshment from Captain and Mrs Cowell and from Sergeant and Mrs Randell on the birth of their respec- tive sons. Did also accept refreshment from Sergeant Shepherd upon his elevation and Lieutenant Potter upon his receipt of the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Did note the athletic fraternity giving good account of themselves;—Captain Williamson on rugby football tour to divers places in Malaysia; SQMS Howells limbering up in preparation for the District individual badminton competition; SQMS Garrick, Staff Sergeant Brown; Sergeants Stanton, John- ston. Palmer, Milne, Smith and McCabe; Corporals Jones and Eldridge—training for the Joint Services table tennis champion- ships. Do also note that Sergeant Stanton is selector and trainer for the Headquarters football team. Whilst on perambulations did note great activity in the DOS Costing Team. Those detached in 3 BOD now being returned to the fold under the eye of Major Hornsey RAPC. During the move they did lose Mr Matthen who replaced Mr Minjoot in Ord 7. The latter, having serviced in the Supplies Branch for more than twenty years, has moved to the Com- mand Secretary Branch to keep an eagle eye on his successor. Have noted Captain Rose breaking new ground as an announcer on the Forces Broadcasting network and as author of certain articles in the church magazine. Methinks he is after my own humble monthly task. Major Rogers in addition to his church choirmaster duties has now raised a secular group of minstrels known as the " St J Singers." Do regret to record that Staff Sergeant Goldrick has re- turned to UK for medical reasons. RAOC Singapore District HEADQUARTERS: SQMS Wedgebury departed in December for Rhemdahlen so a new scribe attempts to put pen to paper for the first time, after having missed the deadline for the February GAZETTE. The list of casualties has grown. The latest was Staff Sergeant Harper who was admitted to hospital hoping to be fit again to carry out his hand-over very soon afterwards. Then there was Corporal Phillips,—hospitalised too but now back at work. Sergeant Baker's finger—the one damaged in the mincing machine has healed but he has, since then, injured the whole hand. Departures: Sgt Maule to the RAOC School; S/Sgt Stupple to the Ministry of Defence. Arrivals: S/Sgt Graves from HQ BAOR, Sgt Wilkes from 16 Para Bde. Congratulations: To SSM Johnston on the award of the LS and GC Medal. To S/Sgt Stupple on promotion. 55 SUPPLY DEPOT: We have become used to our new desig- nation although most of our customers still refer to us as the Supply Point. In the wake of the considerable reorganisation which has taken place we are finding that with resolution, double the amount of correspondence and a sense of humour we are able to maintain the standard of service which dependent units ex- pect from us. We all survived the Hari Raya Puasa, Christmas and New Year celebrations and really enjoyed the local dishes proffered to us for the first-mentioned festivity;—well, most of them. One of the contractors presented the OC with a marvellous nude calendar, with the compliments of the season and we laughed when he considerately passed it to Corporal Benoy, our only BOR bachelor. However, the following day a copy arrived for each of us. Rumour has it that Corporal Benoy did a roaring trade in Change Alley. Pride of place this month goes to two of our locally en- gaged civilian clerks—Mr John and Mr Lim, Both were awarded the C-in-C's Testimonial in the New Year's List. This award is made in recognition of long service, loyalty and devotion to duty. It has been noted that, after twelve months of deliberation and listening to BFBS bulletins, Conductor Fearn has finally purchased his much debated second-hand car. Also noted is that this vehicle is always parked, in the Depot, next to an identical model owned by Staff Sergeant Turner of the Royal Navy cold store. We wonder whether, unbeknown to each other, they are furtively swopping number plates every time a new patch of rust appears. 3 BOD OUR congratulations to Staff Sergeant C. H. J. Watts on the award of the British Empire Medal announced in the New Year Honours List. A recent arrival in Singapore, Staff Sergeant Watts earned his award in East Midlands District for duties in connection with the change in administration of the Army Cadet Force and the Combined Cadet Force. Whilst new GAZETTE correspondents are enjoined to show arrivals and departures by name only, without embellishments describing their contributions to unit activities, it is felt that retiring correspondents warrant special consideration. It was with regret, therefore, that we bade farewell to Major G. R. Guthrie who was medically evacuated at very short notice just before Christmas. We have heard recently that he is now on the road to complete recovery, which has prompted certain uncharitable thirty nine year olds to remark that some people will do anything to avoid battle efficiency tests! Christmas is family time and it certainly was this year for Sergeant K. Hewlett. First of all, his Mother arrived to spend two month's holiday with him and was joined very soon by Dad, Leading Seaman Bob Hewlett of the Leander Class Frigate, HMS Aurora, now visiting Singapore. It was inevit- 380 * |
| Book number | R0238a |