Back to Library Journals

RAOC Gazette - page 18

Image details

Corps RAOC
Material type Journals
Book page
Chapter head
Chapter key
Chapter number
Full title RAOC Gazette
Page number
Publication date 1979
Real page
Colour No
Grey No
Early date 1979
Late date 1979
Transcription Northern Ireland
HEADQUARTERS
-PERHAPS it is time we had a roll call—
WO I Alec McRea is still slatting away
in our Stats Cell, We are not too sure
what happens in there as we cannot get
through the security grill. Our FTOWO
WOl Mike Allen is swanning around
the Province, at least we think he is,
we have to book an appointment to see
him. He has a pile of 1771s permanently
by his desk, W02 Malcolm Wilde is still
at the helm in G Branch, he keeps indenting for a whip for his
clerks (I am getting worried about Malcolm). Staff Sergeants
wo have a abundance of, so not in any kind of order here goes,
S^art Sergeant Graham Hillier is still advising the CLF on
policy decisions (you know what these PAs are). Staff Sergeant
Pat Beales has now left us for the Embassy in Pretoria, and
his place is taken by Staff Sergeant Dave Chalmers. Staff
Sergeant Alan Macarthur is still running in GSD, with E&nny,
(Promised to mention Penny mutter, mutter). Staff Sergeant
Joe Emery is with G Intelligence and Survey, well we think he
is T you know how secretive these places are. Staff Sergeant
Alec Turner continues to flash his camera, in A1S, and Staff
Sergeant Les Davison is mourning the relegation of his foot-
bill team into the second division. Star! Sergeant Dave East
his now left us for civvy street and his place has been taken by
Staff Sergeant Phil Percival who is often seen wandering around
Q Branch saying to himself * why me/ Sergeant Bill Roche >
PA to the COS is still trying to convince us all that he is
the boss, (married three months now and still thinks he is the
boss?) Sergeant Keating in GOR is to be congratulated on
the birth of his son, well his wife really, but he did help.
Sergeant Tan Taylor, G Training, has been banned from the
Headquarters and put in a Portacabin out rear. Boy he must
have upset someone. Sergeant Alan Hall is now in the G
Registry, hiding behind piles of classified documents. Sergeant
John Starrs in G Intelligence keeps on worrying me about his
posting order, I keep telling him 3 Brigade, but he just will not
believe it. Sergeants Bill Bernard, Chief Clerk AIS, and Chris
Robinson of the Printing Press are giving ATS their expert
help, well at least that is what they tell us. Our Lance Corporals
are Bob Mays, Roy Creighton, Tom Taylor, Paul Callow, not
forgetting our Full Corporals Mick Sheppard and Steve Phillips.
These staunch lads beside emptying stationary wagons, do a
good job supporting their various Chief Clerks. Now for Ord-
nance Branch, I must be very careful here as I could either
make or break myself. 1 am surrounded by a wonderful
bunch of officers (creep creep), headed by the CRAOC Lieu-
tenant Colonel Bryan Hopkinson who can frequently be heard
at the Garrison football games. Major Tim Froffrtt is our S02
Maint ably assisted by Sergeant Harry (out on a recce) Hill.
Major John McConville aur S02 Mat, looking very pleased
with himself as he packs his MFO boxes for Kuwait, is assisted
by Captain John Withers as S03 Mat who may often be heard
singing quietly, ' Scotland the Brave' or some other pagan
chant. Captain Bob Manners (goalkeeper extraordinary) SOS'
Vehicles manages to * keep those wagons rolling,"' Last but
not least I must mention our only Private Adam Anderson,
who at eighteen years old looks at his work as a personal
challenge, or is it the work looking at him as a personal
challenge?
Six stalwart 1 Senior Ranks receive their Long Service and Good
Conduct Medals from Major General Trant.
Sergeant Dave Warrier Is busy preparing for his posting
to Canada and he is wondering whether he has been offered a
share in the removals firm that gave him a quote for moving
his dog.
Accommodation at Kinnegar is now at a premium as we
currently have an influx of single soldiers. The Regimental
Officer Captain Alastair Shackleton who has been tasked with
solving the problem is considering opening a Marriage Bureau
as we have plenty of spare quarters. His efforts to date seem to
have proved very successful in that Jed Glynn, Mick Kennedy,
Tommy Eddleston and Neill Anderson have all taken the
plunge and we wish them and their wives every happiness in
the future.
South East District
THE month started with a TAVR Officers
Training Weekend which was held in the,
School of Ordnance. This weekend, which
was organised and presented by CRAOC
and his staff, covered much unchartered
ground and was acclaimed a great success
by all who attended.
Ordnance Branch at the Headquarters
has been suffering slightly more dis-
ruption than usual having been banished
to the * back lot' of the Headquarters, the rumour being
that the rest of the Headquarters could not stand the pace!
The CRAOC, possibly in response to this impending chaos
at home has spent most of the month visiting Units, only
returning occasionally to survey the wreckage and find out
where they have hidden the Chief Clerk!
We welcome Major Richard Kirby to the Headquarters
in the DAQMG slot in Q Ops/Coord, a post which we have
won from REME!
ASU Aldershot has bid farewell to Mr George Humphries
on posting to a CASO appointment in ASU Minden. Con-
gratulations and welcome to Mr David Jones who joins us on
promotion to fill the CASO appointment
On a closing note we congratulate Staff Sergeant and Mrs
Brian Smith (Chief Clerk G Training) on the birth of their
son and we note the entry of the S03 Mat, Captain Bryden
Ritchie, into the ranks of the * Pads '—how the mighty have
fallen!
Ordnance Depot Northern Ireland
THE School of Ordnance has a lot to answer for as Captain
Mike Wilcox puts some of the storage theory he acquired on
the recent OOs Course into practice, WOl Tony Bailey keeps
assuring everyone, but with little conviction, that his boss's
new system will work. When he is not moving pallets Corporal
John Ridley is paddling around the firing range roads in an
effort to maintain his place on the squash ladder. Continuing
in the Kronen berg tradition Corporal Graham Chambers and
Lance Corporal Jim Mulligan did well in the Northern Ireland
Minor Units cross country in bringing the Depot team into
second place. CSM Ken McCormick and Sergeant Cas Castillb
having acquired a taste for that brew in last year's RAOC
Small Arms Meeting have started practising already for next
year. Modestly he says that they are not yet at champagne
standard.
The relative peace and quiet of Kinnegar was rudely dis-
turbed by a bomb scare when a visiting driver was unable to
recognise a mysterious sack on the back of his vehicle. Felix
was tasked and succeeded in making a mess of the Depot as he
demolished a misplaced bag of refuse,

6th Field Force
ON the sporting front it has been all go
with ninety eight per cent of this Head-
quarters representing somebody or other
in some sort of competitive sport. Our
rugby expert, Captain Desmond Townsend
plays for Aldershot Services. On the hockey
field we have Corporal Phil Congden and
Sergeant Evan Douglas playing for the
Signal Squadron, on the football field we
have Lance Corporal Smudge Smith, Staff
Sergeant Dave Wolfe, Private Steve
Findlater and Private John Mooney (FOP) displaying their
talents or lack of for the Ord Company, and Lance Corporal
Leo Viette (RPC) punching his way into the Squadron boxing
team.
239

Book number R0247a