RAOC Gazette - page 28
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1981 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | Yes |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1981 |
| Late date | 1981 |
| Transcription |
We welcome WOl Bulmer to the Company and con- gratulate him on promotion. We also welcome Technical Train- ing Wing to our administrative care. We say farewell, on posting, to WOl Charlie Davenport to Kuwait. Army Air Corps ORD (AIR)—{Outdoor Activities). There was so much ' all work and no play,' that the arduous continual daily habit of hard work had to be relieved and we achieved it by mounting an Ad- venturous Training Exercise to Austria. Exercise Frugal Locksmith was mounted by Headquarters AAC 1 (BR) Corps Ord (Air) and included both Head- quarters and 2 Aircraft Support Unit RAOC personnel. After a fifteen hour journey by train from Bielefeld to Spittal in Southern Austria t i e group de-trained at the base of the Kreuzeck Group in darkness! However rigour undaunted the exercise continued in fair spirits. Corporal Bowser suffered the delights and pleasure of body over-exposure, and Lance Corporal Pope proved he could swim, without the floatation effect of his contact lenses. Sergeant Gordon used a well known ' You-hu' adhesive to successfully overcome his vertigo. however he professes to encountering extreme difficulty pass- ing his BFT with several tons of rocks still adhering to his feet and hands. Lance Corporal Spellings climbed well and enjoyed Austria to the full including the Amstel and Carlsberg and Hereforder, and Heinekin peaks. The exercise led by Major ' hard pad' de Foubert covered in excess of one hundred kilometres (as the crow flies), climbed six peaks including the Reisseck, two thousand nine hundred and ninety two metres (eight thousand nine hundred and seventy six feet) and ensured that all members learned many obvious and not quite so obvious lessons. Sadly we say farewell to Staff Sergeant Mathers who has soldiered long and faithfully within Ord (Air) circles, he has left us with a well and truly earned promotion to W02. our heartiest congratulations Q. On the credit side Staff Sergeant Dodd has recently arrived to fill the vacuum, welcome Staff to you and your family. # •FAACO NEWS. To Sergeant Wilbourne and family a big wel- come to Ord (Air), we hope the hand over went well and that you've got no problems. Sergeant Burton has also recently returned to the fold from his RAF 4.72 course and thinks it was all ' a bit of all right.' We wonder what happened at RAF Hereford and look forward to finding out in the course report. Finally FAACO's beware Staff Sergeant Dodd claims to know all the dodges (exclam). 1 AIRCRAFT SUPPORT UNIT. In spite of the dreaded mora- torium which seems to be invoked at every opportunity, for better or worse, the past month has been as busy as ever and has seen several arrivals and departures. We welcome our new OC Major Pollard who joins us from Headquarters UKLF. The WO's and SNCOs were immediately sorry to see that their generosity and hospitality in ' lunching-in ' the new OC just prior to his arrival did not have the desired effect since the early morning Monday runs still take place. Another welcome ' arrival' is the new bulk storehouse which is now completed and ready for occupation. Hopes to see it fully operational with high rise racking and up-to-date MHE have unfortunately been temporarily dashed as a result of the current financial situation but we hope to report progress on this soon. Two hours after the Board of Officers accepted the completed building National Carriers Ltd wrecked the main door but that is another story! We said a fond farewell this month to Major Greenwood who left us after three years with the Unit. Major Greenwood saw the Unit through the difficult period of amalgamation with the Support Section at Netheravon and his guiding hand has been behind the rebuild and modernization which is now com- plete. We wish him and Joyce every success and happiness in the new posting to DLSA. We welcome Private Jenkins who joins us from the Depot and welcome back from Northern Ireland Corporal Douglas and also Corporal McLellan who returns complete with new wife and instant family. Congratulations! We say farewell to Corporal Flower who departs shortly to be our man in Belize, Corporal Bourne who is off to replace Corporal Douglas in Northern Ireland and Lance Corporal Vasissiere on posting to BAOR. Photo Major N. O. H. de Foubert. Lance Corporal Spellings wishing he were somewhere else. 2 AIRCRAFT SUPPORT UNIT. Due to an FTX called Exercise Crusader 80 we didn't submit our usual tale of happen- ings from our little town of Wetmold! Well, now all our brave warriors are back in the fold and none appear to be the worse for it! Stories from them—Sergeant Danagher and Private Lee were chased by geese every time they were stood to! No names mentioned but one or more of our MSD changed sides from the Blue Force to the Orange Force and then to the Neutral Force all in the course of a single run back to Detmold for spares! It got confusing for them, let alone the Traffic Police. Sergeant Hall became part of the US 82 (Hell on Wheels) division without any option, due to being caught up in their night dash whilst on an urgent collection of spares. He was caught in the middle of their convoy for two hours going through both Orange and Blue force held villages. Back at base the noble few left behind were at it night and day, being called out and attacked by air and others. Cap- tain Curtis is now assured that the 4-72 system may be operated in full NBC kit whilst under gas attack. Unfortunately, Staff Sergeant Lewis was unable to confirm this, due to sleeping throughout the whole thing. We say goodbye to Corporal Finer, he's off all the way to 12 Flight AAC in Wildenrath. Farewell and congratulations go to Bob Ward on his move to Dulmen together with his Staff Sergeant. We say ' hi gang and welcome' to Privates Walton and Adams. Lance Corporal Speed has joined us from 2 ADOC. Welcome to the scenic route of Tuesday and Thursday after- noons! Petroleum Centre THE Petroleum Centre has been visited this month by Brigadier Berresford the COO and Brigadier Young DQMG UKLF. On their tour of the Depot it was unfortunate that Brigadier Berresford demonstrated his electric personality by failing the safety test for charged bodies! It turned out he has particularly well insulated shoes. A well heeled officer?. Nevertheless he took the Commandant's invitation to walk round the Depot on his hands in good part. On the Depot side we welcome Major Ron Medley our new OC Depot, who it has been noticed, comes to work on PT mornings not only in tracksuit but with full pack also. The sportsmen have been active as our soccer team under the joint control of Sergeants Charlie Cannings, Jimmy Ross and Corporal Jock Willis continue to have mixed results. We do score goals and our top scorer Corporal Dave Webster recently scored his eleventh of the season. WOl Mick Dodwell is busy persuading people that hockey is a suitable alternative— we have sticks, next month we may get some posts. Congratulations to Corporal Dave Blakeledge on promotion to that rank. West Moors has its own detachment of newly formed ACF lads wearing the RAOC cap badge—at least they will when they get some uniforms. CSM Tony Mclntyre is there, pace stick a-quiwer, to drill them,—he needs the practice, some- body nominated him for an All Arms Drill Course at Pirbright this month. No, we don't feel sorry for him, as long as they switch him off before they send him back. |
| Book number | R0404a |