RAOC Gazette - page 69
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 |
much of this fellow for one thing and another and now we hear he wants to become a Commando! Our latest arrival Corporal Alf Bickell seems intent on giving the boss man, W02 Jim Dyer, a hard time with applica- tions for leave, courses and muck spreading stories. Rumour Control has it that he is either the ' Mole' from Whitehall or a ' Spy for the PRI.' North East District LIFE was never easy. No sooner were we congratulating ourselves somewhat complacently on the successful supply of masses of clothing to three Kit Issue Centres than we were called on to provide assistance and support to the Service contingent deployed at HM Prison Frankland, where our men on the spot were Major Jack Fellows OC ASU Catterick and W02 Dick Speirs our ROWO. It is a relief to report that both worthies are now out of the nick with full remission of sentence. Then followed the re-appearance of the already familiar Green Goddesses and the disappearance yet again of Major Derrick Eve and S02 Combat Sups; some charitable souls believe he had been whisked into the Ops Room. CRAOC is having a tough time of late having attended a National Energy Managers Course (he has yet to tell us what this was about), and to recuperate he then took the Army Squad on a rugby tour of Wales. The DGOS paid his first very welcome visit to the District recently and spent a busy two days out and about meeting people. His itinerary took in not only the Regional Depot Catterick and OSUs Hessay and Barlow but also an evening visit to'57 Company RAOC (V) where he met Major George Barton and the Company and saw them carry out train- ing. This was followed by a most enjoyable supper party in the Officers Mess where the DGOS and Mrs Brown were able to meet all our Regular and TA officers and their wives. REGIONAL DEPOT CATTERICK. The DGOS visited the Regional Depot and, by all accounts, all went well. The same day saw the last day of service before retirement of Chief Clerk Ted Foster. The Depot linked the two occasions by ask- ing the DGOS to present a Corps Plaque to Ted. live and believe it or not was fully operational on lst"January 1981. During his visit the DGOS unveiled a new Unit sign- board to signify an ' unofficial' opening of the OSU. ARMY FIRE BRIGADE CATTERICK. Sadly we have to report the formal disbandment of the Army Fire Brigade, after giving invaluable service to Catterick Garrison over the past fifty years. We were all extremely sorry to see this excellent little unit go but the decision was dictated by the present climate of severe financial restraint. Central Ordnance Depot Bicester DESPITE cveryones anticipation of having a sixteen day Christmas weekend break this year, the COD has had to con- tinue to operate as normal while the more fortunate members of the smaller garrison units were jealously watched ! **£*** locking up their doors on 19th December, not to return until 1981! Despite this, morale remains high and we hope all of the COD enjoy a peaceful and happy New Year. There are an unusual high number of officers leaving the COD this month. Major David Warnes is finally being released from the clutches of Planning Branch to go on an intellectual blast at the RMCS— the upper floor of the Headquarters will become much quieter in 1981! Major Reggie von Zugbach de Sugg also hands over his stop watch and departs to tutor the Corps future Generals at the School of Ordnance. Major Tug Wilson leaves the cares and worries of 16 Battalion to his Assistant Adjutant and journeys to the Hallowed Halls of Camberley. Major Fred Kirk left his tentage behind and departed the Corps on medical retirement—we wonder how he will now manage to wear out his Hong Kong shirts! Captain George Bartle prepares to hand his Commandant over and depart for RAOC M and RO with the glint in his eyes of powers yet to come! We wish them all every success in their new endeavours. The Bicester Garrison Squash Club played against Chil- well Garrison and arrangements were made to reciprocate in the Spring. Messrs Bateman, Collins, Huxley, Seaton and Syson enjoyed the generous hospitality of Chilwell and even- tually claimed seven to three matches. 1 SUB-DEPOT. Major Fred Kirk retired recently; his MG will no longer be seen hurtling back and forth to Chester each weekend; we wish him well. He was replaced in Group IV by Mr Bill Maskell, from Headquarters COD. Lieutenant Colonel Evans departed on 2nd December for a short tour in Ghana. He is due back in the Spring; what timing! Major Peter Scriven is keeping his seat warm and awaiting the coconuts. Mr H. Webster, ex-WOl who joined us as a civilian in November 1979, died very suddenly on 19th December; our sympathy.. goes to his wife and family. Central Ordnance Depot Chilwell The DGOS w i t h M r Ted Foster just after the presentation. The main Unit send off for Ted occurred five days before, when many of his colleagues held a buffet lunch and presenta- tion in his honour. Also in attendance on that day were two ex- OCs of the depot: Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Morton and Major Mike Wilks (Retd) as well as an ex-CRAOC Colonel David Wisdom (Retd). Quite a coincidence that the day in question should be not only Teds birthday but also the birthdays of both Colonel Wisdom and Mike Wilks. The end of the fare- well saw the OC Major John Hammond and the 2IC Captain Mac MacGill rushing back to the Headquarters to carry out the presentation of the Imperial Service Medal to Mr John Crouch who had worked for twenty seven years in various departments of the variously named Ordnance Depot in Catterick. OSU HESSA Y. Major Di Phipps' creation is at long last going THE Christmas festivities began with office and branch lunches and parties followed by the traditional visits to the Officers Mess and the WOs and Sergeants Mess. An Officers and WOs training day recently in- volved a visit to Calverton Colliery where a most interesting day was highlighted by A s s ?? II a journey along a working seam of two >\ \tf j . // hundred and fifty metres and the oppor- ^^^=>fcsA^ tunity for some to operate the moving of ^^^^^r the hydraulic roof support system as the ^^"^ coal cutting machine traversed the seam. Even the cold shower some suffered afterwards could not dampen the enjoyable experience or the thanks offered to Major Jack Thompson for so ably organising the visit The Exercise Long Look travellers have finished their holidays, we say farewell to Staff Sergeant Sloan and wish him a safe return to Australia and welcome back our own didgeri- doos, Major Albert and Staff Sergeant Harris, both indecently suntanned. An appeal to expand on Exercise Bromham's Way, a walk along the Pennines recently undertaken by a party from Chil- well and Donnington, brought the response that the Donning- ton members were writing a report but we enclose a photo- graph, taken by the Chilwell photographer, of some of the brave walkers. — 300 — |
| Book number | R0404a |