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RAOC Gazette - page 107

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Corps RAOC
Material type Journals
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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1981
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Early date 1981
Late date 1981
Transcription Cfje Station 3&£to£
&t ^nrnt
point taking an empty glass, hastily shaking out the drops
and blowing into it, prior to refilling it—nothing like a spot of
hygiene (shades of the Food Tech course)—and subsequently
reappearing with a half glass for the Colonel (" Sorry about that
Sorr we seem to have come to the end of the bottle ")—hardly
the foundation-on which to build for the future!
Ministry of Defence
MILITARY
OPERATIONS
MILITARY Operations has settled
down to work again. MOl clerks arc
just beginning to feel the pressure of
the extra work load created by the
addition of a new GS02 to their
establishment!
Our ' Sun ' crossword ace, Corporal
Allison Stead, it taking her Summer (!) leave. She said that
pressure of work has prevented her from taking it sooner. The
truth is that she has gone to South Africa for a month and
merely wanted to boast of basking in the sun while the rest of
DMO were complaining of the cold. However, I do believe
that North Africa has had its first snow fall in twenty four
years, who knows, it may spread south!
The General Staff duty clerks have recently been afforded
the privilege of hoisting and lowering the flags on the MOD
Main Building in conjunction with the Royal Navy duty clerk.
Staff Sergeant Tony Townsend of M04, and Staff Sergeant
Paul Byron of M03 had the honour of being the first RAOC
clerks to perform the duty, (One hoisting and the other lower-
ing, on alternate days). Ever since, Paul has been heard in the
corridors singing the British Airways slogan " Fly the flag."
We would like to welcome Staff Sergeant Brian Browning
from SHAPE and Staff Sergeant Chris Morris from DI4 and
wish them an enjoyable tour with us. We bid farewell to Staff
Sergeant Dennis Palmer after five years and hope he settles
back into uniform in 16 Battalion and to Staff Sergeant Cliff
Lee who is going to Liveoak.
Congratulations to Corporal Giselle Bons on her recent
promotion.
ORD 3. Pride of place this month must go to Staff Sergeant
Howard Cutler, who has recently joined us from Headquarters
BAOR to take over the duties of Chief Clerk. Wc were all
delighted to learn of his award of the BEM in the New Years
Honours, and offer our sincere congratulations. His timely
arrival has added strength to the LE(A) Cross Country team who
arc now recording their best results of the season. With S02
Coord Major Ken Mullins ' running' the team the conversation
at morning coffee is punctuated with talk of distances, timings,
strides and fartlcks! Staff has also taken over as team captain
for the inter-department fivc-a-sidc football team who arc now
improving, their best result so far is a one nil defeat!
Three other members of the branch Lieutenant Colonel
Steve Roach, Captain Tony Bridges and Captain Lennox
MacEwan regularly play hockey for LE(A). It's all done to
keep fit and ease the mental pressures.
We welcome Major Phillip Lawson from Ord Depot
Antwerp and bid a fond farewell to W02 Tom Burke on a
' home ' posting to BAOR.
ORD 4. The Branch enjoyed an excellent Christmas Dance
organised by Richard Harwood and Allan Praill; fortunately
for some, there was no photographic evidence.
Bill Berry,, looking much fitter, is now back after a period
of convalescence, and from BAOR we welcome Captain Ian
Quarrier and his family, for whom the financial wind of change
blows cold; also returned is Major David Wheeler from a
German Language Course—in preparation for his next method
study at Kineton!
Directorate of Supply Management
CONTROL
DIVISION
CORPORAL DAVE THYNNE has now departed for the
sunnier climes of Cyprus and also to be posted (in April) is
W02 Guy Adams to Brunei for two and a quarter years. He
goes on promotion and will be on Loan Service with the Royal
Brunei Malay Regiment. Also moving in April will be Staff
Sergeant Graham Chapman to Chilwell. Perhaps he will get a
desk there? Lance Corporal Geoff Miller with the (best?) post-
ing of all is going to Blackdown for a three year tour with Train-
ing Company as an MTI. Captain John Kitwood is already in
Blackdown, at the School of Ordnance, on his Provision Course.
Back from the EPC(A) Course are Sergeants Joe Leonard
and Brian Wilkes having successfully passed their respective
subjects. Anxiously awaiting results of his Aptitude Test is
Sergeant Peter Heap, and looking forward to August is Staff
Sergeant Taff Stallard when he is posted to Cyprus. He is at
present celebrating his substantive promotion to Staff Sergeant.
Also celebrating is Sergeant Dick Snell and wife Hetty on the
birth of their baby daughter Marianne.
On the sporting front, Headquarters Company aided by
DSM personnel, finished second in the inter-company cross
country event. Although there has not been any inter-depart-
mental sporting competition recently we are looking forward to
future events and they will be reported as they arise.
Headquarters Director General of Ordnance Services
ORD 1. Since our last notes we have said farewell (several
times) to Staff Sergeant Paddy Snowden who by now will be in
the land of LOA and Curry Wurst. In his place we welcome
Staff Sergeant Don Gosling who joins us after four years in
AFNORTH.
Also departing after two years in Ord la is
Major Mike Jiggens, now off to 1 Division for a well earned
rest. His successor Major Graham Gerdes has joined us from
Headquarters BAOR and we wish him a long (?) and enjoy-
able stay in Ord 1.
ORD 2. A small band of ' energy expenders' (which in-
cluded David Sandles,' Head of Ord F!) recently got together
to take on the might of a combined DGOS Sec/Ord 1 squash
side. Alas, in spite of good wins by Major Ron Gray and
Major David Howells (Retd) we had to concede victory to the
' enemy.' Major Barry Jones—Bless him, stood the cost of
drinks and sandwiches! Seriously Barry, we haven't forgotten—
we've been frantically organising raffles and whiprounds to
raise the cash for our share!
On a more serious note we said welcome to Sergeant
David Blagg who joined from UNFICYP as replacement for
Sergeant Steve Barraclough to whom we said our ' farewells'
at a small informal get together at the ' Mucky Duck' in
Monxton. It was there that Captain Ken Jackson (Food)
was heard to say in a loud whisper (when the vast majority
of us had left!) " 'Tis me 27th Birthday—the drinks are on
me!". Needless to say it only cost him about 43Jp. The news
of this momentous occasion soon reached our ears back at the
branch and on his return he was shamed (?) into making
amends. From out of nowhere he produced several glasses
and a bottle of vintage Madeira (laid down he claimed at birth
on his behalf to be cracked open on this very day!—talk
about Blarney!). Having dispensed it to those not fortunate
enough to be present at the ' Mucky Duck' he was seen at one
VEHICLE
DIVISION
SIR FRANK COOPER, Permanent Under Secretary, Ministry .
of Defence, accompanied by DGOS visited the Division recently.
After a presentation by Colonel David Porter, Sir Frank was
escorted round the Groups of Vehicle Branch by the SOI, Lieu-
tenant Colonel Dai Davies and given briefings on vehicle
management systems and procedures by Major Bob Lawton,
Major David Williams, Squadron Leader Peter Autie, Mr Colin
Penny and WOl Jeff Wilkinson the acting UKLF Fleet Manager
(Captain Nick Bell was learning how to use a Lance at the time!)
330
Book number R0404a