RAOC Gazette - page 114
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 |
B COMPANY. The first work day of 1981 saw us with a new Admin Officer, Captain Ian Wafforne departed down the road to be MA to the Commandant COD Bicester and he was replaced by Captain Billy Tweddle who came all the way from Head- quarters Company. We wish Captain Wafforne all the best in his new job and welcome our new Admin Officer. Since the news of snow in Scotland, we have been beavering away at the preparation for Exercise Snow Plough. The exercise is to take place in the Cairngorm Mountains in March, so every- one is shining the skis and getting out their winter woollies! We hope the exercise produces some good stories and photo- graphs which we'can use in future editions of these notes. On the sporting front, B Company won the Battalion Cross Country Race for the second year running. The team event was a close run thing, but we managed to narrowly beat Headquarters Company. We welcome Privates Bowyer, Coyle and Davis to the Com- pany and hope they enjoy their tour in the B for Best Company. We say Bon Voyage to Private Bryant and family on posting and wish them luck in their new station. Army Air Corps HQ DA AC ORD {AIR) BRANCH. A quiet month after the Christmas and New Year festivities but ends with a sad note in that there will be some staff changes again. Firstly Jean North who works on the Engine and Fuel side of the house is transferring to Civil Admin in the Army Air Corps Centre on the other side of the main road so we will see her from time to time. Secondly Jock Baynham who runs one of the Progression Cells is retiring after a very long career in the Air World firstly with the RAF and then nine years with the Ord (Air) Branch. We wish him all the best in his retirement which will en- able him to work full time at his hobbies which are Wine Making and Gardening. Their replacements are eagerly awaited and will be reported in our next newsletter. 1 AIRCRAFT SUPPORT UNIT. The Middle Wallop RAOC Fight the Flab Club which meets, willingly or otherwise, at 8 am every Monday continues against all odds but does ensure a constant supply of volunteers for detached duty. We marked this month with a farewell presentation to Corporal Nisbet who has left the Army at the end of his Service and starts a new career having been called to the bar. (Running a pub actually but it sounds better). As GAZETTE notes are my witness he promised us all a free drink or three once he is established. We wish him and his family every happiness in their new life—Supply Specialist (Alcohol). By the time these notes are published we shall know the outcome of our fixture with 6 Field Force Ordnance Company in the Richards Cup Soccer. We await the match with eager anticipation and hope that our opponents are not feeling too complacent. If so they have not reckoned with Corporal Mc- Kimm's plimsoles. Welcome to Staff Sergeant McBryde who takes up the mantle of responsibility in Northern Ireland in succession to Staff Sergeant Starkey whom we wish every success in BAOR. Welcome also to Corporals Dexter and Hey who join us from Hong Kong and Dulmen respectively. 2 AIRCRAFT SUPPORT UNIT. Welcomes are extended to Sergeant Welsh and his family, Privates Bellamy-Wood and Herbert and Lance Corporal Speed. Issues from the unit are Lance Corporal Spillings who is off to Kineton and Lance Corporal (Roughy toughy) Norris who seems to prefer a more physical routine. We also say farewell to Lance Corporal Stynes whose driving abilities will no doubt be a boon to Bicester. I mustn't forget to mention the departure of our blonde bombshell and typist extraordinaire, Miss Yvonne Pollitt. WOl Beaton reckons the coffee has improved one hundred per cent. Our deadly foursome, Corporal Parish, Lance Corporal Green and Privates Gore and Legge are to be congratulated on the high pass marks they all received on their recent 4/72 Supply Controllers Course. Congratulations are also in order for Sergeant Parnell who recently attained an A Grading on the All Arms RQMS/CQMS Course. Captain Curtis, our OC, seems to be always conducting interviews for potential transfers in to the Corps. If they all come over, we think AG9 might consider his next appointment as part of the Corps Recruiting Team. We have had some visiting VIPs, too. The cast, in order of appearance, has been General Sir Patrick Howard-Dobson the VCDS (P and L), Brigadier Bowser who is Brigadier AQ at 1 (BR) Corps, Colonel Tyler the CAE who conducted the Tech Review of our Parent unit, 71 Aircraft Workshop REME, and our very own CCRAOC, Brigadier J. H. Skinner. It's amazing how the CCRAOC seems to turn up when the OCs gone out. Each of them seemed impressed with our computerized account- ing system or perhaps the looks were of perplexity. 10 Ordnance Support Battalion HEADQUARTERS COMPANY WHILST the two regular Companies are busily ' getting it to- gether ' for one exercise or another the Headquarters carries on with its administrative duties. There was an FFR and it all seemed to go well, our QM Major Willie Williamson now seems to have found everything including his office and is now trying to improve the living standards of the soldiers. The ACC under the firm guidance of Staff Sergeant Ray Parsons, continue to provide excellent service and on the sport- ing side the standard is improving on all fronts, even the rugby team nearly won a game recently. New arrivals'are RSM Wilson, Corporals Mayhoe, Evans and Lance Corporal Grace. 47 UKMF(L) COMPANY ANYONE who has visited Devizes recently would have been mistaken in thinking that 47 UKMF(L) Company has gone into hibernation. The cold winds have driven us indoors but the work of bringing together the Company is progressing well. The Company has also weathered its first PRE inspection and feels fit for anything. This is just as well with the daily gloomy reports of strikes in ' this and that' appearing in the papers. Sergeant Egan finally got out on parole at the end of the prison warders work to rule. Not everyone is chained to the barrack routine, indeed Lieu- tenant Jobbings only managed one day in station before flying out to Kenya to join his section. Also away are Sergeant Mack and Lance Corporal Sutherland to Cyprus, while Corporal Lay- don and Lance Corporal Kilroy are destined to go to Norway. We welcome Sergeant Clydesdale, Lance Corporal Duff and Privates Bennett, Downey, Kirkwood, South and Reid; and goodbye to Sergeant Jones and Private Sloat. 48 AMF(L) COMPANY FOREMOST in the minds of all concerned is Exercise Hard- fall 81. Physical training is in full swing as well as the pack- ing of all the necessary vehicles and containers. Though Hard- fall is shorter this year and the LOA is definitely less, the Com- pany is looking forward to moving out to the cold barren wastes of the Norwegian Tundra! There are a few new faces in the Company, namely Private Sneddon who has already proved himself to be a useful foot- ball player as well as a young whippet around the BFT circuit, look out Sergeant Terry McGaghey, you have a rival! Other faces include Sergeants Phillips and Jones, Lance Corporal Kubara, Privates Cowley, Jackson and Campbell. The OC has now got a smile on his face—AG9 presented him with a posting to Headquarters RAOC 3 Division. 6 Field Force ORDNANCE COMPANY WITH 1981 now well and truly under way, the Company is already preparing itself for a busy year, despite the cuts. As well as the Technical and Regimental exercises which are beginning to loom over the horizon, plans are also being made for a variety of adventurous training pursuits. Perhaps our most challenging under- taking in this respect is the entry of a team for the Devizes/Westminster Canoe Race. Although the team currently lacks the experience and expertise of many of its rivals, it is training extremely hard, being lucky enough to have both the time and facilities available to reach a reasonably high standard in the months leading up to the race. Training is varied, and include multigym work, stamina training and swimming/lifesaving, besides the more conventional canoe work. — 337 — |
| Book number | R0404a |