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RAOC Gazette - page 25

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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 South West District
RESETTLEMENT is in the air with one or
two of our officers scanning the Resettle-
ment Bulletins. Major Reg Frisby has just
completed his Bricks and Mortar Course—
best course he has ever had he says. Odd
he was runner-up for the Ragltn Trowel
awarded to the student ¥ who benefitted
most from the Course'!
Our ROWO, W 2 Jim Sharrock, is off
to Bangkok next year with his wife Margaret
as his reward for organising the winning
team of the Swan National Squash Competition- Congratulations.
Captain Stephen Monk, the S03 S Man, has returned from
an E Man Course for a few weeks prior to going to J DSC. He
is playing Simple Simon in the Larkhill Panto this year. We
have asked AG9 to annotate the post of S03 S Man SWDIST
as * an officer possessing the qualities of Alec Guiness,' as you
will all remember his predecessor Major Lawrence Wood was
also involved in the Larkhill Amateur Dramatic Society—winners
of the 1981 UK Army Drama Festival.
Mrs Kalhie Rand, one of our S Man Clerks, spent a lovely
day recently at Buckingham Palace. Her husband (Lieutenant
Colonel K. J. Rand ACC) was attending an Investiture to receive
the OBE, We believe we saw her on the ' t e l e ' next to Sir
Harry Secombe.
We are pleased to welcome Mrs Christine Andrews to the
S Man team. Since her arrival our Regulations have been so
thoroughly amended that we can now boast an up to date set of
manuals,
STORES PLATOON 10 FIELD
WORKSHOP
STAFF SERGEANT STEEN has left for far off Kineton and is
replaced by Staff Sergeant Goodrum who has settled in well
and enjoys the farewell parties we have had.
On the sporting scene Lance Corporal Barraclough recently
took part in the Devizes Carnival Marathon and we are
pleased to say he completed the full twenty six miles three
hundred and eighty five yards, * Don't forget the three hundred
and eighty five yards," his words—not mine. Naturally we were
all broke having sponsored him. All monies went to the
Devizes Charities Appeal. Well done.
Lance Corporal Horn has been recognised for his goal
keeping talents by the Corps and our congratulations go to
him. Private Tierney is hoping to follow in the same steps
shortly.
The OC continues to keep the rugby players working—all
we need now is the results to match the work.
By the time this article appears Mrs Pattison, Lance
Corporal Barraclough and OC will be serving in Germany and
Miss Donna Stevenson to RAF Wittering. Our good wishes go
with them.
Our new OC is to be Captain Lear from the Supply Depot
Bulford. We wish him a successful tour.
In addition to a minimum of twelve hours training p e r
day we carried out our full tech role at night, receiving and
handling one thousand five hundred demands during our evening
opening hours. Well done the tech stalwarts, who had some-
thing to take their minds off aching feet each night. The Mobile
Bath Unit was in the capable hands of Lance Corporals Cameron
and Trudgian. Corporal Barry Holloway set up his stall for
sweets and tea, and was seen relieving grateful infanteers of
their pocket money in return for goodies.
The March and Shoot came but unfortunately, Lieutenant
Andy Whttcley's Platoon did not win as we had hoped (he
thinks that they peaked early). Heiiborne dawn attacks on
heavily defended bridges are now a company speciality, if iu
doubt ask 2 Queens! The highlight of the exercise was the part
devoted to escape and evasion. The company was commanded
at JNCO level with Corporal Bennion acting as the OC,
Officers and Senior Ranks were turfed out of their beds in
the early hours of the morning and twenty four hours of pain
over up to forty kilometres ensued.
It was interesting to watch the different styles adopted by
the escapers. A certain RQMS (Alan Proudlove) was seen
jumping in and out of taxis. Captain Nick Whale and Staff
Sergeant Paul Sutterby with Sergeant Chris Davies leapt into a
swamp in their efforts to escape. Meantime Captain Maurice
Palmer and Second Lieutenant Ian Wallwork were in the more
tactical mode, apparently a certain Subaltern pays highly for
chocolate bars!
Congratulations to Captain Maurice Palmer our AO who
captained the RAOC Badminton Team who won the Army Inter
Corps Competition at Worthy Down, We say farewell to our
Chief Clerk Staff Sergeant Steve Morgans who leaves us for
Norway, and also to Lance Corporal Simpson on posting to
3 BAD.
Welcome to Staff Sergeants Mick Shaw, Rab Pender,
Privates Brown (again), Hill, Thomson, Toplis, and Scott.
SUPPLY DEPOT
BULFORD
THESE last weeks have seen the Depot thronged with PSA
contractors, who are completely re-tiling the four storehouses and
repainting the bakery.
CRAOC, Colonel Harverson visited and whilst nimbly
avoiding falling slates, saw all departments including out
ammunition compound at Tidworth.
Sergeant Brian Taylor our Master Butcher has moved his
family into private accommodation at Cleethorpes by the Sea
(a stones throw we hear!); most Friday evenings, duties
permitting, he sets a course of NNE with grim determination,
Corporal Taff Humphreys, our other butcher, is gleefully
anticipating his sunshine tour in Belize, whilst Private Jim
Strang is digging out his winter woollies in readiness for Exercise
Knees Bend in his native Scotland.
7 Field Force
ORDNANCE
COMPANY
WE have now returned to Barracks from
the Force Concentration held this year in
' sunny ' Otterburn and a hectic time was
had by all. Although the main aim was to
win the G O C s March and Shoot, to this
end the two Platoon Commanders, Lieu-
tenant Andy Whiteley and Second Lieu-
tenant Ian Wallwork, beasred their
platoons over the boggy border hills and to obtain valuable
military skills training.
— 296
Headquarters Scotland (Army)
IT only seems a few days since I sat down
to write last months notes. Little of note
has happened, we've played some golf,
done a few inspections, coped with masses
of paperwork, girded our loins in
preparation to teach soldiers about tankers
and then ungirded them again and
generally had a normal working month.
We had a visit by WOl Andaloro of the
RAAOC, while here he learned some new
words, eg Glenmorangie, Glen Livet,
Talisker, Laphroig. He has departed for
home bearing a new * dictionary' for his
friends to taste.
Some members of DC and T ventured over the border to
see why the new No. 1 Dress Jacket for the Scottish Infantry
didn't fit. We have convinced them it isn't the Jocks that are the
wrong shape—after all a size five jacket ought to be the same
size and colour no matter which firm makes it or which day it
was made on!
STORES SECT/ON RA RANGE
HEBRIDES
I T S about time we sent off some more GAZETTE notes we
thought so fc that the rest of the RAOC would not forget us out
here in the Wild Atlantic West; We are all bearing up under
the strain of bad weather—rain, wind, rain . . . and short daylight
ho urs and looking forward to Red Cross parcels and spring.
There has been plenty of work on within the Stores Section.
We have receipted our new OC Captain Nigel Banks from
Northern Ireland although we are having problems locating him!
We say goodbye and good luck to Captain Sam Slade and his
wife Collina who have departed for Plymouth,
W02 Dave McCarthy and family are well settled in now
and have become keen fishers to such an extent they have a boat
in the QM Stores awaiting fine weather or a flood, whichever
comes first.
Staff Sergeant George Robinson his wife Flo and familv
have left us and taken up residence in Antwerp. We hope afl
goes well for them in their new posting.
Sergeant Norman Coom is preparing to leave us for Canada
and has been scribbling down handover notes for about a
week and blowing the circuits on his calculator working out
LOA rates. Corporal Paul Trent has left and will be soaking
up the sun in Cyprus now. His relief Corporal Seb Paterson,
family and ferret are settled in, the ferret particularly enjoying
the Hebridean diet of fresh rabbit and storemans leg!
Book number R0250a