RAOC Gazette - page 31
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 | No |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1981 |
| Late date | 1981 |
| Transcription |
JJetog from &broao Headquarters NORTHAG STAFF SERGEANT MIKE BLAIR has recently received his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal It was presented by the Senior UK Army Officer Headquarters Norihag, Brigadier McMicking. Then came the best part, he invited his colleagues to the Dutch Inn to help him celebrate and fell foul of three other holders of the Medal. Our picture shows him. apparently looking at something in the bottom, of his glass. Congratulations Staff, worth waiting for. Congratulations also go to newly pro- moted WCM John Russell. He was ap- palled at the suggestion of one of our older soldiers that as he works directly responsible to the Conductor of the Front Office, should he not be known as the sub Conductor? May we take this opportunity to wish all Corps Members and their families a very happy and prosperous New Year. 'And about time too! 1 came the cry from our illustrious SO AG (UK) Gl etc EPS have come back into the fold so please lend us a sympathetic ear (pathetic may be!). Having written Exercise Collective Gambit 81 and Exercise Able Archer 81 'twas our turn to sit back and watch the fruits of our labour and only needed Russ Abbott to complete the show. Everyone in the Headquarters now breathes half a sigh of relief. On the EPS clerical side Corporal Pete Jones can be heard (often) saying " Gimme back the Ministry of Defence—1 don't care, I only worked twelve hours a day there "—the rest of us being thick skinned tend to ignore his cries -the tranquillisers do help you know. Private Marvin Bargrove not only has a brand new Dagenham Dustbin to drive around, it's almost BFG'd as well. Chief Clerk EPS SQMS Geoff Garrett conjured up a Garrison RAOC football team to play in the first round of the DOS (BAOR)—premonitioned to beat Richmond Associates here in Rheindahlen,—only to suffer the indignity of losing seven to one and that after being one nil up from a brilliant goal by Corporal George Grant who, incidentally when warned for posting shortly has stated that he is having his farewell drinks for his friends in the 'phone box opposite the ' Big House/ Other notable sporting achievements are—SQMS Barry Quigley completed the now famous * Bielefeld Marathon ' but found it a little harder than he expected, but he promises to do better next year. Not content with that, the * deadly d u o ' of SQMS's Quigley and Boshier with Staff Sergeant Mike Blair formed part of the JHQ Cross Country Team for the BAOR Corps Cross Country Championships and came a creditable second. Chief Clerk EPS would also like to suggest that Corps members should endeavour to keep in touch through THE GAZETTE and that the odd re-union wouldn't go amiss. For in- stance, it is his intention to gather as many Corps and ex-Corps members who served in Headquarters 2nd Division during 1963— 1969 to re-unite at the Lubbecke Bierbrunnfest in 1982. Food for thought? Staff Sergeant Blair celebrates his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal at the Dutch Inn. and we worked hard to perpetuate the * Mad Dogs . . .' theme. We played seven-a-side cricket in the bowl of an extinct (we hope) volcano, in un-Lord's gear, withouL boundaries and on one occasion in a temperature of one hundred and four degrees. The ' Wonderbats' were hampered by Lieutenant Colonel David Chapman, W r 02 John Collison (highest individual scorer of the Summer League—sixty not out) and W 2 Pete Murray, Corporal Gary Middleton played for one of the other teams, but will be given the opportunity to redeem himself next season. Until then he will be paying penance by playing rugby along with Corporal Dave Lawrence whenever a ship of HM Navy ties up in Naples, The British Summer Fete, sited on the same extinct volcano, (is someone, somewhere, trying to convey a message?) was a great success. Stalls were ably constructed despite the hot sunny weather by Messrs. Collison and Murray. Corporals Middleton and Lawrence, and the plant stall was run by Mrs Murray on the day, whilst Mrs Collison assisted (?) at the book stall. £5.000 which was raised by the fete, has been con- tributed to various charities so we are all resting on our laurels— till someone starts planning for next year, of course. The Social Event of the Year will be the RAOC Ladies' Dinner Night, to be held at a local Pizzeria. The aim of this extravaganza is to have a Corps get-together where the new boy, Lieutenant Colonel David Chapman, recently dubbed * CRAOC Vesuvio ' by some wit {now you all know the reason for this unifs reappearance in THE GAZETTE), and his wife, Bunty, can meet all members of the Corps serving in this far- flung out post of Empire. Hopefully a full house will bring W 2 John and Mrs Sandy Collison. W 2 Pete and Mrs Margaret Murray, W02 John and Mrs Jane Watts (without young Mark no doubt, born 31.8,81—congratulations). Sergeant John and Mrs Sonia Hotchkiss. Sergeant Ken Campbell, whose wife will be joining him after the birth of their baby in January, Corporal Gary Middleton and Corporal Dave Lawrence. Sergeant John and Mrs Maureen Stannard will not be with us as they are now back in UK. They leave the newcomers frantically trying to master basic Italian via Gateway 1, or * Doorway to Desperation * as it is known in at least one household. Regardless, whoever designates BFPO numbers must have decided on ' eight * for Naples with tongue in cheek—it's the eighth Wonder of the World if you are serving here. Allied Forces Southern Europe HEADQUARTERS IT is said that Naples air affects the mind; this must be true, as it is now some eighteen months since the last time BFPO 8 inched its way into the pages of the Corps GAZETTE! Winter is now upon us; we wear pullies woolly and work ; proper * hours; the swimming pools have been emptied; the tourists are gone (apart from us, of course), but the sun still shines. But what of the summer, we hear you cry . . . . it was hot — 302 |
| Book number | R0250a |