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RAOC Gazette - page 89

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1981
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Early date 1981
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Transcription Browne The headquarters clerical world is headed by W02
Ron While who sits with his Gurkhas in the registry, guarding
the stationery key. Directly below him, (in the mam office)
arc the Chief Clerks of G and AQ. G Branch consists of the
Chief Clerk.Sergeant Phil CVDonnell. Corporal Mick Dobrowolski
is our Ops/Trg King. Corporal Trev (Crunch) Savory holds
the SD side of things together—sometimes. On the G side we
also have our own tame WRAC. Lance Corporal Manon
Waldron.
The AQ side of the headquarters is headed by
Sergeant Stu Coxe, ably assisted by Corporal Tony Mackey on
the Q Ops side. Lance Corporal Blaster Bates deals with the
A' side of AQ There are two more RAOC members in the
headquarters. First off our Staff Captain Q Ops, Captain Nick
McNally and last but not least, our Force Ammunition
Technician, Staff Sergeant Paul Fletcher.
Has this headquarters achieved anything? Well, yes. Mem-
bers of the RAOC element of the headquarters, namely Captain
Rees Staff Sergeant Fletcher and Sergeant Browne were in the
team that won the Gurkha Field Force seven-a-side rugby
tournament in 1980; the ten pin bowling team consisting of
Corporals Mackey, Dobo, Savory, Sergeant CVDormell and our
one RAOC member within the Signal Squadron, Sergeant Mick
Daly are at the ' top' of the handicap league.
Goings—Lance Corporal Blaster Bates is off to Ashford,
Corporal Tony Mackey is soon to depart for Londonderry.
Sergeant Stu Coxe is off to Bielefeld and WOZ Ron White is also
to depart for BAOR.
You can see that the nucleus of the clerical side of the
headquarters in the new year will be made up of Corporals
Trev Savory and Mick Dobo, No writings about the head-
quarters would be complete without a mention of our little
round TafT, Sergeant Ian Thompson,
Headquarters British Forces Belize
STAFF
CLERKS
ALL good things must
come to an end they
say and we have finally
said goodbye to W 2
Steve Shear after his
twenty three month
eighteen month tour,
That is certainly better
than Sergeant Brian
Skidmore who asked for an extension and got his tour
reduced by two weeks—good job his camera gear is twelve
months two weeks old!
To bring the world wide fan club up to date we bring you
the Force Headquarters Belize Posting Order special: Sergeant
Brian Skidmore to JATE—I know he asked for somewhere cool
but UK. in February? Corporal Paul Ash ton to 5 Field Force in
the land of LOA in March. Corporal Haslam to Headquarters
South West District in May.
Private Ian Wade to Headquarters Intelligence and Survey
Group (G). Good luck in your first real job, and Corporal Jim
Hawkins our friendly neighbourhood photographer to Middle
Wallop.
To quote past notes from all units and headquarters we
wish all our readers the best of luck for 1982 and who knows
someone else will be typing these splendiferous notes in the
future. I wonder who does the ones for JATE—we don't seem
to have seen anything in THE GAZETTE. I bet it will be me!
Actually it is a good job Super-Typist is leaving—he forgot
to say welcome to the new Force Chief Clerk W 2 Will Mc-
Burney who joined us in December on the departure of W02
Steve Shear. Welcome to Barbara and the children. We hope
you enjoy the sun and sand and service in Belize.
REMEMBER THE DEADLINE FOR
COPY —28th OF EACH MONTH —
WITH THE EDITOR AT DEEPCUT
RAOC
ASSOCIATION
(See also page 340.)
Birmingham Branch
THE attendance at our Christmas Draw was down this year
mainly because of weather conditions, and disruptions to public
transport services, but forty people had a very enjoyable evening,
From the profits we shall be donating one hundred pounds to
the Cripples Car Circle, a Birmingham voluntary organisation
whose members take crippled, and other disabled people to
picnics, parties, and shows throughout the year. Many of those
helped would be completely house bound, but for the CCC.
A number of our members, and their ladies attended the
Shropshire Branch Christmas Draw, and from reports they had
a real good time. The weather was bad, and I am afraid
that one or two of us are now fine weather drivers, hence we
stayed at home. No names, no pack drill.
Didcot Branch
THE Branch has had a successful and well-supported year and we
extend our thanks to the PMCs of the Officers and Sergeants Mess
respectively for their co-operalion and assistance in the staging
of our social events.
Thanks also to that hardworking and enthusiastic pair W02
Alan Wrotchford and Major Ron Dyer, to the former for
organising our entertainments, and to the latter for the 'raffles*
which enabled our functions through the year to be largely
financially self-supporting.
During the year Major Geoff Thomas was posted and
handed over as Chairman to Major Roger Bicknell. Captain
Graham Grant took over as Treasurer from Major Alex Lamb.
The Branch was well represented at the RAOC Association
Dinner and Reunion at Kineton with twenty three members
attending.
At the Vauxhall Barracks summer fete the White Elephant
stall ran by the Branch raised over £50,
In September we had the pleasure of entertaining members
and their ladies of the Didcot Branch of the Royal British
Legion at a social evening in the Sergeants Mess. This was a most
enjoyable occasion and it also provided a valuable exchange of
views with a fraternity holding similar aims to ourselves.
The Branch Standard was carried by Ted Manning, our
standard bearer, at the Didcot Military Station Remembrance
Day Service held in All Saints Garrison Church Didcot. An
Association wreath was laid by Major Ron Dyer. Lunch was
taken afterwards in the Officers and Sergeants Messes.
By courtesy of the Commander Didcot Military Station,
Brigadier Smith, the Branch annual dinner was held in the
Officers Mess. Seventy five members and their ladies attended,
some travelling long distances to be with us. The attractive
scene had a further spot of colour added by one of our members
who was in his dress uniform. This was our guest In Pensioner
Willy Johnson, who until his admission to the Royal Hospital
Chelsea, regularly attended our Branch meetings. It was good
to see him again at the first and what we hope will be many
dinner dates with us at Didcot.
Shropshire Branch
THE Christmas Draw and Dance held in the TA Centre was a
terrific success with one hundred and seventy three Lripping the
light fantastic to Brian Tinsely's band under their new name of
11
Silk."
We must salute Malcolm Bennett's party of twenty six
who braved ice, fog and snow to give their party one hundred
per cent attendance, well done!
During the evening the Secretary raffled one bottle of
whisky in aid of the Disabled Christmas Party and raised £45
which was gratefully received by Rob Hood in his wheelchair.
Rob had given a demonstration of courage and spirit during the
evening by joining the dancers on the floor—an inspiration to
us all!
Our next Branch Function will be our AGM and Annual
Dinner to be held at Parsons Barracks on Thursday 25th March
1982. Our DGOS, Major General Brown, has kindly accepted
our invitation to be Guest of Honour and we look forward
to a first class evening. Be sure to book your ticket oil
time!
350 —
Book number R0250a