RAOC Gazette - page 24
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1980 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | Yes |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1980 |
| Late date | 1980 |
| Transcription |
food and fodder. From G Branch in the Headquarters, W02 Mick Jagger departs for the flesh pots of Rheindahlen and one of the best vu-foil manipulators in the business will be lost to us. His relief is W02 Alex Gordon from Headquarters BAOR whom we welcome in the hope that East Anglia will be to his liking. Major Carl Dicker took his leave of us at a lunchtime session in the Maypole en route to the exotic delights of the ' Theatre of Opportunity' in Belize. We wish him well and advise him to wear a heavy pair of boots in a hurricane. Major Eric Osman finally retired from The Queen's service when he left us after six years in Ord Branch and a total of forty four years with the Corps. He joined at Hilsea in March 1935 and was in Hong Kong at the outbreak of war. This was followed by stints in UK and in West Africa, with tours in Egypt and Germany interspersed with Donnington and Chilwell. A small gathering of friends and colleagues marked his departure and as he lives locally we expect to see something of him in the future. He is much improved in health and says the prospect of doing very little is greatly to his liking. In the Supply Depot a farewell party for Mr John Allcock was held at which he was presented with a candelabra to remind him of his days as Chief Clerk and to wish him well in his retirement. As one of the butchers quipped: " We're sorry to see you leave the joint!". Sergeant Trevor Asquith occupies his spare time as Youth Leader and with the help of his wife Irene is responsible for Colchester Garrison Youth Club. They were recently active in organising a series of sponsored events raising £150 for use in the furtherance of Youth Activities. When told he was required to take his BFT Test Corporal Savage replied that he had not had time to study for it. How- ever, when this view was corrected he ' studied' daily around Abbey Field until he achieved the required qualification. Our transferee from Royal Artillery Lance Corporal Syd Griffiths has settled well into his new role as butcher in RAOC. He is a keen badminton player who hopes to represent his Corps if his present schedule goes according to plan. Finally, the OC, Captain Gareth Davies, is still very involved with rugby having been appointed Coach of the Combined Services and Army Colts. As his home is an unpronounceable village in Wales and his main rugby activity centred on AJdershot he is ideally placed in Colchester for easy access to both these locations! STORES SECTION 16 AD REGIMENT WORKSHOP WE are almost to the end of our Northern Ireland Training and in a couple of weeks or so the first batch leave for their holiday in the sun, we wish them all the best of luck. Whilst the Workshop were full steam ahead. Private Bellamy-Wood went on Exercise Moonbase 5, not a trip to the moon but four weeks Adventure Training in Cyprus—how lucky can one get! On receipt of the promotion roll we had our surprises and laughs too. Congratulations to Privates Swan, Fleming. Lambert and Morris on selection for future promotion. The laughs came when we saw Privates Barker and Richardson who had departed for civilian life were also on the roll—wonder if they will return. Welcome to Private Cross who has joined us from Bicester. 10 Ordnance Support Battalion AS I write these notes a helicopter is supplying the Detail Stores Platoon with 'joy rides' under the pretence of heli-handling training. One couldn't be blamed for thinking that the platoon are in a lull but nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact although not officially formed until March 1980 they are already involved heavily in exercises and real live operations. For an Ex Staff Clerk, Lieutenant Ricky Kay has shown remark- able knowledge of nuts and bolts. The Battalion as a whole is in an unexpected busy spell. Usually by this time of the year we are preparing for our Christmas rest but we have been severely hampered in this by little things such as exercises in Kenya, Jamaica, Scotland and Norway. The Local Resources Sections are happily enjoy- ing their Winter break on the Equator whilst 1 Bulk Transit Platoon are slaving away at South Cerney. 48 AMF(L) Com- pany are training hard for Scotland and it is said that Major Richard Rhodes hasn't been able to sit down on his chair for some days (it is a boiling story). North East District KT \ ———— 1 T H I S h a s been the m o n t h of the ^ ^ — volunteer. COO volunteered CRAOC ^^ "fl^ - "' ' n t o r u n n m S n ' s s ' x monthly TA Ord- N. I I nance Officers Training Weekend in this \. I I District and CRAOC volunteered Majors /^63V\ I Ashcroft and Barton into looking after A^HKTM \ ^ the easy bits like the administration and •^rtQCjk- ^v the work. With the aid of outside experts ^ 4 ^ N. from the School of Ordnance, the RAMC I ^ Training Centre, ASMT and together with Major Vic Hayes RAAOC as guest lecturer, we were able to put together suitable and, we hope, useful entertainment. Completing the picture, 57 Ordnance Support Company (V) ran the camp and held a splendid ' Yorkshire Fare' Dinner Night for the fifty officers attending. Many thanks to all concerned. Visitors have included Colonels Paviour (from DC and T) and Carruthers (from M and RO). The former explained why we had no shirts to put on our backs and the latter why we had no backs to put shirts on. Lieutenant Colonel Stark made a brief visit to see how Fair Value was progressing and found it continuing to recede into the distance. As slippage after slip^ page is announced we are thinking of asking AG9 to look out for a replacement for Major Dusty Millar as OC OSU Barlow when he retires in 1981. Several Staff changes have taken place since our last letter and we welcome to the fold Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Morton, Lieutenant Colonel Harold Washington, Major John Hammond, Captain Joe Hedley, Lieutenant Mac McGill, WO I Les Allen and Corporal John Edwards, hopefully all will enjoy the rigours of the North. Welcome back to the fold Captain Bob McCartney after his summer holiday in Northern Ireland. We have said farewell to Majors Tom Hickman and Bob McCarter who were lunched out in the District Officers Mess, both leave the service on retirement and we wish them and their families many years of happy retirement, happy landings also to Major Jack Brunt who has left us for Cyprus, and WOl Mick Richardson who has retired and is hoping to take up his favourite pastime as an Hotelier. Brigadier Starling, Deputy Commander South West District with W 2 Land, Mrs Land, Mrs Michael and W O l Michael of 10 Ordnance Support Battalion. On a recent visit to the Battalion the Deputy Commander South West District presented Long Service and Good Conduct Medals to WOl P. Michael and W02 P. Land. Left to right: Brigadier Starling, W02 Land, Mrs Land, Mrs Michael and WOl Michael. Congratulations to both on a well deserved medal. — 251 — SEND IT TO THE GAZETTE A short article about events—places—people is always interesting particularly when accompanied by a photo- graph. Send it to THE GAZETTE. |
| Book number | R0403a |