RAOC Gazette - page 104
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 |
and the permanent staff element has been busily engaged in preparations for the coming summer season. During February, Captain Paul Simpson is steering a course from London, throughout the South East District, Scot- land, North East and Wales as he lectures to schools in those areas. We also have a commitment to the Army Careers In- formation Office Display at the Strand in London, and Sergeant Paul Grant can be heard to mutter a constant stream of oaths and curses from somewhere beneath a daily growing mountain of paper as he collates admin details for this display. Staff Sergeant ' Trev' Treveil is quickly finding his feet having taken over from Warrant Officer ' P a d d y ' Quinn at what is probably our busiest time. We have two high spots prior to commencing our summer tour, and they are both Presentations to Liverpool and Bristol University Officer Training Corps. Private Alex Somerville is going ski-ing (again) and Private Robert Lawley has just returned from a most successful satisfied soldier attachment at his local ACIO which is Luton. Lance Corporal John Heffernan was dealt a crushing blow, when his new (direct from factory) Pantechnicon was im- mediately returned to the suppliers, due to the gear box being incorrectly fitted! We welcome Lance Corporal Pete Drabble, a highly skilled artist and orator to the team, whose talents will be put to good use in our rapidly expanding and diverse organisation. to the Quartermaster Stores to exchange his grease gun for a pace stick and was even seen pounding the ground at Pirbright on the Guards Drill course. We hope you enjoy your stay with us. We also welcome Sergeant Leach who, on his recent pro- motion, saw the light and escaped ' B ' Company. Con- gratulations and we hope you enjoy having a platoon of your very own at long last. Captain Powrie, having done nearly every job within the College, has finally reached his pinnacle and we welcome him as a Platoon Commander in 'A' Company. In conclusion, our sincere congratulations to Captain John Hardcastle and his wife Paula, on the birth of their son. B COMPANY. We have now all returned rested enough to take whatever is in store for us during the Spring Term. Having studied the Training Programme, it is agreed that the Company are in for a hectic thirteen weeks. Having lost Benghazi Platoon, the Company now has a strength of five platoons. Even at this early stage our first visitors have come and gone. January saw some thirty schoolboys from West Green- wich School (South London) descend on the Company. The schoolboys were given the opportunity of seeing the activities that go on here at the Apprentices College. After the initial introduction they saw just what a typical day's life in the College is all about. They departed after six hours; hope- fully with the right memories to ensure our number of boy entries continue. On the sporting scene the Company Soccer team goes from strength to strength. Successes are expected from them this term. The College Cross Country competition was held in ideal conditions. Regretfully the Company had to concede defeat to 'A' Company, who we congratulate on their win. Look out next year! A good performance from all Company runners made it a cliffhanger right to the end. Special mention must be made to A/Lance Corporal Henry (Best Recruit 'B' Company last term) who had an excellent run in achieving second place, only fifteen seconds behind the winner. The Company had high hopes of winning the Permanent Staff prize but our hopes were dashed when the CSM sustained a last minute ankle injury. It has been strongly rumoured that he had been ' got a t ' by certain members of the ' living in ' members of 'A' Company who just happened to have a dinner night prior to the race. On the local community scene ' B ' Company have adopted ' The White Lodge,' a school for handicapped children which is run mainly on contributions. This weekend saw Brunei Platoon working in their grounds carrying out several worthwhile tasks. It is pleasing to know that because of these efforts the school swimming pool can now be opened. Our new OC (Major Glen) has now well and truly settled into the chair—pipe and all. We all hope he has an enjoyable tour with the College. Farewell was said to Sergeant Mack and with him go our best wishes for the future. Manchester University FOR those of you who can remember as far back as my last report, I did promise to reveal more of our activities, so here follows one or two snippets from our first term. Early on in the proceedings ' Wolfie' Wright volunteered for a hazardous photographic mission, and future students at UMIST will see him in the centre-fold of a new post-graduate prospectus, to be published shortly. Those living on the Wythenshawe patch held a firework party on 4th November (never was any good at dates) ostensibly for the benefit of the young ones, although the elders did seem to be enjoying it. Roger Mendham, as our only ATO, was voted in as OC whizzes and bangs, a task at which he excelled; apart from the wayward rocket that is. Frank Butterworth took on the pinwheels and managed a fifty per cent success rate, but Martin Buxey failed miserably on sparklers. The colder weather has prompted the donning of winter gear and has produced some very fine examples of natty gents' head- gear in a variety of shapes and sizes. In addition to his ratting cap Roger Mendham has been sporting a rather suspicious mackintosh, however, we aren't too worried as there is no evidence of bicycle clips yet. Before the end of term we held a lunchtime drinks party for our departmental lectures which was well attended and en- joyed by all. Congratulations to Frank Butterworth and Martin Buxey on their promotion to Major (at last!) and to Terry Ewers whose act is now substansive! HEADQUARTERS COMPANY. The start of a new term and everyone is a few pounds heavier in weight and lighter in pocket Some were lucky enough to go to the sun, some even went to Hong Kong. (Please note Manning and Records, Staff Sergeant Taff Bloomfield no longer wants a posting there). Some went to the snow with Staff Sergeant Jim Green and Sergeant ' Incredible Hulk' Edwards on the AMA winter meet at Glencoe, and the OC, Captain Walcroft, camping, ski-ing and climbing in the Cairngorms. Congratulations must go to Corporal Steven Jenkins on his marriage to Helen, there is now only one single man in Train- ing Wing and I take this opportunity in welcoming him. Lance Corporal Don Constable. Other new arrivals whom we welcome are Staff Sergeant (SSI) Ray Mather, Corporal John Hladkij and Corporal Nobby Clarke. Sergeant Paul Wilkie is busy enjoying himself trekking over Brecon on his Infantry Platoon Sergeants Course and we wish him the best of luck, this is just one of the many courses Paul has to do prior to him being posted to Sand- hurst to teach the Officer Cadets. There have been a few farewells this term, SSI Chris Tofield to Norway, Staff Sergeant Lee Cook on promotion to Germany. PS: Everyone please note—Corporal Ray Bullon has now passed his driving test. Northern Ireland j ^ f ^^^ ^. I 9=9^*^1 I ftiJIlgt— I I T^SSO) I 1 IfpflBsr J \ W'SNSWV # V YiKffW M ^k W | M ^ ^ J ^ T ^^^^r HEADQUARTERS RAOC ^ ^ ^ a d a telephone call from BOO (Captain Ron Medley) 8 Infantry Brigade w ^ ° neac * s , n e band of RAOCites in that Brigade, collectively and almost fondly known to us as the ' engine room ' we being ' the bridge.' It must be pointed out that these titles were adopted purely by accident, apart from the fact that we couldn't have the cart running the horse or should it be engine room steering—oh well! Anyway the aforementioned said " I've got a mutiny on my hands." Bridge—What de yer mean? ER—The boys are rhubarb and custardin' and burning their Corps GAZETTES. B—Why? ER—Because you haven't printed their notes and published their photographs. B—Who wants to see their photographs (aside) apart from their mums? ER—It's the one with the girls on! (At this point the noise The Corps Mobile Display Team SINCE our last communication with the Corps at large, the Corps Mobile Display Team has seen several changes in staff, — 313 — |
| Book number | R0403a |