RAOC Gazette - page 105
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 |
of toms toms and fire crackling is heard, the background music turns ugly and we thought we could hear: " BOO BOO heap no good We use him for firewood We run short of FFO Big Chief BOO on fire he go And him Chief who sits on bridge Us braves lock him up in fridge." Here's a pretty fix—Here's a How d'ye do—(Quote W. S. Gilbert " The Town of Titty Poo "). B—(We think faster than light travels). Could you explain to those stockers and engine room artificers that I only received them this month and they won't be published until February. (This in a haughty bridge type voice). ER—I'll tell 'em—he goes and confronts the angry RAOCites. The chant changes:— "Chief on Bridge him not so thick Can't catch him with stupid trick He write notes like A. J. Cronin Back off lads and all stop moaning." ER—All's well they're pouring a bucket of water on the fire. B—(Inserting his aristocratic footwear). More waste of fuel—tell 'em to save the steam you know that lower toller or whatever they call him is being a bit mean with his Harry Cruders. ER—Aye' Aye' Steam saved half ahead both engines. Note: (for the not so bright as us) ER in this text means engine room NOT—never mind . .. and that was that except we take heart from the statement ' THEIR' Corps GAZETTES. Good crowd of chaps these, ALL buying a GAZETTE, no sneakie sneakie at someone else's, in the engine room; keep it up fellers and let us have some notes every month and avoid dis- appointment. This month we say farewell to Major Joe Mollett from ASU West and welcome Major Tony Moore. Also at ASU West Mrs Elizabeth Tennis the clerical officer in the fuel and light section received the COC's Commendation. Our con- gratulations on her well earned recognition. Caught napping—Captain Phil Hanlon waits the call. New Year's Eve was uneventful, thus allowing us to wel- come the New Year in the proper fashion. Staff Sergeant Richard Green celebrated his first neutralised IED during the second week of the month. NO. 2 SECTION has had a complete turn round of No. 2's. The social standing of the Section has declined since the departure of Corporal John Cottril and Private Paul Bickerdyke. We have just adopted a permanent member, who answers to the name 'Ammo Tech Bomber.' He is jet black in colour and has a white flash on his chest, four legs, longish tail and takes gTeat delight in depositing presents on the opera- tions room floor. Yes, you've guessed it, a black labrador pup^—one of nine born to the resident dog at Rosemount RUC Station. January saw a very irate W02 Tex Thompson spending his birthday night out waiting ' patiently' for hours on a quiet country road for Bluebell to recover his team. Not only were parts of the body blue with cold, but the air took on a few pretty colours as well! 321 EOD Unit HEADQUARTERS SECTION. The Section has seen its fair share of action this month much of it con- cerning briefcases. Captain Peter Walsh neutralised Sergeant Mick Giles' suspicious brief- case in the Sergeants Mess only to reveal some ' wigs' destined for use in the Harp Players Christmas Panto- mime—still the show went on, en- thusiastically produced by Sergeant Giles; it proved to be a great success and realised £400 profit for charities. More recently Captain Walsh carried out a sustained attack on the Fire Advisers more robust briefcase. Personnel of Headquarters Northern Ireland listened with bated breath as our intrepid ATO came close to exhausting his team's range of ammunition and explosives. He completed his final period of duty as the Headquarters Section Operator when, as the result of traffic accidents to other teams, he spent the whole night motoring back and forth across the Province neutralising IEDs with gusto. Returning to briefcases, Sergeant Pete Dimmock our Chief Clerk was delighted to find that the person who carried out our annual security inspection had left his behind, needless to say we received a glowing report. We say farewell to Sergeant Giles who is posted to BATU Suffield and welcome to Sergeant Taff Davies. By the time this goes to press Captain Walsh will be sunning himself in Cyprus and Captain Nigel Smellie will be our resident Inspector. Welcome also to Lance Corporal Tony Hutton who is to be our resident Staff Clerk. NO. 3 SECTION is currently enjoying the benefits of a Video Cassette Recorder, courtesy of the Sun Newspaper. TV twenty four hours a day if one desires it and at least it eliminates arguments over which channel to watch. Rumours that Head- quarters has been approached for a suitable supply of blue films are totally unfounded. W02 Arthur Burns has left Bessbrook Detachment to the mercies of W02 Kevan Callaghan and the Section has expanded its menagerie by the addition of a stray Dqlmation called ' Splodge,' demarcation negotiations are currently under way with Felix the Section cat. 6 Field Force Ordnance Company THE last report submitted by us brought you to the end of the exercise year. Since then we have entered what is all too commonly (and mistakenly) called the ' quiet period.' So what happens during the Field Force ' quiet period '? First of all we say farewell to the OC (Our Leader) Major David Hourahane, who is off to Didcot to fight the paper war. At the same time we welcome Major Gordon Mac- Dougall, who comes to us having fought the paper war in the Directorate of Army Recruiting. The ' quiet period' is the only opportunity for the lads to get in all the various upgrading courses needed for promotion. Con- sequently, the Chief Clerk has felt really lonely, sometimes not seeing a ' T o m ' for days on end, whilst they collect their ' O ' and 'A' gradings—No one fails at 6! We have continued with our twice weekly PT mornings, carrying logs over the train- ing areas of South East District On the sports scene the football team has been stringing together some good results, so that now they sit top of their league. However, in the Corps Cup they lost to COD Don- nington five three in a very good game immensely enjoyed by the spectators. Thank you Donnington for the great hospitality! NO. 1 SECTION. The last three weeks have proved to be quite eventful both at work and play. We said farewell to Captain Jim Carr and welcomed Cap- tain Phil Hanlon into our midst, just in time to successfully deal with a three hundred pound car bomb, this following a neutralised booby trapped car bomb at mid-day added up to a very worthwhile day's work. With spirits in the Section being raised by these successes, all retired to the bar to celebrate. A cabaret evening was held in the Felix Club, with various devices laid around the club to liven up the proceedings. It was a brave person who walked between the chairs or sat down without first carefully checking the area. — 314 — |
| Book number | R0403a |