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RAOC Gazette - page 124

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Corps RAOC
Material type Journals
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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1980
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Colour Yes
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Early date 1980
Late date 1980
Transcription British Forces Hong Kong
j ^ M g M i i m i THE fresh air of the Hong Kong winter
| H | H K s & | | M 8 has helped to put back that lost feeling of
• ^ ^ f i ^ . ! ! I C | m | vitality, usually the case at this time of the
^ ^ ^ p N & / - ^ ^ ^ B year, so just don't think we bask in the
•BBr.'^^&'ilHH sun all the year round, it's woolly pulley

'•.*-»>
order.
l_~
^~~ "'
Indeed one cold dark and windy January
*"""
"
"" night saw our two intrepid chairborne
warriors from G Operations; Sergeant George Garrow and
Corporal Tony Dandy, ably assisting (?) the Royal Green
Jackets on an Anti Illegal Immigrant Border Patrol. They were
part of a five man patrol provided by Headquarters British
Forces. Their resolution paid off at 0440-hrs when three illegal
immigrants were captured.
Lance Corporal Steve Crowhurst of the Joint Secretariat
hits the limelight again and not just because of his severe curtail-
ment of ration consumption or his posting to SHAPE with
promotion! Lance Corporal Crowhurst was presented with a
Chinese pennant by the Superintendent of the Kai Chi Child
Centre and Social Welfare Department as a token of thanks for
his organisation and running of a Christmas party for forty
handicapped children from the Aberdeen area. Also attending
the party were thirty five children from the Victoria Barracks
Youth Club.
The Hong Kong Marathon was held at Sek Kong in the
New Territories in January with over two hundred and fifty
participants. Athletes from Singapore, Thailand and as far
afield as the USA and France assembled for the twenty six
mile course. Representing the Corps from the Headquarters
was Sergeant Dave O'Neill, attempting his first marathon.
The race started at the RAF airfield in Sek Kong and, after
a distance of eighteen miles, Sergeant O'Neill was in thirtieth
place. However, with considerable effort and determination he
finished the race to gain sixth place in a time of two hours
forty eight minutes (last six miles in under six minutes a mile).
Congratulations and well done!
Congratulations to W02 Clive (Vehicles) Paton of Ord-
nance Branch on his recent promotion, no doubt we will be
seeing an increase in wheeling and dealing or should it be
clinking and drinking!
A short mention for W02 Kevin Hartley of AQ Branch
manning the helm with only a depleted crew of two, (young
and attractive ladies we might add) Carina and Maureen. We
always said he was a good office manager.
ACCOMMODATION
SERVICES UNIT HONG KONG
WE are happy to welcome our new CASO Fred Shenton and
his wife Iris to the fold, on transfer from ASU Winchester. We
hope they will thoroughly enjoy their stay in Hong Kong.
Other new arrivals to the Unit have been Mr Wan, as ASA
in the New Territories, Mr Moses Chan to the ASU office to
replace Mrs Christina Chan on transfer to BMH Hong Kong,
Mr Tsai as Storekeeper in the Queens Lines family shop and
Mr Lam as Storekeeper in the Stanley exchange team.
Our congratulations are offered to Mr Albert Nip on his
promotion and posting to the Composite Ordnance Depot, and
to Mr Tang Wong Shing, our carpenter at Osborn Barracks, on
being awarded the Commander's testimonial on the occasion
of the New Year Honours List, Hong Kong style. Best wishes
for a long and happy retirement are offered to Mr Donald Wong,
Unit ASA New Territories.
With regret we have to report the death of Mr Wong Wong
Chi, only a few short weeks after his retirement from his store-
keeping duties at Stanley Fort. Our sympathy and condolences
are offered to his widow and family.
On a happier note we announce the arrival of a brother for
Bonnie Chan, and our congratulations go to Sandie and Edmond
on this new addition to their family.
Composite Ordnance Depot Hong Kong
THE Depots gladiators have again been on overseas tours;
W02 Frank Lawrence and Corporal Ron Audrain being selected
for the Combined Services rugby team playing in Fiji. Un-
fortunately Frank only played one game as he fractured his
back, but he was able to travel back to Hong Kong for
Christmas. He is now recovering slowly doing physio exercises
twice daily. Captain Mick Priestley, WOl Graham Thomas and
WOl Dave Hurren (REME) went on tour to the Phillipines with
Combined Services golf and W02 Mick Eden and Staff Sergeant
Paddy Teegan with Combined Services golf in Thailand. Corporal
Tom Looney had a splendid tour with the Tigers rugby club to
Singapore—' Oh to be a sportsman.' Well done lads—and we
get the work done!
Talking of work we have just had the vehicle bi-annual in-
spection conducted by Lieutenant Colonel Underhill of Head-
quarters CVD Ashchurch, who appeared to be pleased with the
manner in which the Vehicle Group conducts its technical duties
in Hong Kong. Many thanks to him for his assistance in
technical matters during his visit.
Since the Quartermasters contribution to the last notes for
THE GAZETTE the CQMS has been on and returned from leave
scheme in Thailand, and is now torn between saving for a car
on his RHE or saving for another holiday (decisions, decisions).
The Quartermaster Major Monty Wood has fixed up a holiday
in Australia under the guise of an exercise, and by the time
these notes are published will be sightseeing (he calls recce) and
fishing (he calls it working hard) near Brisbane.
STOP PRESS. The CQMS, Staff Sergeant Pete Fellowes. has had
his replacement nominated so there is at least one smiling face
in Deepcut this winter.
Our congratulations are extended to Corporal Tony and
Kim Munn on the birth of their second daughter Lisa Karen
and to Siu King, wife of Private K. C. Wong on the birth of their
son. To Sergeant Steve Davis who has taken the plunge and
tied the knot with Miss Valerie Dalwood, we hope that you both
will be very happy in your marriage, and finally to Corporal
So on his promotion and achieving a very good pass result on
his recent course in the UK. Also to Major Chris Ahearne on
being awarded the MBE.
Headquarters Gurkha Field Force
WHEN I arrived in the Gurkha Field Force
almost two years ago, I remember com-
plaining that no mention was ever made in
the Corps GAZETTE of our Headquarters. I
was therefore invited to write something,
this I did and ever since, except for once or
twice, I have been the writer. Mention to
anyone or suggest that someone else might
like to write a few words and immediately they become too busy!
Well I am also busy but like the true dedicated Corps
member and remembering my ' confy' I have found the time yet
again to write these few words.
Quite a lot has happened in the Headquarters since last
I wrote and I will try to mention it all. Highlight of the month
must be Captain Ron Gray's ' official' trip to Fiji to play
rugby for the British Forces rugby side. The Fijian sides won
both matches played but from all accounts everyone had a
good time. On the military side, Corporal Kevin Mills went
on his RPC1 and passed, finishing top of his course. He has
since been taking us a stage further in everything conceivable
and we hope that in time his new Khaki brain will return to
normal. Lance Corporal Tony Redfern is at present recovering
from broken ribs sustained in a game of non-contact basket-
ball. He will probably stick to tiddlywinks or such difficult
games in future.
. Some members of the Headquarters are now in strict train-
ing for the Khud Race up Nameless mountain and led by Staff
Sergeant Dave Beadsworth hope to do well. A full report and
the results will follow in the next GAZETTE notes.
Staff Sergeant Ritchie Warner, our Force AT who went to
Korea on a rugby tour, visited Brunei recently on an official
trip, and managed to visit Sabah with a Brunei side to play
rugby at the same time. He is now away to Singapore and
Penang on his leave scheme. We are hoping that when he
returns he will remain here long enough for us to get to know
him.
This month we say farewell to Sergeant Pete (The Win)
Winstanley and Corporal Ross Hale both posted to BAOR, and
we welcome Corporals Tony Mackey and Ian Johnson.
British Forces Belize
BELIZE formerly British Honduras is situated on the eastern
Caribbean side of the Isthmus of Central America and is bordered
by Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south.
The country is approximately three hundred miles long by one
hundred and twenty miles wide and is blessed with a tropical
climate under which mangrove swamps, scrub land and jungle
flourish.
There are many opportunities for the more adventurous
types, including island survival courses, canoeing, sailing and
sub-aqua diving. These events are usually organised by an
Army Adventure Training Centre and take place on the
numerous Cayes (tropical islands) that abound the Caribbean
coast inside the second largest barrier reef in the world.
— 329 —
Book number R0403a