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RAOC Gazette - page 153

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Transcription Adjutant Lieutenant Chris Hillier has gone on a three month
tour to Belize. Sadly we said farewell to Captain Mary Wool-
ford and Sergeant Pat Cowie WRAC who have been posted to
Army Catering Group and UKLF School of PT respectively.
At least I hope that's where they went; Mary or the School of
PT would get a shock if there was a mix up. Still in D Com-
pany WRAC we welcome Lieutenant Victoria Hammick and
wish her a very happy stay with us and congratulations to
Captain Kathy Harper on her promotion to that rank.
Central Ordnance Depot- Donnington
THE Depot was honoured to host not only the DGOS, but also
the QMG, General Sir Richard Worsley. The occasion was the
Formal Opening of Building Bl. A report of this special event
appears on page 342.
When things are going well—change 'em! So it was with
PT that ' being in the groove' gradually became ' being in a
rut' so drastic change was called for. Instead of late after-
noon sessions which previously allowed the whole working day
to plan evasive action, we now brave the chilly Donnington
dawn to hone our bodies to peak physical fitness. Readers will
acknowledge that CODs attract a lot of senior management and
the sight of so many Over Forties gambolling like Spring lambs
can only encourage the youngsters. This particular youngster was
especially encouraged as, jogging gently to the gym, my track-
suit trousers sagged baggily towards my ankles.
"Ah," I
thought, " thanks to the Brigadier, I am losing weight." Wrong
again; my waist elastic had snapped under the strain.
General Callan receives a memento of his farewell visit to
Chiwell from Brigadier Bromham the Garrison Commander. The
amusement was over the fact that the silver tray was not part
of the presentation.
Garrison Officers Mess, Brigadier Bromham presented General
CaJlan with a memento of his farewell visit. We all wish Major
General and Mrs Callan a long and happy retirement.
Another farewell occasion was the departure of Colonel
Smith, CO of 38 Central Workshop, to command 37 Rhine
Workshop in BAOR. Many of us serving in the COD will
remember Colonel Brian Smith and his charming wife for their
sincere friendship and their considerable contribution to Garrison
life during their tour; we wish them God speed in Dusseldorf.
At dinner that same evening we said farewell to Major Jack
Dempsey who is off to Wales, all too sudden to make any com-
ment yet! Major Tony Furneaux-Harris came back from
Bicester and Captain Ken Young from Andover to be dined
out in retrospect.
Our Mess kitchen refurbishment programme should be com-
plete by the time this goes to print and we are all looking for-
ward to a restored programme of dining in nights and social
functions.
Our footballers' hopes of winning a place in the final of
the Eastern District Major Units' Cup were dashed by a sound
thrashing over two legs by 3rd Battalion The Royal Green
Jackets. Although our lads produced their best the Green
Jackets skill carried them through. Better news was our teams
winning the Nottingham and District Thursday League Division 2
Championship. The last time an Army Team won the title was
in 1961/62 when the holders were the Regimental Pay Office.
We have also a chance of winning the John Bull Cup in the same
league. In Corps soccer, and the semi-final of the Richards
Cup, COD Donnington beat us three nil at Donnington. RSM
Alex Hendry gave us a short account of the build up to this
semi-final which leads us to believe that our soccer management
need PSYOPS training. Some time ago Captain Robin Sider
of Donnington 'phoned the RSM with a hard luck story about
the majority of Donnington footballers being posted out and that
Chilwell would have an easy passage into the finals. Some
time later Captain Sider revealed that a new footballer had
been posted in and was about six feet six inches and built like a
tank. Then, at one of our matches here in Chilwell, a suspicious
character was seen on the touch line and turned out to be
QMSI Billy Burns who happened to be in the area and had
heard that there was a match that day. T h e final straw was when
the telephone rang in the RSMs office when a strange voice asked
to speak to Captain Sider. After a slightly confusing con-
versation, the caller, who claimed to be Gordon Banks, let
slip the fact that he had been helping Captain Sider to train his
team. Well done Donnington and we wish you well in the
final.
Our hockey players have had mixed fortune with two
wins and two losses. Johnstone scored four goals in an away
match against The Boots Company 2 XI, giving us a four two
balance when the final whistle blew. The next match was
against our ablest opponents, Nottingham City Transport, who
kept us running and beat us four two. This put us in the
best of heart to tackle the Proof and Experimental Establish-
ment Shoeburyness in the semi-final of the Eastern District
Minor Units' Cup and a polished performance produced a five
nil win with goals from Johnstone three, Taylor one and Wilber-
force one.
I'M JUST A N
O R D I N A R Y REGULAR G U Y .
Arrivals: WOl Shepherd, W02 Evans, Corporal HingJey.
Departures: Lance Corporal Wheeler, Private Hawes.
Latest Arrivals: To Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs Colin
Newby, a daughter on 20th February 1980 (only a Chief Plan-
ning Officer could arrange such an event on his own birthday!)
Central Ordnance Depot Chilwell
WE open this month by welcoming our new
Commandant and Garrison Commander,
Brigadier Bromham and wish him, Mrs
Bromham and their daughters a most happy
tour here in Chilwell. During that busy
time of taking over, meeting countless new
people, becoming familiar with Central
«
•« jr
n Depot ' lingo ' he hosted the farewell visit
^\
\Jf . JJ
of Major General Callan and Mrs Callan
^^AssSs-A^'
to the Garrison and Depot. Apart from
^ ^ > ^ ^ T
the usual ritual of such occasions, General
^ ***^
Callan reflected on the time he served in
Chilwell some nineteen years ago. He pointed out his old
office in Building 174 and met some of the people who are still
serving in the Depot from that time. In Building 157 he was
hijacked by Mrs Dot Palmer and rushed off down to No. 1
Belt for a quick sherry to celebrate the good lady's retirement
that day after twenty six years service. After lunch in the

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Book number R0403a