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RAOC Gazette - page 156

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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 J^etog from &broatr
Headquarters Allied Forces Southern Europe
THIS is an attempt to have the RAOC
community at Bagnoli, Naples, Italy,
placed on the map for, hidden under and
amongst the mountain of NATO paper-
work, in a mixed, international and tri-
service headquarters of Allied Forces
Southern Europe (AFSOUTH) are found
a few RAOC personnel.
These, who may be located, subject
to normal contingencies, such as, sports,
TDY (Temporary Duty): sun bathing;
peizza digesting: spaghetti munching; pasta noshing and vino
drinking, are:
W02 John Watts the Administration Officer of Public
Information Division.
W02 Bill Hirst who may be found, subject to TDY, in
the cellars at Panda, in the AFSOUTH Registry, sat amongst the
archives, cob webs and dust in the same cell, but perched in
another corner, is Sergeant John Stannard, who is occasionally
dusted off and released to deliver the internal mail, when not
trying to sort out his traffic accidents of which to date, he has
claimed five in two months! In 'Tunnel Four,' a change from
a cellar, but not a lot, may be found Sergeant Ian Sylvester,
passing the time of day playing with a mini computer and in yet
another location, in a more civilised environment, but behind
locked doors, pass-words etc, may be found Sergeant Christopher
Morris, working with intelligence and subject to censorship, or
something.
One member of the Corps, who was not available for
comment, was Corporal Tony Hutchingson. An attempt to
locate him for an additional subscription to THE GAZETTE is
planned, but until then, the search must continue.
Nostalgia Maresc Capo.
Ammunition Inspectorate BAOR
THE state of flux continues in the inspectorate with the
departure of ATO/West, Tony Jacques, to become administration
officer at 3 ADOC. Corporal Jock Craig has gone to do his
Operation Banner tour and Private Scouse Williams has broken
up the family quartet and disappeared to Recklinghausen.
Captain Geoff Cox has come fresh from the School of
Ammunition to take over from Tony and Private Ralph Thomas
comes to us from Blackdown for his first tour.
The Middle Management course at the School of Ordnance
has been battling to turn Captain Harry Vaughan and WOI
Roger Bruce into managerial executives.
The school are
presently trying for at least one convert from the Inspectorate
with WOI Steve Harmon. Steve went straight onto the course
after attending this years DLSA conference with the OC Major
John Williams.
We are a little short handed at Corporal level at the
moment: Tony Scullion came out of hospital and went im-
mediately on sick leave and Dave Bruce is away on his up-
grading course. Jock Craig's tour further decreases our numbers.
Our intrepid shots, Captain Andy Williams and Staff
Sergeant Jim Howe, are keeping up their high competition
standards. It's a mystery how they find the time to do all
practicing to maintain their level.
Everyone is preparing for the big move of accommodation
next month. All except Corporal Tony Scull that is who is busy
setting up his final fling before going to Chilwell next month.
No one is any richer from the pools this month (so we will
be returning all the begging letters unanswered). Our Mechanised
Transport rough rider Corporal Mai Vale has been united with
his family, he says that is good enough for him, and we welcome
them to the Unit.
Private Keith Jones wins the Cross Country at A n t w e r p .
Ordnance Depot Antwerp
THE highlight of the month in the Unit has been our All
Ranks Dance and Draw. With the 1980 Olympic Games as
the theme (some details of which appear elsewhere in this
issue), there was an attendance of over three hundred out of our
adult population in the garrison of just over four hundred. The
thanks of all are due to the organising committee led by
WOI Jim Shea for such an enjoyable evening. As ever, Mr
Peter Sutherland and his merry men did a great job in con-
verting the gymnasium for the occasion into a room un-
recognisable as a gym.
Our most successful sporting team at present, without
question, is our group of smallbore marksmen under the
guidance of RSM Dave Taylor. The team have an almost
unassailable lead in the Rhine Area Winter League, and in
the RAOC BAOR League are equal first with Viersen. The
stars of the show are Sergeants Bob Hood and Bill Rice,
Corporals Paul Kelly and Jim Docherty and Private Gordon
Speed. The RSM has also started a very successful shooting
club for our wives.
The soccer team have excelled themselves with a league
win over 21 Army Support Squadron RE by five goals to
nil, and a similar victory in a friendly game against a local
Belgian side.
The golf secretary reports that recent Spring-like weather
is bringing both the golfing rabbits and the real moles back to
life. Having lost our two experts since last year, Captain
Peter Fellows and WOI Jim Bowen, we are scratching around
for a competition team. Sergeants Davey Hogg and Bill Rice
are obvious contenders, but after that we are rather thin on
the ground. Maybe the plan to have a professional instructor
to give some lessons will help.
The rugby team have suffered from a crop of fixtures
cancelled by the opposition. However, we provided the facilities
for a match in which the Belgian national side lost narrowly
to RAF Germany.
Apparently we have the only full-size
pitch in Flanders; national matches are normally played in
Wallonia (southern Belgium for the uninitiated). As with many
sports here the national team have Flemish and Walloon co-
presidents !
— 357 —
Book number R0403a