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RAOC Gazette - page 162

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Corps RAOC
Material type Journals
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Chapter key
Chapter number
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 4th Armoured Division
1
HEADQUARTERS
RAOC
^^•^^.
\VE attached a couple of bodies, in the
^ ^ H ^ ^ ^
forms of Corporal Hogg and Lance
^^H^^^k
Corporal Croft, to the Ordnance Company
^^^^^^^H
for annual training at Vogelsang. Lance
^^^^^^^V
Corporal Croft managed to fail off the
^^^^^^V
twelve foot wall second time around, and
^^^^^^
damaged his drinking arm. He now claims
to be ambidextrous in the art of beer
swilling.
Private Rhodes, the CRAOCs
driver, who was only visiting for one day, decided to follow
suit by falling from the second obstacle, a six foot wall.
successfully tearing some ligaments in a leg. He has spent
several days in hospital and is still unfit
for work. Get
well soon Paddy.
Major Evans and Sergeant Carey have been busy
organising the RAOC (BAOR) Corps Shoot SO. This was held
at Haltern/Lavesum ranges; results should be available by
the next issue of THE GAZETTE.
We have said farewell to Staff Sergeant Jim Bumett and
his wife Jan. They have gone to 1st Division Ordnance Com-
pany.
Jim's replacement is Sergeant Colin Knight and we
wish them both luck in their new appointments.
STOP PRESS: Major John Evans has just been informed that
he is to be made President of Honour of the Dusseldorf Old
Comrades Association of the French Foreign Legion of North
Rhine Westphalia Foreign Legion Old Comrades Association
and a Member of Honour of the Luxemburg Old Comrades
Association.
Combat Supplies Battalion
THE good weather has certainly brought out the visitors, if
nothing else (writes Grantham). This past month has seen us
play host to. in order of precedence, a House of Commons De-
fence Committee, the Commander-in-Chief BAOR, the DGOS,
the DOS and the DDOS. The Members of Parliament came to
Depot 90, the C-in-C came to see Pombsen and the DGOS and
his party came to see the rugby final at Bad Lippspringe. I
assume that everyone was happy with what they saw since there
have been no (well, not many) urgent phone calls from higher
formations. The DGOS' Fitness Challenge to the Over Forties
took on a slightly sinister aspect however, when the car detailed
to take him from the helicopter landing site to the Mess failed
to turn up. Those responsible are being collected in bundles of
ten and bumed.
That apart, life continues at its normal (!) pace. We have
a new establishment which changed our strength and enables me
to adjust the circles on my manning board. To all those who
have raised their eyebrows at seeing me down on my knees
fiddling with my compasses, 1 need only say that it is ' therapy."
The unkind would no doubt call it ' doodling.' I don't mind
however as I am the first to admit that the establishment board
is not so much an authoritative management aid but more a
gaily-coloured executive toy. At least it's not as noisy as a
Newton's Cradle. In the real world (gloom), the new establish-
ment will not case our accommodation bill but I personally can
see no reason why soldiers shouldn't sleep standing up. And
talking of bills (editors note: careful with the spelling) we
come to the construction of Simmo
or non-construclion
as the case may be. Not being versed in matters of simulation
I cannot comment on recent events in the living crucibles of 44
Company but unless the problem is solved the countryside after
each major exercise will look as though it is suffering from a
bad case of concrete dandruff. The recent Pink Floyd song
springs to mind, suitably modified, 'Another Brick on The
Pallet.'
From the Companies there has again been an ominous
silence which I must put down to pressure of work. It could
be put down to lots of things but ' pressure of work' is the
most printable. In all probability the drafters of Company
Notes are unable to see their typewriters, or, in the case of
43 Company, their stone chisels, for the clouds of dust being
raised by the respective new brooms in 44 and 49. We welcome
Major Alan Allkins and Major Pat Fleming and wish them all
the best in their sweeping.
February has also been Audits Month. This biannual rite
of ' lifting-the-stones-and-seeing-what-crawls-out' has been com-
plicated by preparation for exercises and all those visits I men-
tioned earlier. Plans have had to be changed once or twice at
the last minute. ' Crisis Management' did I hear you say?
Nonsense, sir, the term is ' Hot Planning.'
Corps Troops
A HOME of your OWN?
Is this Your Problem?
I cannot f i n d you a House b u t
I can HELP Y o u Buy I t .
Let me Advise Y o u w i t h o u t any Obligation,
w h e t h e r you w i s h to Buy N o w
or In the Future.
W h y Not Consult
Doug Gilmour (Insurance Broker)
"Green Hedges", 7 Lindsay Road,
Branksome Park,
POOLE, Dorset
Telephone: 0202 764043
Specialist in Life Assurance,
Investment and House Purchase Plans
:
Name/Rank
Address
Date of Birth
Occupation
I am interested In House Purchase/Immediate/
Future/
School Fees
i
I
CORPS TROOPS ORDNANCE
COMPANY
THERE have been a number of events and activities since the
Unit was last mentioned in these pages. There is also a new
scribe who is delighted at the chance of contributing to this
revered publication.
The C-in-C BAOR, General Sir William Scotter, made a
visit and took the opportunity to informally meet as many Unit
personnel as possible.
His short stay culminated in the
presentation of the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
to Sergeant Mick Bennett of MT. Our photograph shows the
tongue biting resulting from pain inflicted by a deeply penetrating
pin!
On the sporting side we have had considerable success in
cross-country running. The Unit ran first in the 2nd Division
Minor Units Team Championships and currently lead the local
Westerkappeln Minor Units League. In the RAOC BAOR
Championships the team ran third behind SSD Dulmen and
Rheindahlen Garrison but gained two awards. Firstly, W02
Nimmons was the Veteran runner-up and Private Mark Coulter
winner of the Young Soldier award.
The soccer team continues to compete but alas with little
success. Ably led by W02 Norgate, complete with pony-tail,
they are unsuccessfully attempting to make up fixtures lost to
the bad weather. The rugby team appears when a XV can be
found but, again, the weather has badly hit fixtures.
Mention must be made of our recent success in the
Tickle Fitness Competition. Thirty-five intrepid runners took
off and all returned within their respective bogey times. Regular
practice and luck on the selection of runners by Headquarters
2nd Division SOPT staff on the day obviously pays dividends.
We believe we are the only BAOR Unit to have a one hundred
per cent pass thus far. What about it CSC and CVC?
Finally, a mention of all those to whom occurrences can be
attributed:
Arrivals: W02 Turner, Sergeant Bill Marsden, Corporal
Ray Harrop, Lance Corporal Bruce Naismith and Privates Chris
Quelch, Colin Wickes, Dave Cheung, Dave Metcalf, Jock Grewar
and Barry Walsh ACC.
Births: To Lance Corporal and Mrs Hodge Hodgson a son
Andrew John at BMH Rinteln.
— 363 —
Book number R0403a