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RAOC Gazette - page 194

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1980
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Early date 1980
Late date 1980
Transcription In the meantime W01 Eddie Bullock has been teaching
his protege, W02 Jim Hargate. all about the UK.LF modernisa-
tion game. Their travels have taken them all over the south
and as far afield as Wales. Not to be forgotten WOI Dick
Cheesman has been the ' guest" of Lieutenant Colonel Stark
at the Employment Training School and we thought the good
Colonel had left us in peace!
Ashford Station
WE have said goodbye to WOI Clivc Walch and Staff Sergeant
Graham Creighton. New arrivals are W02 Brian Shaw who
assumes the appointment of Chief Clerk Headquarters In-
telligence Corps Centre and Staff Sergeant Mike Swift
It appears that life outside the OSU has been reasonably
quiet over the past few months whilst in the OSU, the six
temporarily attached ex-Apprentices have been busy with an
out loading programme of furniture to 7 MU RAF. removal
of very' elderly partitioning and racking, erection of new
Modular Binning and a number of other tasks the civilian staff
were unable to undertake.
Our grateful thanks go to ex-
Apprentices Lowbridge. McWhinnie, Barker, Bates. Atherton and
Greville and we wish them every success in their future careers.
The Training Materiel Park is being ' Work Studied' by
Jim Hutton. Terry' Asquith and Bill Butler who arc nearing the
end of their three month long Work Study Course at the Joint
Work Study School. Shrivenham.
We have high hopes of
major recommendations concerning a re-build and have then
to convince Q (Quartering) that it is essential!
RAOC TA
8th Field Force Ordnance Company (V)
SINCE our last Unit notes, the Company has been busy on
Military and Trade Training. We have been called upon to
provide detachments for Exercise Northern Foray and Native
Silk II. Northern Foray was the Annual Camp Exercise for
three TA Infantry Battalions from North East District, taking
place in the Stamford Training Area. Our Detachment of six
men was commanded by Staff Sergeant Frank Healy, their task
was the issue of Combat Supplies and all the reports we had
said what a good job of work they had done.
Exercise Native Silk II was an infantry type exercise held
by 8 Field Force in Scotland. The Company provided a Platoon
to act as ' Enemy,' the Platoon was commanded by our CSM
W02 Arthur Henderson—from the tales we hear from the
Platoon they did a much better job than the Infantry! there
may be some truth in the statement. Our Field Force Com-
mander's Thank You letter said they did a good job of work.
The exercise lasted over four days—without doubt the coldest
and wettest days in 1979—but not this century as the CSM
insists.
The main social event recently was the Officers, Senior
NCOs and their ladies dining-in night. We had as our guests
Colonel Manders. our Honorary Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel
Hardie. CRAOC North East District Colonel Manders made
the long journey from Surrey to be with us.
Colonel Hardie was a very welcomed guest without his help,
guidance and assistance when the Company was formed we
would not have been what we are now; an effective and
efficient Company.
Staff Sergeant Frank Healy has been presented with the
Lord Lieutenant of Cleveland's Certificate for Loyal and
Dedicated Service to the TAVR and TA. The ceremony took
place at the Brambles Farm TA Centre and was attended by the
OC Major Stan Loynes and Staff Sergeant Roy Agnew.
The youngest soldier gets the first pint at the new bar.
on his recent visit to the Unit. Private Hill was the youngest
member who received the first pint. Mike Home our barman.
looks on smiling—he built the bar and just got it finished on
time.
On the military side the Courage Trophy team have been
training hard on all the various skills required for the com-
petition in March. Sergeant Reuby has assured us he has
sorted out the Pirbright assault course, whilst Lieutenant Rees
map reading is coming along well! For the rest of us Crusader
(dare it be mentioned) looms in September and our training
this year is aimed to that goal/exercise/fun camp (delete as
appropriate).
We welcome Staff Sergeant Gait as CQMS and Staff
Sergeant Pearson and say farewell to Sergeant Belshaw and his
wife Ann who are off to BAOR. Many thanks to you both for
all you have done in the Unit.
Shropshire Branch
THE branch held the AGM and Annual Dinner at Parsons
Barracks, Donnington. We were delighted to have as our
Guest of Honour Major General Key, accompanied by Briga-
dier Dennison the Corps Secretary. Ninety members enjoyed
a scrumptious meal served under the supervision of Captain
Ron Miller QM and his extremely willing staff. Nothing com-
plements good food and wine better than scintillating after-
dinner speeches which was certainly the case when our President
Brigadier Thornton, followed by the General, rose to the
occasion. A presentation was made to our American Officer
and friend, Lieutenant Colonel Clint Hodder, as this was his
last appearance with us before returning to take up his own
command in the States. We wish him and his good lady,
good luck, good health and bon voyage!
We must end on a sad note as we have just received the
news of the death of ex-Warrant Officer Ray ' Busty' Bye who
transferred from the RMP to the Corps as a Corporal in 1953
at Singapore. Ray finished his time at Donnington, joined the
Depot Staff as an industrial and was serving until his very
recent heart trouble as an SOG. The bearers at his funeral
will be members of the Branch who like Ray are all SOGs.
To his dear wife and family who have all been very close we
offer our heartfelt condolences.
41 Replenishment Park Company (V)
ON the second anniversary of our formation it was thought
that it was time our Unit appeared in the Corps GAZETTE. For
the few who don't know who we are—a brief resume.
We live at Heston—Hounslow in West London—and are a
TA Company which on mobilisation is part of Combat Supplies
Battalion. The Unit was formed in April 1978 after the dis-
bandment of 44 Para OFP (V). So if any of you regular
soldiers are leaving the Army and are settling in West London,
come and see us we are sure you will get a welcome and will
want to join us. Our new junior ranks club is seen here being
opened by the GOC London District Major General Langley
CORRESPONDENTS
PLEASE send in any short items of general interest that
may happen in your Unit or your area, for publication
in the front section of THE GAZETTE. If accompanied
by a picture so much the better—though this is not
essential. Stories of the length and style of those
published this month under " For the Record" are
required. Keep them short—make them interesting.
387 —
Book number R0403a