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RAOC Gazette - page 27

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1983
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Early date 1983
Late date 1983
Transcription No account of the ' B ' Company efforts would be complete
without mention of Major Chris Vitali and Staff Sergeant'(CSM)
Jim Parker who competed in the five thousand metres. Al-
though Major Chris Vitali has recently handed over to Major
Martin Hicks he made a special effort to return from leave to
keep the Company flag flying. Staff Sergeant Jim Parker has
now taken over the job as ' B ' Company CSM and can be seen
flying between Parsons Barracks and B5 as he tries to do two
jobs at once.
Recent arrivals include Sergeant Bob Boyd, Corporal Paul
Arnold, Lance Corporal Nick Carey and Privates Geoff Morrison
and Bruce Hardy.
We say goodbye to Corporal Charlie Peace to Catterick
and Corporal Lee Ramsay off to Belize, Privates Ray Lashmar,
Taff Lewis and Doug Murton have all taken off to the South
Atlantic and we look forward to their tales on return.
Lance Corporal Pete Still is congratulated on his recent
promotion to Corporal and is making a major contribution
within the Suspense area.
9 Ordnance Battalion
This year the fifteen hundred metres was run for the first time
by the WRAC and was won by \V/Private Carter in 6.04.5.
Mrs Dodworth presented the prizes and the day was won
by 'A' Company, captained by Captain Paddy Starrett.
Many members of the Corps who have previously served in
Donnington will remember the gardener Alec Bratton who
tendered the Officers Mess gardens and many of those in
Humbcr Way. Alec died recently, and as a commemoration
to him an oak tree has been planted in the Mess grounds by his
sister.
15 BATTALION
'A' COMPANY.
'A' Company have scored another success in
winning the Battalion sports. Captain Paddy Starrett, our Team
Captain arranged a good training programme this year, and
with the enthusiasm shown by our team it was a winner from
the start. It was particularly pleasing to see our tug-o-war
team thrash the heavyweights of ' Headquarters' and ' B '
Company. Well done to all. Our next goal is the annual
swimming championships.
' B' COMPANY.
The major event on the sporting calendar
must undoubtedly be the ' B ' Company performance in the
15 Battalion Athletics Meeting. Under the combined direction
of Sergeant Scouse Malloy and Private Bruce Hardy the Com-
pany notched up some notable successes. Corporal Lofty Young
used his six feet five inches to great effect by breaking the record
in the shot with a throw of 11.21 metres thus ensuring a place in
the (cam for Travcrs Clarke. Lance Corporal Nick Carey showed
his true potential when he fought off a last minute contender in
the one hundred metres to win in line style; he also came
second in the Long Jump. Private Bruce Hardy, Company
PTI. broke the opposition coming around the back straight and
made a convincing win in the four hundred metres.
Ccncral Whallcy
is shown some captured Argentine
at Donnington.
equipment
HEADQUARTERS
COMPANY.
The emphasis this month has
been on farewells. Our CO, Lieutenant Colonel Champion, was
pulled out of camp in style on a custom built Land Rover painted
Silver. Now we know what Staff Sergeant Ridley and MT do
for a living!
We also said farewell to Devizes with a parade through the
town. A lot of hard work was put in by all and blessed with
fine weather and large crowds, the parade proved to be a fine
spectacle to mark the end of Devizes as a garrison town after
one hundred years. The parade over, Headquarters Company
yet again preparing for the move to Corsham in June.
Congratulations go to C/Sergeant Perrins on transferring
to the Corps, Corporal Adam on changing trade to Staff Clerk,
thereby ensuring that all the Battalion squash team are from
Headquarters Company, the soccer team for winning the Dis-
trict Minor Unit League for the second year and the squash
team for winning the Army Minor Units Soldier Magazine
Squash again for the second year.
91 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
DRILL was the main occupation this month as we prepared for
and took part in the parade through the town of Devizes to
mark our departure, and indeed to end one hundred years of
Regular Army presence in the town. All the hard work paid
off and, in excellent weather, everyone left the parade feeling
proud.
Preparation of the move of the Company to Corsham is
now head of our work list and it is gradually sinking in that
that is a formidable task. Indeed, 4 Platoon has found the
task so daunting that they have given up and taken themselves
off to Cornwall for a weeks adventure training.
Captain King, the Platoon Commander of 1 (Local Resources)
Platoon and 270 (Local Resources) Section has just returned
from Exercise Strident Call in Kenya and Sergeant Boo Silvester
has returned from Exercise Rocky Lance in Oman. They arc
now providing us with rugged stories of life in the tropics
whilst the rest of us enjoyed the luxury of an English winter.
Before the suntan dies they should be away on their next set of
exercises in Kenya, Fiji and Nepal.
Congratulations to Corporal and Mrs Lee on the birth of a
son and to Sergeant Silvester and Lance Corporal Hamilton on
promotion.
Welcome to Lieutenant Hardy, Staff Sergeant
Coclho, Corporal Waddington and Privates Green, Walker,
Bower and Hamcs.
81 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
ALL'S quiet in the Orderly Room. Sergeant O'Rourkc is happy
delegating all his work to his replacement. Sergeant Kelly, whilst
the Chief Clerk is notching up yet another exercise. Meanwhile,
the Orderly Room Clerk, Private Thomson is waiting for the
Chief to come back so that he can harass him, something about
B2?
We regret to inform our readers that our AO/QM Captain
Turrell has hung up his boots and retired from football—he
will be a great loss. Thanks Peter for your past support from
all of us.
We hear that our resident civvic, Mr Ray Scott is leaving
us for pastures new in Blackdown. He was an ardent supporter
of our football team, never missed a match both home and
away. He served in the British Army after he left the Canadian
Army as a long serviceman. During the Second World War he
saw action on the fatal Dieppe Raid and on ' D ' Day, he was
22 —
Book number R0406