RAOC Gazette - page 29
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1983 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | Yes |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1983 |
| Late date | 1983 |
| Transcription |
Central Ammunition Depot Kineton IT is with great relief that I am able to report that the view from my window is just about back to normal! Gone are all those soldiers with their nasty guns and things and back are the BFT trainers and deck chairs. The sun has also returned and continues to shine upon us, making life here in Kineton very pleasant indeed. What a pity the weather couldn't have been nice when the unit decided to hold the Perry Sevens Rugby competition. It was a dreadful day but the players persevered and produced what turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon's entertain- ment (in one way or another). The RPC upset the form book early on by beating the 'A' Company ' B ' Team and then gave Headquarters Company a bit of a fright in the semi-final before narrowly losing. 'A' Company 'A' Team managed to scrape through their semi-final and the stage was set for an interesting battle between them and Headquarters Company. I don't think it would be unfair to say that with all the age and experience on their side 'A' Company should have walked it but Head- quarters Company put up a good fight and were beaten in the end by the odd fluke try. Luck must have been on 'A' Company's side because I am sure I saw Sergeant Bill Pullen falling, nay tripping, over the line with the ball in his hands to score! The Plate went easily to ' B ' Company who managed, somehow, to provide both teams for the Plate Final. Trophies were presented by the Commandant, who reiterated the view of the spectators that it was the only way-to spend an afternoon. Vehicle Depot Ludgershall WE arc just drawing our breath since in the first ten weeks of the year we have been visited by eleven VIP's. However, we were very pleased to see Major General Brown on one of his last official duties when he presented the Imperial Service Medal to Mr Harold Chappill in the Unit Club. With Harold's wife and daughter to support him and the presence of his friends it made a very pleasant social gathering. The unit possibly created a record last month in having its ARU followed within seven days by the Technical Inspection. We believe all went well and await the reports from Colonel Gregan and Colonel Futrell. They have no doubt exchanged notes. Captain Eddie Cook is back from a management course at the School of Ordnance. He is now using the OK cries and we hope understands more about the mysteries of management. Captain Bob Stafford-Curtis is relieved he is back as he can now go back to the quiet backwaters of Storage where you only get disturbed by a number of three star generals once in the year. We wonder if the painting of all the sheds has something to do with' it. We congratulate Lance Corporal Trevor and Jaclyn Shore on the birth of their daughter, and Private Tim and Elfie Emmott on the birth of their son, also to Lance Corporals Martin Bowen, Bob Williams and ' H ' Kerstein on their substantive promotion to Lance Corporal and to ' Muppet' Worley on his promotion to Acting Lance Corporal. We welcome Sergeant Martin Meighan from Headquarters NORTHAG and wish him well as Chief Clerk Regimental Ad- ministration. He succeeds Sergeant Pat Pierce who has retired from the Service but can be seen wandering around the Depot or should I say being towed by a somewhat grizzly dog. We wish him well in his new career as one of our patrolmen. Petroleum Centre THE South Coast Riviera must start at West Moors before sweeping down to Bournemouth and the sea—well that's the impression the QM staff have with the heavy accommodation bookings for the coming season, extra tentage has been erected to cope with the overflow but un- like Maplins we shall get no holiday staff. Depot operations continue apace al- though overseas activity appears to have steadied down. Unfortunately, we also appear to be in the exercise season with lots of Units arranging to draw fuel and even more just turning up unannounced. Still the RAOC is here to serve etc etc so we should be used to it by now. Sergeant Phil Avery has arrived and taken" over main- tenance section from someone who left a year ago. He keeps wandering around saying " leave it to me " but we think he must mean in our wills judging by his pace of work and the number of courses he's already due to go away on. Finally from the Depot just a note to prove they have worked hard over the past year in 1979/80 and 80/81 approxi- mately one hundred thousand litres were issued overseas in 82/83 they issued four million and twenty thousand litres. The School of Petroleum tells us that following the short Easter break things are now in full swing with as many as five courses running at one period including nine TA Soldiers being first of the one year ' S ' type engagements. We welcome their new OC Major Phillip Taylorson who is in the process of taking over from Major Douglas Reed, also Staff Sergeant Alan Burbidge into the instructors room, we hope both they and their families have a pleasant tour in West Moors. VIP Visitors to West Moors this month included Brigadier D. S. Parker the new Commander Training Centre, Mr M. R. Read PBS The Head of QF (LE) and Brigadier J. A. Hulme the DDGOS. On the sporting scene our runners continue to fly the flag and our congratulations to Corporals Mick Bishop, Kevin Whalley, Shaun O'Hare and Gary Wakerley on completing the London marathon in a very respectable time raising some £400 for the Muscular Dystrophy Group. OK lads she gave you your medals and a kiss? Now send her back to London. Still on sport our riflemen came third in the UKLF team championships final at Bordon; an excellent performance being the top Regular Army team from UK with the gold and silver going to OTCs Cambridge University and Queens University Belfast. In the South West District individual championships The Under Secretary of State (Armed Forces), Jerry W i g g i n T D M P , visiting ' A ' Company at Kineton. Remaining on the subject of rugby, several unit members have been on Corps duties recently. They are: W02 Steve March, Sergeants Brad Bradshaw, Bill Pullen, Privates Taff John, Jacko Jackson and Ned Kelly. Mention should also be made of the unit seven-a-side rugby team on winning the District seven-a-side tournament. This has qualified them to play in the ' Courage' Army sevens competition to be held at Aldershot. Well done you rugby players. It is such a relief to see that they've taken in the advice I've been giving them these past few months! We saw the Under Secretary of State (Armed Forces), Jerry Wiggin MP, last week. It was a visit and a half which took in the Army School of Ammunition and the CAD. Attending with the US of S (AF) were the QMG, the DGOS and a whole host of MAs and Aides-de-camp. The accompanying photograph shows Mr Jerry Wiggin having a look at a nasty piece of ord- nance along with Sergeant Brian Thomas, Corporals Andy Pearse and Andy Hinton. We've had a few ins and outs these last few weeks. The Ins are: W/Lance Corporals Bailley, Calcutt and Howard; Lance Corporals Rome and Wheeler; Privates Keal, Truswell and Smart. The Outs were: W02 Strafford; Corporals Aberoyd, Avery, Egan and Brooks; Lance Corporal Sloan and Privates Dunhill and Tindell. The following marriages have also taken place: W/Lance Corporal Scott to a sailor gay, Able Seaman Robbins and the RSMs clerk W/Lance Corporal Asquith to Corporal John Miller of 'A' Company. Our heartiest con- gratulations to you all. — 24 — |
| Book number | R0406 |