RAOC Gazette - page 42
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 |
ASU CYPRUS. The ASU recently said a sad farewell to ASA Episkopi, Mr Jock Longridgc, who left for retirement after nearly a lifetime of service with Barrack/Accommodation Services Units. The Unit plan to celebrate the ASA Centenary with a mammoth Dinner in May at the Poscidonia Hotel Limassol, when about two hundred guests arc expected. The Detachment Commanders in Dhekelia and Episkopi, Captain lean Waffornc and Captain John Kenwright are enjoy- ing their Cyprus tour and there is no truth in the rumour that they seek early repatriation. AMMUNITION DEPOT AKROT1R1. The running bug has bitten the Ammunition Depot, as two thirds of the Staff have been running down mountains. The SAT, WOl Hubbard was full of encouragement and had said he would do all the work and duties during their absence. After two arduous days of range clearance at Akamas, the SAT and Sergeant Mick Finan and Dave Fordyce returned with their four ton load of scrap. The question on everybody's lips is: What do we do with it now? If an untidy heap appears in the Headquarters Car Park, you will know where it came from! STORES AND VEHICLE DEPOT. This month has seen a few changes with people coming and going. Our new arrivals are Staff Sergeant Barry Salway and wife Linda, Corporal Brian Williams and Sergeant Kien, young wife Beryl and family. The departures were Staff Sergeant Albert Crilley, Sue and family. Staff Sergeant Pete Docherty, Briony and family, WOl Tony Graves, Jan and family. Sergeant Chris Moon, Anne and Alie and last, but not least, Mrs Diana Caldwell. Our best wishes go with you all. I feel we must mention our gallant ladies, they just won't be left out of the action. They challenged the men to an Easter Monday Sports Day. The games played were hockey, football and volleyball—needless to say the ladies won! After the games we enjoyed a bar-b-que and plenty of liquid refresh- ment at the RAOC Club. After the meal the ladies yet again thrashed the men in the boat race. The only casualty after the race was Maureen House, who fell down a well marked hole in the road. Mind you, she wasn't wearing her glasses! Still on the sporting side, the RAOC Akrotiri have done very well up to date in the Station Commanders Cup. We lie second overall with rugby and table tennis still to play; as our strength is only forty strong, it's a good show for the badge amongst all the RAF. On the golfing scene, Captain Keith Whitaker continues to prove his worth by winning everything at TPMH Akrotiri. To change the tempo slightly from sport to Regimental Training, we now have Second Lieutenant Gordon Storey with us to co-ordinate training; no doubt Sergeant Geoff Gordon will be pleased. Once he has decided which office suits his needs, we will re-arrange the furniture and carry on. I'll finish off this month with a mention of a challenge between W02 Bailey and W02 Leach. As running is the 'in' thing here W02 Dave Leach has stated he will race W02 Chris Bailey over the Bondu for seven and a half miles. Look in next month for the result. Headquarters U N F I C Y P NOT a lot has happened since I last wrote, Sergeant Steve Coelho has run in all the cross country events he could find and even managed to get in a Marathon before he left, he got a certificate for the most attendances at cross country events. Mrs Sue Burden, wife of the CPLO, and Mrs Joy Stuart, wife of the FOWO successfully completed the Dancon march in the Troodos Mountains. It was heard after the event that the husbands could now go back to more enjoyable past times other than babysitting. Con- gratulations to you both. WOl (SSM) Ken Stuart's ten pin bowling team beat W02 (SQMS) Jim Byrne's team to take the UNPA bowling title, it is not true that Ken pulled rank? It has been very quiet in the corridors this past few weeks since Major Ian InshaV left on promotion to LEA Andover, hope he can keep track of all his vehicles, don't forget us out here. Sergeant Steve Coelho departed to sort out 9 Ordnance Battalion, the Old Airport Road is now empty, nobody running on it In my last notes I said I would mention Staff Sergeant Ron Fishwick and Sergeant Frank Voice, since then Ron has gone off to Germany and Frank has left the Army, but 1 have mentioned you lads. To replace all those who have departed for pastures new, we welcome to the sunshine Major John Coltington. Staff Sergeant Leslie Spice. Sergeants John Dodds and Tony Hoddgetts. Hope you enjoy your stay in the UN, it should be an experience for you all I never did manage to get the RAOC personnel of the Head- quarters together mainly because they are always out. but I still have fifteen months left to do it. Next time I write (that's if they let me) I will mention Staff Sergeant Jeff Johnstone and Corporal Tony Read, who arc employed somewhere in Headquarters BRITCON. ORDNANCE DETACHMENT UNFICYP. In the UNFICYP Support Regiment volleyball competition the Detachment com- bined with the UN Flight AAC to enter a strong team which eventually finished as runners up in a hard fought competition. The entire Detachment volunteered to participate in the Support Regiment cross country run and our OC. Captain Eric Pitch- forth, having just made the veteran class turned in a fine performance to win the veterans competition. Lance Corporal Martin Baume and Ski Drozdowski were ' selected ' as members of the Support Regiment team in the UNFICYP Military Skills competition, their team finishing third behind both the Grenadier Guards teams, a fine effort—well done! Captain Pitchforth. Second Lieutenant Ray Douglas. Corporal Brian Low and Lance Corporal Scouse Doran all completed the Dancon marches and duly received their medals, certificates and sore feet as a result. Departures this quarter are Second Lieutenant Ray Douglas, Sergeant John Taylor. Corporal Waddy Waddington, Lance Corporals Bob Print, Mac Mclntyre and Privates Jock Strang, Rod Pratt and Scouse Jones. To replace them we welcome Second Lieutenant Wilks. Sergeant Mick Moore, Corporal Barratt. Lance Corporals Scouse Doran. Simon Hartnell, Steve Gray and Privates Mick Knibbs and Flash Bent. We also extend a welcome to Lance Corporal Franz Deicker on detachment from the Austrian Contingent. So with Summer now starting and the sun shining it is time for yours truly to disappear until July to the beaches of Ayia Nip sorry' Ayia Napa. Composite Ordnance Depot Hong Kong IN keeping with the other months of this year so far, April was the wettest such month for over one hundred years. Despite that. Hong Kong life goes on and the Royal Observatory have reported at least one sighting of the sun in the first half of the month. The HK SAM was held early in the month and Major Mike Davison's team, having spent no less than twenty seven full days on training, achieved the distinction of being the best dressed team in the competition; flippers, snorkels et al! Seriously though. A better final position was obtained than in the 1982 HK SAM and we now have the basis of a good team for next year. This was followed by the annual Headquarters Support Troops patrol race, Exercise Sharpshooter. Although Support Troops comprises many units, the Comp Ord Depot contributed seventy of the two hundred and forty plus participants, as well as almost half the DS. Conditions were bad; being very humid, and the course was hard. A forced march over the hills, battle skills tests, an assortment of kit to carry' and a very wet night on Border duty proved to be well within our capabilities— although we don't wish to prove it too often! Towards the end of April the Officers Mess entertained a local civil engineering firm, Maunsells. to lunch and a game of cricket. W02 Sammy Samuel was our impartial umpire. May- be it's just a coincidence, but the result of the limited—over match was a tie—scores being eighty three each! This was a boost for the team's morale, being their best result so far. Over the same weekend our brand new. or resurrected, and untried (pardon the pun) rugby team had its first outing—in the Inter Services Rugby Sevens—with thirteen major and minor teams taking part. We were very unfortunate to lose against GTR in the quarter-finals of the main competition, but our — 35 — |
| Book number | R0406 |