RAOC Gazette - page 43
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 |
team, Sergeant Wurzel Phelps (Skipper), WOsl Dave Davies and Andy McNaught, Staff Sergeant Bill Arrowsmith, Sergeants Gavin Dunhill, Tommy Bunting and Taff Davies, Corporals Steve Rawson and Neil Stevens, with a hardy band of sup- porters to provide the vocals (and San Mig) managed to put their game together to win an excellent plate final against the BMH by fourteen points to twelve. Well done lads! A particular mention to Sergeant Tommy Bunting who, having played in every game for the team during a very hard day, left to take part in a CBFs representative hockey team match. After the match he was awarded his hockey colours. The orienteering team fancied their chances in the joint Headquarters BF/RHKP Cup, but unfortunately, although scoring the highest number of points overall it incurred too many time penalties and mutterings could be heard when the CO, partnered by the Senior Member, WOl Ron Foster, lost their score card. However, not to be outdone, WOl Dave Davies and his partner Captain Gordon Coombs could be heard exchanging pleasantries when they got separated in a thicket and could be seen with Captain Coombs on top of a hill and WOl Davies a few hundred feet below, separated by vicious undergrowth. The team, which included Staff Sergeant Roy Tomlinson, Lance Corporal Ip, Staff Sergeant Ken Ray, Sergeant Gary Gordon, Privates Ho, Lee, Leung and Chan came ninth in the cup event and tenth out of twelve teams in the league. In the individual veterans event throughout the season, WOl Ron Foster was overall runner-up, followed closely by WOsl Dave Davies (fourth), and Andy McNaught (fifth), Captain Gordon Coombs (seventh) and the CO (sixth)—which just goes to prove that officers can't map read. A good effort considering that ninety five per cent of Army participants are Gurkhas and very familiar with the limited training areas available. Congratulations are in order for the following promotions to Substantive Sergeant, Dave Chippindale (look out SCDS— whatever that stands for—at MOD!) and Nap Napolitano. Also for Corporal Pang Y W and Lance Corporal Leung W M on their recently acquired promotion. Welcomes this month are extended to Staff Sergeant Dave Leek, Sergeant Smith, Corporals Nonis and McQuaide ACC, Lance Corporal Thompson, W02 Cook and their families— we're so glad they all managed to miss our impromptu rainy season. Whilst our thanks, farewells and best wishes go to Staff Sergeant George Fraser, Sergeant Gavin Dunhill and Corporal Ralph van Sanden—who both kindly gave up their initial flight seats to Gurkhas, stayed an extra week (for the LOA?) and as a. result were given a full month's Mess Bill! Corporal Taff Evans ACC, Corpora} Yorkie Goodwin (bound for retirement and Botany Bay) and all families. • The British Forces Lebanon THE second month of our tour has been spent alternating between freezing and roasting. Anyone with misguided ideas about Lebanon being a sunshine desert would have been dis- illusioned by the amount of snow and rain we have had. At one point the weather in England was warmer than here. On the tenth of March Corporal Jock Crilley celebrated his twenty first birthday and was presented with a huge cake and a bottle of brandy. He shared the cake! Hopefully you will by now have seen us on the news in UK as PROPHET (another alias for Captain Mike Southworth) has chaperoned so many TV crews he has difficulty remembering what his real job is. A large white estate car has appeared on our car park and Staff Sergeant Keith Tomlinson (he's the one who has to wear civvies all the time), tells us that the Embassy lent it to him. Since the American Embassy was destroyed by a car bomb we have been rebuilding our security defences. Our home is rapidly beginning to look like most Northern Ireland unit locations. The main difference however is that the Israeli Tanks appear to have no difficulty negotiating our sleeping policemen. The Force received the news that we would remain here for six months with a stiff upper lip, especially as seventy six of our ninety seven had been assured that they would only do three months. The escape committee have had their second official meeting but as yet no-one has managed a home run. Two of our number made it to Cyprus but none regrettably, were RAOC. On the sporting side of life Sergeant Jim Brechin spent a day clay pigeon shooting in the mountains with the Lebanese Army and Corporal Jock Crilley took part in the first Beirut Marathon coming in third from the British side and twenty sixth in the overall marathon which consisted of one hundred and fifty runners. British Army Training Unit Suffield ORDNANCE COMPANY WITH the temperature keeping regular about zero degrees centigrade we are sure summer is just around the corner. This is noticed by many container loads of stores arriving and W02 Brian Frater and his men are actually processing it outside. The rest of the company are work- ing hard getting ready for Medicine Man 1. Staffwise we say farewell to Staff Sergeant Dave Thomas and family to Northern Ireland and welcome to Staff Sergeant Montgomery and family. We also welcome a plane load of summer temporary staff. The OC assures us they will enjoy their tours. The Ammunition Platoon SAT, WOl John Lawrence, took off with his family for a weeks ski-ing before the snow goes. Sergeant Dick Partridge was left behind, but he doesn't mind as he's off to Montreal soon collecting more ammunition. Work- wise it's all go—with the Storemen preparing for the issue of ammunition for Medicine Man 1. REMEMBER THE DEADLINE FOR COPY —28th OF EACH MONTH — WITH THE EDITOR AT DEEPCUT Captain M i k e Southworth (Centre) and Staff Sergeant Bob Waller negotiate w i t h an arab in downtown Beirut. RAOC in the Falklands LOGISTIC BATTALION HEADQUARTERS. The most significant event this month was the change of command. We were very sorry to see Major General Thorne go and thank him for all that he has done for us. We wish his successor Major General K. Spacie a good tour in ' The Hot Seat.' CRS visited us this month and was suitably impressed. The visit of the de- pendants of those killed in the war was a very poignant experience for all con- cerned and it was especially satisfying to hear their supportive comments. Both visits kept our phantom photographer Sergeant Chris Young ' mega' busy and congratulations go to him on the pictures he produced. Culture came to Stanley this month as Super's ' Stanley Folk Club ' got off to a good start. In fact so many people — 36 — |
| Book number | R0406 |