RAOC Gazette - page 63
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 |
BIRTHS FOXTON.—On 3rd April 1983, at BMH Hannover, to Major and Mrs P. D. Foxton, a son Guillaume Edgar. INMAN.—On 12th March 1983, at the-Louise Margaret Hospital Aldershot, to Fiona and Captain John Inman a daughter, Daisy Anne. ENGAGEMENTS OSBORNE—BUNFORD —The engagement is announced between Captain Peter G. Osborne RAOC, second son of Mr and Mrs E. G. Osborne of Paignton, Devon, and Sally-Ann, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs J. Bunford of Northwood, Middlesex. DEATHS BURT.—On 24th May 1983, Sergeant D. Burt of the Stores Section 31 Command Workshop. {An obituary will appear in the next edition.) FORRESTER.—On 17th April 1983, at Osnabruck, Private M. S. Forrester. HEPPER—On 5th May 1983, Captain W. A. Hepper. JONES.—On 29th April 1983, at BMH Munster, Lance Corporal B. A. Jones of FOD Dulmen. KEN YON— On 5th June 1983, Private Christopher Samuel Kenyon of 16 Battalion as the result of a climbing accident. PAYNE.—On 18th April 1983, Anne, wife of Staff Sergeant P. W. Payne. Staff Sergeant Payne wishes to thank everyone for their kind support at this sad time. WOODLEY.— On 5th April 1983, at the General Hospital in Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei, after a short and sudden illness, Brett Anthony Woodley, aged two and a half, son of WOl and Mrs Woodley, and brother of Darren and Stacey. THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE have notified us of the deaths of the following Officers: — POWELL.—On 10th March 1983, Captain A. E. Powell. TURNER.—On 24th January 1983, Major E. H. Turner. ©bitrnvp BRIGADIER R. V. BLUNDELL MAJOR GENERAL SIR JOHN HILDRETH writes: I was saddened by the news which I received early in the morning of 13th May that Brigadier Blundell had died during the night in St Mary's Hospital Newport on the Isle-of-Wight. He had been ill with angina and other heart complaints for the past two or three years and had only just been admitted to hospital for a rest and overhaul. Indeed I had been ta'.king to him on the telephone the evening before his death which made it seem all the more unreal. It is almost exactly twenty years ago that he retired from the Army and although a few of his contemporaries remain, to Brigadier R. V. Blundell. whom he was—and always will be affectionately known as ' Vic,' the great bulk of the Corps today never served with him, nor ever knew him. So let me tell you just a little of what this outstanding man was like and what he did for the Army and the RAOC. He began his Army career as a boy (bugler) in the Corps and he finished as a substantive Brigadier, one of the select few to do so earning two rows of medals including the CBE awarded to him for outstanding service in Korea. This was an excel- lent achievement by any standards and only a very few other men equalled, or even approached it. Certainly to my knowledge none at that time outstripped Vic. His career was wide and varied and there were few aspects of Ordnance endeavour which were not brightened by Vic's personality. He served in nearly every type of appoint- ment—Depot work, at Command Headquarters, in Field Forces Headquarters at both Corps and Division, at home in the War Office and at operational overseas Headquarters—including the Far East. To each and every one he brought tireless effort and a willing acceptance of responsibility. In my own sphere he joined me "at Bicester in 1953, as my deputy, and later he followed me to BAOR when he com- manded 15 ABOD. It was in these years that I quickly learnt that he was a man of outstanding ability, complete with a loyalty, not only to his seniors but to his juniors too, with un- flagging patience and a happy knack of solving the many irksome problems which arose in a Corps that was being run down from a war to a peace footing. He was too a well known participant in a number of games and sports and took a lively interest wherever the Corps played. He was a brilliant rifle shot and competed with the Corps and the Army in this sport and was internationally acclaimed. Everything he touched seemed to flourish but not just for himself. He was the soul of modesty and did what he did for the benefit ultimately of the Corps and of the Corps teams involved. In retirement he assumed new interest—birds and bird watching and other nature studies, became his greatest interests— and people, particularly the old and lonely. He befriended them and shared their parties and activities and very often acted for them and their relatives after they died. A most human and lovable person who will be greatly missed on the Island. His great tragedy in life was when his beloved daughter, Heather contracted Polio in that fearful epidemic in the early fifties. She has been paralysed from the neck down ever since and has suffered a number of other reverses. But being a chip of the old block, she is still smiling. In spite of her pluck and courage her disablement was a source of great sorrow to Vic, but he was always of great help and comfort to her. And so we say goodbye to him and send our sincere sympathy to his family and in particular to Heather. Goodbye Vic and well done. |
| Book number | R0406 |