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RAOC Gazette - page 71

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1983
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Early date 1983
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Transcription appear for another three months.
Our congratulations to
Sergeant Phil Skcd and his wife Anne on the birth of their
daughter Joanna.
How many is it now? Lance Corporal
Cameron is still (impatiently) waiting for his addition. Move-
ment is in the air, and Sergeant Skcd has just been granted a
long leave in the Falklands!
There is no truth in the rumour that Lance Corporal
Cameron has volunteered to go so that he can avoid the early
morning feeds.
On the sporting scene Old College are confident that they
could have won the five-a-sidc football competition—but with a
total staff of three they weren't quite up to it.
The Secretary of State for Defence has a go with Wheelbarrow
during a visit to Northern Ireland.
NO. 1 SECTION. Visitors this month range from the Secretary
of State for Defence, Mr Michael Heseltine through to the
Royal College of Defence Studies to Staff Sergeant Mick Swift.
Mick was able to update himself with the aid of Captain
O'Sullivans big one down the Falls Road. Hope you're satisfied
Mick!
The last week or so has seen the opposition letting their
hair down. At one point, all three teams were deployed.
Still, at least one operator was able at long last, to tick
the magic box labelled ' 1ED ' on his F ORD 754.
Lots of action on the end of tour celebrations front; we
bid farewell to Corporals Mark Henry of Bobcat and Monty
Lamont (TSM) of Flashcat, wishing them both well for the
future. In their places, we welcome Corporals Griffiths and
Anysley respectively. Have a happy and successful tour lads.
NO. 2 SECTION. EPC fever have hit the Section this month,
almost everyone can be seen bent over hot exam papers,
practicing for the real thing.
This is the first time that all of the RCT personnel with us
have actually been working at the same time.
The open day season is with us again, with wheelbarrow
demonstrations by the No. 2s, followed by a free-for-all play
time for the children. Corporal Wardman has still not recovered
from the last open day held at Clooney base, having to watch
numerous youngsters trying to break the wheelbarrows has
given him nightmares ever since.
We say farewell this month to Captain Di Inshaw, and
Lance Corporal John King.
A contest is being held in Derry between Captain Inshaw,
Corporals Lilley and Wardman for the coveted ' Bish ' of the
month award, the prize for the winner being a pair of flip flops
and shorts.
R M A Sandhurst
ACADEMY
HEADQUARTERS
THE beginning of the Summer Term, which
started in early May, sees the RAOC refreshed
and ready to battle through another busy term.
Superintending Clerk WOl Malcolm Wilde is seen
about the Academy grounds smiling rather more
than usual. Must be the thoughts of a new home
of his own or maybe the recent IE(A) Inspection
now over has given him more time to get his
squash games in.
A recent arrival has seen
Sergeant Bob Mays slip easily into the chair as
Chief Clerk Coord and Training taking over from Staff Sergeant
Jack Black who goes downstairs to become Chief Clerk Pers
and Log.
OLD COLLEGE. Due to a vast renovation programme within the
Academy, College Headquarters has had to move further into
the unexplored ' warren' of corridors. The staff usually appear
once or twice a term—for the Staff Drill Parade—then dis-
NEW COLLEGE. Now that SMC 33 (Standard Military Course
Number 33 for those of you unlucky enough not to be con-
sidered good enough to serve at Sandhurst), have finally com-
pleted their initial documentation, life here at New College is
slowly getting back to normal (if there was any normality in
New College in the first place).
The Junior Term Clerks Lance Corporal Jock Carrey of
Normandy Company and Lance Corporal John Brown of
Alamein Company having yet again mastered the traditional
backlog which follows recess and are busy planning and
preparing for the long term ahead.
Meanwhile over in the Senior Term, Private Garry Mason of
Rhine Company and Lance Corporal Paul Gaston are putting the
final touches for their forthcoming visit to Vogelsang on Exercise
Eifel Tower. Although there is still the usual problems on the
Overseas Cadets and their visas.
In the College Headquarters, the Chief Clerk Sergeant Rab
Proctor is all smiles knowing that he departs Sandhurst in Sep-
tember (or so he hopes) for a better life style in Berlin.
Corporal Steve Grinczer is still determined that his posting order
must be on its way, although nothing has been heard, far less
seen! Corporal Kev Brown still keeps saying that Sandhurst is
the best posting there is. Mind you he was on recess when
the statement was made.
Some congratulations are in order to New College scribes!
To Kev Brown we say well done on passing his RPC2 at the first
attempt, to Paul Gaston on passing his BI and surprising us all
(and his instructor) by attaining an 'A' Grade, to John Brown
on his promotion, to Garry Mason on passing his B2 and finally
to the SNCO escape committee Rab Proctor on his escape.
Before we go we would just like to say thankyou to our
civilian counter parts for their much appreciated help. Elaine
(Chiefs right hand woman) Cowley, Yoland Bolton, Mary
Coutts and Marie Spooner.
VICTORY COLLEGE. The RAOC members of Victory College
would like to open this article with a few amendments to an
earlier edition. Lance Corporal Don McCutcheon asked me to
mention that he has spent a great deal of time researching his
family history and consequently is not qualified to be called
' Jock' and forthwith we are considering calling him ' Taffy.'
Corporal Ken Reed has changed his sport from dominoes to
golf after too many people were comparing him with Albert
Tatlock. Corporal Andy Buchanan who armed with a golf
club prefers to be called Sandy Lyle is recommended for a
transfer to the Royal Pioneer Corps because he digs such good
trenches with his golf clubs when practicing. I myself Staff
Sergeant Steve Mason, am considering using thunderflashes for
catching fish as the current flyfishing methods meets with
little result. Private Paddy Lemon the stalwart of Victory
College stores still maintains that Egyptian PT is the best sport
and 1 must agree with him—if ever a World Championship was
held at this event he would win it outright!
RMCS Shrivenham
AS reported last month certain lucky
members of the course got away for a mini
break holiday to P and EE Pendine. Un-
fortunately we couldn't get our snaps back
from the chemist in time for last month's
issue but have included one with this
month's notes. Apart from the fact that
this photo proves we were all having a
wonderful time it also substantiates the
theory that if two officers appear identically
dressed one of them goes away and changes.
The weapon in the background is the
pressure barrel mortar we used during our tests.
This month has been almost exclusively devoted to our
mortar project, its culmination came when each of the five
— 58 —
Book number R0406