RAOC Gazette - page 89
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 |
4 Ordnance Battalion BATTALION HEADQUARTERS IN the past this would have been a quiet period but this year 4 Armoured Division was given the task of organising the Staff College Visit to BAOR. Therefore, the month opened with Battalion Headquarters, 42 and 43 Ord- nance Companies deployed at Sennelager, preparing for this very important event. A tremendous amount of hard work was put into the demonstration by all ranks, and the two actual days of the demonstration were highly successful. The Battalion is holding its first Inter-Company Athletics meeting at the end of the month and hope to select, what will be, a successful team for the forthcoming RAOC (BAOR) Meeting. We wish Staff Sergeant Bob Sacre the best of luck during his short spell in the South Atlantic and welcome to Private Scouse Ashfield who is standing in as the COs driver while Lance Corporal Iain Bond is on his RPC 2 course. 42 ORDNANCE COMPANY THE priorities this month have been twofold, to prepare for and take part in the Staff College Demonstration and to continue getting the new Company lines into a ship shape condition. The magnitude of the former's importance became clear when it was realised that the Company was to represent the Corps in its field force role not only to future senior officers in the British Army but also to many, already high ranking, officers from all over the world. The preparation was hectic with all the vehicles taking part being spray painted and much anxious learning of scripts. However, all the pre-exercise work was rewarded and the demonstration was a great success. Staff Sergeant Pete Keast and his merry men of the Tug-of-War Team put up a sterling performance, biting peoples ankles and generally terrorising the Staff College students. Unfortunately Private Kev Potts was a little over enthusiastic and on the first showing managed to ' head butt' the sideboard of a ten tonner. He returned to Minden with two black eyes, a broken nose and fourteen stitches in his head for his trouble. Mischief was at large. At one showing Second Lieutenant Wally Astley leaped into his trench only to find it waist deep in water, while just a few yards away the first lines of Lance Corporal Dickie Henderson's speech were met with an urn full of cold tea being poured over his head. Each day Private Jimmy Glover's head appeared, white and blood stained, staring out of a Thomas Bin (what they did with the rest of his body, we'll never know) and scaring any stray female student who happened to come across him. Needless to say a great deal of fun was had by everyone and by all accounts the Staff College was much impressed by the Ordnance Corps. The new Unit Club has continued to develop and now has a disco room with flash- ing lights built in the floor and walls. Rumours that the OC has plans for a fountain and water- fall may not be so illfounded, the fish tank has already arrived and the outside play park and patio are on the way. Many people have worked in the Club but many thanks must go to Lance Corporals Karl Bowkis and Graham Hilton and Privates Tony King, Paul Duncalf, Jimmy Egan and Craftsman Karl Watson for all their hard work, and their great achievement— most of them are seen in the photograph. The football team did themselves credit by beating 61 Ord- nance Company in the Quarter-Final of the DOS Cup. We were five nil up at one stage, but 61 fought back well to five four, which gave our supporters cause for heart attacks. The winning team was Corporal Roger Ball, Lance Corporals Scouse Houghton, Steve Watson, Privates Lewis Powell, John Kelly, ' E T ' Johnson, Ian Tully, Tony Melvin, Roger Stoker, Shaun Gilman and Kev Donnelly. The team is now shaping up well under the direction of CSM Bill Rice and we now hope for a good run of successful results. Congratulations to Sergeant Ford, Corporal Vic Arrowsmith and Lance Corporals Brian Martin and John Bolland on their substantive promotions. Also congratulations to Staff Sergeant Ron Mansfield and Ray Northcott and Sergeants Alan Shorkey and Ray Crooks on being selected for promotion on the recent Board. The selection makes Sergeant Shorkey's return from the FI even sweeter. We welcome Corporal Iain Aird, Lance Corporal Gary Rowley and Private Ian Tully and say farewell to Corporal Ken Higgins. 11 ARMOURED BRIGADE AS expected the first BFT of the year did indeed prove to be very successful. Pass rate was very high on first attempt. Our — 74 •»»"»< <*». ^Ws B W o r k i n g on the unit club left to right: Privates Egan, Ramsay, Lance Corporal Hilton, Privates King and Duncalf with Craftsman Watson at the rear. fastest time at present is Sergeant Martin Brown who came in just under nine minutes. Close on his heels are Corporal Jim Swan and Lance Corporal Jim Billinger, both in under nine and a half minutes. Our Superintendent Clerk, WOl Sam Johnston insists that we mention that he passed his also, just outside nine and a half minutes and intends to knock off those extra two seconds next time. Corporal Ian Portman and Lance Corporal Jim Billinger represented the Headquarters at the Munster International Open Darts Competition on 13th May. Their lips are sealed about how well they did however we do know it took longer to get down and back from Munster than the time spent actually throwing darts! Our new face this month belongs to Lance Corporal Andy Bridgeman who joins us from 42 Security Section in Dusseldorf. He is to be the new discipline clerk replacing Lance Corporal Jim Billinger who is heading for Headquarters Northag on pro- motion to Corporal. All we can get out of him is " The last time I was in Rheindahlen I was single"—what does he mean!— 29 Company? Private Mick Nolan has had an interesting first month. Following his first exercise he's now away sailing in Danish waters. He's a first time sailor but no doubt contributed to the Headquarters gaining second place in the 4 Armoured Division Offshore Regatta. 2 Armoured Brigade ^ HEADQUARTERS A * • DURING the last month, May, we said fare- ^^W , ^ well to WOl Frank Linnane, our Superintend- | ^ . » ^* ing Clerk. Frank is due to retire shortly ^A^'^^ (' with his squash racket') and we wish him, ~S^^, Pat and family all the best in the future. f/^^- Private Dave Lonnen continues to run Ifr better than his car. He is to be con- ' gratulated on a very creditable tenth place in the Bruggen 10. Our congratulations also go out to Private Dave Martin on his engagement to Miss Tracey Toulmin—(when is the big day?). Last of our congratulations, and also our com- miserations, must go to our Post NCO, Lance Corporal Pat Worley, who somehow managed to steal an extra days leave (he got caught!). A big welcome to the fold, to our new Superintending Clerk WOl Vic Greenwood who has now taken over the hot seat. He has yet to master the art of shock dice! Finally, our best wishes to Lance Corporal Paul Lambert and his wife on their departure to the dizzy heights of SHAPE. Leave the penguins behind Paul! 6 Ordnance Battalion 61 ORDNANCE COMPANY THIS MONTH, the company saw the football season finally come to an end. When the dust had settled, we found that we had won the DOS cup and the Bielefeld minor units cup. Six of our company players represented the Battalion in their victorious final of the BAOR minor units cup. Our heartiest — |
| Book number | R0406 |