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RAOC Gazette - page 90

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1983
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Transcription congratulations to all the players for all their achievements and
a warm welcome back to work!
The exercise season got off to a soggy start, with half the
company getting bogged down in a wood (we hope that Major
Tillotson doesn't pay too much attention to first impressions).
But fear not, the day was finally saved by Sergeant Richards
and his crew, who demonstrated that they could do more than
just drive their recovery vehicle.
Congratulations to Corporal Rogers for successfully passing
the POD instructors course.
Finally, we say our welcomes and farewells. Welcome to
Privates Battye, Martin, Smith, Abbot and Crimin. We hope
your stay is an enjoyable one. Welcome back to Lance Corporal
Lord, and Privates Dodds, Money and McCallum, all of whom
have just returned from the Falklands. Farewells go to Sergeants
Crook, Dean, Corporal Thompson, Lance Corporals Chessell
and McCormick and their families. All the very best to you all
for the future.
Finally, we say bon voyage and good luck to Sergeant
Major, and Privates Eridge, Maxwell, Roberts and Dando, all
of whom depart soon for the Falklands.
62 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
THE Company had a TEWS in the woods of Bad Driberg. The
exercise ' without stores' enabled all to be given instruction
on the military training, which included trench construction and
many other aspects. The day and night navigation produced
its problems, but Private Carrier was fastest round at night,
with fighting order, and is our youngest soldier. The Apprentices
College produced him.
Captain Pepperell received a cleft stick message at supper
in a damp wood on exercise that he was about to be a father;
congratulations to Mrs Pepperell on having a son, Steven. Corporal
and Mrs Sugden's baby is now home after two months in a
local hospital and Lance Corporal and Mrs Morey's son was
safely delivered on 9th May.
Fourteen of the Company ran the Hermanslauf, the annual
thirty kilometres ridge run from Hermansdenkmal to Bielefeld,
and of some three thousand finishers, the CSM led the OC in the
first seventy, followed by Lance Corporal Perry a few minutes
later, who then promptly went to the Falklands. The A team
was second military, fifth overall out of thirty teams.
The soccer players (when is the season ending?) have
bought credit to the Battalion. Corporal Warham and Lance
Corporal Ferguson were in the BAOR Minor Unit winning
team. The latter is now safely married, congratulations. The
Company team lost narrowly to 61 Ordnance Company in the
Comd Sup Cup Final.
The Bielefeld Massed Bands has involved many of the
Company in drill, with Second Lieutenant Snaith leading with
sword. Ushers have also been provided, so the last few weeks
has seen much boot bulling.
Captain Haslam our Admin Officer and canoe expert has
been enticing budding white water experts to his week courses;
he is off on Long Look soon to New Zealand.
Welcome to Privates Till, Johnson and Crook, and may
their stay be happy.
63 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
WHERE 1 is the year going to, no sooner had we made our
contribution to the Bielefeld Massed bands display through
Major Kime as Stage Manager and CSM Finch and his party
as members of the Guard of Honour, than we were off on
Exercise Rollerball.
Before we went, we said farewell to W02 Patton who had
reached the twenty two year point and decided it was time he
found out about life as a civilian.. It was a long Friday after-
noon, which started with Q Patton being strapped to a stretcher,
which was hung from the barrel of an M107. He was then
removed from Redcar Barracks in style swinging gently under
the barrel, and driven to the nearby Sports Pavillion escorted by
members of the Company. There he was offered the best wishes
of the Company by the OC, presented with his farewell present
and treated to a barbecue by Corporal McKay.
We then had the farewell to Private Douglas. Despite
the fact he doesn't like BFTs, Mountains or anything that in-
volves moving his legs, we miss having him around.
Much to the relief of Staff Sergeant Campbell the pro-
motion board selected him for promotion together with CSM
Finch, Staff Sergeants Parkes, Hampton and the Chief Clerk
Sergeant Higgs.
The football season for the unit has come to an end but
considerable success has been enjoyed.
The team won its
division of the Bielefeld Minor Units League, but unfortunately
Swinging departure.
lost in the 'play-off' to 61 Ordnance Company two three,
and so had to be content with the runners-up shield. This was
the third successive year that the Company had won its division
in the League.
The combined 62/63 Ordnance Company team reached the
final of the DOS Cup, the most important RAOC competition in
BAOR. In the semi-final they overcame 3 BAD which was a
hard earned victory, but in the final they were not able to get in
front of 61 Ordnance Company, despite equalising four times in
all, and eventually lost in extra time five four. Still it was a
considerable achievement to reach the final.
In the last game of the season the Company team played
in the final of a local German tournament and were successful.
So they finished on a high note, with a marvellous trophy to go
on display.
We congratulate Lance Corporal and Mrs Mumford on
the birth of their son Carl, and welcome Lance Corporal Leddy
and Private Whitworth back from BATUS and Private Hatton
back from the Falklands.
64 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
WE start our notes this month by passing on our congratulations
to members of the Company who have deservedly been selected
for promotion to their next higher ranks. They are our Depot
Superintendent, W02 Povey, Chief Clerk Supplies, Staff
Sergeant Wadley, CQMS, Staff Sergeants Neal and Baker
Sergeant Hallam. These selections should warrant enough free
drinks at our next Company social gathering to make it a cheap
evening out!
Our one and only Subaltern, Second Lieutenant Songhurst,
has been bringing glory to the Company lately with his
selection for the RAOC BAOR Rugby XV. Is it a measure of
Mr Songhurst's versatility that he joined the squad as a hooker
and ended up playing as a winger? As any rugby afficianados
will know, there is a great similarity in playing styles between
these two positions!
Quite a number of the Company have been away on
courses recently, all of which were concluded successfully.
Corporal Hutt is now a Bl Baker which probably accounts
for his imminent six months Falklands tour; Lance Corporal
Pritchard and Private Hoare completed the Bakery operators
phase of the Victuallers' course so they could also go to the
Falklands and Private Baker is now a fully qualified MHE
operator so we have someone to call out to operate the Hyster
during silent hours. Well done to all concerned.
As well as saying farewell to those listed above, we also wish
Lance Corporal Forrest an enjoyable six months in FOC Belize.
It's not all farewells though because we welcome back from
the Falklands Corporal King and say hello for the first time to
Mrs Cummings and family who have joined husband W02
Cummings, our new Master Baker.
Teeny bopping has been the in thing lately for two of our
unit wives; Mrs Utterson and Mrs Farrington rolled back the
years recently and bopped away at a Shaking Stevens concert
which was held in Dortmund. I'm told that rah rah skirts and
white ankle socks were the order of the day!
Finally, I'm sure all the Company will join me in saying
get well soon to Mrs Shirley O'Doherty, wife of our Chief
Clerk (Admin), Sergeant O'Doherty, and our message is " Best
wishes ond hurry up back to us in Bielefeld."
— 75 —
Book number R0406