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RAOC Gazette - page 92

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Corps RAOC
Material type Journals
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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1983
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Colour Yes
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Early date 1983
Late date 1983
Transcription Thumbs
up for SATOs
break.
ashtrays too quickly. Private Andy Thomson, who has recently
joined us keeps busy and fit running, ski-ing, playing football
and squash, and sometimes looking after the Depot's MT. Last,
but certainly not least, our saving grace—Mrs Bobbie Mussett—
Clerk/Typist by employment but counsellor of wisdom and
purveyor of humour in practice, keeps us all up to the mark
(but we're not admitting just which mark!).
Generally our work—Inspectorate, Depot and EOD—keeps
us busy. If we've not been too involved in the Depot, we have
found time to clear a suspect booby-trapped house in Nicosia
in the Greek/Turkish buffer zone; we've blown up a culvert
bomb (and the culvert!) of 1963 vintage and actually done
some range clearance at Akamas to clear dangerous items after
a civilian scrap dealer was hurt in an accident on this open
range. There are always the funnies to have a go at—a dangerous
overhang with a wide crack along it on the RAF Akrotiri Cliffs
refused to budge despite some well placed charges, and we
also helped with some ' instant' bunkers in the rock hard
surface of our local golf course. All in the last six months or so.
We keep busy one way or another!
ASU. The ASA Centenary dinner, held in the Posiedonia Hotel
in Limmasol on 14th May was a great success with over one
hundred and forty members of our staff in attendance. Captain
lean Wafforne feels that he is here to stay and has the following
offering from the detachment in Dhekelia
As this is the centenary of the ASAs, I would like to point
out that we have fifteen ASAs with a total of two hundred and
seventeen years service, ranging from two and a half years to
thirty years, as ASAs. Six of them have one hundred and
fifty six and a half between them—now beat that all you
other ASUs.
On a personal note, I'm not sure if the sun, sea, sport and
topless bathing at Nisi Beach agrees with me, and what is a.
Bicester?
SUPPLY DEPOT. The Supply Depot has been busy as usual.
The re-supply of BRITFORLEB on the weekly Hercules to
Beirut is running smoothly even though it is a 3 am start to put
the thermo containers, courtesy of Central Catering, on to the
Bread Delivery Vehicle, courtesy of TSU, to reach Air Cargo
Akrotiri for despatch, courtesy of the RAF. So you see, a task
with many possible pitfalls. It has already resulted in the
Master Butcher, W02 Seatree (congratulations on your pro-
motion ' Q'—sorry about the Falklands though), chasing his
Sergeant Butcher Ken Cornwall, down to Akrotiri when he had
forgotten to take the vouchers!
The UNIFIL supply chain has been running smoothly—
we await developments of the signing of the Treaty on the with-
drawal of forces from the Lebanon with interest.
Congratulations to Sergeant Smith on also being selected on
this year's promotion roll, and to Sergeant Hindle for getting
his substantive promotion.
Late News! Tommy McGurk returns from the Falklands
early—obviously the Penguins have had enough of ; him (not
that there was a lot to start with!).
— 77
STORES AND VEHICLE DEPOT. This month sees activity at
the Beach Hut, with WOl Harry Jennings and W02 Chris Bailey
organising the painting and refurbishing of it. The beach is
also getting a face lift after the winter storms.
Our Wives Club Ladies did a sponsored walk early this
month in order to build-up their funds, the walk was approxi-
mately twelve miles and believe me, it was a rough route, mostly
cross-country, up and down hills. The Ladies did very well and
collected over £100 for their efforts. The walkers were Ellen
Keogh, Maureen House, Val Gemmell, Rose Bailey. Vera
Stanton, June Henderson, Wilma Carter, Sharon Stubberfield
(1 A and SH), Kim Fordyce, Penny Devlin, June Snowden and
Sadie Walker; Sadie didn't walk, she ran instead and made good
time.
Back from an EP Course is Lance Corporal George Carter;
congratulations must go to him for staying awake all through
the four week course. His boss, WOl Jennings, reckons that he's
had a holiday and is keeping the leave passes locked away.
We held a farewell function for Major Bob McCartney in
the RAOC Club, this to Major Mac was a complete surprise as
he was the Duty Lemon for This Is Your Life. There was no
truth in the script but quite a good stage act!
On Major Mac's departure at Akrotiri we lined the route
as he was driven to the Air Terminal on top or a ferret scout car.
Welcome to Captain Wilson who has stepped into Major
Mac's place.
British Army Training Unit Suffield
LIFE in the Company is now settled into its
summer routine, crisis after crisis. The latest
influx of Temporary Staff are finding their feet:
Sergeant Nutman the range AT has found it
helps to have the map the right way up; Sergeant
Murdoch is learning to type; and Corporals
Hunking, Rothwell, Lance Corporal Irving,
Privates Arnell, Stanley and Ainsworth are
actually losing their feet, running with the OC
preparing for a three hundred and fifty mile
sponsored run.
W02 Frater is writing to Records about the size of his
storeman—they're too small to win at volleyball. Ammunition
Platoon now has CB safety radios which has meant that they
have evolved their own particular form of voice procedure.
' Ten-four big buddy looks like we got us a compound.' Mr
Foster has left Ammunition Platoon to work in Calgary-
Workshop tell us that the correct name for a Grizzly Bear
is Ursus Arctus Horribilis Ord which has led to a search for
grizzlies amongst company personnel. There are a few front
runners, notably from vehicle platoon whose outdoor winter
existence encourages hair growth. More next month.
Force Ordnance
Company
Belize
PRIVATE
RAY
BLISS finally succum-
bed to the lure of
married life. The wed-
ding taking place at
San P e d r o , which
virtually all of the
Company a t t e n d e d .
The best wishes of us
all go to Ray and
Elaina and hope that
they have a happy life together.
W02 Jim Sharrock having decided that the medical facilities
weren't quite up to standard decided to wait until he got to
Miami before reporting sick. On returning to APC he promptly
left again for a weeks leave in UK. Anybody sighting this
elusive character is asked to submit a report to this location by
the fastest possible means.
Sergeant Bob Law has been wandering around in a daze
since hearing that he has been selected for promotion. Perhaps
that had something to do with the fact that he forgot where he
had ' parked ' his Land Rover.
Speaking of promotion, Belize City is still trying to recover
from ' Hurricane Jimmy Foster' who has been celebrating his
promotion to substantive Staff Sergeant

Book number R0406