RAOC Gazette - page 94
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 |
RAOC in the Falklands HEADQUARTERS BFFI -j OUR apprentice undertaker Corporal -><# Terry McGovern went off again this month ^ ^ £ £ to bring in another dead Argentine soldier ^^K^5y from Tumbledown. An unpleasant but ,/yAnLI^^J necessary task—the lengths some people -"C/' / go to just to see their name in print! », _ » ^ i X Our colleagues at the Airfield played JV^K a blinder this month when the Air Com- •*jJ^^K?T mander asked for his Portakabin to be ^ moved. A crane duly arrived, hooked up and lifted said Portakabin. Imagine the surprise and consternation as the bottom of the Portakabin fell out depositing the contents of the Air Commander's office all over the airfield. Someone forgot to put the bottom frame on! Nice one Biggies! Remark of the month from a certain scouse Lance Corporal: " Good news—I've been promised a billet ashore when I get back to the U K ! " Dragged in chains into the Headquarters this month came Staff Sergeant Mel Kingston, Sergeant Pete Dawson and Lance Corporal Geordy McKay. (Super says to let records know that's four Chief Clerks G3 (Army) he's seen through—thanks lads). FALKLAND ISLANDS LOGISTIC BATTALION RHQ WE are expecting winter to start but despite the occasional blast of hail and strong winds the climate remains quite mild. There is a general air of expectancy within the Battalion Head- quarters as the New Year draft of personnel are preparing to handover. The CO, Lieutenant Colonel Brown to be relieved by Lieutenant Colonel Norman-Bailey, 2IC Major Nevill by Major Thompson and the new Adjutant Captain Bourton is already in post. This will mean an all RAOC team for the first time in the Battalion. Organisationally, the Battalion is also in flux as the latest establishment proposal is winding its way through the SD labyrinth. There is an increasing pressure to move out of Port Stanley to a cantonment, at the eastern end of the inner harbour, near to RAF Stanley. The second COASTEL has just arrived and a third will be enroute shortly and between them they will house from two thousand five hundred to three thousand men. At the same time a build of new technical accommodation, in the same area, is being planned. The in- evitable problem is that, despite every second soldier appearing to wear a Sapper cap badge, there is a severe shortage of engineer resources in relation to tasks. Final change is in the Orderly Room which is currently run by Staff Sergeant Davies, late of SHAPE, and heading for the Employment Training. School. He is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Staff Sergeant Bartram (ex-Ashchurch) who will take over a staff of clerks from Scots Guards, Gunners, Devon and Dorsets and Pioneer Corps; an unusual blend to say the least. SUPPLY COMPANY RATION PLATOON. Since the last notes the Platoon has been extremely busy off loading from the supply ship Avelona Star, before her return to the UK. Working accommodation is still a headache as the outload collation shed is being rapidly filled up with wool by the Falkland Island Company. The main ration shed, otherwise known as the Tardis, for its apparent ability to stretch to any size, is now bursting at the seams. WOl (Conductor) Burrell has left just in time to set W02 Scott his first initiative test. How to put a quart into a pint pot. The working practices in the Platoon have also changed recently as the former regiment of four days fresh and three compo is now six and one. Furthermore, the twenty five per cent arctic supplement has been authorised so everyone is busily eating their heads off. Changeovers have been frequent and rapid, apart from the Depot ' supers,' the OCs have also handed over. Captain Marshall, has departed for a new life with the RMP in Berlin having been replaced by Captain Arnold fresh from the OO's Course. Departures: Sergeant King, Corporal Cramman, Privates Le Freuvre, McCallum, Gaydon and Cowling. Arrivals: Staff Sergeant McGurk, Sergeant Fleck, Corporals Piggot and Hockaday, Lance Corporals Buddon and Strong, Privates Massleden, Lowe, Jenkins, Phillips, Williams, Collins and Betsworth. ASU. A fairly routine month. Three camps at San Carlos and Port Stanley have been completed and handed over to the units now occupying them. We have another four camps to do during the next three or four weeks. In addition, the second Accommodation Barge is now in the harbour, complete with swimming pools and squash court! Captain Ore, Sergeant Poulton and Private Newhand took a cruise around to San Carlos to complete the camp there. Had they known what the weather was to be like they would not have bothered eating before sailing. This may have had considerable bearing on the decision to return by Chinook. Private Haddon is welcome to the ASU, the extra pair of hands will be needed in the coming weeks, as yet more stores are to be outloaded. PETROLEUM PLATOON. The Platoon has also had its share of changeovers, especially in the outstations. during the last month: Corporal Farnie and Private Cox have been replaced by Sergeant Hulse and Private Warner at Goose Green. Lance Corporal Evans has been replaced by Private Palmer at Fox Bay heli-refuelling site whilst Lance Corporal Harrison and Private Davison have been deployed across the water to operate the new diesel site. All three are suffering from chocolate starvation as Captain Ellis and Staff Sergeant Moffat are refusing to send them any in order to help Lance Corporal Toms in his attempt to win slimmer-of-the-year award. Corporal Artym has moved from San Carlos to Port San Carlos to replace Corporal Parr. Sergeant Duff has been joined at San Carlos by Lance Corporal Hawkins, Private Smith and Lance Corporal Preston (another newly arrived Supply Specialist). Lance Corporal Brownlow and Private John were de- ployed to Port Howard but declined to stay once the site had been filled with fuel due to lack of work. Corporal Willis has been on sailing trips with the Icelark (our new COASTEL resupply vessel) and has taken over com- mand of the SBS (Smurf Boat Section). Somebody started a rumour that he's trying to persuade the Captain to sail to Mexico for R and R! Corporal Robertson took a trip around the island on a packed resupply ship and is now having a respite from work by starting his EPC course, he has already discarded the management phase by stating you'd get more work from the lads by whipping them. Sergeant Stewart spent three days (somehow managing to stretch it to five) on HMS Penelope during a jaunt—Mexico was superb he says. Corporal Poole has been busy changing his office around, but after another fortnight he'll have another reshuffle one expects. Staff Sergeant Moffat can be seen smiling from ear to ear, his replacement is due in two days time—welcome Staff Sergeant Edwards (nobody's got that long to do). Sapper High is positively grinning—his replacement arrived yesterday—welcome Lance Corporal Johnson. Congratulations to Sergeant Hulse on his promotion and to him and Mrs Hulse on the birth of their baby boy. Con- gratulations to Private and Mrs John on the birth of their new boy—destined to be called Barry or Gareth for some reason! Congratulations to Sergeant Duff, Corporals Crocker and Artym on their promotion. Days to do are getting few. STORES COMPANY. This month we start with the sports news. Every Sunday the Company fields a football team com- peting in the Port Stanley ' friendly' League. Games take place at the so called sports ground, which has by now degenerated to a limitless sea of peaty mud. In this sticky quagmire some notable victories have been won: a 73 Port Sqn team beaten five nil by nine men (the other two missed the boat ashore) and a four one victory over Supply Company. The team is captained by Private Bucklebunk and managed by Corporal Beverley. The Company also provides the majority of the Battalion Rugby Team. If anything, they have to contend with an even muddier, remote and exposed pitch than the footballers. Play- ing against the Antarctic southerly gale as a third team has its moments. Nevertheless everyone seems to enjoy the experience. Turning to entertainment, Lance Corpora! Francis is now the resident reggae, funk, sha expert in the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Service. He DJs all afternoon shows three times weekly'and seems to have gained quite a following. His various dedications to the other clerks in the potting shed (the stock control Portakabin) are very much appreciated. We say farewell to long serving stalwarts of the Company: W02 Burnett and Staff Sergeant White, and thank them for all they have done for the Company. We welcome WOl Tanner who has come from Donnington to see what happens to the stores when they eventually make it to Port Stanley. We hope it hasn't come as too dreadful a shock! — 79 — |
| Book number | R0406 |