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RAOC Gazette - page 118

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Full title RAOC Gazette
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Publication date 1983
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Early date 1983
Late date 1983
Transcription tEIje Station i©tto£
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in parts, and everyone who attended enjoyed the festivities.
The following day the Sergeants Mess was again the location,
but this time the Mess officially welcomed Brigadier Skinner
and bade farewell to Brigadier Smith.
As usual all is not quiet on the Didcot front Brigadier
Skinner's arrival was pre-empted by the electricians who
descended on us and told us that they had come to re-wire
us. Lights and power sockets go on and off at various times and
we are reliably informed that this will continue for the next
few months. However, all is not gloom and despondency here,
for once the electricians move out the painters move in!
Suggestions for colour schemes to the SSO please.
Three of our intrepid warriors (sic), bored with the night
life of Didcot, have arranged a week's holiday in Cyprus.
Captain Alan Singer, WOl Graham Smith and Staff Sergeant
Dave Silvester would have us believe that it is an exercise!
If they survive the Ouzo more of their adventures later.
Finally, our best wishes go to Brigadier Charles and Mrs
Sonia Smith and we hope that all goes well in Grantham.
Ministry of Defence
CGS
SECRETARIAT
THIS month we said goodbye to
Sergeant Paddy Killeen who leaves
us to take up, in his words, " a Staff
Assistant post" with the DA in
Muscat. However, whoever heard of
a Staff Assistant having to do a five
week typing refresher course first. On
past performances will five weeks be long enough?
Sergeant Chris Rhodes is also posting happy prior to depart-
ing in October for Brussels. Judging by the volume of
correspondence from car salesmen he must be in the market for a
new car.
Our congratulations go to Staff Sergeant Mick Langston
and Sergeant Steve Turner on their respective Substantive pro-
motions, and to Sergeant Chris Rhodes on passing his EPC(Adv).
W/Sergeant Lesley Fox, our ebullient PA to the CGS, con-
tinues to add a woman's touch to the Secretariat, but if only she
didn't have such cold hands!
Directorate of Supply Management
VEHICLE
DIVISION
WE recently had a welcome opportunity to practice our military
skills in the form of a Range Day. Good use was made of our
thirty metre range and most of us had the chance to fire both
SMG and Pistol.
It is hoped that further range days can be organised during
the current year. It is intended to return to the Vale of Belvoir
on 23rd June for another popular run. The route will be
partially off the road to put a little more emphasis on the map
reading aspect The event will terminate with a pub lunch for
those that get back in time. More about this in next month's
notes.
A successful badminton tournament is under way, well
organised by Sergeant John Blake and Corporal Joe Mc-
Donough. It consists of single and mixed double matches, with
some fine trophies for the ultimate winners and runners-up..
Needless to say our two erstwhile organisers are well in con-
tention for the prizes.
Corporal Ian Pickersgill is to be congratulated on com-
pleting the Sheffield Marathon and is now suffering from the
ravages of a roasting hot day. However, he is shortly to depart
for the cooler climes of the South Atlantic, on a five month
detachment Corporal Pickersgill is currently busy obtaining all
the prerequisites for survival, warm clothing, sea bird appreciation
manuals and ' Days to do charts.' Ironically he will return to
an English winter.
The RAOC Training Centre Squash T e a m , South East District,
UK and Army Champions (Soldier Magazine Cup)
1982/83.
Standing left to right: Major K. Lawson RAEC, W 2 W . J .
Pegler A P T C , Sergeant D. B. Robertson, Lieutenant Colonel P. H .
Reese RAEC, Lieutenant Colonel R. M. Cannons. Seated left to
right: Staff Sergeant J . L. W a l l i s , Brigadier D. S. Parker,
Lieutenant Colonel J . A . W o o d l i f f e .
Training Centre
SCHOOL OF
ORDNANCE
THIS has been the month of the
Wanderer, or so this academic institute
would have it. Dons have been seen
dashing off to all cardinal points, not as
an escape, but in search of students, sun
and fun, even if their priorities differed.
Provision Branch despatched their
&
civilian ambassador, Alec Peters, to
BAOR to replenish his cigar stocks, although he denies such
allegations. The Branch also took the CFOOs to visit Stone-
henge, via a major Workshop, to prove that since the megalithic
era, provision has improved just a little.
The Dons of Managerial Sciences have also been on the
move. Major Anthony Aggett gave his wife Sandy, a birthday
present by flying her off to the sun in Kenya whilst Fred and
Pat Gawthrope found some fun in wet Wales. The American
Directorate of Land Service Ammunition
OUR most noticeable new arrival this month has been the new
Director Brigadier John Skinner, and of course, Mrs Sonia
Skinner, who join us from the sharp end of the land of LOA.
One the last tasks carried out by Brigadier Smith was to
present the Vicar of All Saints Church, the Garrison Church
of Didcot, with a cheque for £875 towards the Church restoration
fund. (See page 86.) t
During his final few days Brigadier Smith was bade a fond
farewell by the civilian staff of the Directorate. With the per-
mission of Conductor Ken Taylor the Sergeants Mess was used
to provide a buffet and location for a mellow farewell party.
Brigadier Smith's farewell speech was, to say the least, revealing

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Book number R0406