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RAOC Gazette - page 133

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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 WO] Terry Stroud has been on the road visiting units at
Dortmund, Munster and Hannover. Is it really for work, or
is he just showing off his new car?
The sailing team entered the RAOC (BAOR) individual
championship which was held at Mohnesee. Helm Sergeant
Alan Riches and crew Corporal Nigel Eames came overall
third (same as last year) whilst Helm Captain Caroline Lewis
and Crew Staff Sergeant Geordie Holliday came seventh, which
is very good for their first race attempt.
Thank heavens, the summer hols are on the way.
fourth overall and winning the Elementary Helmsmans trophy.
Earlier this year Graham and his wife Heather entered the
Spring Regatta at the Dummersee Yacht Club and managed to
win the Elementary Helmsman trophy.
We all bid a fond farewell to W02 George and Kathleen
Mathers not forgetting the family as well, and congratulate
George on being selected for WOl. George and his family are
off to Waterbeach in the UK. Sergeant Mick James has also
left us, but his is only an internal move (excuse the pun Mick) as
he joins another branch within the headquarters. His replace-
ment is Sergeant Morgan and we look forward to meeting him in
the not too distant future.
1st British Corps
HEADQUARTERS
THERE has been a small re-organisation in the G3
world. We now have a branch called G3 (TD, OR,
Air). The Air side caused no great problem, they
just carried on as normal, however, trying to com-
bine TD with the existing OR/CD did provide
some amusement. The clerks of G3 (TD, OR,
CD) share an office with those of G3 (O and D), the
manning at present is: Staff Sergeant Mai Black-
burn, Sergeant Pete Rolf, Corporal Tom Clamp,
W/Corporal Sandra Miller, W/Lance Corporal Judy Kipling
and Privates Phillip Hoyle and Mark Barrett.
It has recently been brought to our attention that the ' Crab
Air' clerks in the Headquarters never get a mention. Well fellas
this should put you firmly on the map. The clerks concerned
are Sergeant Phil Dawber, the branch Chief Clerk and Corporal
Graham | Davis. Their favourite pastime is going on exercises,
they say about fifteen a year between them, and living it up like
Lords in the field the RAF'way. Well lads you've had your
mention now, and if MRO read this your careers should ' take
off' in the near future.
We congratulate WOl Tony Robinson, W02 John Thomson,
Staff Sergeant Dave Flinn, and Privates Mark Barrett, Mick
Tomkins, and Andy Woollatt on successfully completing the
Hermanslauf.
The Hermanslauf is a thirty five kilometre
sponsored race from Hermans Denkmal near Detmold along
the Teutoberger Wald to Bielefeld. Our team collected a total
of DM600 in sponsorship money which has gone to the Overley
Hall School, Wellington, Shropshire, in aid of the severely
mentally and physically handicapped children.
A deserving
cause lads, well done all of you. We would also like to con-
gratulate Lance Corporal Mai Johnson twice, once on his recent
promotion and also on his marriage to Michelle.
Finally we welcome the following new arrivals: Lieutenant
Colonel Gilbertson, Captain Stephenson, Sergeants Rolf and
King and Corporal Tye. Sadly we say farewell to: Captain
Murray, W02 Marden and Private Wilkinson.
HEADQUARTERS
RAOC
THE visit season has almost ended for Brigadier Paviour as he
completed his initial visits programme by calling on 3 Ord-
nance Battalion and RAOC Soldiers within 3 Armoured Division.
We now approach more exercises which include Summer Tide
and Summer Sales (PXR to follow in next month's edition).
As most of our ardent followers will know certain mem-
bers of Supply Branch (Theatre 39) entered into this year's
BFG Drama Festival and what do you suppose happened? Yes!
We actually won, so hearty congratulations to all members in-
volved in winning this coveted award.
The Coe Cup Competition has reached a high point for us.
We defeated G2 Int/Sy at tennis and also beat them at cricket
the same day! Our heroes that day being Major Baines, WOl
Kelly, Sergeant Child in the tennis, and in the cricket WOl
Kelly scored fifty three runs (not out) and with bowling figures
of two overs three wickets (first over) for seven runs, and not to
be outdone Sergeant Nigel Ings captaining the side to victory
and scoring twenty eight runs. Unfortunately our Chief Clerk
was out for a duck! We have forgotten about this but he keeps
on reliving the moment—or should it be movement? Un-
fortunately all is not good news, as in preparation for the Coe
Cup tennis, the SA convinced the Commander Supply that he
could do with some extra coaching, so whilst the Brigadier was
coaching the SA, he fell awkwardly and in doing so broke his
leg! We therefore wish the Commander Supply a speedy recovery
and hope he can make it for the finals.
Lieutenant Colonel Graham Gerdes and Major Brian
Gunson have been busy in the yachting world and entered into
the RAOC BAOR Individual Dinghy Sailing Championships
which was held at the Mohnesee; they left triumphant in coming
1 Ordnance Battalion
JUST in case our regular readers have
gained the impression that nothing much
happens at Headquarters 1 Ordnance Bat-
talion of a military nature, this month's
notes summarise the more serious aspects
of life in Verden.
February was mostly taken up by field
L
work on Exercise Winter Sales and Wintex
^ © ^ a ^ S S T
although we did squeeze in the RAOC 1
ife> ^ S ^ J J T J ^ - \o
Armoured Division Cross Country Cham-
pionship between outings.
March began with the tail end of WINTEX and brightened
with the farewell visit of Brigadier Skinner, sad though it was to
see the Brigadier leave we tried to make the most of his time
with us. Back to business and our first Battalion Exercise Hard
Provider followed, the next week, by Exercise Morning Glory.
After saying goodbye to Sergeant Dick Goodfield and welcoming
his replacement Sergeant Ray Davis, we just had time for the
RAOC I Armoured Division Orienteering Championships before
the month was out.
,
April was free of exercises and got off to a promising start
with the Easter Grant. Back to catch up on Division and
Battalion paperwork before bidding farewell to Major Charles
Bayley, our 2IC, and welcoming his successor Major Phil
Hawkins.
May looked like being a nice quiet month with only two
exercises, Hurst Park and No Name, to interrupt the smooth
flow of paper through the Headquarters. The new Commander
Supply 1 (BR) Corps, Brigadier Paviour, paid his first visit to
the RAOC units of the Division and, hopefully, enjoyed his
whistle stop tour.
Whilst our units were away on Adventure and Exchange
Training, the Headquarters slipped quietly into June with a
route march and a noticeable increase in the work rate on our
twice weekly run. Another welcome visitor to our domain was
the DGOS, Major General Whalley and we finish the tale as we
started—on exercise, hello Summer Sales, goodbye June.
A
11 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
THERE seems to be a conspiracy to prevent everyone hearing
about life in Soltau and the OC is really really annoyed about
it. He blames the AO, the AO blames the CSM, the CSM
blames the nearest soldier, still it will be the 2ICs turn this
time!
After a very hectic period in the early part of the year,
May was relatively quiet. The Company should have de-
ployed on a week's exercise, but this was cancelled, not through
lack of interest as the rumours stated. The OC Major Foxton
deployed towards the Harz Mountains with the Cp team and
Harbour party, in order to tune Sergeant McGregor, our Pay
Sergeant, to exercises. He went out for two days, an all time
record. Lance Corporal George, a novice driver, drove the OC
without mishap but is now undertaking remedial driving in-
struction.
One hears about many exotic postings, but readers should
be aware, that Soltau is the place to come in order to see the
world. During the month of May, Private Lewis went to
Southern Germany with one of the regiments, Lance Corporal
Wilks and Private Rutherford bronzed themselves in BATUS,
Lance Corporal Pasola enjoyed the sea airs at Kiel, W02
Burnett enjoyed a homeward sea cruise in the South Atlantic,
Corporal Dart, Lance Corporals Malone, Malcolm and Privates
Hiscott and Toole braced themselves for a Falkland Island
winter.
Lance Corporal Gawthorpe returned slightly sun-
tanned after a brief trip to Portugal.
— 110 —
Book number R0406