RAOC Gazette - page 137
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 |
The Stores Platoon team from 4 Armoured Dulmen Marathon. Workshop in the arduous training. They all came back to camp with sore feet and aching legs, and suntans—everyone enjoyed themselves. We say farewell this month Lance Corporals Scouse James and Geordie Hobson who are posted back to England at the end of this month. Also farewell to Lance Corporal Brandy Palmer, who has gone on a package tour of the Falklands for a while. Congratulations go to Private Geordie Cranney for passing his Bl also to Lance Corporal Ken Hallam for getting through his EPC with an acceptable grade. We welcome our new civilian clerk Annette and hope that she enjoys her stay here. And last but not least congratulations to Private Taff Truran/Grifiths for finally getting his name right. Well done Taff. 5 Ordnance Battalion CONTROL OFFICE I SATO DEPARTMENT. After months of toil and struggle the majority of our ammo moves are nearing completion. All that remains are our internal moves—getting the right nature in the right quantity in the right depot etc. In May the department deployed on Exercise Rollerball III. Whilst most of the Sup Cons joined their parent Companies for the exercise some of us were tasked to set up and run the Head- quarters Corps Supply Area. On the second day of the exercise a local fanner was having difficulties with one of his cows who was giving birth to a calf and requested assistance. W02 Pat Reid, attached to us from 66 Ordnance Company (V), and Sergeant Smokie Attwood were promptly sent to the.farmers aid and a bouncing baby bull was successfully delivered. They are now enquiring if midwifery is a specialist qualification. Al Jolson lives in the form of Sergeant Shamus O'Brien who refused to give us a rendition of ' Swanee' prior to proceeding on his nightly patrols, suitably blacked up. 52 ORDNANCE COMPANY. The month started with Exercise Rollerball III. The company paraded at Pombsen on Saturday morning and, true to form, all went well. During the morning the Company mustered into Platoons, the remainder of the day being spent training for the exercise. We welcomed to our ranks Staff Sergeant Brian Worthy and Sergeant Ben Gunn from CV Headquarters. On Saturday evening Sergeant John Perry and Corporal John Norris organised a very successful games evening, with the JNCOs and Privates running out narrow winners over the Officers and SNCOs. They did have home advantage! Sunday saw the Platoons deploying to exercise locations. During this event Lance Corporal Ray Shepherd parted com- pany with his Eager Beaver on a rather bumpy stretch of road. Fortunately he was only slightly injured, although his Beaver was rather poorly. Onlookers scored the performance: Technical merit three points. Artistic impression nine points. The highlight of the exercise was the outload of Simmo by Chinook helicopter during which the control tent was caught by downdraught and spectacularly took to the air. W02 Keith Nixon impressed all present by adopting a free fall position as he tumbled backwards from his chair, whilst Sergeant Ken Caldecott and Corporal Bill Winchester made valiant efforts to prevent hundreds of lorry chits following the helicopter to Gutersloh. The QRF, with section Commanders, Sergeants John Perry and Pete Turner ably assisted by Sergeant Kettle and his re- inforcements from Bracht, had a very successful exercise. They succeeded in capturing most of the enemy at least once, many of them twice, and a young hitherto unknown officer three times. After being collected yet again from Company Head- quarters, the unfortunate officer was advised by the RSM (IC Enemy) as to the action he should take with his Mars Bar should he allow himself to be captured again. In general the exercise tested fully the operation of the company within the CSA, and many lessons were learned. Immediately after the exercise the entire company started preparations for our ARU and Tech Inspection. In all, it has been a busy month. Best performance of the month goes to Corporal Maclachlan, Lance Corporal Priera, Privates Reid and Foster who achieved a very creditable second place in the Connaught Cup Patrol Race Competition. Congratulations also to Corporals Steve Barker and Doug Eden-Winn on achieving second place in the BAOR Individual dinghy sailing competition, and to Private Ray Cooksley and Lance Corporal Powell on achieving seventh place in the same event. We bid farewell to that old warhorse Staff Sergeant Andy Fairbairn, and also to Sergeants Gary Craggs and Steve Holmes. Others escaping the hill are Lance Corporal Grout and Private Dickins. Those posted in recently include Sergeant Glenn Stott, Corporals Terry, Carr and White and Private Williams. Wel- come. 53 ORDNANCE COMPANY. Rollerball proved to be an interesting two weeks. The exercise ranged from public relations with the farmers to ambushing the RSM's enemy. Each location was ' hand picked' to ensure variety of operational environment and more importantly, troop contentment. For example, Corporal Buttery's section lived night and day with thirty curious cows. Privates Sowerby, Scott, Thompson and Smith soon made some good bovine friends, even if the smell was a little over powering. Sergeant McAteer's site was a farm garage. The home comforts included a racked stereo system which Privates Williams, Gil, Scott 979 and Lance Corporal Atherton all enjoyed. The admin area conceived by the CQMS was almost a replica of Crystal Palace. It was a vast tented area covered in CALM to give a ' green-house effect.' It was hot inside too! Many of the RCT drivers thought it was a de- contamination unit for vehicles. Staff Sergeant Dickies team worked next door to an orphanage. Another site from the back of a pantechnicon—the only site with an outside toilet. Corporal Whitley's section even had a swimmirfg pool. Un- fortunately it was empty. Sergeant Cokayne moved several times before he and his men found comfort beside the cows in the milking shed. Private O'Neill avoided the farm rats by sleeping on a garden chair. Life was far from idyllic in the Company Headquarters. A TA Staff Sergeant in the RCT must go down in history as the loudest snorer. Private Jackson thought that his coffee making days were over he was mistaken, especially when the 2IC visited. Q Reid's Platoon Headquarters was graced with a cooker provided by the German farmers' wife. Lance Corporals Pearce, Bowden, Privates Smith, Ward and Norman lived in a childrens playgroup and learnt German card games with the farmers' children. It took some time before they realised that a German pack only had thirty nine cards. Not long after the exercise the unit was cast into long shadows of the Tech Inspection and ARU. All the depart- ments worked night and day in a bid to impress the inspection team from Headquarters 1 (BR) Corps. On the day everything seemed to go well. The Company has been doing well in the Battalion inter- Company competitions. We won the swimming with fine per- formances from Corporal Eustace, Privates Cross and Jackson, and we led our rivals 51 Ordnance Company at cricket with Lance Corporal Smith (fifty one runs) the man of the match. Congratulations to Corporal Rowlands who passed his Skill-at-Arms Instructors Course. The CSM has recently arrived back from an intensive course at Hedley Court. We all hope his leg gets better for the Cross Country Season. Sadly we say goodbye to Lance Corporals Holt and Lister, Privates Smith and Wall who has been discharged. To replace these warriors we have Lance Corporal Blythe, Privates House and Gaskarth and Craftsman Wall. — 114 — |
| Book number | R0406 |