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RAOC Gazette - page 168

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Publication date 1983
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Early date 1983
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Transcription Lieutenant Colonel Janes, CO 16 Battalion presents the Long
Service and Good Conduct Medal to W 2 (SQMS) Hassall during
a short ceremony at 16 Battalion Sergeants Mess.
golf in the RAOC Spring Meeting and won the much coveted
' Brownlee Putter,' he also plays in the victorious Corps Team
against RAMC. Lance Corporal Taff Royal, who is in great
demand as a cricket umpire at Corps and Army level, must be
wondering how he can get out of the Depot for the one day a
week he is presently working.
Miss Carol Curtis from Building D2 competed at Hendon
in the MOD Annual Sports Day winning both discus and shot
putt events, well done to all concerned.
Mrs ' M o ' Appleton has retired after working in Building
D2 for twenty consecutive years, we wish them both well in their
respective retirements.
We welcome Private Williams and W/Privates Williams,
Young, Kilner, Mann, Westgarth and White.
And we must say farewell to: Corporal Jim Collins, Lance
Corporals Jock McGregor, Kev Brown, Nev Todd, Steve
Sheard, Steve Riley and Mike Armstrong, Privates Phil Baker
and Chris Connor. W/Corporal Marie Whiteoak who reluctantly
went to Traffic prior to leaving for BAOR.
Congratulations to Lance Corporal Andy Love on his pro-
motion and to W/Privates Lyn Johnson and Jackie Emery on
completing their Horse Riding Course, we hope the Physio isn't
too painful Jackie.
16
BATTALION
BATTALION HEADQUARTERS.
We would like to welcome
Major Bradshaw our new Second-in-Command from Head-
quarters AAC UKLF and Private Sian Jones from ' D ' Com-
pany WRAC, who is currently trying to decipher all the
pamphlets of the courses world. Farewell to Private Debbie
Fretwell who overcame and did well as our courses clerk to
' D ' Company WRAC to leam the other and many varied
aspects of clerking. Good luck.
We are led to believe that all the clerks who participated
in the Annual Summer Camp at Inverness in Scotland are now
fully trained and conversant with the arts of canoeing, rock
climbing, sailing and last but not least as Corporal Paul Begg
will utter in gasps and groans, the Cairngorm Walk.
Congratulations to Lance Corporal Cyndy Inglis who recently
passed a Corporals course at Camberley.
We are all relieved to hear that W02 John Watts our Chief
Clerk has discovered that he has been granted three years
extension of service. And now for the good news, the remainder
of his service is to be spent here at Bicester.
Staff Sergeant John Thrope is now posted to Cyprus and
not Kuwait—there's a whisper passing through the office that
the Kuwait Army all deserted when they heard news of his
arrival.
Lastly, the Garrison Fete held earlier this month was a
great success. Lance Corporals Bill Curry and Los Jeans ran
a stall called the ' Treasure Trove,' not much treasure was found
but a handsome sum was donated to charity—did we get our
priorities right?
verness itself were excellent, topped only by the lads and lassies.
'imported' for each weekly phase: well done boys and girls'.
Canoeing on Loch Ness with Major Graham and Staff Sergeant
Ian Gore: sailing on the ' N e s s ' with Corporal Tony HolT and
his merry sinkable pirate team: rock climbing with Lieulcnant
Roy Dade and Corporal Robbo Robertson: orienteering with
Second Lieutenant Margaret Wilton were the main themesof the
exercise plus a wee trot up the Cairngorm. Och Aye! Our CO.
Lieutenant Colonel Janes partook of most activities during his
visit in week three, much to his delight!
Numerous hilarious events came out of the camp and to this
end we decided on a ' Wally of the Week ' competition. Results
are as follows:—Week one—Staff Sergeant Dave Withall; Dave
talks to cows a lot and during his last conversation with them
he leant on a fence to press home a point: it was electrified!
(Shocking). Week two—Private Wally Winterbottom—Wally's
exploits need more room than we have to spare, but his main one
consisted of coming ashore after canoeing, placing his canoe on
the shore, failing to notice the remains of a campers fire under-
neath it until he got back in ; luckily the canoe was undamaged.
Finally special mentions go to Second Lieutenant Marcarct
Wilton WRAC ' UFO ' for being herself, nearly, and to SQMS
Sutton, who not only was the well deserved recipient of the
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal but almost canoed across
Loch Ness. Not content with canoeing, and obviously over-
come by his ability at the sport, he demonstrated an excellent half-
eskimo-roll and then swam the last one hundred metres of shiny-
black ice cold water arriving breathless (with excitement?) at the
shore.
'A' COMPANY.
A change in PRI fund allocation methods has
resulted in a pleasant windfall, enabling a new television, video-
tape recorder (both hired from SKC) and reinforcements for the
Company Games Room to be acquired. Pictures (rather con-
servative in taste) now adorn the walls and presumably we shall
have a queue of young men wishing to be single again!
With the Adventure Training Camp completed, the Com-
pany is preparing steadily for Exercise Golden Arrow during
which our Shadow Unit members will revise their Divisional
Supply Area procedures. We welcome Sergeant Robinson and
Private Angliss to our fold and wish those departing the best
of luck: Sergeant Nicholls (on retirement), Private Woods
(discharged), Lance Corporal Martin (posted) and Private Howatt
transferred to ' B ' Company.
' D ' COMPANY.
For Second Lieutenant Margaret Wilton who
had only just arrived in Bicester, the Company routine was soon
interrupted by Expedition Berber Break as the following report
explains: Exercise Highland Dragon provided a break from
work and the chance to sample the good life of Inverness for
many members of ' D ' Company. Not that doing the military
swimming test in Loch Ness before canoe capsize drill proved
too popular, especially when the holes issued had wetsuits
attached in places; only one polar bear was sighted among the
icebergs. The Loch was subject to more blustery days, and it
is reported that Private Emery prefers the luxury of pleasure
cruisers to her sailing boat when the waves become too large.
The climbing proved to be a challenge for many of the
girls at Kingussie, and the orienteering course (which took two
full days to recce, including scone and doughnut stops—all
prompted by WOl Collins) lead to some sore feet and one Wally
of the week. Perhaps Sergeant Moore will learn the difference
between ski lifts and telegraph wires one day.
' D ' Company was well represented in the Inter-Company
swimming despite the lack of a real competition. Sergeant
Johnson claims that she did not buy any prizes—Mars Bars—
which would have melted in the sun, but reputable sources in-
formed ' D ' Company that she ate them all before the event.
Well done to all who participated.
In the WRAC South East District Athletics ' D Company
were runner-up, with Corporal Naylor winning the shot putt,
and Lieutenant Vanessa Raine high-jumping her way into
hospital. At the South East District Tennis Tournament, Open
doubles Sergeant Johnson and Corporal Linda Wilson gained an
excellent result by being runners-up in the final.
Congratulations to Private England on her promotion to
Lance Corporal, and Lance Corporals Jackson and Davies on
their promotion to Corporal.
REMEMBER THE DEADLINE—
THE 28th OF EACH MONTH
HEADQUARTERS
COMPANY.
The Company is just begin-
ning to settle back into the normal routine after three weeks
Adventure Training in Inverness. Cameron Barracks and In-

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Book number R0406