RAOC Gazette - page 184
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 |
say the Stores Platoon sneaked in on the trip. The seven people who are detached from the Platoon include: Lieutenant Adrian Albon, Sergeant Spud Murray, Corporal Bamber Bousfield, Lance Corporals Foggy Fogarty, Thomo Thompson and Privates Fio Fiorentino and Arffa Daley. Lance Corporal Steve Eddershaw led a team on a very successful hill walking weekend to the Harz mountains. Private Jim Clark on reaching the foot of the mountains was heard to say " not even the SAS would tackle this" and Private Jock Mitchell gave his customary answer to hard work " O h n o o o " ! Privates Haggis Armstrong, Mark Harwood, Steve Galley, Phil Harman and Tom Cliffe (alias T.C.) were only there for the beer. Lance Corporal Spike Asplen did very well in the REME BAOR and UK Athletics. He came a very good second in the two hundred metres and was a member of a winning four by one hundred metres relay team which broke a long standing record. We welcome Corporal Roger Moody back from the Falk- lands on promotion, Corporal Ricki Moss from 721 EOD unit, Privates Philip Harman, Mark Harwood and Andy Stringer from the Depot and Private Rick Tett from Donnington .We say farewell, on promotion to Corporal Norman Baggaley and Private Martin Dunford. We wish them well. week's military training though and that was hard work. Some people didn't go because they had this other exercise to do. Exercise Summer Sales 83. 1 think it had something to do with the Petroleum Platoon. We did well in the Battalion sports Mum. I entered an event called 'Taking a long walk." It in- volved picking up a piece of sports kit from one place and carrying it to another place, all good fun though. Well. I think that's all Mum. Write back soon with news of the tropical goldfish, Aunt Mary's corns and Dad's Social Security (I'm a bit short of the readies you see). Your loving son Eddie. Welcome to: Lance Corporals Plumbley, Ogden and family, SQMS Moffat and family, Staff Sergeant James and family. Farewell to: SQMS Vincent and family. Staff Sergeant Osborne and family and Lance Corporal Brownlow. Congratulations to: Corporals Bateson and Oag on their wives successful delivery, both boys. Well done, more Private OPS! Major Chambers on his selection for promotion to Lieu- tenant Colonel. Well done Sir. 52 ORDNANCE COMPANY OUR annual summer camp, Exercise Summer Breeze IV, was at Butzbach in the American sector. The activities were a great success and included command tasks, a military skills competition, an exchange shoot with the Americans and a two day final exercise. We also staged a full scale Regimental Dinner in the field complete with mess kit, silverware and a merry band of suitably attired waiters led by Corporal Chalky White. The meal was a masterpiece and a great tribute to the skills of Sergeant Geordie Pinkney and his boys. The evening was a great success and our American guests were left in awe at the after dinner antics of the ' mad Brits,' which included darts, dominoes, arm wrestling, passing the bottle and a fine rendering of the Chelsea pensioners routine. Having plied our American colleagues with the finest RAOC wine we felt sure that their usual routine of firing on the adjacent ranges at 6 am would be broken. Alas it was not! A most enjoyable evening was had by all. Day two of the exercise was halted for a few hours whilst Second Lieutenant David Bird and a large contingent of the Company took part in a parade through the streets of Butzbach to mark the start of the local German-American friendship week. Corporal Norman Levett's section (1 Platoon) won the com- mand tasks competition and Corporal Andy Carr and his section (2 Platoon) took the prizes for military skills. Com- miserations to 3 Platoon who didn't actually win anything! This was our final visit to Butzbach and the summer camp was a great success. Indeed, some people were reluctant to leave. Lance Corporal Gary Macdonald, the marathon runner, insisted on staying a few extra days. It is amazing what lengths some people will go to for a few more days at the higher rate of LOA! Our sincere congratulations go to Staff Sergeant Mick Berridge on the award of the Queen's Gallantry Medal. Con- gratulations also to Corporal Stu Maclachlan, Lance Corporal Chimp Preira, Privates Norman Foster and Ian Reid who were the 52 element of a very successful Battalion Connaught Shield team who finished a very creditable sixth in the Div competition against some very prestigious opposition. Welcome to: Captain Steve Emerson and Sergeant Bob Brown REME. Have a happy stay. Farewell to: Captain Tom Mouat, Sergeant Pete Turner and Lance Corporal Phil Sharp REME. Have a successful tour with your new units. 53 ORDNANCE COMPANY THE Battalion swimming contest took place in the outdoor pool in Sennelager. The pool is not heated. This provided the necessary incentive to get in and out again as fast as possible. Some of our larger swimmers certainly made a big splash. At any rate 53 Company came out tops and won comfortably. Two athletic meetings took place in quick succession. The Battalion meeting saw some fine performances with 53 Company being pipped at the post by 51 Company to take second place. The next day was the RAOC athletics meeting. Congratulations to Corporal Smith who won his race. A Battalion team was entered in the Connaught Shield competition. This was led by Sergeant Leach of 53 Company. The team did extremely well in the 33 Armoured Brigade preliminary round coming second. beating many major units. In general the competition consisted of the use of initiative, fitness and first aid. Lance Corporal McGrath and Private Newband have arrived back from the Falklands. Welcome back from the cold of the South Atlantic to the warmth of a German Summer. Cheerio to Private Hills who is off to the Falklands. Cheerio also to Private Shaw to Northern Ireland and Private Cross to Belize. Private Smith and Lance Corporal Lister have also been posted STORES PLATOON 5 ARMOURED WORKSHOP FIRST of all we would like to welcome Lance Corporal Ian Rigby into the Storehouse. He has finally settled down into the brilliant system. Congratulations to Geordie Cranney on passing his Bl (now he has volunteered for Commando training) and to Ken Hallam on finally getting his second tape up. We would like to thank the lads on the big effort they have put in over the last few weeks as the work has been really heavy and overtime has become a common thing. We have lost a few of the lads for a short time as they have gone to do the Nijmegen Marches in Holland. In the long term we have found out that Spider Elliot will be posted to COD Kineton. We all feel sorry for the lads at Kineton. We have to say goodbye and good luck to Geordie Hobson and family, Scouse James and Mrs James on their return to England. A big hand to Lance Corporals Rigby and Bibby and Private Geordie Cranney on passing their MHE Tests. 11 Armoured Brigade LIFE goes on as usual in Brigade Headquarters albeit at a more relaxed pace now that we are into the leave period. We have been using every opportunity to improve our football skills in preparation for the seven-a-side competition during the Garrison Athletics Day. There are more cracked toes and bruised ankles around the building than anyone would care to admit. Corporal Jim Swan, Lance Corporal Andy Bridgeman and Private Tony Evans did extremely well in the Garrison Con- naught Shield Competition. I think they surprised everyone with their fitness, recognition skills and knowledge of first aid. Which all goes to prove that our training periods are effective. Lance Corporal Andy Bridgeman and Private Mick Nolan have gone on leave to UK. Two of our shortest serving mem- bers and yet the first to go on leave! 5 Ordnance Battalion 51 ORDNANCE COMPANY DEAR Mum and Dad,—There's been a lot going on around here recently, I don't really know where to begin. We came back from Exercise Rollerball III and started cleaning the Camp because we had this thing called an ARU to get ready for. I was pretty laid back about the whole thing, but a lot of other people here weren't. Nothing much seemed to happen during the first two days except there were a lot of strange officers here talking to our leaders behind closed doors, and it all seemed very cosy, cups of coffee going in and out, but they must have fallen out with each other because on the third day WOW! They got us up really early and we went for a day out practising military skills. We came back just in time to show some English and German children round our nice clean camp. There were guns and tanks and lots of other things for them to look a t They had a good time, I think, because they all waved at us in the evening when they left. I was very tired Mum but we were promised a holiday and we got one about two weeks later. It was called Summer Camp (Exercise Fresh Outlook) and it was really good, Dad would have liked it, because we went sailing and climbing and for lots and lots of walks. We also did a — 153 — |
| Book number | R0406 |