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RAOC Gazette - page 233

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Publication date 1983
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Early date 1983
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Transcription Dickie on the award of their Long Service and Good Conduct
Medals.
We say a fond farewell to Sergeant McAteer, Lance Corporal
Fidele and Corporal Armitage off for six months to sunny
Cyprus. We welcome Corporal McGuiness, Lance Corporal
McGrath and Private Newband back from the Falklands, W 2
Evans, Corporals Kidd and Wood, Privates Ralphson and
Wright.
Finally many congratulations to Private Robson on his
marriage to Heather. We wish them all the best for the future.
All best wishes to Private and Mrs Pyke on the birth of their
daughter Melanie.
11 ARMOURED
BRIGADE
THIS month we say farewell to Major Ralph Elliott our
S03 G4 who leaves us for 51 Ordnance Company. Although
he is escaping from the headquarters we will be keeping a
close eye on him on a Garrison Headquarters basis.
In his place we welcome Captain Dave Parrott who joins
us from 61 Ordnance Company. Rumour has it that ninety per
cent of the handover centered around the coffee percolater.
We wish him an enjoyable tour in the headquarters.
Recently, 42 Ordnance Company very kindly invited the
RAOC personnel in the Headquarters to a cap badge night.
We thank them for their hospitality and their generous offer
to use their magnificent club. An excellent night was had
by all who attended.
Our Superintending Clerk: WOl Sam Johnston, has just
returned from leave it Italy. He says it really was hard work
having to drag himself down to the beach or swimming pool
each morning to laze in the sun. Corporal Ian Portman is
soon to find out what he means as he too is going at the end
of the month.
Many of the staff are suffering this morning with muscular
aches after yesterdays orienteering. It was felt that we would
get more benefit from orienteering than Hash. I wonder if the
feeling has changed?
6 Ordnance Battalion
THE staff clerks continue to fight their war of attrition against
fresh waves of paper. The Chief, Staff Sergeant Higgs is showing
the strain with an almost full crop of grey hair, and Sergeant
Babbage follows fast in his footsteps (with cries of ' I'm right
behind you Chief'). Corporal Aisbitt continues to dig through
the mail in the forlorn hope of finding his posting order. Lance
Corporal McGowan continues to squint at the filing while waiting
for his glasses causing the Chief to look skywards and mumble
something about ' white sticks and Labradors.'
Down in the Docs Office, Privates Moore, Cheetham and
Hartley, are all busy and thrilled with finally having centralised
all Battalion documentation.
The Sherriff of Richmond Barracks, Sergeant Kilnan con-
tinues to psyche himself up for a late summer visit to the South
Atlantic.
Down in the basement W02 Pender and his merry crew are
hard at work (doing what, we don't know but they're hard at it).
Corporal Waddington has taken over the MT Sergeants job
and Lance Corporal Unthank as Details NCO.
W02 Rodo has just returned completely refreshed from
his Malta trip and his side kick Corporal Murray continues
to smile (no mean feat in these days of LOA cuts and new
patrol boots).
The officers and Sup Cons in the Tech Office ask to be
remembered so, Major Harris, Captain Walton, W02 Dardis,
Sergeant Caffrey and Private Williams take a bow.
Finally we say farewell to Major Harris, Captain Edge and
Sergeant Baillie.
61 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
THE unit carried out a weeks infantry training on Exercise
Faulty Highlight.
Many members of the company gained
valuable experience in numerous military skills under the
guidance of three Royal Green Jackets instructors. Two days
later it was off to Bavaria for the annual summer camp at
Bodelsberg. Activities undertaken included hill walking, orien-
teering, canoeing, abseiling and climbing not to mention a visit
to a brewery and a local ' wood festival.'
Worth a mention was a fine performance by Corporals
Shuttle and Clifton-Sprigg, Lance Corporal Bancroft and Private
Money in winning the LMG Team Shoot during the Battalion
Skill-at-Arms Meeting. Rumour has it that a certain Second
Lieutenant in the Company would appreciate larger targets for
the SLR Shoot!
Corporal Rogers briefs his winning Section during 61
Company's Summer Camp.
Ordnance
Congratulations go to Private Cox on obtaining 'A' grade
on his supply specialist B2—Bl course, and to Lance Corporal
Bancroft on his recent promotion.
Sad farewells go to Captain and Mrs Parrott, Lieutenant
and Mrs Le Sueur, Second Lieutenant and Mrs Hodder, Staff
Sergeant and Mrs Mullen, Lance Corporal Kempson and Private
Mitchell.
Meanwhile warm welcomes are extended to Captain Wilson,
Captain Tweddle, Corporal Beard, Lance Corporals Stockman
and Martin, Private Parker and Craftsman Wysocki.
Finally congratulations go to Corporal Shuttle and Private
Griffiths on the recent respective marriages, we wish them all
the best!
62 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
SECOND LIEUTENANT SNAITH has left for the intellectual
world of Shrivenham and Second Lieutenant Rushworth has
just returned from his Gunner attachment as a Rapier Troop
Commander in the Falklands. He did not hang around too long
however as he left almost immediately for the Depot and the
Corps Mobile Display Team. Captain Haslam has left for
Exercise Long Look in New Zealand and we welcome Major
Hicks. We welcome back Staff Sergeant Roberts, Corporal
Valinder, Lance Corporal Conway, Private (now Lance Corporal)
Haggart, and Private Sneddon from the Falklands. We also
welcome back Private Murray from his Northern Ireland tour.
Following Captain Pepperell's successful gliding course,
Sergeant Harvey followed suit and came back'with his wings
just in time for the Sergeants Mess Summer Ball; the Ball itself
was a very successful affair and will be difficult to surpass next
year—even the weather was perfect.
Corporal Sugden, Lance Corporal Archibald, Privates
Carrier, Crook, Perkin and Massingham have attended a one
day Free Fall Parachute course at Sennelager, after a full day's
ground training with its accompanying nervous build up, the
adrenalin had to keep going for a further forty eight hours
due to bad weather. In the event, when the time eventually came,
all made successful exits, although Private Massingham is now
limping, through a bad landing this slight accident will keep him
in the scorers box, rather than in the Battalion Cricket Team for
the rest of the season.
Private Williams has complained that he has not had an
official unit welcome via this particular periodica], we also
wish him well in his stint in the Officers Mess as barman. We
also welcome to the Company Corporal Winter and Lance
Corporal Salmon, and look forward to the time when their
families can join them. In the meantime Lance Corporal Salmon
is making his mark on the unit as a living in member.
Lance Corporal Fitzpatrick and his number two on the
LMG were robbed of the Champion Pair Prize at the Battalion
shoot through a miscalculation which cost the Company the
shield. However, honour was maintained "by Private Sanders
winning the young soldiers prize at the BAOR RAOC Shoot at
Sennelager, and his cup is now residing in the Battalion cabinet,
the least said about the other LMG pair the better.
63 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
ALMOST every unit can relate some'historical facts about the
barracks they occupy. We are rib exception. We claim to
possess one of the very barges Herr Hitler was going to use
— 194 —
Book number R0406