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RAOC Gazette - page 263

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Corps RAOC
Material type Journals
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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 and family off to Military Attaches Office Kuala Lumpur. By
the way Mick, we know who you know at Records—but he
doesn't know us! Congrats on your promotion Mick and
we hope you have all settled in OK. We extend a warm wel-
come to Staff Sergeant Dave Murray and family as Chief Clerk
and also Staff Sergeant John Lindsay from Bicester, as SNCO
I / C TDRC.
A brief mention also for our students from the Corps,
Majors Wilson Brewer, Tim Cross, Malcolm Ingram, Richard
Coward, Glenn Gillott, Ian Dexter, Ian Rees and last but not
least Mike Roycroft. Wishing you all the best of luck for when'
the dreaded ' black bag appointments' come out (only twenty
eight days till psc).
We also extend many thanks to RMAS RAOC personnel who
have opened the doors to certain Corps social functions. Our
Superintendent Clerk Graham Du-Prat and Corporal Chris Little
are sweating up on their General Knowledge for the next RAOC
get together, and Graham can be seen checking how many
cannons there are outside Victory College!
U n i t e d Kingdom Land Forces
RAOC INT AND SY GP (UKLF). This
must be the first time that the RAOC con-
tingent of Int and Sy Gp (UKLF) has been
mentioned in THE RAOC GAZETTE—but
hopefully not the last! You may ask your-
self if the activities of only two RAOC
NCOs is worth bringing to the attention of
the media? Well, the RAOC anywhere in
the World is such a vital cog in the
military machine that every member
deserves recognition. Corporal Tony Bailey,
our documentation genius continues to command respect for
the marvellous job he does in ensuring that Intelligence Corps
personnel spread from Scotland to Lands End, and from Central
America to the chilly waters of the Falkland Islands, arc properly
looked after ' o n paper.' He is ably supported by W/Lance
EOD Branch/Headquarters 321 EOD Company
SINCE our last entry the comings and
goings have been abundant to say the
least.
Starting from the top, the CATO,
Lieutenant Colonel Ridley has handed
over the remote controls to Lieutenant
Colonel Hall, we all wish him a
pleasant and peaceful tour.
The OC, Major Taylor has finally
departed for his next holiday camp in
Cyprus handing over the space at the bar to Major Gibson.
Our CQMS of long standing, (very long standing) Staff
Sergeant Rip Pittaway leaves us to join the Manchester OTC.
He has already received his membership of the ' Ex NI Vets.'
His replacement Staff Sergeant Keith Straughier has just arrived
and at this moment is being indoctrinated into the EOD
' BIZZO.'
NO. 1 SECTION.
A very quiet month for the Section with
only a couple of events to break the routine.
W02 Creighton and Flashcat team attended the Lisburn
Garrison Festival and entertained the children by letting them
try their hand at driving a Wheelbarrow. Everyone appeared
to enjoy it except perhaps the Wheelbarrow which had to go
into workshops for repair!
A couple of trips were organised to visit the Bushmills
Whisky Distillery. Those who attended enjoyed the experience
and a sample of the product, but all agreed they could not work
there, the temptation would be just too much!
Two of our No. 2's have left us to return to civilisation or
at least CAD Kineton. So hail and farewell to Corporals
Aynsley and Griffiths and we welcome Corporals Carter and
Colburn.
NO. 2 SECT/ON.
This month due to inclement weather, the
painting has moved inside. As a change from paint filled gear-
boxes, light fittings are to suffer. No farewells this month how-
ever the ' Days to do ' committee are going well as Skip, Lance
Corporal Scarett and the escort will have left, they hope, by
the time this appears in print. Other news, the jobs trickle in,
the infantry companies change over, Danny the Common claims
to have pneumonia, Skip having hit the windscreen spray in-
stead of Blue lights on the Pig and soaked him. The Hit squad
is prowling, fancy emptying a sweet, innocent young officer's
room of all its furniture! 1 Section beware though the long
arm of the hit squad may yet strike. Whilst I remember a
mention for the Bleep Bubbles McCombe he's been begging
for a word in the RAOC GAZETTE. A busy month to come with
plenty of VIP visits and farewells, so au revoir until then.
SEND
IT TO T H E GAZETTE
A short article about events—places—people is always
interesting particularly when accompanied by a photo-
graph.
Send it to THE GAZETTE.
Outnumbered by supporting staff.
Corporal Liz Shaw. Liz deals with the collation and publication
of the Group Part 2/3 Orders plus a myriad of other associated
problems. This job calls for tact, diplomacy and feminine
intuition, plus excess loyalty to RAOC! The other member of
the clerical team is W/Private Linda Askew. Linda completes
the vital link needed in the orderly room between sanity and
chaos. She is an inspired athlete having just passed her BFT.
Our gallant typist must deserve a mention—Val Letts. Val
does a superb job and we would be quite at a loss without her—
she even makes a decent cuppa which is a very rare quality.
Sergeant Jim Leese is the Chief Clerk of this merry bunch.
When Jim first arrived his hair was brown, now alas it is quite
white!
Management Services Unit- UKLF
TO: Major Cooper, Falkland Isles. Dear Sir, The unit has not
yet fallen to pieces in your enforced absence, but you should
be aware that your 2IC/Acting OC, Captain Dave Ashworth,
has gone to Belize for a couple of weeks, he sent us a card
from Washington DC. Coincidentally it arrived with a card from
Nairobi from W02 Terry Webb. WOl Eddie Wroe is finishing
off the Royal Tournament Report; reading between the lines I
think you're on the Field Gun team next year! WOl Tony Arkle
has been holding the fort in-between trips to Corsham, Plymouth,
Corsham, Stirling, Corsham, Catterick and of course Corsham.
You may remember authorising WOl Ticky Tikeram to at-
tend the Fijian farewell in Germany—did you say he had to
report back here afterwards?
Keith Amoss sends his regards and says thanks for the
wedding present. Poetic justice—he's at CM Branch now! I
read your notes and as instructed thanked him ' for all his sterling
work over the past four years' (Your handwriting took some
deciphering but I think I got it right—although it's obviously
some cryptic message only you and Keith understand.)
Roy Kibblewhite is still with us, no news yet. Honor Boyd-
Cooper and Bob Borchard are working hard but only until May
— 218 —
Book number R0406