RAOC Gazette - page 279
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 |
RPC2 Upgrading course and although only a week to go the hardest is yet to come! Rumour has it Corporal Hutch Hutchin- son will also lose his voice so as to enable the single guys who aren't on the course to get some sleep! As part of an exchange visit with the Italian Army we played host to Captain Tozzi, Captain Caltagirone, W02 Aglione and Sergeant Barile of the Granatieri de Sordegna (now say that when you've had a few, or even when you're sober). As we couldn't muster anyone with a CSE in Italian, it was with some relief that Captain Tozzi turned out to be an excellent interpreter albeit with a few American phrases. Private Coates was kept very busy as Chauffeur and is now considering employ- ment with Thomas Cooke as a tour operator. Our congratulations this month go to Private Jasper Parrott on his marriage to Julie and to Private Les Topham on his marriage to Jacqueline, we wish you all the very best for the future. Also congratulations are in order for Lance Corporal Tarn Webster on his promotion to Corporal. Sadly this month we say farewell to Captain John Worrall and his wife Norma who depart for Hohne. While in his place we welcome to the unit Captain Bill Banfield who joins us from Belize. Back on the departure scene we also bid farewell to Private Andy Gill and his wife who have departed for Donnington and also to Corporal Nigel Masters who goes with well earned promotion to the other side of town to the Irish Guards. New arrivals to the unit are Lance Corporal Chalky White, Private Ginge McCormack and Craftsman Graham Lavery. 33 ORDNANCE COMPANY THE dominating event this month has been our expedition to Norway. Nine members of the Company, including two Australians (W02 Ian Burns and Sergeant Geoff Pannach) at- tached for Exercise Long Look, set out on a ten-day walking expedition in the Rogaland-Setesdal region of southern Norway. We had been told that some seventy two per cent of Norway is composed of mountain ranges and it took us a little less than five minutes to confirm this fact. The country is an ideal playground for any outdoor enthusiast and well suited for ad- venture training. There are very few distractions simply be- cause there are no people or villages in the mountains. Having said that, the only mountain hut one group did come across was being used that night by a party of Dutch teenage school- girls! It will take little imagination on the part of the reader to see what problems that caused; especially as they were very keen on swimming ' au naturelle!' Fortunately, we were blessed with excellent weather which only went to enhance the peaceful mountain valleys and abundant lakes and rivers, that formed the perfect backdrop to what all agreed, was an excellent break from the routine of Army life in Germany. Returning to Munster on Saturday some of the group found themselves committed to the Herford ten mile road race. Although we'll never hear the last of it congratulations to Private Mark Pitman for not only turning up, despite an intense amount of whining, but for doing so well. To round off what, for some has been an extremely active month, twenty of the company found themselves on Exercise Marathon Mole, a defense exercise with a decidedly infantry bias! Although we were using skills not normally employed in our role, a great deal was learnt by everyone. We have recently said farewell to Corporal Alan Barnes and hello to Mr Alan Barnes. Having enjoyed his tour with the Depot so much as a serving soldier, he decided to apply for a post as a civilian. We are very pleased to see him back. W02 (SQMS) Les Mitchell has departed to take up the post as Master Butcher in Aldershot. Everything seemed to be going to plan until the weather turned against him and flooded his cellar. He is now an expert in repacking MFO at short notice, and distinguishing between high and low water marks. To all those who have left we bid farewell, and to all those who have joined, we wish you an enjoyable tour with the Company. STORES SECT/ON 26 FIELD REGIMENT WORKSHOP AT the moment we are rather depleted having lost two of our members on detachments. The Boss, WOl Alan Kennedy, on Exercise Long Look, now being entertained (from what we heard from him before he went, entertained is the right word) by the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps. The other member we have ' lost' is Private Scooter Coultas who has finally gone on a sea cruise in the South Atlantic. He will never believe that his detachment was not arranged. To both, we hope you enjoy your tours and we will save your work until you return, Congratulations this month go firstly to Private Mick Prime on passing his B2—Bl upgrading course. Secondly to the Boss, Staff Sergeant Ron Price and (that man again) Scooter Coultas on running the thirty kilometres course at the Rheindahlen Allied March. Finally this months farewells. First to Private Tony Wilson and his wife Sabine on posting to Soest. Secondly to Private Gaz Wild on posting to Northern Ireland. To all we wish good luck and good times for the future. STORES SECTION 26 ENGINEER REGIMENT WORKSHOP WE are well into the summer leave period now, with W02 Lew Bowker, finally getting away from us all this month. On the sporting scene three of our members ably assisted the REME and RHQ team to beat 30 Squadron, four all at full time and five two on penalties, so to Lance Corporal Kev Fin- more, Privates Kev Dailey and Steve Thompson—well played. Sergeant Roger Rudd is also keeping us on the map on the rugby scene. Congratulations this month go to Lance Corporals Kieran and Banvick, at present detached to the Falkland Islands, on their recent promotions, also to Private Crosswaite and Sue on their marriage, (sneaky Gaz!). Again to Private Crosswaite, we wish you and Sue well on your forthcoming posting to ' civvy sreet'! Finally we extend a welcome to our new Storeman, Private Stu Taylor. 4 Ordnance Battalion —~——~—~-~ ^ • ^ ^ ^^H ^ ^ ^ J M ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^mt^^^^m ^^^^^^^V ^^^^^^^w ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ xHE highlight of this month must surely be the ORT (Operational Readiness Test) which is a NATO (not only British) test and needless to say the CO was very pleased when the Battalion was awarded an ' Excel- lent' in all four categories. Well done all concerned. Lance Corporal Briddon was not I amused on his return from the Falklands, when he was informed that he was being moved from DOWO's clerk into the C Sups office in the absence of Staff Sergeant Sacre, needless to say he is hard pressed since the civilian clerk Penny Yctis has gone on two weeks leave and our Australian influence Major Evans being away. I have been asked to mention the personalities in the Materiel Office who have not had a mention since they arrived, they are Corporal Carter (MT Spares Clk), Mrs Wilson (Veh Clk), there, that will keep them happy, I hope. Now that the leave season is nearly over the next big task is the preparation for Exercise Eternal Triangle which is the big exercise for this year, thankfully we are neutral. Come on Lance Corporal Green get that Bedford sorted out. 41 ORDNANCE COMPANY THE last month in this unit has been a fairly hectic one with three medals being presented, an Operational Readiness Test (ORT), some new faces and some old ones coming back. The ORT happened when a team of NATO Officers came down and inspected this unit on its crashout procedure. The result, after a long nights hard work, was four Grade Ones, the highest possible mark! Well done lads, an excellent effort. Congratulations to Captain Mike Jordan on receiving his Canadian Forces Decoration (the equivalent to our Long Service and Good Conduct Medal) and also to Sergeant Nobby Baggaley and Corporal Smudge Smith on receiving their Long Service and Good Conduct Medals. Commander Detmold Garrison presented the medals to the men and bouquets of flowers to their wives. The money from the Charity Volkslauf was presented this month, a cheque for the value of DM1500 was given to the Pauleenheim Childrens Home in Detmold. The picture shows Donna Swatton giving the cheque to the Headmistress. Congratulations also to Staff Sergeant Joyner on his posting and promotion; to Corporal Scaife on attaining an 'A' grade on his First Aid Instructors Course; to Corporal Wittekind on passing the Other Arms Skill at Arms Course; to Private Channon on his marriage to Mhari and finally to Private (ex- Dvr) Martin who has managed at last to get an RAOC stable belt and cap badge. We welcome to the unit Mrs Sharpe, Mrs Lane, Sergeant Looker and Private Wigley. We say farewell to Corporal Banks, Privates Clay and Bowman who are off to brave the weather in the Falklands and we welcome Private Davenport back to the warm! — 232 — |
| Book number | R0406 |