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RAOC Gazette - page 280

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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 There have been quite a few internal changes recently.
Private Derek Blade has taken over from Private Steve Clancy
in the C Q M S Stores. Private Clancy has returned to the Store-
house, so too has Private Ginge P a r r who has relinquished his
post in the Officers Mess to Private Dave Lowres.
Lance
Corporal Dicky Henderson has returned to A r m o u r y duties,
b u t also retains responsibilities in the Storehouse.
Sergeant R a y Crooks has joined Staff Sergeant Les Livesey
and Sergeant Spud M u r p h y as the S N C O backbone of the
Storehouse (Second Lieutenant Nigel Astley helps out t o o ! )
T h e M E is now up to established strength with the pending
arrival of Sergeant Power.
Congratulations to A / L a n c e Corporal Scruff Williams,
Private Paul Duncalf (currently on detachment in B A T U S O ,
K e v and Mick Donnelly and Kev Potts on being provisionally
selected for promotion.
Other members of the Company away at the moment, in
addition to Private Duncalf are Sergeant Derek Howarth (FI),
Corporal Alan Cooper (FI), Lance Corporal M a r y Billington
(FI), Lance Corporal Bates (BATUS), Private Kez Cooper (FI)
and Private Bill Greer (BATUS). We hope you are all well and
in good spirits lads.
This month we welcome Sergeant Power (MT), Lance
Corporals Dave Geraghty ( R E M E ) and Lance Corporal Wry-
croft (Storehouse), Private Taff Morris (MT), Steve Crockett (PC
and A) and Roy T a n n e r (ACC).
The cheque is presented.
Finally we say farewell to Lance Corporal McGeachy on
promotion and to Sergeant Sharpe who also goes one step up.
42 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
I T was a great pleasure to see an old member of the Company
call in to visit us this month. Ex-CSM Steve Bonta and family
happened to be in the area and dropped in to see how we were
getting along. Steve is now living and working near Deepcut.
Major Des Townsend took command on 2nd August. As
a result CSM Bill Rice may now wear forage cap and shiney
boots—we think you bull them beautifully Alice! T h e Showbiz
Football Team visited Minden to play a match in aid of charity;
the Company hosted the team to a disco the same evening. Lance
Corporal Taff Clarke put a lot into the event and his reward
was DM750 raised during the evening.
Corporal Keith Cope assisted by Shoestring auctions a Showbiz XI
Shirt.
Then the Company participated in the Minden Garrison
Sports Day. Just about every member in station participated in
some way. Private Shaun Gilman did exceptionally well to win
the one hundred metres in 11.5 seconds. T h e Tug-of-War T e a m :
Staff Sergeant Pete Keast, Corporal Alex Raeburn, Lance
Corporals Taff Clarke and Scruff Williams, Privates Nick Mason,
Taff Jones, Steve Walker and Bill Waller ably coached by
Private Kev Potts did well.
An impeccably disciplined per-
formance saw them give way some two hundred pounds odd, in
a catchweight competition and then push the eventual winners
hard in a very tough final pull! Sergeant Ray Crooks came
third in the shot.
Guess what happened the next day? Just to get us into
the swing of things after a long weekend—-Active Edge! It was
Private Taff Morris' first working day in the unit!
STORES PLATOON
4 ARMOURED
WORKSHOP
T H A N K S to Staff Sergeant Chris Warne and his team of drivers,
the Platoon enjoyed a fabulous families day on our local train-
ing area. Everyone had the opportunity to drive or ride across
very rough terrain in our vehicles, a Chieftain Armoured Re-
covery and a 434 tracked Armoured Fighting Vehicle.
T h e ladies and children particularly enjoyed themselves
and believe we should have this sort of thing more often! Those
ladies who had never driven before are now applying for
licences because they believe that having driven a ten ton truck
in the field nothing could be easier than driving a car on the
road and passing their test.
It was not, however, all fun and games. T h e early morning
started off with a driving competition involving a series of tests
on each vehicle.
This was very deservedly won by Private
Geordie Greenup. The young drivers did not, however, have it
all their own way. Much to their shame the Storeman and O C
beat them all at reversing a trailer.
It was a scorching day which turned the training area into
a dust bowl and left us all filthy with sweat and grime. We were
however all thoroughly refreshed at the end of the day with a
few glasses of chilled wine and a splendid Barbecue.
Congratulations go to Private Chris Joyce on his marriage
to Annette and to Private Spike Asplen on passing his B3 Clerks
course.
Private Asplen received an excellent course report
and is to change trade from driver to clerk.
Congratulations
also go to Private Jock Mitchell on passing his H G V 3 at the
ASMT.
We welcome Lance Corporal K e n n y Smout and Private
Bristow, farewell to Private Clark on his way to Belize.
STORES SECTION
5 REGIMENT
WORKSHOP
S I N C E o u r last contribution we have been extremely busy, our
new W O I C T o m Tait, is now firmly in the chair and has made
considerable change to procedure and system, mutterings have
been heard to the effect, " is this what a sweep or the new broom
means."
A Section barbeque was organised which coincided with
the celebration of christening Jim and Gwyneth Lathams son
David, the outing was held in our cricket pavilion and surround-
ing area. Although a bit d a m p we had a good day. Our annual
Firing C a m p took place in July at Grafenwohr, a training area
in the American Sector of Southern Germany. Exercising so
far from our normal supply chain gave us considerable technical
and delivery problems, unit collections from C D P 2 and F O D
Dulmen were many and frequent. An alternative supply agency
for our M l 7 G u n parts was found in our American Army
counterparts, cross servicing was misunderstood to mean swop,
barter or scrounge, a friendly lot those Americans!
Winter sports is again with u s ; Robbo Robertson and Billy
Whitehead occupy most of their free and some say working time
training for playing football, Steve Perkins has joined them.
H G V 2 driver training is well under w a y ; a lot of good reports on
the scenery have been heard and Scott Fyvie has gained a pass
although a lot of discussion on the manoeuvring round bollards
and the like took place after the test. Our potential lorry
drivers are now apprehensive.
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Book number R0406