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RAOC Gazette - page 282

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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 62 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
THE month began with the Company involvement in the ad-
ministration of the Coppers Cunning Running Competition (RMP
Orienteering to the uninitiated). Thanks should go to the admin
staff, consisting of Staff Sergeants Coffils, Roberts, Sergeant
Harvey, Corporal Valinder, Lance Corporals Conway and
Haggart, who processed the participants without being arrested!
Readers of 62 Ord Company's missive in last months
GAZETTE will no doubt be anxious to discover the result of the
Cambrian March Patrol Competition team, led on behalf of
6 Ord Battalion, by W02 (CSM) Tones and accompanied by
Corporal Sheldrick, Lance Corporal Taylor, Privates Paton and
Boylan. In the face of attrocious Welsh weather and conditions,
the 6 Ord Battalion team pushed on to a tremendous victory,
beating the Teeth Arm teams hollow. Yet another incidence of
the Logistic Corps leading the way with the Infantry following!
Corporal Warham recently successfully completed his All
Arms Clerk B2—1 upgrading course and is currently on his
RPC1 course with Lance Corporal Fitzpatrick. Congratulations
on the first and best of luck on the second.
Captain Pepperell is currently preparing for his forth-
coming posting to sunny Cyprus and had an early handover to
his replacement, Captain Ough, who dropped in prior to his
OO's course.
There are one or two personnel movements which deserve
a mention, especially welcome is Lieutenant Buckley WRAC,
who is temporarily in Captain Haslam's hot seat and tends to
show up a few of the men on morning runs! We also welcome
Second Lieutenant Donaldson, Privates Dickson, Alwin and
Brunton, and also Private Murray who returns to the fold from
his detachment in the Emerald Isle. Private Dodd has departed
for a second summer in the Falklands, Lance Corporal Pollock
will be sadly missed and Lance Corporal Hawkes is soon to
depart to Kineton and subsequent transfer to the Corps of
Musclebenders (APTC).
CSM Tones has noted that there has been a dramatic drop in
the numbers of men reporting for sick parade, thought to be
caused by the attachment of our RMA, Lance Corporal Davis,
to the Medical Centre.'
63 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
SEPTEMBER was once again the month when the Company
was to pay it's annual pilgrimage to Fussen in Bavaria to carry
out an Adventure Training Exercise.
A three day mountain expedition centred mainly around the
Zugspitze mountain, at two thousand nine hundred and sixty four
metres, the highest in West Germany, with two expeditions
walking the Breitenberg and Aggenstein mountain ranges which
took them into Austria. Each group under group leaders Second
Lieutenant Cooper, Sergeant Clarke and Lance Corporal Win-
spear contained five to seven members. Of the four groups which
tackled the Zugspitze, only one group led by Second Lieutenant
Cooper and comprising the Admin Officer Captain Dey, CSM
Coates, Private Wiltshire and Lance Corporal Bolwell, our
'Mr. ' '
The group which conquered the Zugspitze,
cook, reached the top. The remainder were beaten by the arctic
conditions prevailing on the last days walk to the summit.
The canoeing took place on the Weisscnsee Lake and on the
River Ammer. After two days of instruction from Second
Lieutenant Farrington and many rolls in the cold waters of the
lake all students went down the river one way or another. On
the same lake was Staff Sergeant Thompson with his windsurfers.
After three days most of his students became quite proficient,
but poor old Corporal Luke could not get the hang of it all. and
all he achieved in the three days was a perfect splash in the
water!
Our hang gliding students, Major Kimc the OC and Lance
Corporals Mclntyre and Turner spent their ten days travelling
to and from the training area in the hope that the weather con-
ditions would be right for flying, but unfortunately they seldom
were. However, they all gained some experience, and had the
benefit of being instructed by Germany's hang gliding TV
personality, Christa Vogel.
We were also able to fit in two days of rock climbing and
abseiling which took place at Falkenstein.
On the final morning of the exercise we were taken on the
ranges by a Bundeswehr Company, who demonstrated some of
their weapons and allowed us all to fire their Uzzi machine
guns. This was followed by a demonstration of some of their
Mercedes trucks and a chance to drive them cross country. In
the afternoon the two Companies met on a football field and 63
Ordnance Company won by four goals to three.
Looking back on the exercise there were plenty of laughs for
everyone, in spite of the wet weather and the CQMS and his
6.30 calls every morning.
Whilst on exercise we said farewell to Corporal McKeown
and welcomed Privates Harris and Butler to the unit.
We congratulate Lance Corporal and Mrs Moran on the
birth of their daughter Zoe and Corporal and Mrs Robinson on
the birth of their daughter Lianne.
64 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
CORPORAL CONEY recently grasped, with both hands, the
opportunity to go on a special expedition to the British Outward
Bound Centre in Norway. Along with other members of the
course, he loitered with intent over the mountains for ten days
carrying everything he needed for that period. He had (we
say) a very enjoyable time and returned to the unit looking fit and
refreshed.
Corporals Hoare and Stewart are looking a lot happier
nowadays as their wives have recently joined them and are
now settling into married quarters. Another new arrival in the
unit has been Lance Corporal Holmes and family who have
joined us from Northern Ireland. A warm welcome to you all!
Farewell and congratulations go hand in hand to one of our
butchers, Corporal Moore, as he prepares to leave us on well
deserved promotion for a six months tour in the Force Ord
Coy Belize prior to his three year tour in Catterick. Corporal
and Mrs Moore have given sterling service to the Company in
the last three years and will be sadly missed, especially as he
has spent the last month behind the bar in the Unit Club.
Perhaps the most interesting thing to have happened within
the Company over the last month was the change in our work-
ing hours. We now start at 0700 hrs and finish at 1600 hrs.
This means we can all work the same hours instead of the
staggered shift system we employed before and this has im-
proved the technical function of the Company.
STORES SECTION 65 CORPS SP SQUADRON
WORKSHOP
AS this may possibly be a first time entry, an introduction is in
order. The section consists of Staff Sergeant Al Dunn, Corporal
Les Rusbridge, Lance Corporal Bob Hallum and Private T. J.
Raoof.
Corporal Rusbridge took part in the Dulmen Marathon
two days later and finished in a very creditable three hours twenty
four minutes. He is now looking forward to the Berlin
Marathon. His enthusiasm has been passed on to Staff Sergeant
Dunn and Lance Corporal Hallum who completed the Herford
ten last week, both under the bogey ninety minutes, and are now
going out to beat their times in the second Hohne 10.
Lance Corporal Hallum had his main holiday this year in
Sardinia with a troop from the squadron. He is now a proficient
engineer having built a hut and a loo in between getting a tan.
Private Raoof could not be outdone, so he went to Kenya for
his summer hols, nice if you can afford it on a Privates Pay!
Being so small we don't get many visitors but most people
pass through Hameln at some stage, so please call in and show
us that there really are more RAOC in BAOR'.
235 —
Book number R0406