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RAOC Gazette - page 283

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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 STORKS PLATOON
16 AIR DEFENCE REGIMENT
WORKSHOP
CAPTAIN GEOFF EVANS: Sergeant Sangster! GAZI . T O
Notes? Sergeant S: Sir, with all due respect, I've been so busy
with the stocktaking and generally working nl quenching the
REME's insatiable thirst for spares, that 1 have to confess that
the more essential tasks like drafting Corps GA/.I-ITI; notes has
failed to capture my undivided attention. My ' I N ' tray looks
like the north face of the Eiger. (Resigning himself to his fate).
Anything in particular you'd like me to mention'.'
OC: Not really. Just anything of topical interest. Ytiu
could put in the odd whimsy like the time Private Anderson, on
the Workshop shakedown exercise, was seen running in the same
direction as the enemy when we were attacked. You could also
mention the March and Shoot, when we split the platoon down
into three teams and marched the four miles to Napier Harracks,
fired on the twenty five metre range, and then marched back.
' Q ' Duprcc's team won eventually, didn't they? It was also
one of the hottest days of the year, as I recall.
11 Armoured Brigade
LIFE at Brigade Headquarters this month has been quite
hectic. The build up to Exercise Eternal Triangle and the heavy
leave commitment have not helped matters at all.
Sergeant Martin Brown was delighted to sec that M and
RO have remembered he was selected for StalT Sergeant, he is to
be posted to Headquarters Northern Ireland as PA to GOC in
January.
BIT time is once again creeping up on us. The head-
quarters stair can be seen on Wednesday afternoons pounding
the same old trail in order to knock a few seconds off their
best time. Judging by the determination of some I am sure they
will succeed—update next month.
Private Mick Nolan has been out sailing again—straight
after two weeks leave I might add. The plan was to sail from
Keil to Gosport but unfortunately bad weather forced them in
to harbour in Ostcnd. After being stranded for five days they
finally accepted defeat and moored the yacht there for the winter.
He is adamant that it was adventure training and he in no way
had a good time while ashore!
Aviation Supply 1 (BR) Corps
#
Photo Private Hickman.
Resting after the run and shoot to Napier Barracks.
Sergeant S: (Frantically taking notes and cursing his lack
of shorthand) That it was, sir. I remembered I followed the
teams in a Land Rover and doused any potential dehydration
cases with water. Corporal McCabe and Private Anderson
were forced to pull out with heat exhaustion. It was hard work
but the lads enjoyed it.
OC: Don't forget to include a list of those who supported
two batteries in the Falklands earlier this year. Sergeant Elliott,
Corporal Freeman, Privates Heaps, Anderson, Chisholm,
Kennedy and Walker went with the first battery and then
Sergeant Stanhope, Corporal Sheffield and Privates Anderson,
Pascoe and Porter replaced them when the second battery took
over. Of course, Lance Corporal Steve Davics is in Port Stanley
at the moment attached to Logistic Battalion Falkland Islands.
OC: Yes, there's Private Geordie Thompson's marriage to
Sheila. Private Garry and Mrs Julie Pascoe's children, Richard
and Shelley, have recently been christened. You'll have to men-
tion Private Mark Hickman's unusual talent of driving Bedfords
into ditches on battery exercises. Then, of course, there's the
obligatory list of arrivals and departures for the benefit of ex-
members of the platoon. Sergeant S: You'll have to refresh my
memory, sir. OC: Well, let's see. Arrivals include myself. I
took over from Captain Jim Carr. There's ' Q ' Dupree, Corporal
Horsman, Lance Corporal Evans, Privates Botting, Bowcn, Clark,
Hill, Hodgson, Currie, George and Thompson. Oh, and you,
of course!
WOl Hartley has left us for Bielefeld, Sergeant Vaniqi's
gone, so too have Corporal Freeman, Lance Corporals Petrie
and Dodsworth, Privates Heaps, Duckworth, Farley, Large,
Chisholm, Lloyd, Morrison and Bent. I didn't realise our
turnover had been so great over the last few months. Finally,
you could include the fact that several members of the platoon
were amongst the Workshop athletics team which crushingly
defeated the regiment on the recent Inter-Battery athletics day.
We also sent Privates George and Hodgson to Nijmegen as part
of the Workshop team in the marches.
Sergeant S: Well, if that's all, sir, I'll take this across to the
workshop and ask the typist to run this up for me. OC: Sorry,
she's on leave, I'm afraid you'll have to type it yourself.
HEADQUARTERS
ARMY
AIR CORPS
1 (BR) CORPS
THE highlight of the post summer period
was the week long visit from the erst-
while Major Roger Bcnsaid who now says
he is going to sell his motor boat and buy
a windsurfer. At the time of writing he
has gone somewhere to get in some more
windsurfing practice. Oh what it is to
work in Wallop! He was escorted over
here by two RAF Squadron Leaders,
John Mace and Mike Lc Marie, especially
appointed to keep an eye on him. John also took to windsurfing
like a DUK.W to water (pronounced DUCK), whereas Mike Lc
Marie preferred capsize drills in Bosun dinghies! It was most
unfortunate that day one of the Inspection of 2 Ac Sp Unit was
designated Army Aviation Day so we all had the day off. Oh
what it is to work in Bielefeld! The Inspection also involved
a visit by the team to all three AAC Regiments. Sony Sergeant
Rcppc but we couldn't get to you in 664 Squadron despite four
re-writes of the programme!
During the inspection week we also managed to squeeze in
the FAACO conference which now by popular request and with
the blessing of Comd Avn BAOR we will now hold twice yearly.
The whole day was rounded off by an Ord Air barbeque. Great
fun, a family affair. But in retrospect perhaps the BATUS de-
tachment could have ' containered' us some winter woollies!
Many thanks to the chaps of 2 Ac Sp Unit for hosting and
organising the conference and barbeque.
Staff Sergeant Wautier is now into cycling (the peddling
type but as yet he doesn't quite come into the office in those
tight black long shorts and with an inner tube over his left
shoulder!) There is probably truth in the rumour that the
— 236 —
Corporal Brown puts it out.
Book number R0406