RAOC Gazette - page 301
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 |
COMES TO TOWN MANY storms and typhoons occur in the Pacific, but most either blow themselves out or veer away before reaching Hong Kong, thus creating an ' it won't happen to u s ' syndrome. Typhoon Ellen was plotted on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th September moving in a straight line directly towards Hong Kong —and still much of the Colony wasn't ready when she came close. We were ready. On the Thursday all our vital stores like sports field stands, pool umbrellas and fire point boxes were removed indoors. At the same time the ops room was cleaned out and equipped with mattress, blankets, tea, coffee, sugar, milk and a kettle: we even checked that the radio was OK. Sure enough, just as everyone went home from work, the official warning changed from three (there's a strong wind coming in about twelve hours time) to eight (there's a gale coming). The ops room was manned and all of our standby personnel were confined either to home or to camp. At the same time both Messes were closed and secured, and all soft skinned vehicles removed from exposed parks. The Army Dog Unit patrols withdrew, handing in as they did so a written report saying " a land over top is left the body." Anyone able to interpret is asked to request a posting here. The lucky ones who went home hastily cleared balconies, erected shutters—and checked the larder contents. In camp we equally hastily removed from the main freezer enough food to keep us going for a weekend, if necessary without cooking. During Thursday night the wind steadily increased, and at midnight the ops room windows were boarded up to protect the staff from flying glass, so sure were we that they wouldn't last. The statistics tell us that Ellen didn't bring much rain, in fact only about twelve inches. When it is travelling almost horizont- ally, and very fast, it seems a lot. The ops room staff had a superb view of conditions; PSA had removed the door two days before the typhoon. They were kind enough to fit a new one a few days later! However, our Staff Clerks, being a hardy lot, were able to withstand the full force of nature's violence without recourse to a rum issue or wellies! It was awe inspiring to see quite large objects such as com' plete ten year old trees flying through the air, and it was frightening to see bright blue flashes all around as electric cables came down. By dawn on Friday Ellen was only thirty miles away from Hong Kong, and conditions were at their worst. The wind we were later told had reached a speed of one hundred and twenty eight miles per hour. No one in the depot actually measured the physical force of it but that sounds close enough! We saw debris all around; the sports field flooded and the tennis court metal mesh fence bent over. The main sensations though were not what we saw, they were what we felt and heard. To walk outdoors was difficult, and dangerous, to talk there was impossible. The fifty yard trip to the main kitchen was hazardous, whilst one made to the roof of our twelve storey accommodation block, to survey the Camp, was definitely frightening. Where's the rest? Staff Sergeants Tolley and Brookes survey what's left of our junk. Not one of ours, but a graphic warning to stay off the road. — 250 Now reduced to just that! |
| Book number | R0406 |