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RAOC Gazette - page 319

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Corps RAOC
Material type Journals
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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 During the deterrent operations phase of Exercise Ample
Express in Denmark, most of the Company went to Copenhagen
on R and R. The CQMS claims he was led astray by the
CSM who naturally denies it, claiming it was the CQMS who was
leading, the third member of the triumvirate, the AO, admits to
being led. The enemy attacked the location regularly and on
one occasion escaped past Privates Cookson and Gosney who
decided that discretion was the better part of valour and hid
in the bottom of their LMG fire trench. Sergeant Duffy and
Corporal Fleming made an efficient team for camouflaging tents
until Corporal Fleming jumped on a tent which acted as a
trampoline catapulting the MT Sergeant through the air. His
back is getting better slowly. On the final night twenty five
Danish soldiers attacked the Company location and were driven
back by the Bakery Special Forces Unit consisting of Corporal
Arnison, Lance Corporals West and Jones. W02 Louis is quick
to point out that his bread was not used as ammunition.
The exercise party was a great success. A good night was
had by all, proof of which was the low attendance at breakfast
next morning.
Now we are back in barracks and normality has returned.
Postings in and out are many and we offer our best wishes to
those leaving and a warm welcome to the new members especially
Master Bakers who have been in the Company three times
before!
Central Ammunition Depot Kineton
THIS month we have been pleased to wel-
come Brigadier Bastick, the new Deputy
Commander Western District who was
followed closely behind some few days
later by Major General Davies the VQMG
Designate. Our other ' visitors ' were the
three hundred and twenty two reservists
who reported to Kineton as their Annual
Reporting Centre. They were bemused
and amazed at the alacrity with which
document and kit checks were made,
training given and, most importantly of all, bounty payments
handed over!
Social occasions have only produced one thing worth a men-
tion and that was the wedding reception of WOl Paul Mitchell,
currently serving in Cyprus, and Miss Pauline Grimsley, the
daughter of Sergeant John Grimsley. A splendid occasion that
was enjoyed by all.
A quote from the sports officer when asked how things
are going on the sporting front—' The football team is healthy
with an influx of young players and great things are expected
for the future. At the moment we win a few and lose a few.
However, things don't look so good on the rugby side as the
new arrivals have to pass the football officer before they reach
the rugby officer'—end of quote. Could this have something
to do with the fact that the rugby team were unlucky not to get a
little further than the second round of the Army Cup. Un-
lucky in that they came up against the Depot at Blackdown
and although they lost sixteen four the game was much closer
than the result suggests. Smudge Smith produced his weekly
crash over try. to keep a granny off the board.
Whilst on the subject of sport, our congratulations to
Corporal Tai' and Staff Sergeant Ellis on winning the RAOC
Badminton Open Doubles, Corporal Tai and Corporal Hunt
WRAC on coming in as runners-up in the unit doubles and
Lance Corporal Storra and Private Stoutt as runners-up in the
Ladies doubles. Well done all of you. Congratulations also to
the team which took part in the recent RAF Rutland in aid of
the Jimmy Saville Stoke Mandeville Hospital Appeal. The team
covered the course of forty two kilometres in five hours thirty
minutes and was the first team to complete the course. Team
members were Sergeant Cawton, Lance Corporals Holden, Hodg-
kin and Duff and Privates Ferrer, Willmer and Long.
We wish all readers a merry Christmas which will soon be
upon us. Already there is talk of the normal festivities with the
OC Headquarters Company complaining about all the parties
he's been invited to. Little does he know that he is this
year's Santa and will be attending on duty!
Central Vehicle Depot
HEADQUARTERS
WE welcome back WOl Chris Kenyon, or otherwise known
locally as ' Captain Birdseye,' from the high seas having success-
fully completed a Competent Crews Course at JSSC Gosport.
He is still staggering all over the place and' tells us it's the effects
The photograph shows from left to right—Private Hobbit Brier,
Sergeant Martin Mcighan, Lance Corporal Roy Counsell and
Sergeant Ron Audrain, completing the eighty six mile Charity
W a l k in aid of Multiple Sclerosis.
of being on the high seas in very rough weather, but we knew
different (HIC!).
All ex-Work Study Branch members will be pleased to hear
that their ' Girl Friday ' Jenny King has successfully got through
the CO's promotion board. We all wish her well and hope the
rumours are true that she is staying with us.
VEHICLE DEPOT ASHCHURCH
THIS weekend saw the return of our 131 Vehicle Platoon
(Dodgers Heroes), a bunch of tired but happy soldiers, one was
heard to say " It's nice to be back." Silly Boy!
Another sporting hero is Private Harvey who has taken to
marathon running, in the last three months he had competed
in and finished the Bristol and Weston-Super-Mare Marathons
and the Tewkesbury Half Marathon.
A very warm welcome to: Corporal Tony Blount, Private
Stan Stebbings and Private Hagon and from Training Battalion
and Depot Privates Ashworth, Cairns, Kerr, Morris, Nertney,
Worthington, Westwater, Lester, Walton and Uncle Tom Cobley.
Congratulations to Lance Corporal Nick and Mrs Squires
on the birth of their son, to Privates Oliver and Raine on pass-
ing their A and C Course, to Private Kelly on passing his
Upgrading BI Course and Corporal Breden on his well deserved
promotion.
Farewell to Corporal Sammy Sampson and Private Geordie
Morrison.
VEHICLE DEPOT
LUDGERSHALL
STORAGE is concerned that Private 'Argie' Andrade may have
defected as he is close to home being in the Falklands, however,
Lance Corporal Phil Hymus is probably keeping a watchful eye
over him. We wish them well and look forward to seeing them
in the New Year. The turnover in Storage has been almost
one way but one noticeable arrival has been Staff Sergeant
Martin Reed who succeeded Staff Sergeant,' now W02 Ray
Kennard who we wish well at his new posting in Recklinghausen.
Kit Stores welcome Staff Sergeant Walters from Moenchen-
gladbach and Sergeant Graham from Trade Training Wing. Other
additions to the fold include Corporal Canale. How does he do it
we ask. Two weeks after leaving the land of the Mercedes he
gets pranged by, you've guessed it, a Mercedes! Lance Corporal
Johnson recently arrived from Ordnance Depot Antwerp and can
be found close to Staff Sergeant Hood's side explaining the most
recent happenings at ODA. Ninety six per cent of which revolves
around open golf!
We congratulate Lance Corporal Johnson on passing his Bl
Course. A sad loss to the Department and of course to the
Depot for six months is Sergeant Audrain who recently departed
for Fort Lewis USA. Well, someone had to go!
Recently a team took part in the Ridgeway Path Charity
Walk (eighty six miles). The team consisted of Sergeants Ron
Audrain, Martin Meighan, Lance Corporal Roy Counsell, and
Private Hobbit Brier with Admin support provided by Sergeant
Ron Graham and Lance Corporal Murph Aspland who did a
marvellous job setting up base camp and keeping in radio
contact even across the Thames: —
" What is your location over?"
V 594834, over."
— 266 —
Book number R0406