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RAOC Gazette - page 330

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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 4 Ordnance Battalion
HEADQUARTERS
ON Exercise Eternal Triangle the Battalion
has been tasked with running Headquarters
NASA. A certain Lance Corporal was very
disappointed when he discovered that NASA
stood for Neutral Administration And Sup-
port Area, and not National Aeronautical
and Space Administration, because he had
I always wanted to go to the moon. The CO
quickly told him that if he does anything
wrong on this exercise he will go to the moon. More about ET
next month, including who wins the Golden Maggot Award.
Congratulations to Lance Corporal Ian Bond on his sub-
stantive promotion, mind you—he still hasn't got the drinks in.
Finally, welcome back to Staff Sergeant Bob Sacre from
his tour in the Falklands.
42 ORDNANCE
COMPANY
MAJOR DES TOWNSEND took the Company into the field
for his first OC's exercise. CSM Bill Rice also participated in
between snoozes, Sergeant Graham Ford learned that it is a good
idea to use four wheel drive on muddy tracks and Private
Roger Stoker won the award for practising heavy metal tunes
on mess tins at inoppertune moments. Even the AO, Captain
David Homewood, was seen with muddy boots. Lance Corporal
' Scuff' Williams, who had the previous week upstaged the
RCT by winning both the Minden Garrison Driver of the
Year and the Skilled and Safe Driver of the Year awards, showed
the Company how to drive a ' Knocker' sideways, with a little
help from the ' wrecker.'
Corporal Keith Cope has departed for a five month tour in
FI with the acting rank of Sergeant and Lance Corporal Steve
Walton has temporarily been promoted Corporal to cover the
having a go at the Cdo Course, and Private John Kelly is keeping
Corporal Ian Aird company on a Radio Ops Course in UK.
Well done to Private Scouse Tully on successfully passing his
Sup Con upgrading to B2.
MT bade farewell to Second Lieutenant Duncan Gibbons
and Sergeant Eddy Hirst this month. Second Lieutenant Sandy
Grogan has taken over as MTO. Other new arrivals are Second
Lieutenant Harry Hawkins Power and Private Mark Harrison.
A new arrival of another kind was a boy Jonathan Charles
born to Lance Corporal and Mrs Tim Farr. Private Nick Mason
is currently on a three month detachment at ICP Viersen and
Corporal Alex Raeburn is at Bracht on his RPC1 course.
Both Lance Corporals John BoIIand and ' C a p ' Capper
successfully passed their Bl Dvr Courses. Corporal Roger Ball
has retired as Unit Club Barman and returns to MT as Yard
NCO. Lance Corporal Stewart takes over as FAMTO Store-
man.
There are new faces in the Storehouse too: Lieutenant Ian
Ruddock has arrived to take over from Second Lieutenant
Wally Astley, who has departed for the Apprentices College—
how are the extras going Wally? Lance Corporal Steve Wrycraft
has recently joined and we also welcome Private Bill Greer back
from Canada.
The Orderly Room continues to shuffle paper with Staff
Sergeant Ron Mansfield and Lance Corporal ' Mitch ' Mitchell
taking time off to play rugby now and again. Private Lewis
Powell may be seen riding around on his bike in between
playing football. One person not riding a bike since an un-
fortunate accident in Soest, is Second Lieutenant Harry Hawkins,
who is now Training Officer.
Both the football and rugby teams have played fixtures.
The rugby side are as yet unbeaten. The introduction of Major
Des Townsend and Lance Corporal Paul Geraghty into the backs
has strengthened the side. The pack is also turning in good
performances. The football side aren't as yet quite as successful,
but with new players being posted in the team is getting better
all the time. Staff Sergeant Pete Learmonth has got a successful
squad of runners together. They compete most weekends in
anything from marathons to marches. Recently they attempted
the Unna one hundred kilometre Volkslauf. The team consisting
of Staff Sergeant Pete Learmonth, Corporal Martin Stevens,
Corporal Steve Walton, Lance Corporal Mick Wisbey, Privates
Phil Johnston, Jock Crockett and Derek Blade all did remark-
ably well but a special mention must go to Corporal Stevens
who finished sixteenth in his class in a time of ten hours forty
seven minutes, and also Private Crockett who completed seventy
five kilometres with an injured foot. A thank you to Mrs Selena
Learmonth who did a great job as back up on her bicycle.
Finally, congratulations go to Lance Corporal Karl Bowkis
and Michelle on their recent marriage and to Lance Corporal
Mick Wisbey and Carol on the birth of a daughter.
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Corporal Stevens, Private Johnson and Staff Sergeant Learmonth
with Mrs Learmonth giving encouragement.
ASU 4 ORDNANCE
BATTALION
IT is with great sorrow that we record the tragic death of the
daughter of Captain and Mrs Brian Haycock of our Minden
Detachment, as the result of a recent car accident in the United
Kingdom.
On a much happier note, we were very pleased to welcome
Brigadier Andrew Paviour, Commander Supply 1st British
Corps, to our small ASA Section at Lubbecke on his initial visit
to this unit. Brigadier Paviour presented the C-in-Cs certificate
for twenty five years service to one of our civilian staff. Hcrr
Wilhelm Bredenkamp who had previously worked with the REME
and NAAFI before joining the then Barracks Services, Lubbecke
in 1970.
Since taking over responsibility for Lubbecke from ASU
Bielefeld we have said farewell to Mr Len Skentelbcry who has
recently returned after ten years service as an AS, we wish him
a happy retirement.
STORES PLATOON 5 ARMOURED
WORKSHOP
SPORT has played quite a large part in unit life this month,
with the inter-platoon competitions. The RAOC teams are now-
being supplemented by the REME MT section and in the basket-
ball competition the joint team were runners-up. Corporal Ken
Hallam and Lance Corporal Ian Rigby, the RAOC representatives,
were heard to mumble something about winning last time when
the team was a hundred per cent Ordnance. Corporal Jim
Munro, Privates Scouse Elliot and Geordie Cranney and the
OC all took part in the Hohner ten mile road run, Private
Elliot achieving the highest place of two hundred and forty ninth.
The platoon was joined for two weeks this month by a group
of six TA soldiers ranging from Staff Sergeant downwards.
The aim was to give them some employment experience and I
am assured this was fulfilled as their job in war would be to give
ordance support to a TA REME workshop, much the same as our
support for the Regular workshop.
On the social side, the Workshop organised a Cowboy
evening at which the platoon was given the job of running the
bar. Thanks to Sergeant Dave Woollard. and his team for
doing such a good job. The band for the evening included
Corporal Jim Munro in its line up, who played everything from
the banjo to a harmonica (at least that's what it sounded like,
maybe he was just singing).
Finally, good luck to Private Cranney on departure for his
commando course, and farewell to Second Lieutenant Harry
Hawkins. Best wishes to him, and welcome to Second Lieutenant
Duncan Gibbons.
11 ARMOURED
BRIGADE
MUCH to the delight of all, manning requirements for Exercise
Eternal Triangle (affectionately known as ET) are less than
expected. Even though Staff Sergeant Martin Brown was very
much looking forward to his last exercise in the Brigade he is
not now required. Notice that M and RO did not miss him off
the list after all and have recently confirmed his substantive
promotion to Staff Sergeant—congratulations Martin.
Private Tony Evans has been going about like a Cheshire
cat recently, after having learned of his posting in November
to COD Bicester. He could not wait to organise his farewell
drinks.
We are pleased to report that our BFT pass rate was one
— 275 —
Book number R0406