RAOC

The first RAOC contingent arrived at Crown sometime in January 1964 when the tented camp was still being constructed. An RAOC mobile bath shower became operational on the 14th January (pictured left) so this tells us they were there very early in the Crown timeline. Dave Hewson served in the RAOC Stores Section attached to the CRE Wksps, from Aug 66 - Feb 67 during the
changeover from Op to Post Crown. He records his recollections below.

The RAOC was quite a busy section of about a dozen personnel led by a WO1. Due to the numerous different equipments/vehicles at Crown , many one-offs were peculiar to the airfield project. By one- offs I mean that there was only one of that type at Crown, e g the solitary Albion Clansman 3ton 6x4 Workshops Truck, finding spares was always a problem . Even the newer equipment that came for the road project i e Ford D800 Tippers which were not used by the army anywhere else.

Sgt Cliff Watts RAOC joined Op Crown in May 1966 attached to CRE Workshop. I am afraid I have forgotten
names of all those I knew there although I remember in particular the RAMC Sgt who shared my “basha”.
Some people might remember me as the idiot who had the small “veg” patch outside the basha. The RAMC Sgt had an imaginery dog which we used to walk and tie up outside the Sgt's mess in the evening. Dave Hewson appears in the rollover.