[Arran]

The veneer used on the sides is French walnut, not red oak, probably straight cut judging by the grain. If you have some French walnut veneer scraps those will make a good good patch material. Make the patches first, and make them larger then the areas needing repair, and irregularly shaped so that they roughly mimic the wood grain, then place the patch over the chipped area with tape, and cut around the outside of the patch into the veneer under it. New walnut veneer of any species is fairly easy to get, there is a guy on fleabay who sells lots of surplus veneer left over from fitting out yaughts and private aircraft, and there are others that will see you smaller amounts too.
Regards
Arran