2019 was a significant year for several reasons. One of the biggest in the SCUBA Diving Calendar was the Centenary of the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow after the end of the First World War. This was marked with events throughout the year including the BSAC SCAPA 100 project that …
Northern Scapa Tartan 2019 Read More »
EXPEDITION AIMS AND THE DIVING TEAM: Lt Cdr Jez Spring RNR, a Leadership Instructor based at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, has just returned from leading a sub-aqua diving expedition on the island of Borneo. EX ASIAN ADVENTURE II (28 September – 13 October 2019) was the most ambitious Adventurous Training Diving Expedition undertaken by …
Asian Adventure II 2019 Read More »
Exercise COCKNEY ENDURO 2 (CE2) was a Unit Mountain Biking Expedition conducted in the high-altitude splendour of the Haute Alpes in Southern France, on routes following the final section of the Grand Route Chemins du Soleil (‘Path of the Sun’) descending from the mountainous and remote Verdon National Park through to the Mediterranean Sea. National …
Cockney Enduro 2 2019 Read More »
The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) unit, HMS WILDFIRE, has been conducting sailing expeditions for the past 10 years during which 30 members of the Ship’s Company have benefitted from essential navigational, boat handling, seamanship, team building and leadership training. This training has become particularly pertinent given the confirmation that RNR members will play a greater …
National Royal Naval Reserve Sailing Expedition 2019 Read More »
On Sunday the 12th of August 14 Riflemen from across 6 Rifles plus two external instructors flew from Heathrow Airport to deploy on Ex Kazbegi-Bugle, a summer mountaineering T3 AT Expedition to the Georgian Caucus. The aim of the expedition was to deliver the Summer Mountaineering Foundation qualification to the 11 novice personnel on the …
(Tiger) Kazbegi-Bugle 2019 Read More »
The Concept: In October 2018, the Regimental Administration Officer (RAO) for Northern Ireland Garrison Support Unit, Major J Swanson MBE, aspired to organise an Adventurous Training (AT) package to the Rocky Mountains, Alberta, Canada. His aim was to promote cohesion and develop the soldiers within the unit through level 3 AT training. For an expedition …
Genghis (or Chinggis) Khan was a strong leader, powerful diplomat and seasoned traveller according to most Mongolians, who revere him. In the west and the Islamic world the view tends to focus on some of his more negative attributes. Focusing on the positives you soon realise that Genghis Khan had many of the skills required …
Dragon Mongolian Odyssey 2019 Read More »
In August 2019, eleven Army Reservists from 156 Regiment RLC, a Reserve supply regiment based in Liverpool, conducted an arduous adventure training expedition through the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. Classified as a high risk and remote expedition by the Army’s Adventurous Training Group, this represented a real physical, mental and, in some-cases emotional challenge …
Northern High Sierra 2 2019 Read More »
On Wednesday 18th September 2019, the advanced party for Exercise Barbarian Odyssey 3, a 159 Regt RLC diving expedition, arrived in Gibraltar during early afternoon following a 2½ Hour flight from London Heathrow. The advanced party were there to complete an initial recce and other key activities in preparation for the arrival of the main …
Dragon Barbarian Odyssey 3 2019 Read More »
Exercise FINN GLACIER 19 was a 152 (North Irish) Regiment Type 3 mountaineering expedition to Chamonix, France, which was undertaken during the period 14 – 23 Jun 19. The proposed 9 Day training programme was delivered mainly as forecast within the JSATFA. Activities included a two day Alpine Mountaineering expedition up into the Glacier Du …
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Exercise Magma Fox ; 15,786ft descended, 15,626ft climbed, 170km ridden, 7 riders, 6 days, 1 Iceland. Iceland’s Volcanoes, synonymous with destruction, danger and death – all three narrowly avoided thanks to sound instruction, a great guide and a smidge of good luck! (oh, and a strategically located man catching tree). Team Fox pushed themselves to …
On 7 Jun 19, 8 members of the AGC(ETS) deployed on a 9-day expedition to climb Mt Blanc in France. The aim of the expedition was to summit Mt Blanc, develop the next generation of AGC(ETS) mountaineers to participate in large-scale Army/Joint mountaineering expeditions in the future, and to highlight the opportunities available in the …
HMS WILDFIRE wanted to offer an Adventurous Training (AT) opportunity to members of its ships company where they could be introduced to mountaineering whilst being in a safe environment, and at the same time resulting in a sense of achievement. The Three Peaks is a widely known challenge on well navigated paths, but with a …
In August 2019, 15 members of 207 Field Hospital travelled from Manchester to the Dolomite mountains, Italy. With the grant from Ulysses Trust, the option to participate was open to all members of the unit, encouraging junior ranks to take part. A group of three mountain leader instructors, a physio, chef, driver and 9 …
Northern Dolomite Serpent 2019 Read More »
With the UK set to break weather records for the highest temperatures seen in around 40 years, we set off for the Menai Straights and Indefatigable for what promised to be an exciting, sunny and unseasonably hot weekend. As we crossed the Britannia Bridge into Anglesey, the sun disappeared leaving us surrounded by an overcast …
Eaglet AT Weekend 2019 Read More »
As a part of the annual adventure training programme, 9 soldiers from 6 RIFLES and 1 outside instructor deployed on Ex TIGER ADRIATIC RIFLES to participate in a Sub-Aqua Diving expedition. This was conducted as an overseas deployment on the island of Vis (Croatia), spanning a 10 day period. The aims of the deployment were …
Tiger Adriatic Rifles 2018 Read More »
Exercise Northern Purple Endeavor was a ten-day skiing expedition undertaken in March by members from across 7 SCOTS. It retraced the route Norwegian Saboteurs took during Operation Gunnerside, a daring operation by a small team of Norwegians who sabotaged an important Nazi heavy water plant – which was vital to the German atomic weapon program. …
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Exercise Northern Aconcagua saw nine Army personnel deploy to Argentina in a bid to climb to summit Aconcagua, the highest peak outside the Himalayas at an altitude of 6,962m. This was a challenging and exciting opportunity for all members to attempt such a testing but non-technical trek. The challenge associated with attempting such an endeavour …
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