50 NAVY NEWS, APRIL 2008
● The RN challenge for the ball against the Army during the
1-1 draw at Aldershot Picture: Graeme Main, Soldier Magazine
● CPO ‘Bomber’ Mills grapples with his opponent in the wrestling
discipline under the watchful eye of the referee
Caber intensive
THERE are some mighty tossers aboard HMS Campbeltown.
They’re also not bad at tug-of-war, truck pulling, and traditional
wrestling as the frigate’s ship’s company learned in Bahrain at a
rather unusual sports day.
Campbeltown was invited to take part in the Gaelic Games
– a sort of Highland Games but in the sand and dust of the Gulf
rather than amid the glens and peaks of Scotland.
‘Clan Campbeltown’ were placed third after demonstrating their
prowess in tossing the caber, shot putt, tug-of-war, wrestling,
and hauling trucks – the latter two events proved particularly
RRAF outclass RNAF outclass RN
popular (and demanding). “I’m going to struggle when I get back
on board, I can feel the aches and pains already but it has been
a fantastic day,” enthused CPO(ET(ME)) ‘Bomber’ Mills.
The ship’s most senior rating, Executive Warrant Offi cer Jim CONGRATULATIONS
then hit a half volley from the edge
Mustard, said the games had proved a good morale booster and
to the Royal Air Force
Onside with Capt Paul
of the area which the University
a welcome change from the more typical games of rugby and
again turned over the bar.
football.
who are the Seniors Inter
Cunningham, RNFA
RN U23s 2 RAF 0
“It’s been a great day, hard work but lots of fun and great to do
Service champions for
something different,” he added. 2008 – thanks to a victory
The Navy lads were in confi dent
The sailors celebrated their third place in traditional style: a
on RN home soil.
mood prior to their fi rst Inter
barbecue and a few cold beers.
This year’s contest opened with
Service game v RAF away at
improving under the management McEvoy (HMS Collingwood)
the RN and Army clashing at the
Cosford.
of WO Ian Binks and Capt Steve and WEA O’Neil which the home
ground of Blue Square Premier’s
After a frenetic opening, the RN
Marr RM. goalkeeper did well to keep out.
Aldershot Town.
began to impose themselves on the
With the emergence of quality On 22 minutes Mne Rule (RM
The Army took the lead on 20
game, with both AET Brookes and
youngsters, thanks to the good Poole) drove forward and smashed
minutes, but ten minutes later
OM McEvoy (HMS Collingwood)
work being done at youth level, we a shot from 30 yards that thumped
the RN equalised through POET
dictating the pace of the game
all hope we can get our hands on against the crossbar and bounced
(WE) Phil Archbold (HMS
from the centre of midfi eld.
that Inter Services cup soon. out to MEA Hodgson (HMS
Collingwood), who was our best
MEM Davidson (HMS
player on the night.
RN Seniors 3 Cornwall 3 (South
Sultan) who headed the rebound
Lancaster) and WEA Ritchie
So it stayed until the fi nal score,
West Counties Cup).
against the post before WEA
O’Neil (HMS Collingwood) drove
(HMS Collingwood) were rocks at
marking a good Navy performance This was an impressive fi ght-back
the ball high into the net.
the heart of the defence.
and extending their unbeaten run for the RN, who were punished for
The Navy side continued to
After 17 minutes OM McEvoy
to eight matches. some mistakes in the fi rst hour of
push forward and only an acrobatic
played a slide-rule pass through
A week later, the RAF beat the the match and were 3-0 down with save from the University keeper
for MEA Hodgson (HMS Sultan)
Army 3-0 – and by all accounts they twenty minutes to go. from an ET(WE) Farnsworth shot
to coolly fi nish.
played really well and thoroughly But two goals from towering kept the score down to 1-0 at half
The second half started slowly
deserved the emphatic win. centre back AET Tom Ardley time.
for us, as the RAF had the wind at
That left the airmen against the (HMS Heron) and a late equaliser The second half started brightly
their backs. They almost grabbed
sailors as the decider, with the RN from ET(ME) Danny Kerr (our but although the RN were
an equaliser within 15 seconds
needing to win. best player on the day) was enough continuing to create chances, they
of the re-start were it not for the
The match had to be moved to give us a creditable draw. couldn’t fi nd the second goal.
athleticism of MEM Keneally
from Fratton Park as Pompey Cpl Lee Farrell (CTCRM) also WEA Ritchie (HMS
(HMS Bristol) who dived low to
were directed to play a league played really well and deserves Collingwood) missed a great
to turn a shot on to the post.
match so a couple of hundred of mention. opportunity from a corner when
This galvanised the Navy side
us gathered at Burnaby Road in If Devon beat Cornwall in the he found himself unmarked at the
and on 70 minutes an RN free
quiet expectation. last game to be played (after Navy far post but headed wide.
kick from ET(WE) Farnsworth
Unfortunately our boys were News went to press), then the Navy With ten minutes left WEA
was curled in for WEA O’Neil
completely outplayed on the night will have won the cup, otherwise Ritchie found himself isolated
(HMS Collingwood) to head our
● Two climbers struggle up the imposing slopes of Makalu and the RAF ran out deserved 2-0 we will be runners-up. with the University striker in the
second goal.
winners, with goals in either half. RN goalmouth and conceded
■ Last month, we reported that
‘One of the hardest
The fi rst, on 20 minutes, was
RN U23s 1 London University 1
a penalty which the London
free tickets were available to
an absolute screamer from outside On a bright afternoon in Fulham striker duly dispatched past the
personnel based in the Portsmouth
the box, following good link-up the RN U23s played their fi nal RN keeper WEA Barker (HMS area for certain Pompey home
play down the left wing. warm-up game before the Inter Collingwood). games (the next one is the clash
The Navy were disappointed Services. The Navy continued to press with Blackburn Rovers on April
propositions of all’
that they hadn’t given a good With LMA Keating (HMS for the winner and it almost 26). Only Nelson-based personnel
performance, and to be honest Drake) and MEA Hodgson (HMS came when, from a free kick, the should contact their PTI staff.
they never looked like scoring. Sultan) making their full debuts, ball was headed back across the Sailors and marines based at
All in all though, it has been a the RN side started brightly, goal for NA Card (HMS Ocean) Sultan and Collingwood should
good season (won fi ve, drew two, playing at a high tempo and to smash over the bar from four get in touch with their respective
AFTER four years of planning, nonetheless demanding goal
lost two) for this squad that is still creating regular chances from OM yards. MEM Kerr (HMS Exeter) PTIs.
they’re off. – the highest trekking hill in the
While fellow Britons were Himalayas.
heading to church on Easter More than 170 personnel from
Sunday or perhaps enjoying a the three Services applied to take
lazy day, 42 Service personnel, part, 80 were selected for a series
drawn from all arms of the Forces, of training sessions and camps,
Sunseekers head to Dorset
headed to Nepal to grapple with and just 42 were selected for the
one of the most demanding fi nal four teams. SID Lawrence and his merry and the late Nigel Harris on the
mountains on the By the time you band of volunteers from the RN Citroen Winter Rally Round 1 of
planet: Makalu. read this, the Automobile Club once again the National Rally Championship.
Fewer than team should supported this year’s Rallye A generation later, the Rallye
250 people have be establishing Sunseeker held in Bournemouth. Sunseeker is the fi rst-round race.
made the summit their base camp In a case of déjà vu, the RN The MG buffs were in
of the Himalayan and getting motoring buffs served as marshals attendance in numbers; some 25
peak since it was accustomed to on Post 15, situated in Ringwood 6R4s was the biggest gathering
fi rst scaled in 1955 (the same extreme altitudes, before beginning South, making sure racers and for some time and 16 gave
number climb Everest every year) the attempt on the summit which spectators were safe. demonstration runs around part
and just two have reached it via rises 7,800m (26,000ft) above the Competitors raced past at of the Somerley House stage.
the perilous south-east ridge. The earth. roughly 60-second intervals during Again there was a good showing
late Sir Edmund Hillary branded The most demanding part of two stages, one in the morning, from competitors: 96 entrants
the mountain: “One of the hardest the climb will be overcoming a one in late afternoon. competed over 70 miles of Dorset
propositions of all.” four-mile knife-edge ridge, known During the morning stage Sid and Hampshire, with stages taking
The 2008 military expedition is as the Black Gendarme, in bitter and his crew had to put their place in Bournemouth, Wareham,
attempting a world-fi rst traverse cold and howling winds. fi refi ghting skills to good use Uddens Forest, copses north and
of Makalu, although there are four “It’s like scaling the Rock of when a Subaru Impreza caught south of Ringwood, and within the
separate strands to the assault on Gibraltar with high altitude boots fi re between post 14 and 15 with grounds of Somerley House.
the mountain. A main team will on, thick mittens, and about half a blown turbo; the connecting rod The weather was fi ne and dry
attempt the summit; a subsidiary the oxygen. It’s pretty full-on,” also decided it was going to exit with slight showers later in the
main team will back up the leaders; said expedition leader Sqn Ldr the top of the engine. day.
a high-altitude development team David Tait. The 2008 event saw the As for the RNAC enthusiasts,
will aim to stretch potential future You can learn more about the MG Metro 6R4 Owners’ Club their morale was maintained all day
● Mud on the road... An Impreza WRC kicks up the dirt during the
main team members; and a junior expedition and its members at celebrating the 21st anniversary long thanks to regular supplies of
Rallye Sunseeker Picture: PO ‘Dutchy’ Holland, Phoenix CBRN DC
team is taking on a safer but www.makalu2008.org of the victory of Malcolm Wilson refreshments from Sid’s kitchen.
0050_NN_Apr.indd 150_NN_Apr.indd 1 118/3/08 11:43:468/3/08 11:43:46
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56