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22 NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2008
Rising to the
THE strains of Dancing

Queen by Abba floated
Report: Mike Gray Pictures: Lt Simon Coley RNR
through Ashdown Forest
huge smiles. running and taking part in the sense of sacrifice when they set
as a slightly mad, stroppy
Realistic training for reservists? event. out to Find the Medical Supplies.
tribal leader toyed with Definitely – you just need to The total number involved Four of the Welsh team
an earnest bunch of men
suspend a little disbelief. exceeded 200, and almost every volunteered to swim, avoiding the
and women.
The Crowborough Challenge, reserve unit was represented, need to build a raft, and despite
the cold there were plenty of
Nearby, two lads and two
HMS President’s flagship reservist amongst the 12 ten-strong
training weekend which attracts
teams, as well as the Sussex and smiles before and after their dip.
lasses took a dip in a chilly lake,
units nationwide, had tongue-in-
Cambridge URNUs. The combined Caroline,
while another chap, in well-
cheek overtones.
All specialisations were Dalriada and Scotia team also
pressed, brand-new working
And it was the sense of mischief
represented, as were all ranks, from sent in swimmers with the same
rig, sat on a small wooden that fuelled the smiles at every
new entry trainees to admirals – good-humoured results.
bench and was dragged corner of the Pippingford Park
specifically Second Sea Lord Vice “I think it has been excellent
through a muddy puddle.
training area in East Sussex.
Admiral Alan Massey and Prince and everyone has really enjoyed
Elsewhere, a toy dog (Scruffy)
But there was a serious theme
Michael of Kent, Honorary Rear themselves,” said AB Alan
was scooped up in a bucket on a
– that of an earthquake which
Admiral (Maritime Reserve). Ferguson (HMS Dalriada).
system of ropes, watched anxiously
has devastated an unspecified
Stepping beyond specialisations, “This is my first time at
by a group of onlookers.
region – and any number of Pooh
the versatility of reservists was Crowborough, and I think it is
And hanging on the breeze were
traps designed to ensure that the
evident at every turn. really well-organised and useful,
the words of a syndicate leader:
Challenge took participants outside
Above Water Force Protection the sort of things we would not
“We haven’t got a plan yet…” the comfort zone of a sunny and
(AWFP) and Maritime Trade expect to do or find ourselves in.
The key word here is ‘yet’. warm autumn day in the Weald.
Organisation (MTO) specialists “Putting yourself forward as
Within minutes a plan would There were a dozen tasks to
brought additional benefits such as leader is no problem – this is a
have been formulated and refined. complete, testing management,
paramedic skills from civilian life. great bunch of people and they all
And although some plans were communication and physical skills. And versatility was
help each other even when they
very good, and others not quite so The weekend takes up much of important in overcoming
are not leading. Everyone throws
good, all were implemented with President’s manpower – some 40 the challenges.
something into the hat.
“And yes, the water was cold,
enthusiasm, no little skill and with people were involved in creating,
Car Crash, for example presented but once you get moving about, it
teams with a scene of carnage; two wasn’t too bad.”
bodies and two casualties. Atop a small hill nearby another
Unknown to them, one of the task, Clear the Tank Mines for the
injured has a femoral bleed and Relief Trucks (for Tank Mines read
will die in three minutes unless he Traffic Bollards) required the setting
receives the right care. up of a good old-fashioned bosun’s
A helicopter is needed to chair – with another dunking for
evacuate team and casualties those who get it wrong.
alike – but the comms are in the The President team, most of
crashed car, which will blow up in whom could count their service in
eight minutes. days rather than months or years,
Next up (teams have to navigate showed plenty of spirit but lacked
and jog between stances) is Rescue a little finesse in line-throwing and
the Dog, where the aforementioned the working of pulleys.
Scruffy – the pet of children One member nominated to sit
orphaned by the earthquake – is in the chair felt like a “lamb to
trapped in a well surrounded by the slaughter”: and after being
live electric cables. dragged through the water
“This is hearts and minds stuff observed “I might as well have
and a bit of PR – front page of walked across.”
the Sun, that kind of thing,” said Lt Cdr Ross Baxter (HMS
Lt Cdr Peter Gracey. Sherwood), who ran the stance,
The teams are provided with said it was one of the most difficult
equipment – ropes, pulleys and challenges.
the like – plus some red herrings. Two of the more unusual
Further on, Tawe Division, stances involved a personal rather
HMS Cambria’s Swansea-based than muscular approach.
offshoot, showed an admirable In one corner of the forest teams
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