NAVY NEWS, DECEMBER 2008 19
A whole
lot of
Gannet drive
rowing
TEN Royal Marines and two Royal
Navy sailors rowed a distance of
2.4 million metres non-stop on
themselves
Concept II rowing machines at
Navy Command HQ on Whale
Island.
The number may be slightly
difficult to grasp, until you realise
it is the length of the entire coast
of the UK.
All their fundraising efforts were
split between the Royal Navy and
to distraction
Royal Marines Children’s Fund Rain-runners
and the Chris Jones Riders Fund.
THE GANNET rescuers
The team have already raised
hurled themselves into their
DESPITE the October drizzle, on her next challenge, although
almost £9,000, but are aiming for
epic drive across Europe to
nothing is keeping the smile off she admits a quiet desire to tackle
a target of £50,000.
the face of RPO Karen Boxall one of the bigger marathons next
The Chris Jones Riders Fund
Russia in a target time of just
who has just completed the Great year...
is close to the heart of one of the
six days. South Run. If you would like to support
rowers C/Sgt Tony Creaney, who
A crowd gathered at Gannet to The Portsmouth-based her, please contact Karen on
joined the Royal Marines in 1993,
wave off Lt Cdr Martin Lanni, Lt policewoman (pictured above) said cxp-discp@a.dii.mod.uk
but suffered a near-fatal accident
James Bullock and PO Daz Craig it was all worth it. ■ CPO (Diver) Ian Fleming led
on the motorcycle track in 2004.
on their massive charity drive. This year’s event in Portsmouth his team of ten divers over the
His collision left him with three
Among the squadron staff wav- – Britain’s biggest 10-mile race – finish line of the Great South
breaks to his back, a fractured
ing them off were staff and young attracted almost 20,000 runners, Run to raise over £4,000 for the
pelvis, broken ribs and severe
patients from the Glasgow hospi- including marathon winner Paula Meningitis Trust.
bruising. It was after many
tal for which they are fundraising.
Radcliffe, with the Naval police Ian said: “My step-daughter
months of medical care and expert
The team drove 10,000km, vis-
officer reaching the end firmly in died from the disease 19 years
treatment that Tony was able to iting 20 capital cities, working to
the middle of the pack at position ago when she was a baby, so I
walk again. a punishing routine of four hours
9,654. know firsthand how devastating
He recognises that this is, in no driving, four hours resting and
This is the fourth distance run this disease can be.
small part, due to the excellent four hours navigating.
completed by Karen, all in aid of “By taking part we hope we
medical facilities available at Before they set off, Lt Cdr
Cancer Research UK. raised awareness of the signs and
the circuit where his accident Lanni said: “I guess we’re excited
She said: “I lost my mother symptoms of the disease, and by
happened. and nervous in equal measure.
to cancer in March 2005, and raising £4,000 for charity, we
Unfortunately, not all circuits “This is a really big journey for
completed my first run in October hope it will help people who have
can boast such a standard and us and we know we’re going to
● Lt Cdr Martin Lanni, Lt James Bullock and PO Daz Craig with
that year. I had a very good reason been affected by it.”
the Chris Jones Riders’ Fund is be under pressure and tired – but
children from the hospital in Glasgow Picture: LA(Phot) Hamish Burke
to run to support that charity.” Divers being divers, Ian decided
working hard to improve this, for until we get out on the road and “The upside is that it’s 26˚C in capitals’ historic sights at night or
Her recent total of over £200 that the ten-mile run needed a bit
all riders and their families.
into some kind of routine, we France which is rather pleasant
in rainstorms.
boosts her fundraising efforts over of extra challenge, so ran wearing
The Fund was established in
really won’t know what the scale in comparison to a Scottish west-
And they even managed to
the years to almost £1,000. a full diving-set on his back.
2006 to raise money to provide vital
of it all is.” coast autumn.”
finish the 10,000km eight hours
She admits that she has a tearful He said: “The run went well
medical equipment and improve
It didn’t take long for reality to Lt Bullock added: “When we ahead of their six-day target.
moment each time she runs, and I was quite happy with the
safety at British motorcycle races.
bite; “The tiredness is painful,” dreamt this journey up in the All money raised goes to two
meeting the people and hearing time, especially as the set weighed
Pledge your support
stated PO Daz Craig, four capitals middle of the dark winters nights hospitals – the Children’s Burns
the stories that have motivated 100lb – which seemed to get
through www.justgiving.com/
into their route. while we were on-call, it seemed Unit at the Number 1 Hospital
others to pull on their running heavier as the race went on.
tonycreaney
However Lt Cdr Lanni added: such a long way off.” in St Petersburg and the Yorkhill
shoes for charity. “The support of the people of
“But we’re feeling much better The three men visited the UK, Children’s Foundation.
Karen, whose vest reads ‘In Portsmouth was fantastic, and
Legion
now. Even just today we feel like France, Luxemburg, Belgium, Some 150,000 children from
memory of my mum, Denise we managed to collect £315 in
we’re setting into a routine – when Holland, Spain, Monaco, Italy, all over Scotland visit the Royal
Boxall’, said: “Every time I go buckets during the race. The
weather was poor but it didn’t
to sleep, when to drink Red Bull, San Marino, Slovenia, Croatia, Hospital for Sick Children
out running now I know she’s
looks to
dampen anyone’s spirits.”
etc. Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Czech in Glasgow, and the Yorkhill
looking down at me. And I say
Ian and his team from the
“I’m rapidly coming to the con- Republic, Germany, Poland, Foundation works to provide the
to her ‘Come on, mother, get me
Defence Diving School completed
clusion that this is much more Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and ‘extra’ services to make their stay
through this.’”
Raleigh
She’s already got her sights set the race in two hours 13 minutes.
physically draining than being a Russia in their Nissan Navara car, in hospital less distressing.
Sea King on-call pilot. supplied by sponsor Terberg. Pledge your support
“The biggest problem is that However they did admit there through www.justgiving.com/
TRAINEE sailors from HMS there is little else to do but keep wasn’t a great deal of time for gannet or write to Lt Cdr Martin
Raleigh were to be found on your eyes on the road and men- sight-seeing, particularly as they Lanni, HMS Gannet, Monkton,
For SER
VICE, QUALITY and V
ALUE
the streets of Torpoint in early tally that’s quite draining. passed through a number of the Prestwick, Ayrshire KA9 2RZ.
second-to-none…
November – all for the Royal
British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.
The establishment has strong
links with the local Torpoint
chairman Steve Lewis, who left the
Wild women of Devon
We invite PO’S and OFFICERS
of The Sea Cadet Corps
and
Royal Navy to take advantage
Royal Navy in 2004 on medical
of our unrivalled MAIL
ORDER
grounds after 23 years service,
WITH the unforgettable name of
Service…
said: “I’ve benefited personally
Wives do it wet and dirty, three
from the Legion’s support on two
wives of RN and RM men plunged
Complete UNIFORM outfits, Caps
separate occasions and joined my
into the gloop of the wet and dirty and all accessories, Gold Lacing.
local branch two years ago.
mud of Devon.
Customers OWN MEDALS
“Since becoming chairman
Oh yes, the Commando
last year I’ve tried to use my
Challenge claimed three more vic-
MOUNTED, Miniatur
es supplied
relatively young age and recent
tims to its invasive muddy grasp.
and mounted. Medals supplied
Service experience to appeal to the
The three – Rachel Cousins,
Good range of Regimental Ties in
current generation dispelling the
wife of C/Sgt Rob Cousins; Joe
myth that the Legion is purely for
Riley, wife of CPO Steve Riley;
stock, ordering available for Ties
veterans of both world wars.
and Carol Craig, wife of Calum
not in stock.
“I’m grateful to Raleigh for
Craig – did get to the end, despite Separate Uniform T
rousers
allowing me to talk to the young
a somewhat eventful day.
Terylene/W
ool £39.00
recruits and hope that members
Rachel said: “Joe and I are
of the public will give generously
claustrophobic and the three sets
Send S.A.E. for fr
ee price list
when they see the trainees during
of tunnels were a major challenge stating rank or rating.
the street collections.”
for us.
Some 650 sailors from the
“After setting off and being
BAUN & CO.
training base attended a graveside
made to roll in mud and water,
d
service at Horson cemetery in
then trek through a stream and a
Only addr
ess
Torpoint where 44 sailors and
mudpit up to our waists in orange
14 QUEEN STREET
,
21 Royal Engineers are buried in
gunk, we arrived to find a queue
war-graves after losing their lives
for the first of the tunnels.
PORTSMOUTH PO1 3HL e look forwar
in April 1941 when a German
“After a terrifying 30-minute
Tel: 023 9282 2045
Thank you for your custom
W to continued
and support during 2008.
business
in 2009.
bomb hit an air-raid shelter.
wait it was our turn and we were
petrified. Joe managed to get
a massive sense of achievement
Museum boon
through on her second attempt,
finishing. All the hard work, tears
but it took me three attempts to
and sweat had been worth it.
get through.
“The discomfort we put our-
THE Royal Marines Museum in
“And a lot of reverse psycholo-
selves through is nothing com-
Southsea received a donation of
gy from my best friend’s husband
pared to what our boys posted
£570 from Aonix Ltd, the proceeds
who was the duty PTI... abroad are going through and that
of Royal Marines Museum-
“Being told it was OK to fail was something that we kept in our
themed calendars produced in
and that no one would think any minds all the way through.”
recent years.
the worse of me was enough to get
The three have already exceeded
The museum’s Sandy Wilson
my competitive edge going.”
their fundraising target of £2,000
said: “The museum constantly
The intrepid trio had to face two
has to fundraise to support its
by almost another £400; but as
more pitch-black tunnels, before
collections and its vision for the
all the money is going to Help
plunging into the icy water of
future – today’s donation will help
Peter’s Pool, and diving beneath
for Heroes, any extra is always
with the good work.” the surface on the Sheep Dip.
appreciated.
The 2009 calendar Per mare, The day’s mudfest finished up
Offer your support through the
per terram is available from the with the Black Bog (pictured above
website www.justgiving.com/
museum shop and features rarely- right) which proved another calm,
wivesdoitwetanddirty.
seen images from the archive’s dry and respectable challenge. Or
And they’re already planning
photographic and painting perhaps not. for next year’s challenge, if you
collections. Rachel concluded: “We all felt like it wet and dirty too...
018-019_NN_dec08.indd 2 21/11/08 12:48:52
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