British Military Current Events
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daftandbarmy
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Is this the toughest man in Britain?
Chris Foot is undertaking the most demanding Polar challenge of all, pulling a sledge 1,400 miles, on his own, in temperatures cold enough to crack his teeth. And he’s going to enjoy it, he tells Elizabeth Grice.
Chris Foot is taking the wrappers off his sweets, cutting the labels out of his clothes and then weighing them. He needs to travel light. Every excess gram is being eliminated as he prepares for the last remaining challenge in Antarctica – walking unsupported and alone to the South Pole. And back.
This 32-year-old former Royal Marine, once the youngest serving member of the SAS, will be away for 75 days, hauling his sledge a distance of 1,400 miles in a wilderness of screaming winds, often intense blackness and temperatures that may crack his teeth. He knows he will be in “an absolute world of hurt” at times
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/antarctica/8066685/Is-this-the-toughest-man-in-Britain.html
Chris Foot is undertaking the most demanding Polar challenge of all, pulling a sledge 1,400 miles, on his own, in temperatures cold enough to crack his teeth. And he’s going to enjoy it, he tells Elizabeth Grice.
Chris Foot is taking the wrappers off his sweets, cutting the labels out of his clothes and then weighing them. He needs to travel light. Every excess gram is being eliminated as he prepares for the last remaining challenge in Antarctica – walking unsupported and alone to the South Pole. And back.
This 32-year-old former Royal Marine, once the youngest serving member of the SAS, will be away for 75 days, hauling his sledge a distance of 1,400 miles in a wilderness of screaming winds, often intense blackness and temperatures that may crack his teeth. He knows he will be in “an absolute world of hurt” at times
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/antarctica/8066685/Is-this-the-toughest-man-in-Britain.html
daftandbarmy
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Explanation: where there is no sense, there is no feeling!
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Mental health among commando, airborne and other UK infantry personnel
Abstract
Background Despite having high levels of combat exposure, commando and airborne forces may be at less risk of mental ill-health than other troops.
Aims To examine differences in mental health outcomes and occupational risk factors between Royal Marines Commandos (RMCs), paratroopers (PARAs) and other army infantry (INF).
Methods Three groups of personnel (275 RMCs, 202 PARAs and 572 INF) were generated from a UK military cohort study of personnel serving at the time of the 2003 Iraq war. Participants completed a questionnaire about their mental health and experiences on deployment. Differences in mental health outcomes between the groups were examined with logistic regression and negative binomial regression analyses.
Results Both RMCs and PARAs were less likely to have multiple physical symptoms or to be fatigued, and RMCs also had lower levels of general mental health problems and lower scores on the Post-traumatic Checklist than INF personnel. Differences were not explained by the level of unit cohesion.
Conclusions The effect of warfare on troops’ well-being is not universal across occupational groups. A possible explanation for this difference is that the high level of preparedness in RMCs and PARAs may lessen the psychological impact of war-zone deployment experiences.
http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/60/7/552.abstract
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Mental health among commando, airborne and other UK infantry personnel
Abstract
Background Despite having high levels of combat exposure, commando and airborne forces may be at less risk of mental ill-health than other troops.
Aims To examine differences in mental health outcomes and occupational risk factors between Royal Marines Commandos (RMCs), paratroopers (PARAs) and other army infantry (INF).
Methods Three groups of personnel (275 RMCs, 202 PARAs and 572 INF) were generated from a UK military cohort study of personnel serving at the time of the 2003 Iraq war. Participants completed a questionnaire about their mental health and experiences on deployment. Differences in mental health outcomes between the groups were examined with logistic regression and negative binomial regression analyses.
Results Both RMCs and PARAs were less likely to have multiple physical symptoms or to be fatigued, and RMCs also had lower levels of general mental health problems and lower scores on the Post-traumatic Checklist than INF personnel. Differences were not explained by the level of unit cohesion.
Conclusions The effect of warfare on troops’ well-being is not universal across occupational groups. A possible explanation for this difference is that the high level of preparedness in RMCs and PARAs may lessen the psychological impact of war-zone deployment experiences.
http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/60/7/552.abstract
daftandbarmy
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War horses: Soldiers returning from the front line are finding new purpose in a most unlikely place
They take it slow and steady, Hare gently guiding the animal where he wants to go.
On one side of him, also astride a horse, sits a man with one arm. On the other, a man whose craggy face has seen its fair share of combat guides the three of them down the hill. Waiting at the bottom, a loud American in an even wider-brimmed hat gives Hare a high five. "Looking good, brother!" he shouts. Hare dismounts and, with a smile, pulls up the leg on his blue Levi's. His prosthetic limb glints in the sunshine.
In November 2008 Corporal Jason Hare, of 45 Commando Royal Marines, stood on an improvised explosive device (IED) while on patrol in the notorious area of Sangin, in Afghanistan's Helmand province. It blew off Hare's leg, two fingers and half his face. He was 27 years old. The next thing he remembers is waking up in Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital. "I had so many drugs pumped through me I thought I was still out there," he says. "Then my wife said, 'You've been injured' and I looked down and thought, 'Ah, I remember that now'."
http://news.scotsman.com/interviews/War-horses-Soldiers-returning-from.6426201.jp
They take it slow and steady, Hare gently guiding the animal where he wants to go.
On one side of him, also astride a horse, sits a man with one arm. On the other, a man whose craggy face has seen its fair share of combat guides the three of them down the hill. Waiting at the bottom, a loud American in an even wider-brimmed hat gives Hare a high five. "Looking good, brother!" he shouts. Hare dismounts and, with a smile, pulls up the leg on his blue Levi's. His prosthetic limb glints in the sunshine.
In November 2008 Corporal Jason Hare, of 45 Commando Royal Marines, stood on an improvised explosive device (IED) while on patrol in the notorious area of Sangin, in Afghanistan's Helmand province. It blew off Hare's leg, two fingers and half his face. He was 27 years old. The next thing he remembers is waking up in Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital. "I had so many drugs pumped through me I thought I was still out there," he says. "Then my wife said, 'You've been injured' and I looked down and thought, 'Ah, I remember that now'."
http://news.scotsman.com/interviews/War-horses-Soldiers-returning-from.6426201.jp
daftandbarmy
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NEW TESTS TO ENSURE TROOPS ARE FIT TO FIGHT
IN BRIEF
As of the beginning of last month, all soldiers deploying on operations will have the chance to pass new Operational Fitness Tests (OFTs). The scheme has been rolled out across the Army following successful trials with 4 Mechanized and 16 Air Assault Brigades.
WHY THE CHANGE?
A lot is expected from personnel serving in Afghanistan. Whether it is embarking on an extended patrol or coping with the weight of personal kit, Servicemen and women have had to demonstrate huge reserves of strength, endurance and mobility. The new system has been designed to test for these increased levels after a study found that the current Advanced Combat Fitness Tests (ACFTs) did not reflect the challenges found in the contemporary operating environment.
WHAT’S NEW?
Six OFTs have now been drafted in. Each test is a loaded march – including the current ACFT One and Two – carrying up to 35kg at varying speeds over a range of distances. Carried out in conjunction with a set of mission-specific military tasks, commanders can choose the test that best reflects the likely roles their soldiers will encounter on operations and personalise the programme for individuals or entire units.
HOW REALISTIC IS IT?
As well as making the structure of the tests as close to operational reality as possible, the new OFTs match life in Helmand by requiring all troops to wear combat body armour and helmets. Because of the additional thermal load placed on those taking part, risk assessments will be carried out to avoid heat-related injuries.
http://www.soldiermagazine.co.uk/mag/update1.htm#story2
IN BRIEF
As of the beginning of last month, all soldiers deploying on operations will have the chance to pass new Operational Fitness Tests (OFTs). The scheme has been rolled out across the Army following successful trials with 4 Mechanized and 16 Air Assault Brigades.
WHY THE CHANGE?
A lot is expected from personnel serving in Afghanistan. Whether it is embarking on an extended patrol or coping with the weight of personal kit, Servicemen and women have had to demonstrate huge reserves of strength, endurance and mobility. The new system has been designed to test for these increased levels after a study found that the current Advanced Combat Fitness Tests (ACFTs) did not reflect the challenges found in the contemporary operating environment.
WHAT’S NEW?
Six OFTs have now been drafted in. Each test is a loaded march – including the current ACFT One and Two – carrying up to 35kg at varying speeds over a range of distances. Carried out in conjunction with a set of mission-specific military tasks, commanders can choose the test that best reflects the likely roles their soldiers will encounter on operations and personalise the programme for individuals or entire units.
HOW REALISTIC IS IT?
As well as making the structure of the tests as close to operational reality as possible, the new OFTs match life in Helmand by requiring all troops to wear combat body armour and helmets. Because of the additional thermal load placed on those taking part, risk assessments will be carried out to avoid heat-related injuries.
http://www.soldiermagazine.co.uk/mag/update1.htm#story2
daftandbarmy
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British soldier shot dead in Afghanistan
A British soldier, from 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), has been shot dead in southern Afghanistan.
By Roya Nikkhah
Published: 9:50PM BST 30 Oct 2010
The soldier was killed by small arms fire in the Nahr-e Saraj North District of Helmand Province this morning.
He was serving with the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Task Force and was attending the scene of a suspect device when he was killed.
British bomb disposal expert killed in AfghanistanHis death takes the total number of UK military personnel fatalities since operations began in Afghanistan in 2001 to 342.
Lieutenant Colonel David Eastman, A spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: “It is my sad task to inform you that a soldier from the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Task Force has died this morning.
“The soldier was part of a team responsible for clearing ground of explosive ordnance for coalition and Afghan forces, as well as ensuring the safety of the local Afghan people, when he was killed by small arms fire in the Nahr-e Saraj North District of Helmand Province.
“He sacrificed his life in the service of others, carrying out a hazardous but crucial task; he will live on in the memories of all who had the pleasure of knowing him.”
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the soldier’s next of kin have been informed.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/8099412/British-soldier-shot-dead-in-Afghanistan.html
A British soldier, from 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), has been shot dead in southern Afghanistan.
By Roya Nikkhah
Published: 9:50PM BST 30 Oct 2010
The soldier was killed by small arms fire in the Nahr-e Saraj North District of Helmand Province this morning.
He was serving with the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Task Force and was attending the scene of a suspect device when he was killed.
British bomb disposal expert killed in AfghanistanHis death takes the total number of UK military personnel fatalities since operations began in Afghanistan in 2001 to 342.
Lieutenant Colonel David Eastman, A spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: “It is my sad task to inform you that a soldier from the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Task Force has died this morning.
“The soldier was part of a team responsible for clearing ground of explosive ordnance for coalition and Afghan forces, as well as ensuring the safety of the local Afghan people, when he was killed by small arms fire in the Nahr-e Saraj North District of Helmand Province.
“He sacrificed his life in the service of others, carrying out a hazardous but crucial task; he will live on in the memories of all who had the pleasure of knowing him.”
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the soldier’s next of kin have been informed.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/8099412/British-soldier-shot-dead-in-Afghanistan.html
daftandbarmy
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A LONE Gurkha has fought off the Taliban in a Rambo-style hail of fire.
Heroic Sergeant Dipprasad Pun HOISTED a giant machine gun off its mount and HELD it as he blazed away at a dozen attackers.
He is believed to have killed three and wounded several others with the gun - weighing well over 30lb and hammering out 750 rounds a minute.
A source said: "It would have taken a superhuman effort to hold the gun and fire it. Apart from its weight, the recoil is colossal."
The 15-minute stand came after Sgt Dip, 31, was left at a checkpoint in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand.
Spotting a Taliban attack, he ran on to a roof to man a 7.62mm general purpose machine gun mounted on a tripod.
As the insurgents came over the wall Sgt Dip realised he could not lower the gun enough to hit them. So he yanked out the pins locking it down - CHUCKING the heavy tripod at the enemy - and lifted it up.
He also beat off the attackers with grenades and an SA80 rifle before reinforcements arrived.
Sgt Dip, of 1st Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles, would not speak about the September 17 battle. And it is too early to speculate if he will win a medal as citations have not been written. But Army spokesman Lt Col David Eastman said: "He is a credit to his unit."
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/3210951/Rambo-style-Gurkha-in-solo-Taliban-blitz.html
Heroic Sergeant Dipprasad Pun HOISTED a giant machine gun off its mount and HELD it as he blazed away at a dozen attackers.
He is believed to have killed three and wounded several others with the gun - weighing well over 30lb and hammering out 750 rounds a minute.
A source said: "It would have taken a superhuman effort to hold the gun and fire it. Apart from its weight, the recoil is colossal."
The 15-minute stand came after Sgt Dip, 31, was left at a checkpoint in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand.
Spotting a Taliban attack, he ran on to a roof to man a 7.62mm general purpose machine gun mounted on a tripod.
As the insurgents came over the wall Sgt Dip realised he could not lower the gun enough to hit them. So he yanked out the pins locking it down - CHUCKING the heavy tripod at the enemy - and lifted it up.
He also beat off the attackers with grenades and an SA80 rifle before reinforcements arrived.
Sgt Dip, of 1st Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles, would not speak about the September 17 battle. And it is too early to speculate if he will win a medal as citations have not been written. But Army spokesman Lt Col David Eastman said: "He is a credit to his unit."
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/3210951/Rambo-style-Gurkha-in-solo-Taliban-blitz.html
- Reaction score
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From The Economist on the British/French defence pact:
Divided we fall
Britain and France need each other to continue as great(ish) powers
http://www.economist.com/node/17422499?story_id=17422499
But this table is rather sad, from the Royal Navy point of view in particular:
Mark
Ottawa
Divided we fall
Britain and France need each other to continue as great(ish) powers
http://www.economist.com/node/17422499?story_id=17422499
But this table is rather sad, from the Royal Navy point of view in particular:
Mark
Ottawa
daftandbarmy
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MarkOttawa said:
Doesn't France still have conscription? I assume that's one reason for them having so many more troops than the UK.
My guess: it will never work.... and it will get ugly if they try to make it.
- Reaction score
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France, no:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1682777.stm
Mark
Ottawa
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1682777.stm
Mark
Ottawa
daftandbarmy
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The BBC clearly know little about the durability of the average Irish skull!
BBC News - New helmets 'save' three NI soldiers in Helmand
New British army combat helmets have helped to save the lives of three Northern Irish soldiers in Afghanistan, the MoD has said. Rangers Silbert Wilson and Alan Hawthorne and Corporal Tommy Creighton were uninjured after bullets struck their helmets in Helmand Province.
All three are serving with the 1st battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment.
Last month, Ranger Ryan Boyd of the RIR, credited the Army's new Osprey body armour for saving his life in Helmand.
He was shot in the side, but the bullet went into the metal plates in his armour instead of his body.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11705760
BBC News - New helmets 'save' three NI soldiers in Helmand
New British army combat helmets have helped to save the lives of three Northern Irish soldiers in Afghanistan, the MoD has said. Rangers Silbert Wilson and Alan Hawthorne and Corporal Tommy Creighton were uninjured after bullets struck their helmets in Helmand Province.
All three are serving with the 1st battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment.
Last month, Ranger Ryan Boyd of the RIR, credited the Army's new Osprey body armour for saving his life in Helmand.
He was shot in the side, but the bullet went into the metal plates in his armour instead of his body.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11705760
daftandbarmy
Army.ca Dinosaur
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David Cameron concedes: no Afghan withdrawal in 2011
David Cameron has accepted the advice of Britain’s senior military commander that it will not be possible to withdraw British troops from Afghanistan next year.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/8117865/David-Cameron-concedes-no-Afghan-withdrawal-in-2011.html
David Cameron has accepted the advice of Britain’s senior military commander that it will not be possible to withdraw British troops from Afghanistan next year.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/8117865/David-Cameron-concedes-no-Afghan-withdrawal-in-2011.html
daftandbarmy
Army.ca Dinosaur
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At least the food will be better than the stuff from the cookhouse at home:
Army veterans to retrace steps of Scott and Amundsen
A century after the race to the South Pole that gripped the world, two teams of British soldiers are to retrace the steps of Scott and Amundsen.
They will follow the routes taken by the British and Norwegian teams and, as before, each will be determined to get there first.
To do so, they must cross mountain ranges, glaciers and crevasses, running a constant risk of frostbite, snow blindness and dehydration, in temperatures as low as -58F (-50C).
It will be an ordeal – just as it was for Captain Robert Falcon Scott RN and Roald Amundsen, his Norwegian rival, 100 years ago.
"It is a long, gruelling slog, and the longer it goes on, the harder it gets," said Lt Col Henry Worsley of The Rifles, who had the idea to restage the race.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/antarctica/8148960/Army-veterans-to-retrace-steps-of-Scott-and-Amundsen.html
Army veterans to retrace steps of Scott and Amundsen
A century after the race to the South Pole that gripped the world, two teams of British soldiers are to retrace the steps of Scott and Amundsen.
They will follow the routes taken by the British and Norwegian teams and, as before, each will be determined to get there first.
To do so, they must cross mountain ranges, glaciers and crevasses, running a constant risk of frostbite, snow blindness and dehydration, in temperatures as low as -58F (-50C).
It will be an ordeal – just as it was for Captain Robert Falcon Scott RN and Roald Amundsen, his Norwegian rival, 100 years ago.
"It is a long, gruelling slog, and the longer it goes on, the harder it gets," said Lt Col Henry Worsley of The Rifles, who had the idea to restage the race.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/antarctica/8148960/Army-veterans-to-retrace-steps-of-Scott-and-Amundsen.html
daftandbarmy
Army.ca Dinosaur
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Gen Petraeus hails Paras for precision attack
CO 3 PARA “No sir, you can’t wear a red beret as you haven’t passed P Company. Yes sir, that does make you a crap hat, sir, very sorry sir”
Gen Petraeus hails Paras for precision attack
Gen David Petraeus, the commander of Nato troops in Afghanistan, has hailed a Parachute Regiment operation involving a precision attack that killed 15 Taliban but left two civilians unharmed
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/8170804/Gen-Petraeus-hails-Paras-for-precision-attack.html
CO 3 PARA “No sir, you can’t wear a red beret as you haven’t passed P Company. Yes sir, that does make you a crap hat, sir, very sorry sir”
Gen Petraeus hails Paras for precision attack
Gen David Petraeus, the commander of Nato troops in Afghanistan, has hailed a Parachute Regiment operation involving a precision attack that killed 15 Taliban but left two civilians unharmed
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/8170804/Gen-Petraeus-hails-Paras-for-precision-attack.html
daftandbarmy
Army.ca Dinosaur
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Drone kills white al-Qaeda pair in Pakistan mountains
A pair of white British Muslim converts who joined al-Qaeda have been killed in a drone attack in a mountainous region of Pakistan, according to reports.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/8204958/Drone-kills-white-al-Qaeda-pair-in-Pakistan-mountains.html
A pair of white British Muslim converts who joined al-Qaeda have been killed in a drone attack in a mountainous region of Pakistan, according to reports.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/8204958/Drone-kills-white-al-Qaeda-pair-in-Pakistan-mountains.html
daftandbarmy
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Having been there and done a bit of that route, it's no joke. Well done Royal!
ROYAL MARINES 1000KM SKI
Ex TUSEN TAKK (Norwegian for a Thousand Thanks) is an expedition taking place in Norway between 21 Mar and 10 Apr 2010. A team of 10 Royal Marines will ski 1000km through the Rondane, Douvrefjell, Jotunheimen and Hardangervidda covering an average of 50km a day for 20 consecutive days.
It is equivalent to 1 and a third marathons on skis a day and an overall height gain exceeding an ascent of Mt. Everest. The team will consist of 5 experienced skiers, aged between 47 and 50, some veterans of the Falklands, with 5 younger skiers, most veterans of Afghanistan, from 45 Commando RM and the Brigade Recce Force; the old guard handing over to the new guard so to speak. We will be joined by former Royal Marine Bernie Shrosbree and potentially an adventurer/reporter.
The route will take in areas of military significance in Southern Norway, to include: remote war grave locations; areas of wartime activity; and locations of Royal Marine winter deployment fatalities. The final 250km will follow the route taken by the Heroes of Telemark – “The Saboteurs’ Route” - on Operation Gunnerside where British-trained Norwegian commandos succeeded at destroying the heavy water production facility near Rjukan, dubbed by the British SOE as one of the most successful acts of sabotage in World War II. This wartime act was made famous by the film Heroes of Telemark staring Kirk Douglas and will be the culmination of the expedition. The aim along the way will be to raise money for the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund, which is struggling to generate funds, particularly in light of the success of other military focused charities. Whilst we would not wish to detract from the work these other charities do, we feel it is important to support our “Corps Family” fund which is there to support us all in our time of need. Secondly, a number of the team have been directly affected by cancer; my (Lt Col Gary Green) wife Dionne passed away on 30 Sep, Major Willie Hannah’s son Billy is in remission following treatment for Leukaemia and Col Jim Hutton’s wife is currently fighting ovarian cancer. The parents of other skiers have also died fighting this dreadful disease. So we will also try to raise some money for cancer charities Macmillan and CLIC Sargent.
We will also take with us the Baton see www.thebaton.co.uk and you will be able to watch our endeavours by logging onto www.rm1000kmski.com. In the meantime, if you would like to help us help others you can make a donation at www.bmycharity.com/rm1000kmski.
http://www.bernieshrosbree.com/blog/index.php/royal-marines-1000km-ski/
ROYAL MARINES 1000KM SKI
Ex TUSEN TAKK (Norwegian for a Thousand Thanks) is an expedition taking place in Norway between 21 Mar and 10 Apr 2010. A team of 10 Royal Marines will ski 1000km through the Rondane, Douvrefjell, Jotunheimen and Hardangervidda covering an average of 50km a day for 20 consecutive days.
It is equivalent to 1 and a third marathons on skis a day and an overall height gain exceeding an ascent of Mt. Everest. The team will consist of 5 experienced skiers, aged between 47 and 50, some veterans of the Falklands, with 5 younger skiers, most veterans of Afghanistan, from 45 Commando RM and the Brigade Recce Force; the old guard handing over to the new guard so to speak. We will be joined by former Royal Marine Bernie Shrosbree and potentially an adventurer/reporter.
The route will take in areas of military significance in Southern Norway, to include: remote war grave locations; areas of wartime activity; and locations of Royal Marine winter deployment fatalities. The final 250km will follow the route taken by the Heroes of Telemark – “The Saboteurs’ Route” - on Operation Gunnerside where British-trained Norwegian commandos succeeded at destroying the heavy water production facility near Rjukan, dubbed by the British SOE as one of the most successful acts of sabotage in World War II. This wartime act was made famous by the film Heroes of Telemark staring Kirk Douglas and will be the culmination of the expedition. The aim along the way will be to raise money for the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund, which is struggling to generate funds, particularly in light of the success of other military focused charities. Whilst we would not wish to detract from the work these other charities do, we feel it is important to support our “Corps Family” fund which is there to support us all in our time of need. Secondly, a number of the team have been directly affected by cancer; my (Lt Col Gary Green) wife Dionne passed away on 30 Sep, Major Willie Hannah’s son Billy is in remission following treatment for Leukaemia and Col Jim Hutton’s wife is currently fighting ovarian cancer. The parents of other skiers have also died fighting this dreadful disease. So we will also try to raise some money for cancer charities Macmillan and CLIC Sargent.
We will also take with us the Baton see www.thebaton.co.uk and you will be able to watch our endeavours by logging onto www.rm1000kmski.com. In the meantime, if you would like to help us help others you can make a donation at www.bmycharity.com/rm1000kmski.
http://www.bernieshrosbree.com/blog/index.php/royal-marines-1000km-ski/
daftandbarmy
Army.ca Dinosaur
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shiska said:
I'm pretty sure they're planning to use the extensive, and excellent, Norwegian alpine hut network, which will cut down the weight that they have to carry. If they're M&AW cadre guys they will be used to long distances: on their final ex they do 200kms in 5 days carrying 100lbs - ish.
Regardless, the winter weather there is some of the worst I've ever seen on that high level plateau area, and can hit temperatures down to 40 - 45 below for extended periods. Brrrr..... Good incentive to keep moving fast!
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