December '84. 'D' Sqn, Camp 2, SPTA.
4 days of freezing fog. Being in the Tri-Service Orienteering Squad, I had by now been specifically forbidden from having a map because it made it too easy for the others. The cadet lead got us thoroughly lost on an early afternoon lead, with a similarly clueless Flt Cdr. It was approaching sunset when the Flt Cdr turned to me and said:
"I've no idea where we are. Get us out of this and I'll buy you a pint"
"You'll buy us all a pint"
"OK, done. By the way, there's 100 tanks and 200 other AFVs coming over the plain in 3 hours"
"
"
Two cadets went hypothermic on the way back as well. The base camp had been advised to the Army, and there were lights to string up around the wood they were in. But we were in the middle of the plain & basically f#cked if we didn't get back. It is not pleasant being in the dark, in the fog, with 2 real casualties and able to hear the distant rumble of 300 AFVs. They can't see you, they can't hear you, and they won't even notice when they flatten you.
We made it back with 4 mins to spare.
This probably allowed me to graduate first time, as up till this point I was told I had had more nights on restrictions than any other cadet in IOT history (who passed).
p.s. DeskEx -ISTR being the casualty (another means of making sure I couldn't be shown a map), but not sure if it was this ex.