RAF Finningley AAITC

[Last of the Many]

Yorkshire Dales/North York Moors Exercises

I went through AAITC in the late 80s and was trying to recall the hills in the Yorkshire dales and North York Moors where we did those hellish exercises.

What I do remember is climbing up Buckton Pike with more pine poles I care to remember and doing the most horrendous stretcher race up hill and down dale on the last day. Also, the memory of Jake McQueen, his corny one liners, and that mut of his brings a smile to my face.

I'd like to go hill walking the routes before I get to old, so if any one can remember them???

[Airborne Aircrew]

I remember them clearly... Thankfully, the passage of time has ensured that their precise location is no longer information that has been retained thus I am unable to relive those precious moments...

I still recall with horror the leg of one march I was given to navigate. Had I realized what nasty bastiges my instructors would be I might have quit before I started. Their instructions clearly stated from grid xxxxxx travel to grid yyyyyy passing through grid zzzz. Having been reading maps since I was seven this was quite simple - I had to go from a position within a 100m square as defined by the 6 figure grid reference to a similar location but I must pass through a position within a 1Km square as defined by the 4 figure grid reference. Having consulted the map I was quite happy with that since the south westerly corner of the 4 figure grid was at the top of a very steep scarp slope while the rest of the grid square was in a valley. Having reached the destination grid we were sent back to go to the "point" as designated by the 4 figure grid. My argument that said location is defined by a 10 figure grid which defines the 1 metre square or the 14 figure that defines the centimeter... Well... Let's just say that was an argument I didn't win - despite the fact I was absolutely correct...

My team had to go back to the top of the scarp... Pine poles and all...

[Seymour Belvoir]

I was on 131 ITC and hated every second of it!

[mad eng]

I remember being told, by a relative based at Finningley, that there was only one man to watch out for on the camp, one nasty piece of work called FS Jake McQueen. Imagine my dismay when the welcoming party on a cold sunday night in Oct announced his name and that we were all his for the next 7/14 weeks.
Dales?? no don't remember that, or Otterburn for that matter.........
You will be asking if anyone wants to meet up for a ditch run or run to Rossington for a swim next.
I passed first time so I would NEVER have to climb/run any of those routes EVER again.
Good Luck, only the DS can really remember where those hills are....

[davejb]

In the late 70's you would have been to Hag Dyke for a midweek executive stress buster quite early in the course, followed later in the year by an all expenses paid team building stroll around Otterburn, culminating (in my groups' case) with an impromptu all ranks do in the Army's Sgts' mess at the bottom of the main drag prior to a cosy RV at the top of it. Compo bangers and beans, anyone?

Dave

[charliegolf]

What was FS McQueen's role? Drill boy, HSO, or what? I did a stint as HSO, '85 ish, and i was a real softy.

CG

[taxydual]

The McQueen. Ended up as SWO at Leeming for a very short time He got bladdered at an XI Sqn Families Day one Sunday and 'yelled' at some children.

Was off the station by lunchtime Monday.

Total tw@

[FE Hoppy]

"For a better word"

[Dave Angel]

I remember Jake McQueen well "Take it from me, aircrew to be".
His smelly little dog was called Scamp and one cadet was always 'IC Scamp' over the weekends.
I remember one of the lads giving Scamp a boot up the arrse after he trod muddy paws over a recently polished floor. The next day Jake had us lined up and pointed at Scamp wanting to know who had been shagging his dog over the weekend as it was walking funny!
IIRC he had a chequered history from his Regiment days in Germany, something to do with joy riding a tank whilst pished.
Like him or hate him he was a character (we were allowed to have them in those days).

[inverted4]

I was on 133 in '86 and remember having to build the path at Malham in this picture. Malham Cove Also remember hiking near here during the Dales week, but can't remember the name of any other hills yet, but will find my thinking cap and put it on. I also remember getting a b******* during the stretcher race when I dropped my corner of it and the patient ended up face down on the path, fun days....

[Brakes to Park]

davejb

Were you on 80 AAITC as well by any chance? I was too.

[davejb]

Brakes,
yep - I designed the Snoopy T shirt. (If I remember correctly the morse on it read "Sam Morse eat your heart out" while Snoopy's thought bubble read "I can't even think at 18 words a minute).

Which of that stirling bunch of chaps are you then? (I like to think the staff probably mentioned us a lot to later courses as exemplars)

[fergineer]

Hi BtoP hows trix, long time no hear from on here hope all is well. Davejb they would still have been talking about us on 78 long after we were gone!!!!!! We must be getting old!!!!!

[Motleycallsign]

I was on 28 ITC based at Topcliffe in 1970. We went to Hag Dyke and our 'stroll' was over Buckden Pike, Gt Whernside, etc. Any other PPRuNers around from that era?

[charliegolf]

Porky fair was the Flt commander

A model of the modern fighting man!

I was on staff all of '86, and this mcQueen guy is still an unknon to me. The office/ drill Flt Sgt was a portly guy who sniffed a lot.

CG

[richlear]

119 ITC, 1983, worst winter weather for many years.

I do not remember much about the Dales except lots of snow and a night in a pub.

Was Jake McQueen the ITC discip FS?? I remember he had a pace stick he used with flair.

Cpl Burns (cannot remember his first name) was a real trooper - bought us lots of beer....

Flt Cdrs were Humph, Colin Reeves and John (Jon?) Lazari

Otterburn was much more fun. Found a load of TA guys in the woods close by on their last night out. They buried loads of food for us. Phil B & I ate like kings!

Traded food for a METS pilot's baccy...

Happy times

[Brakes to Park]

davejb

You are exactly who I thought you were! Remember that t shirt well. PM on its way to you.

Fergi - great to hear from you pal. All's well. Hope it is with you too.

[Dave Angel]

CG,

I went through AAITC in late summer '89, so Jake McQueen had probably replaced the guy you remember.

DA

[Doctor Cruces]

Hag Dyke in February/March was NOT nice. I must have joined before Mortice was the Rigger as I was on 67ITC.

Hated every minute of it.

Doc C

[Tiger_mate]

Jake had gone by early '85, and I cannot recall the name of the chap who replaced him. Cpl Burns first name was "corporal" as any other was a strict no-no. Gordon Mac was HSO and Andy Judge CSRO. Mike Butler was OC AAITC and a gentleman with it, the epitomy of 'firm but fair'. Colin Reeves played the Flt Cdr game well but that could not be said for all of them. Humph was the 'students friend' and IMHO there was very much a place for an individual of that nature on the course. Lazari, last known as being with FRA on Falcons, was unapproachable, and full of his own self importance. There was a Flt Lt Air Eng who subsequently went to Boscombe as a MoD employed civvy and I cannot for the life of me recall his name. Neither can I recall the name of a small dumpy Flt Lt ALM who was a grey man.

PTI's Cpl Coggin or Coglin who is still around, and one (PJI) who got a very loud "OFF" when pushing a little too hard one day! Overall thoughts: It was an efficient means to an end, and thankfully only done once.