RAF Finningley AAITC
 

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 exerciseshttp://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/boohoo.gif.

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???

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... :ok:

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... :*

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

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....

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

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

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@

"For a better word"

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!:uhoh:
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).

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....

davejb
 

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

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)

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!!!!!

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?

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

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

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.

CG,

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

DA

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

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 ":mad:OFF" when pushing a little too hard one day! Overall thoughts: It was an efficient means to an end, and thankfully only done once.

I believe that Jake was replaced by FS 'Grizzly' Adams. Our flight commander in early 90 was H*gh P*nd*r.....what a disgrace to the Eng branch he was....and probably still is!!! To$$er. With the exception of one other AEO flt cdr the rest were top blokes. Grizzly wasn't so much ferocious, more like a teddy bear.

In 1978 there was a Flt lt who was, I'm fairly sure, an Engineer, Pete Shepherd. Mike Butler - the same one who took over 120 Sqn from Peaker? If so then he was a real gent.

Finningly
 

133 recoursed to 134 what a laugh it was at times, nurses home, sex under the vulcan, Mk1 and 2 Ford Capris all over the place and that Flt Cdr Lazarri..........nuff said. Met Colin Reeves later at waddo, nice chap actually and I enjoyed working for him - firm but fair. Think I remember looking for those damn Miniflares, character building eh!

Remember doing my back in carrying some fat WAAF up and down heartbreak hill near the stores site, all very long ago, not too many memories remain.:eek: Cpl Colgin/Coglin was caught as a Sgt in the WRAF block at Aldergrove some years later about 2 weeks before he married said girl and was charged. He was, and still is a top chap.

It was good hard work, ruined by those that had their own agendas, but on the whole a bit of a laugh. Does anyone remember Cooper who used to P*ss in peoples wardrobes and went AWOL claiming he had been abducted by nurses!! He was chopped soon after. The biggest stroker I remember was Hub Cap at the ALM school, cant say too much he is still in.:ugh: anyone know where Mac Macleod is?

SLC:

He'd be sure that you would know quite well that it's "Wheel" to the likes of you and me! Still in? Blimey. Wrote a damning report (5000 series?) on me, and told me the exact opposite to my face. Mike B left me in his office with my file for 15 mins the day i left. All in black and white. Cnut.

Davejb: Mike Butler was a Loadie, so not likely at 120.

TigerMate

George Fair

CG

The Boscombe based 1-11 F Eng was Phil Gagen; CG you are right ref the ALM. Mickey Butler was last known as OC a Reserve Int Sqn, and having left in about 93ish retired as a Magistrate living in the 6FTS local area.

I had hoped that nobody would mention hubcap cause it was probably better that way, he pushed the boundaries on how low mankind can go with some of the insensitive comments he made to individuals. In his defence, he was 'supported' by a few plonkers who brought the trade into disrepute every lunchtime (bar open) and one top bloke (C130 FS ALM) whose working life must have been misery.

Is Neil Flowerdew still alive? If so; pity!

Lazarri was the dark haired poofter that wore a cravat wasn't he?

If so I have to admit to his cutting wit being tops. I remember being upstairs in the block looking out of the windows down into the classrooms out back while cadets from the previous ITC were being told whether they had passed or failed. There was a particular cadet who was something of a waste of space down there waiting. Lazarri walking into the room and asked us what we were doing, we told him and he approached the window looked out and said "Oh dear, was that Cadet X throwing himself to the floor and missing". Vicious but very funny knowing the cadet in question...

He wasn't the only one, at the time of 146 AAITC we had to endure Sigley and Trevaskus to name but two!! Mickey V the eng was a spot on bloke, Porky fair was still there and Jake Mcqueen stayed until about the end of 88 early 89. Anyone know what happened to him after the families day affair at leeming?

Butler went on to become Stn Cdr of Finningley at its demise and he oversaw the closure programme. Magistrate? Lord help us all!!
:uhoh:

146. Was that the one I started or the one I finished? It appears I've blanked out almost all of those memories.

Hoppy,

You started AND finished it!!

:ok:

Gorrilla,
 

Did I really? Well blow me! Was I any good?

I suppose the answer might be hidden in the fact you had to ask... Like you say, you blanked out the memories... :E

Having said that... Does anyone here know which course I was on? :O

The Pilot, former 33 Navigator, and 33 Crewman (AP) would have been on 126 Cse. Work back from there and you should be able to narrow it down to a few. I think that they ran about 4 intakes a year.

That would put me in the 114 region... Alzheimer's is a terrible thing...:ooh:

I was on 50 Course but have forgot myself completely.

But remember Colin Reeves as a young sergeant - nice guy actually,
Mickey Butler as a very good FS ALM at Thorney Island
and Hugh Pender as a very ambitious Sgt on the Herc OCU - hmmm
Jonathan Lazzari - another hmmm

Hag Dyke and later survival courses were 6 months apart. It snowed, sleeted and rained on both. Thanks Yorkshire!

1989 152AEOp young'un
 

Hugh was our course mum and decided that the AEOps should carry a paving slab broke in two and locked in a nav bag to get used to carrying secrets nobber:ugh:.
Travaskis(sp) riding on his pushbike deriding you and the wheezy re-musters as you ran around the place - still have shin splints from those boots:{.
Danny Mellor daft yorkshireman who liked running up hills for fun, said I had a strong accent the cheek:eek:
Yoggie Longmuir bloody nice chap and good guy:D.
Jake and that flea ridden mutt WO Scamp, a day on the hills wet, tired and a tad grumpy snuggle down in your slug and Scamp would try to get in then usually run off about 03:30.
Jake took a dive for the Station Commander in a drink drive incident and fell on his sword/pace stick, which is why he lost SWO. I think he is a top bloke and bawling out some snotty O's brats does not make me think worse of him.
Hoppy too much gin, you should know better than most to use the term blow me in male company:E.
Charlie sends

A different Mike Butler then - I guess that's another example of the 'uniform' idea then, everyone called Butler (Stu Butler, for another example) gets to be boss! Sensible as any other idea apparently used, I guess....<g>

Charlie I really don't know what you mean!!:O

Mmmmm Danny Mellor........another one from the Pender mould. Anyone around from 157?

Chair over head and running around parade square
Rugby Club
Jake 'swing those fekkin arms an dig those fekkin heels'
Scamp getting left in Jake's office all weekend and 5hitting all over the shop!
Sigley and Trevaskus - c0ckadoodledoos -
Yogi and Andy Harris - Santa and his mum
Sound activated bombs - "FOUND IT LADS IT'S OVER HERE!!!" (now commissioned!)
Hanford as the earliest member of The Blue Man Group on record after carrying the bin-lid of blue toxic waste all over Otterburn in a gale!!
Just graduated course setting off the ITC fire alarms and running from the guards 00ps
Stn Cdr with a bike instead of a car - with a flag on the butchers basket!!

And then it was gatehouse.............happy days.......