Map reading

[Sully]

Just a quickie lads. Something that's not often mentioned (although I did read some tit on the paras forum mentioning his GPS ) is map reading. It will play a large part in your recruit training, and rightly so. Familiarise yourselves with maps, try to visualise the lay of the land from the contours and get used to using a compass. If possible get out and about and constantly refer to your map. Get a feel for what features look like on paper and practise taking bearings and sticking to them.

You'll be taught all this from scratch at CTC but as with most things there won't be much time to take it in. It is a vital skill and if you're adept with a map you will shine in training. More importantly it will make you a good bootneck

Good luck, work hard.

[Si Capon]

So where did you go wrong??

[joethejudge]

I'm doing DofE so I'll of already learnt it
hehe

[Sully]

So where did you go wrong??

OOOOF

Trust you to be lurking in the shadows I did stacks before I joined up and it was the one thing I could handle (got perce Shiner out of the brown stuff one particularly clagged Dartmoor night and he got off my case after that). Still found it 'challenging' though eg trying to find Jim Russell's op on a very dark night His comment at about 5am that morning was excellent "right lads, get you kit squared away and the rest of the night is you own "

I was pretty arse at most things but got my white tapes (I believe) purely because I could get around with a map - therein lies the lesson

Si was on my training team and was witness to my biff-ness otherwise

[Artist]

Sully

I get the same from Yorkie Malone sometimes. He were my DL.

Your ref concerning the old Map reading is bang on however. Negative map equals deep sh*t with the training team.

Resections! Mag to grid rid, grid to mag add. The fun whe used to have!

On my JCC the instructor used to be at the location hidden under a poncho liner! He was a boy. Remember he was a Jock with a wicked evil nasty some would call sense of Humour. And blow me he was also an instructor on my SCC! Think he did more time at CTCRM than soft mick.

Surprised some of the lads wanting to join up dont try a bit of Orienteering. A very good way to learn all about maps and compasses plus it keeps you fit as well.

Artist

[Sully]

Artist, there never was, and never will be, a hiding place from Si Capon I walked with the two of them (Yorkie and Si) on the yomp for a bit and had to cast my mind back to my first day of taking the Queen's Shilling to have felt such a piece of skin Does a withering turn of phrase get issued to DL's?

Don't forget yer OCE (ICE? - I've forgotten ) correction. You can help me out on that one joethejudge....over to you.

[rabby]

Oooh, ooh, me me me!! I know that one Sully! Individual Compass Error. Yeah baby.

[Artist]

Sully

Had a session with our Yorkie last July at a pub called the Cotton Arms at a little village called Wrenbury.

Got there 1145hrs left 2345hrs! (cannot remember how I got home but had to cadge a lift the next day of a bloke to retrieve the car) Aint seen the bugger for 30 years but apart from not having a tach he was the same evil humoured Yorkie.

At one stage their was 4 generations of Bootnecks sat outside the pub doing what we used to do. Drinking!

Along comes this "Army Type" Gentleman in his Blazer and Regimental tie. Our Yorkie is sat there with his pint nearly to his lips when this DL voice sounded off TARRUB THREE! TARRUP THREE!

The gentleman returned and tried to tell our Yorkie to watch himself. Silly Pongo that he was! All I remember was a table full of Bootnecks and Off duty Coppers pi**ing our sides laughing at his look of outrage when Yorkie gave him a full broadside!

Thas a right Twat aint yer Mate, Hey!? Was one sentence the rest were pure Yorkie at his best.

Artist

[Sully]

Rabby - that's the one

Artist, I'll bet during those 12 hours you only shaved his collection of dits. Definately one to have on the inside of the tent if you know what I mean

[Si Capon]

Does a withering turn of phrase get issued to DL's?

I think it is something that goes with the job.
Ross "Tosh" Macintosh was my DL and he scared the bejesus out of us on the first day. Another Nod wandered into Induction and asked to see his mate who had just joined with us. This seemed to light Tosh's blue touch paper and off he went!!!!! This other recruit was in tears after 30 secs...one of the best b*llockings I have ever seen. What an inspiration

[jonboy]

http://www.planetfear.com/climbing/feat ... tion1.html

This Link maybe useful.

[Artist]

One of Yorkies better words of wisdom to an errant recruit:

Tell me ............. are thee fer real. Or dist God ave a bad day and decide to f**k up me life by sending thar here as a penance fer me past?

Artist