RAF MRS visit

Sunday saw a rather strange sight, three Bolton MRT Land Rovers and in the middle of them a Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service Land Rover. The reason for this was a visit by Flt Sgt Bill Batson MBE, Chief Instructor RAFMRS, who had come up for one of our Rope Rescue Training days to show us the ropes of the Rigging For Rescue. Bill is a leading light in the RAFMRS and has been Team Leader of various RAF MRT, as well as the author of the much sought after, by civilian MRT, RAFMRS Training Handbook and he is also a SARDA Search Dog Handler. To top it all Bill is a damn fine bloke as well, easy to get on with and with a wealth of knowledge he can share with you as well.

The collection of Mountain Rescue Land Rovers, with the RAFMRS Land Rover in the middle.

Bill was here to demonstrate to our Crag Rats the techniques that the RAFMRS use, especially the members of the Team who had taken part in the various Rigging For Rescue courses held over the past year.

Ann Shaw, Chris Moody, Bill Batson, Jon Holt, Chris Tennant on todays Rigging For Rescue lecture.

Unlike most Rope Rescue Training, todays training wasn’t disturbed by any call outs, it just goes to show you that you arrange for the vehicles to be manned and nothing happens, you arrange for nothing and all hell breaks loose. Our thanks to Bill for a most enjoyable day and atleast Dave Healey can carry on ribbing Garry about his, now confirmed to be genuine, RAF Mountain Rescue Training Handbook 1st edition owed by the Late Johnnie Lees !!