Page 93 - Wish Stream Year of 2018

to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul satu- rated by love’. The vignettes from WW2 that we reviewed on EX NORMANDY SCHOLAR greatly impressed us all, when we heard of the daring acts of courage displayed by many junior officers who knew this principle all too well.
It is not about rivalry, it is about unity.
The Maori have a saying, ‘If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together’.
In any environment, there will be those who compete with each other for fame, success and glory. This approach, however, naturally leads to disunity, bitterness and resentment. Often the tasks that we face cannot be achieved alone, particularly within a military context. This was clearly evidenced to us when on EX SLIM’s
STAND we dug to stage three trenches. Without collective effort, little would be achieved.
Our leadership, then, will reflect how we exercise our responsibilities over people and for people. It is an art not a science, and will require constant attention, but one which starts with service.
Exercise NORTHERN – ALPINE FUSILIER 50
2Lt D L Osmond
The 5th August saw seven Fusiliers deploy on Exercise NORTHERN – ALPINE FUSILIER 50, a summer mountaineering expedition to the Swiss Alps for 15 days. The expedition was conceived in celebration of the Regiment’s 50th birthday and included five reservists and two regulars, in a year where our
battalions were paired under one
Brigade.
2,800m and on one night we stayed in Cabane de Moiry, which at 2,825m is perched hundreds of metres above the Moiry glacier – an incredible sight. Highlights of the hike included summiting Mont Fort at 3,328m and Schwarzhorn (Matter- tal) by foot at 3,201m.
It was at cabins such as Cabane de Moiry that we met fellow hikers. At such altitudes, mobile phone signal was not available and the team indulged in typical swiss alpine evening activities; eating, drinking and playing a lot of cards. The Russian card game Dobrak became an expedition favourite having been taught to us by a couple following
the same route at Cabane du Mont Fort. A high stakes game involving several McDonalds’ milk- shakes was even played in Zermatt to celebrate the completion of the route!
The importance of keeping a number of adven- turous training instructors trained and in-date were highlighted throughout; the participation of Capt Peatman allowed the exercise to remain
The trail followed was that of the
‘Walker’s Haute Route’, a variant
of the classic ski touring route from
Chamonix to Zermatt. Unlike simi-
lar alpine trails such as the Tour du
Mont Blanc, the Haute Route is more navigationally challenging, physically demanding, and most importantly, provides participants with endlessly varying and incredible views.
The demanding nature of the Haute Route, which saw us walk 226km and gain 14,171m of elevation, meant that some were able to experi- ence real altitude, and the effects it brings, for the first time. Many passes were in excess of
The expedition was conceived in celebration of the Regiment’s 50th birthday
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