Page 144 - AGC-Journal-2016

AGC JOURNAL 2016

Exercise

Tiger Alpine Swansong 2

By Corporal Jamie Paige

On the morning of Saturday
23rd January 2016, thirty two

personnel from Worthy Down
travelled to Val Thorens in
France to embark on Exercise
Tiger Alpine Swansong 2.

On Our Way

It was an early start (for a Saturday
anyway) in which all those participating
arrived at the gymnasium for 0700 hrs
ready for the short journey to Heathrow
Airport. Everyone made it to the bus
for roll call on time, no one forgetting
passports, which was the first massive
achievement of the trip. After arriving at
Terminal 5, and being relieved of half my
allocated spends (from my wife) in the
restaurants, we embarked on the flight to
Geneva. The free drinks on the flight made
it seem like minutes before we touched
down and gathered our bags. However,
the excitement started to drain during the
four hour coach journey to Val Thorens,
something which was noticeable by the
fact most people were asleep as we began
to enter the snowy mountains. Upon
arrival and once everyone had rubbed the
sleep from their eyes we could fully focus
on the beautiful glistening pure white
snow which resembled an inviting soft
pillow of feathers, something I was soon to
find was nothing of the sort.

Ready For The Slopes

Once we had settled in, we were ready
for the worst that the slopes could throw
at us. The first morning would become
the template for the rest of the week. We
would be up early doors for breakfast
using the smell of croissants and freshly
cooked baguettes to drag most of us out of
our beds to get ready for the day’s action.
There were four groups that were led by

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