produced. In all our history of exceptional
leaders and outstanding mountaineers, from John Hinde, Johnnie Lees,
Ian Clough, George Bruce, Pete Mc Gowan, Sunshine, Kas Taylor, Bill
Batson, Al McLeod, Terry Moore, Jim Morning and Kenny Kenworthy.
Dan is without doubt “The man!”
Dan is a Glasgow man and his first Munro was Ben More near Crianlarich
In June 1978. He joined the RAF MR at Kinloss in 1985 after meeting
Mark “Cheeky” Sinclair (a team member) at work and soon
became a great asset to the team. He progressed rapidly through
the team ranks and by 1988 he was Deputy Team Leader to Tom Taylor
and later to myself. Dan qualified as Team Leader in 1991 and his
first Team was as the Leader was St Athans. He became Team Leader
at Kinloss in 1996-99 and Leuchars Mrt 2001-2005. In between he
served as a part time team member.
His rapid rise to the top is easy to foresee, this was based on
his mountaineering abilities where he was a special talent. Experience
was gained in traditional fashion in Scotland specialising in winter
mountaineering. He went to the Alps in 1986, with Kas Taylor, Bill
Batson and Al McLeod a special group of outstanding mountaineers,
here he climbed many of the classic peaks and routes and gained
his love for the Greater ranges. In May 89 he was the Leader of
the Leuchars/Kinloss alpine style ascent of Mount McKinley West
Buttress (20,320ft). In 1993 he gained his MIC and in 1993-he summitted
Diran Peak Alpine style on the RAF MRS 50 Th Anniversary Expedition.
He then climbed his first 8000-metre peak (26470 feet) Gasherbrum
1 or Hidden Peak in 1996. This was achieved after a very serious
illness where Dan was in intensive care for several months. At one
point his chances of a full recovery were 50%. The measure of the
man was that within a year he had summitted his first 8000-metre
peak, defying all medical advice. This was an outstanding achievement.
In between all these trips Dan was constantly leading expeditions
to Canada in winter the Himalayas and the Alps, introducing younger
troops to the rigours of Alpine and Himalayan mountaineering. This
was essential for the MRS in the development of mountaineers for
the future. Dan was selected as a member of the Joint Services British
Kangchenjunga Expedition in 2000, this expedition was a great success
and Dan was the key member.
These expeditions were all experience for the RAF MR Everest North
Ridge Expedition in 2001 where he summitted with his great friend
and protégé Rusty Bale. This expedition was a purely
RAF Mountain Rescue Expedition, Dan was the climbing leader and
the man who produced the goods on a fantastic Expedition. During
this expedition he was an inspiring leader and proved without doubt
he was an outstanding mountaineer. From joining the RAF MRS in 1985
he had within 16 years summited on the worlds highest mountain.
On his return he completed his Munros and wrote in the Scottish
Mountaineering Journal “After summitting Everest in May 2001
his final Munro summit Ladhar Bheinn in Knoydart meant more to him”
At long last Dans hard work was recognised and he was awarded an
MBE for services to Mountain Rescue in 2002. After Everest Dan did
not slow down, again each year he was off to the Alps, Himalayas
and Canada.
Dan has a long history of Callouts and Rescues; he keeps most very
quiet. He saved the life of a British Mountain Guide in an early
trip to the Alps. The guide fell with his client who was killed,
Dan and his young partner had watched it happen and assisted the
badly injured guide, saving his life and assisted the Rescue helicopter.
For their part in the rescue Dan and partner were awarded a Commendation.
During his years with the teams he is been “the man”
on many rescues both in Control and at the sharp end, always looking
after the troops.
It is his leadership and skill as a mountaineer that we shall all
miss. The “ Scottish Mountaineers day” the Traverse
of the Skye Ridge he has completed, so many times. Tower Ridge in
winter on the Ben he has climbed so often. So many routes, so many
memories. Dan always takes the most recent troops on these big days,
his confidence and ability makes even an average mountaineer feel
self-assured. Dan could pull a great day out of the bag in any conditions
such was the measure of the man and make it a day to remember for
all. Dan is a quiet unassuming man of few words, who has tremendous
vision for the future of the RAF MRS. Like many before him he was
years ahead of his time, he had a great vision of the future for
the MRS. I feel that at times he was not listened to and this resulted
in him deciding to leave the Service. Dan will not say a bad word
about the RAF MR Teams and his time spent with us was outstanding.
If Dan trained you and you were a member of his team “ you
became a mountaineer”. There are so many stories of Dan too
many to recount here and everyone has their “Dan story”.
After his last trip to Canada in March his 10 th expedition to winter
climb in Canada. He arrived back on the Friday after a long flight.
On Saturday after a 2-week expedition he was in the Cairngorms climbing
Citadel on Shelterstone Crag a classic grade 5 route! His enthusiasm,
strength, energy and loyalty to his friends and love of the mountains
are endless.
Dan you have left us a great legacy in mountaineers and memories
of great days, a strong inheritance for the future in troops trained
in the best traditions of RAF Mountain Rescue. Dan always said to
be a mountain rescuer “you must be a mountaineer first and
foremost, the rescuer is secondary”. How right you are. Many
thanks for the fantastic days.
Heavy Whalley
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