Ex White Dagger 2024
by WO1 Sear RM
In its 18th year with somewhere near 1000 Telemark skiers trained over this time, Ex White Dagger 24, the RNRM Telemark Grass Roots Training Camp, pulled together 110 Telemark and potential Telemark skiers on the Stubai Glacier in Austria. These were from 28 different Units across the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, the RNLMC joined us with ten ranks, as did the RMA Telemark Branch for their inaugural Telemark meet. In the past attendees have been Company groups for pre winter deployment, ML1s and 2s courses as well as the many novices. The group this year ranged from Mne to Col, with a sprinkling of RN ranks, as well as a number of female attendees. It was mentioned by the Austrians that this was the biggest gathering of Telemarkers in Europe well, that’s a welcome opinion and we will take it. The initial briefing having taken place and equipment issued by TQ WO1 Steve Barrett RM, on Monday morning 0725, all made for the hill.
Week two instruction
At a height of between 2500 and 3500 metres with air temperatures as low as -15 degrees, the students were placed into ski groups, under the watchful eye of Chief Instructor WO1 ‘Banjo’ Haigh RM. Sixteen ranks started as ski beginners, 50 as Telemark novices and ten started the Telemark Leaders (TML) Course to become instructors under the direction of Maj Jack Duckitt and Cammy Gunn (BASI 3). All the Dutch ranks were now fully integrated into groups and they proved strong (if not ringers).