Medway Challenge 1998
The Medway challenge, the brain child of the Green Watch Station Officer Dave Ballentyne and the White Watch Sub Officer Ken Wheatley came about after the White's had their arses kicked the previous year on the London to Brighton Road Relay Run, (getting beat by a huge margin of 5 seconds!)
Ken Wheatley not one to take defeat to well. Devised that years challenge knowing that the Greens liking of water only extended to the odd quick shower at work, and having on his Watch a few decent swimmers, felt that this was going to be the best way to bring him victory and allow him to spend the next 12 months lording it up over the Green's!
The challenge was an 18 mile duoathon, swimming the Medway River in Maidstone for about 8 miles then running back along the river bank with a few minor detours back to the start line for about 10 miles.
The rules were that each team would consist of seven individuals who would each have to swim for three sessions. Each session would have to last a minimum of 15 minutes then the whole team would have to run the return with the last individual across the finishing line registering the team’s overall time.
The Green's undertook their training, hearing on the Fire Station grape vine that the Whites had enlisted the help of a swim coach, a local traffic warden who had won a breast stroke race when she was in junior school.
The Green's began training by blowing up they water wings and going down to the local library to check out 'learning to swim in ten easy lessons'. After weeks of trying to master the complexities of the doggy paddle, progress was being made, and a strict routine of pre work morning swim sessions down the Cally pool ensued.
With the very real prospect of the Green Watch having to hand over the bragging rights, God took pity upon them and posted in a Fireman from Knightsbridge. Not just any Fireman, but the Brigade's top triathlete, Ian ‘Middles’ Middlecoat. Under his guidance the true sporting pedigree of the Greens came to the fore.
The rest of the Watch stupid enough to put their names forward for the Team where:-
Roger 'Putty' Nicholls, who took it upon himself to reinstate the now forgotten Olympic stroke, the highly technical, single arm breast stroke. This while not allowing the recipient to win any speed races it certainly brought a few Olympian laughs from the rest of the team. (Sadly ‘Putty’ was to die on a family holiday in Spain a few years later. He was truly one of life’s loveable rogues, and I can certainly say, along with all of those who had the pleasure to down a few pints and witness that roguish twinkle in his eye, still miss him greatly.)
Another, who’s competitive edge came to the fore was Mick 'The Vicar' Hurwood one of a handful of ultra professional old school fireman who helped establish Euston Green Watch as the premier ET Watch at the Station. With his hirsuteness he was well equipped to withstand the cold temperatures of the Medway and from barely being able to float, learnt how to swim, and swim like a fish.
Sub O Dennis Wright arguably one of the best Sub Officers to serve at Euston Green Watch (along with of course Kevin ‘Uncle Mac’ McSweeney and Brian ‘Soss’ Freeman) because of his ongoing love affair with the push bike found it hard allocating time to developing his swim stroke so relied on his Yorkshire grit to see him through.
Terry ‘Wimpy’ Marsh, (who holds the record for ascending the down escalator at Holborn Tube Station in full fire gear, then whilst celebrating this historic record proceeded to turn himself into a human traffic light, red, amber and GREEN, and then took too emptying the contents of his stomach in the back of the appliance) was known to all to have the stomach for a good challenge.
Tony ‘Hanners’ Hanlon (the Daddy of the Greens and a former Paddington Bear), thou being the oldest of the team had the wise old head and never say die steely determination born form his Irish ancestry of cracking heads and drinking beer. He would be the self appointed coach and chief motivator.
Lastly that lovable, athletic and highly motivated individual who went from a one width Mark Spitz and turned himself into the nearest thing to an amphibian this side of the English Channel. (Thou now he’s turned into a bit of a Whale, instead of that sleek dolphinisk thing he was back then). Angelo ‘Ben’ De Benedictis.
Progress saw the Green’s early morning swims at the Cally pool, turn into early morning open water swims in the Serpentine at Hyde Park. Then the rest of their day would consist of runs around Regents Park and hours in the Gym whilst trying to still respond to the odd emergency call.
When the dreaded day eventually came round, the Whites, this time, truly had they arses kicked. The speed that the Green Watch covered the Swim course resulted in them running out of water before they could all complete their three sessions, with performances of true athletic prowess from Middles, the Vicar and Ben. The run section saw them finish as a unit, (with Gary ‘Lizzy’ Lizzimore acting as pace setter and mobile drinks station), a full hour in front of the White’s.
Victory could not have happened without the backroom help of the rest of the Green Watch.
Dick ‘the Boy’ Wheatley, Arrol ‘the Mamba’ Thomas, John ‘Adolf’ Edgar, Dave ‘Woody’ Woodward, Leroy ‘Me Son’ Hough, Dave ‘the Governor’ Ballantyne, Trevor ‘Spanner’ Jackson, Steve ‘Con’ Connolly, Paul ‘Wolfy’ Fox, Dave ‘Chappers’ Chapman, and Paul ‘Harry the Barstard’ Attwell.
Looking back over these pictures, over a decade and a half ago, I can remember all the faces, recall each and everyone’s little nuisances. I can remember the stick that each and everyone received and dished out. The Fire Station pranks that went on, the laughs that filled the days, the friendships born from working together and the pride I have, to have served with them all. Today sees many of these faces gone from Euston, some have retired, some have been promoted, and some have sort pastures new. But I hope that all these EUSTON FIREFIGHTERS are safe and well and that each of them can reminisce like I, over these memories and smile.
‘Ben’ De Benedictis
A23 Euston White Watch (Ex Green Watch)
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Sink or swim! By Ken Wheatley
The annual madness that goes under the guise of the Annual Challenge
struck again at A23 Euston in September this year.
Following the extremely competitive road race to Brighton last year which
was organised by the green watch, and also won by them, it fell to the white
watch to organise this year's challenge. After much tactical thinking, it
was decided that a 91/2 mile relay swim down the River Medway in Kent, followed
by the whole team running the full 91/2 miles back to the start, should be
this year's event.
The two teams assembled at Yalding where the competition started at 10.00.
The first two men entered the water and started the race to Allington which
is approximately two miles down river of Maidstone. Unfortunately for the
white watch, the greens took the lead from the off and never gave it up. The
green watch proved to be quite strong in the swimming section of the race
and, despite some very powerful swimming from white's star swimmer 'Ginger1
Binyon, the whites failed to catch them. Each member of the two teams had
to swim three fifteen minute sessions as a minimum requirement and, as a team,
the green watch proved to be too strong, leaving the water at Allington some
17 minutes in front of the white watch.
The 91/2 mile run back to the start followed the exact course of the river
and, whilst the scenery is quite superb, because of the heat and the distance
it was just not appreciated. Again, the green watch proved to be too strong,
increasing their lead to 39 minutes, and finishing in 6hrs 46mins: a very
good time indeed.
A barbeque was laid on for all the competitors and their supporters, with
the culinary expertise supplied by Euston's cook, Hazel. Deputy Chief Officer
Wells of the Kent Fire Brigade attended and kindly presented awards to the
competitors.
I would like, through your magazine, to 1 express my appreciation to all those
who took part, in particular the men who manned the safety boats; those who
acted as lifeguards; Hazel who did a splendid job; ar* finally Mr Wells of
the KFB who took the time to present the awards.
Next year it's the greens' turn to organise an event and maybe we will manage
to beat them at whatever they come up with. We ' shall certainly try.
The teams: white watch: Ginger Binyon, lan Bigby, Bill Dunn, 'Ben' Sherman,
Ken Wheatley, Paul Wyles, Joey Steven; green I watch: Terry Marsh, Tony Hanlon,
Dennis ' Wright, Roger Nicholls, 'Ben' Debenidictus, 'Micky1 Hurwood, lan
Middlecoat.
Finally, I would like to thank DO Kelly of BHC and ADO Wilkinson of Euston
for coming down to Kent and giving their support.
• Ken Wheatley Euston (WW)
lan Middlecoat, Leroy Hough, Gary Lizzimore, Roger Nicholls, Arrol Thomas
lan Bigby, Ginger Binyon, Tony Hanlon, Ben Sherman,, Joey Stevens, 'Micky Hurwood, Bill in the way Dunn, Terry Marsh, 'Ben' Debenedictis,
Ken Wheatley Paul Wyles
Dennis Wright