Royal Air Force Mountaineering Association (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1948 and the oldest of the 3 British Service mountaineering bodies, the Royal Air Force Mountaineering Association (RAFMA) was formed in January 1948 by Group Captain
A J M Smyth, Wing Commander
Beaumann and Air Vice Marshal
Ledger. The first President was Air Chief Marshal
Sir Ralph Cochrane
, who retired in 1952 and one of the first Vice-Presidents was the late F S Smythe. Since its inception the Association has organised numerous meets and expeditions in a variety of locations, including Switzerland, France, Norway, Turkey, Ellesmere Island
, New Zealand
, Bolivia, Greenland, Canada and the Himalayas (India & Nepal).
The primary object of the Association is to promote the efficiency of the RAF by providing the opportunity to indulge in the sport of mountaineering, thereby encouraging physical fitness and the development of initiative and independence among its members. The subsidiary objects of the Association area to encourage mountaineering in the RAF and to arrange expeditions and meets at home and abroad in which members of the Association may participate.
RAFMA holds events throughout the year, there are monthly weekend meets around the UK, a Joint Services Alpine Meet (JSAM), a rock week and a week long New Year Meet, as well as a sport climbing trip and expeditions. Experienced mountaineers and new members are both encouraged to join. RAFMA members have diverse interests and are a very friendly bunch.
RAFMA has a website http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafmountaineering/
Through the website the facebook page can be accessed, which shows upcoming events and photos from previous meets.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13808937938
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
A J M Smyth, Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Beaumann and Air Vice Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
Ledger. The first President was Air Chief Marshal
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Ralph Cochrane
Ralph Cochrane
Air Chief Marshal Sir Ralph Alexander Cochrane, GBE, KCB, AFC, RAF was a British pilot and Royal Air Force officer, perhaps best known for his role in Operation Chastise, the famous "Dambusters" raid....
, who retired in 1952 and one of the first Vice-Presidents was the late F S Smythe. Since its inception the Association has organised numerous meets and expeditions in a variety of locations, including Switzerland, France, Norway, Turkey, Ellesmere Island
Ellesmere Island
Ellesmere Island is part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Lying within the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, it is considered part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, with Cape Columbia being the most northerly point of land in Canada...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Bolivia, Greenland, Canada and the Himalayas (India & Nepal).
The primary object of the Association is to promote the efficiency of the RAF by providing the opportunity to indulge in the sport of mountaineering, thereby encouraging physical fitness and the development of initiative and independence among its members. The subsidiary objects of the Association area to encourage mountaineering in the RAF and to arrange expeditions and meets at home and abroad in which members of the Association may participate.
RAFMA holds events throughout the year, there are monthly weekend meets around the UK, a Joint Services Alpine Meet (JSAM), a rock week and a week long New Year Meet, as well as a sport climbing trip and expeditions. Experienced mountaineers and new members are both encouraged to join. RAFMA members have diverse interests and are a very friendly bunch.
RAFMA has a website http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafmountaineering/
Through the website the facebook page can be accessed, which shows upcoming events and photos from previous meets.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13808937938
Expeditions
- 2009 - Mount Kenya (Batian, 5199m)and Point Lenana.
- 2008 - Mount KenyaMount KenyaMount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian , Nelion and Point Lenana . Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around north-northeast of the capital Nairobi...
(cancelled due to political unrest). - 2008 - Joint Services Makalu Expedition.
- 2008 - Lofoten IslandsLofotenLofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
, Norway. - 2007 - Mount LoganMount LoganMount Logan is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest peak in North America, after Mount McKinley . The mountain was named after Sir William Edmond Logan, a Canadian geologist and founder of the Geological Survey of Canada . Mount Logan is located within Kluane National Park and...
, Yukon Territories, Canada. - 2006 - Satapanth, Garhwal, India.
- 2004 -