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The reasons for the formation of the Galloway Team
are probably similar to those of most Scottish teams
borne out of necessity in response to local needs.
However, the specifics for forming a MRT in Galloway
are now shrouded in the mists of time, and as few
records still exist of the early years, the story
largely is down to the writer’s memory. The writer
is the only founder member of the team still on
call-out!
During the 1960s there were a number of incidents,
involving missing persons, in the hills around Newton
Stewart, particularly the Merrick or Awful Hand
range, when the Police relied heavily on a local
GP, Dr Hugh Lang, a man with considerable local
knowledge and skill. Hugh willingly organised and
led a number of searches but the increasing interruptions
to his single man practice, and one particular search
that almost ended in loss of life to poorly equipped
and unfit policemen, convinced Hugh of the need
for a local rescue team. Following letters to the
Chief Constable an open meeting was held in Newton
Stewart Police Station on 6 November 1975 when a
steering committee under Dr Lang’s chairmanship
was formed with the remit to set up a team.
The first leader very briefly was Peter Wright
followed by Andrew Shankland (1976-1986), Kenneth
McCubbin (1986-1995), Ian Livingston (1995-1999),
Linda Biggar (1999-2002), David Tyson (2002-2005)
and the present leader Chris Marshall.
The team was originally called Galloway Search
and Rescue Group and operated as a sub-unit of the
Moffat Team that had been formed a few years earlier.
Committee meetings were held in the Moffat doctor’s
surgery and the writer again vividly remembers the
round trip of 175 miles on a winter’s night.
During the first six months four training exercises
were held and the team attended a joint exercise
with the other south of Scotland teams and this
has become an annual event in the training calendar.
Our first call-out was on 23 April 1976 when we
successfully located Colin Mutter, a fourteen year
old from Lincoln who had been lost in a local forest.
The first AGM took place on 30 June 1976 when the
constitution was adopted and the call-out procedure
was issued. 50 volunteers came forward with 46 on
the original call-out list and the average number
on a training exercise was 30.
In October of 1976, 1986 and 1996 Galloway hosted
the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon and
be warned inclement weather accompanies this event!
The '76 event saw our first stretcher evacuation
during a thunder and lightning storm, '86 saw hundreds
of competitors dropping out due to the cold and
wet weather,and '96 three casualties were air lifted
to hospital.
During the 70s we gradually developed our skills
and resources, and also became involved in discussions
that affected the use of our hills including setting
up the Southern Upland Way. We also encountered
our first fatalities in 1979 following an aircraft
accident and this incident also saw us at the forefront
of a multi agency emergency. This year provided
us with, as yet, an unsolved mystery when Ernest
Thetford’s car was found abandoned in a secluded
spot, minus Ernest, and despite many searches over
a number of years nothing has been seen or heard
of him to this day.
These early years flew past but they developed
the camaraderie associated with mountain rescue
something that is still to the fore . The next milestone
was achieved in June 1983 when the team was accepted
into membership of the Mountain Rescue Committee
of Scotland and at that time it was decided to rename
the group Galloway Mountain Rescue Team.
The 1980s saw a period of stability with a strong
nucleus of original members guiding the team through
these important developmental years but we still
relied upon members using their own cars and equipment
with fund raising an important activity. We attended
three more aircraft accidents during this decade
including assisting with the aftermath of the Lockerbie
disaster.
The 1990s signalled a number of changes. As we
became more adept at sourcing financial assistance
and with the birth of the National Lottery we were
able to, firstly buy a team trailer/mobile base,
secondly a purpose built Landrover and we currently
await the arrival of a second vehicle. Gradually
we have been able to provide members with personal
clothing and equipment and the aim is to give all
new members a complete set of gear.
The stability of the 80s meant that in the 90s
recruiting new members became and still is a priority,
and we have links with uniformed organisations and
the Duke of Edinburgh Award’s scheme from where
we have been able to gain new and young members.
The improvement in equipment has been matched by
an even more professional approach to training and
the resultant increased commitment. Technology in
whatever form has now been accepted and is the norm.
Who would have thought in 1975 that the computer
would such an important tool in the life of a MRT,
particularly in administration and record keeping.
In common with all teams it is difficult to forecast
the future of mountain rescue, but in the short
term it is safe to say that we will still be needed
and probably with greater frequency. However, it
is good to look back and recall some of the 300
or so incidents including rescuing a flock of cragfast
sheep , watching a 4 by 4 sinking up to its axles
with 22 stone Sally firmly lodged in the back, locating
300 year old bones, the seal flippers that fooled
a pathologist into believing they were human, the
murder enquiry and very recently the very raison
d’etre of our existence, to find alive and well
after 26 hours in freezing temperatures an elderly
lady.
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