David 'Heavy' Whalley: Tributes paid to mountain rescue 'legend'
Tributes have been paid to a mountain search and rescue veteran who was one of the first on scene at the Lockerbie disaster.David "Heavy" Whalley served with the RAF Mountain Rescue Service for almost 40 years and attended more than 1,000 mountain incidents, dozens of air accidents and helped save hundreds of lives.Scottish Mountain Rescue described Whalley as a "true legend" and broadcaster Cameron McNeish said he made time for everyone.Last year Whalley, of Burghead in Moray, told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme that he had been diagnosed with stage four liver disease.
Scottish Mountain Rescue (SMR) said it was "deeply saddened" by the news of his death.It added: "Heavy dedicated his life to helping others in the mountains, giving countless years of service with unwavering commitment, skill, and compassion. "He was a leader, a mentor, and a friend to so many in the mountain rescue community and beyond. "His knowledge, experience, and kindness left an indelible mark on all who worked alongside him."SMR said his legacy would live on through every team member he guided, every life he touched and "every summit where his spirit roams free".McNeish said his friend's death still came as a shock even though he had been ill.He added: "Heavy was probably the most-liked and popular person I have ever met, a man with time for everyone and a man with a heart of gold."
Last year Whalley said he had "always been a fighter" and would battle until the end.He was affectionately known as by his nickname, "Heavy", which was given to him when he joined the RAF as a 5ft 4in recruit weighing just seven stone.Whalley worked as a team leader for both the RAF Leuchars and RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue teams.He was also deputy leader at RAF Valley in North Wales and president of the Search and Rescue Dog Association Scotland (SARDA).Whalley attended more than 70 aircraft crashes and was senior team leader of the rescue effort at the scene of the Lockerbie disaster.
Pan Am Flight 103 was brought down on 21 December 1988, killing its 259 passengers and crew and another 11 residents in the Scottish town.Reflecting last year on the UK's worst terror attack, Whalley said: "The place was like hell."It was terrible, and it was so dangerous, and there were fatalities everywhere.""And I don't think people can ever imagine what that was like."He said the police force and the fire brigade were overwhelmed and admitted it took its toll on his mental health.Whalley recalled: "I was just working non-stop for about a week, no sleep, nothing."One day afterwards I tried to get up and I was frozen, I could not move."I had about three or four weeks in bed."He said after the trauma of the disaster he fought hard for the military to offer help to rescuers who may have suffered from post-traumatic disease, which is a legacy he was proud of.Whalley was also involved in the search for survivors of the RAF Chinook crash on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994.He said he remembered vividly the scene as the helicopter crew landed on the fog and smoke shrouded peninsula and added: "I've never been so scared."All four crew and 25 passengers, among them almost all of the UK's senior Northern Ireland intelligence experts, died when their helicopter crashed on its journey from near Belfast to Inverness.As he came to terms with his mortality last year, Whalley told the BBC the hardest thing would be leaving behind the people he cherished and who had cared for him over the last few years.He said: "My two beautiful granddaughters, stepdaughters and friend Kalie, and all these people who've been so good to me."That's hard, but it's going to happen, and that's life."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
9 hours ago
- Metro
I am a professional money expert - but I'm medically rubbish with numbers
For some people, swimming is a great way to clear their head. Not me though. As I swim up and down my local 25 metre pool, I'm busy doing mental arithmetic. My goal is to swim one mile continuously. This equates to 1,609 metres, so dividing that by 25 means I'm aiming to swim 64 lengths. As a result, I keep track of the distance I've done. I often find myself counting, adding, multiplying and dividing – and for the first time in my life, actually enjoying it. My journey towards number confidence over the years has not always gone this swimmingly. This may come as a surprise as I am a money expert and financial journalist, but ever since my childhood, I've struggled with numbers. Maths lessons were mental torture. I didn't know why, as an otherwise straight A student, I couldn't hold this information in my head, or remember my times tables, or grasp everyday concepts like quantities, measurements and distances. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video It was only when I was later diagnosed with dyscalculia, often described as number dyslexia, in my mid-teens, that I finally realised why my brain doesn't easily process or retain numbers. I was fortunate enough to end up with a brilliant teacher while studying for my compulsory maths Standard Grade (the Scottish equivalent of GSCE). He created a calm, disciplined and focused environment in which I could make some basic progress. But even then, I was filled with anxiety and distress at the prospect of having to sit a maths exam. I was referred to the excellent learning needs department of my school, which unlocked my diagnosis. Initially, I felt relieved – this problem wasn't down to me being lazy or stupid. But as the years went on, I started worrying that people would judge me, especially once I moved into money journalism. As I've got older, I've met plenty of women who for some reason feel disconnected from both maths and money And yes, I have occasionally had people questioning my ability to do my job or falsely claim that I'm unable to do basic arithmetic (I know 2 x 2 = 4). But overall, awareness and understanding has increased, and that can only be a good thing. I've picked up lots of coping strategies over the years – from always having a calculator on hand to using visual budgeting tools. But even today, there are corners of finance that I still find taxing. Like… well, tax. Whether it's allowances, relief or deductions, I sometimes need to double check with someone more number-smart than me (namely my dad) whether I've done my sums right. But as hard as I find this stuff, I push through. I know that if I can improve my confidence around numbers, I can be much more capable with my finances and (cue Destiny's Child) an Independent Woman, never having to rely on someone to look after me. Sadly, recent research from National Numeracy shows there is still a stubborn gender gap when it comes to financial confidence. The charity's survey found that women are less comfortable than men talking about money, less confident when it comes to making financial decisions, and more likely to struggle with debt. At the same time, women reported being less confident in their ability to work with numbers compared to men, but they're also more sceptical that improving their numeracy would benefit their financial situation: Only 56% of women see a connection, compared to 65% of men. I have often thought about whether my gender played a role in my historic difficulties with numbers. Growing up, was I somehow conditioned to think maths is for boys? Not particularly – there were plenty of girls around me at school who excelled at maths, including my best friend who is now an accountant. But as I've got older, I've met plenty of women who for some reason feel disconnected from both maths and money, and don't always appreciate that there's a link between the two. Don't get me wrong, I understand why women aren't necessarily rushing to remedial maths classes. How does relearning the isosceles triangle help us put food on the table or cope with expensive childcare? A good start would be a school curriculum that majors much more on real-world financial challenges, such as budgeting, tax, payslips, and debt. Teaching maths through money, rather than the other way round, would help young people get more comfortable with numbers as a fact of life, not something to be afraid of. I also strongly believe the more women we have in public talking about both money and maths, the better. Former Countdown star Rachel Riley and super mathematician Hannah Fry are obvious role models, but different kinds of champions can also cut-through, such as TV presenter Denise Welch and Strictly dancer Katya Jones, who are both ambassadors of National Numeracy (as am I). It's why I appear on BBC Morning Live to talk about finances (and yes, sometimes numbers, carefully checked) in front of more than a million viewers every week. If I encourage anyone watching, including women, to take more control of their money, then the 6.30am call time at the studio is worth it. There are manageable steps we can all take to conquer number phobia. The free online National Numeracy Challenge is a great way to build confidence at a pace and level to suit you. This comprises a simple questionnaire that gauges how comfortable you feel about numbers and what your goals are. Your answers are then used to design an online learning process that's personalised to you. It's all based on maths you'll need in everyday life, and once you start doing quick check-ups (not tests!) on your abilities, you may be pleasantly surprised at how much you're improving. If there's only one money-maths concept you get your head around, make it interest rates. This alone will help you work out how to save and borrow more wisely. For example, you can start to compare the annual percentage rate (APR) on mortgages, credit cards and overdrafts to see if you're getting the best deal. More Trending You should also get into the habit of checking the price per unit on products in supermarkets (usually in tiny print on the label), which helps you compare pure value on products once you strip out differing quantities. For example, there could be two different quantities of milk on the shelf – a one litre carton or a discounted two litre carton. You can compare the unit prices to see if the core value of the two-litre carton is still higher even with the tempting discount. And try flexing your maths muscles in the day-to-day activities you enjoy, whether it's measuring ingredients for baking or mastering complex rhythms in music or dance. View More » Or, like me, calculating lengths in the pool. You never know, you might just like it. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: Average UK house price fell by £1,150 month-on-month in May MORE: I asked my partner to choose the porn I watched for a week MORE: Why I'm scared by a report about Britain's 'minority white' future Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
The National
10 hours ago
- The National
9 Apprentice Boys of Derry parades in Glasgow today
The main "Glasgow parade" with 500 participants, organised by Shettleston ABOD will be from West Regent Street, at 9am, travelling through Blythswood Square, and down West George Street, through Nelson Mandela Square, West George Street, passing George Square and continuing on George Street, before turning south down High Street, Saltmarket and into Glasgow Green at the McLennan Arch. Other, smaller, parades taking place include in Bridgeton, Drumchapel, Partick, Possilpark, Springburn, two more in the city centre and one in Glasgow Green in the afternoon. Bridgeton ABOD will be parading from 4pm from Glasgow Green on Arcadia Street, London Road, Bridgeton Cross, James Street, MacKeith Street, Main Street, to Tullis Street. Dalmarnock No Surrender ABOD will be marching from Silvergrove Street, London Road, Bridgeton Cross, Dalmarnock Road, Muslin Street, Main Street, Bridgeton Cross, London Road, back to Silvergrove Street. Laurieston ABOD will be parading from 5pm from Holland Street and then on West Regent Street, Pitt Street, West George Street, Renfield Street, Union Street, Jamaica Street, Glasgow Bridge, Bridge Street to Oxford Street. In Drumchapel, a parade will take place at 2.45pm from Dalsetter Drive, along Kinfauns Drive, Hecla Avenue, Achamore Road, Lillyburn Place, Moneymusk Place, Ladyloan Avenue to Lochgoin Avenue. READ MORE: This bird species is found only in Scotland – and may 'have a Scottish accent' In Partick at 3pm, there will be a march on Kelvinhaugh Street, Argyle Stret, Dumbarton Road, Rosevale Street to Beith Street. Possilpark ABOD will march from Windsor Terrace in North Woodside, on Maryhill Road, St George's Place, St George's Road, Possil Road, Saracen Street, Balmore Road to Sunnylaw Street. Springburn Campsie SBOD will parade from Balgraybank Street and along Broomfield Road, Broomknowes Road, Edgefauld Road, Wellfield Street, Atlas Road, Keppochhill Road to Millerbank Street.
The National
13 hours ago
- The National
This bird is found only in Scotland – and may 'have a Scottish accent'
However, there is a fascinating bird which can only be found in the Highlands, making it the UK and Scotland's only endemic avian creature. The fascinating animal, which is known as the Scottish crossbill, was confirmed as a unique species back in 2006 because of what some scientists have dubbed its "Scottish accent". How to identify a Scottish crossbill and what makes them so unique? According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Scottish crossbill can be "very difficult to distinguish from the other members of the crossbill," but has been described as a thick-set finch with a large head and bill. However, Forestry and Land Scotland notes that the main reason why this species is considered unique compared to other crossbills is its apparent "Scottish accent". While their "clear metallic jip jip jip calls" may sound nearly identical to that of other crossbill species, sonograms show that their call is "subtly different," like an accent. The Scottish Wildlife Trust adds that the bird is "intermediate in size" when compared to common and parrot crossbills, measuring roughly 16cm in length, with a wingspan of 29cm. Recommended Reading: How to catch a glimpse of the Scottish crossbill Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the endemic species are in luck as it is resident throughout the year and breeds in the early summer months, according to Wild Scotland. Found only in the Highlands, the best places to see these birds are in the mature Scots pine woods. Here, families can be seen feeding together at the tops of conifers from June onwards. Current estimates place the number of Scottish crossbills at around 20,000, with these birds laying between two and five eggs.
