Experiences of a Catchers team on Operation Moonlight (Trial by Mud, Water, Wind and devilishly crafty Moonlighters.)
This was my first attempt at catching, however Alan Ashurst an experienced “Moonlighter” who was team leader showed me the ropes. The first funny incident which unfortunately we don’t have a photograph of was the advertisement on the lead bus taking the moonlighters to Winstanley college, being a Budweiser advert entitled “I only chase men who can’t run”. Very apt I thought, the news of the bus travelled quick with Ash Green and Cheesy looking for a camera.
On the way to our first catching area we decided to answer a call of nature at a pub in Upholland. Unfortunately I got stuck in the loo for about 10/15 minutes, and although I had a two way radio with me, none of the other team members had them switched on, so off I go with my foot against the wall pulling and heaving at the door, would it move? I think not. Then an idea struck me “use the mobile phone” I tried to ring Alan Ashurst on his mobile and guess what? This was a Grade II listed building with stone walls 2.5 feet thick no signal !, great I thought what a way to start the day.
Then I remembered the Scout Motto “Be prepared”, “Be Prepared for this I thought! How do you prepare for getting stuck in the loo ?” Out comes the trusty pocket knife to use as a lever, eventually after some struggling the door eases open, dare I tell anyone ?. You can guess what the first question was when I got to the bar, anyway the truth is now out !.
After scouring the countryside during daylight hours and only catching 4 teams, we commenced onto Scarisbrick and Burscough after dark. Whilst passing through Burscough industrial estate ( apparently a renowned haunt for moonlighters ) we noticed two heads pop up against the street-lights in the distance … about 1/4 mile across a field next to a hedgerow. The next minute the two heads turned into three then four then a larger figure ( Ken Cunliffe 1st Ormskirk ).
Alan slammed the brakes on, and Mike (who’s driving the car behind us) nearly runs in the back! We dive out the car and split into two teams – Helen and Myself going one direction around the field; and Alan and Mike around the other side, us both keeping in touch by radio. At the site of us four lunatics hurtling across the field, the Team turn and run like a bat out of hell and for small scouts they certainly can run! Mike and Alan head back for the cars to cut them off via the A59, but the team must have seen Alan and Mike head for the cars as they change direction and head for a minor road.
Helen ( the 5″1 bar maid) heads east across the field on a footpath to cut them off and I head west, but what do they do ? They shot across the road (This is now some distance of now about a mile and a half into the chase) and shoot through a barn. I eventually get to the road covered in mud and what I think was ‘organic fertalizer’, Helen is running up and down the road by the time I get there, jumping ditches on the way, trying to find them again. And then, all of a sudden Helen’s off again she’s spotted them coming out of the back of a barn. I radio to her to keep going and I run down the road into a small wood to cut them off, at this point they hadn’t seen me so I keep low.
When I get to other side of the wood, Helens frantically chasing scouts and Ken round and round in circles … I couldn’t believe it! Then she goes for it and makes a dive for Ken, grabs him by the ruck sack, and swings him around. “Well who would have thought that” I thought. Helen runs over to me covered in mud shouting “this is fantastic! Can we get another lot?”. That’s Moonlight !
I must hand it to 1st Ormskirk, they were the toughest team out of the seven we caught. And for distance running across country and navigating on the move they were amazing! Well done Ken and his team.
When back at Scarisbrick about 19:30 – 20:00 we decided to scour the woods around the Hall. We went through fields, bushes, the lot – and only caught a total of seven teams one of which was the 55th B up a tree with the rucksacks hanging like Christmas decorations from the branches.
The minute Mike B, Cheesy and Ash set off the first rocket, dozens of teams appeared from where we had just come from. I must ask some of them where the Hell were you? We went through those woods with a fine tooth comb, but the highlight was the look on the teams faces and the sounds of jubilation that they had completed the course coming over the front lawn of the Hall.
Dave Marsh
Ormskirk Crew
70 Catching Teams, 50 Running Teams, 10 lives, 9hours, 1 winner, OPERATION MOONLIGHT 2002.
“Operation Moonlight is an annual event involving competition against runners and catchers. It is a 9 hour game of manhunt with the running team given 10 lives and has the task of getting from A to B with out losing a life. Runners may travel a distance of between 10 and 26 miles and Catchers may travel a distance of 20 and 100+ miles (Using Cars of course).
In my opinion there are 2 types of catcher. There are those that succumb to the little sad faces of the scouts getting caught and not taking the life. And there are those who catch any thing that walks (And I mean anything!) and wouldn’t even blink when they take the life. I am one of the later catchers who are very competitive and after that catcher’s prize.
The Day started with the briefing at Scarisbrick Hall where Mike Bellinghall gave most of the Catchers the incentive to catch with the promise of a pint if the ‘The Newburgh Old Boys’ where caught.
The Day started at speed with Andy Wroe and Chris Lomas driving and Ricko and myself (Team C.A.R.L.) chasing the teams. For myself the day started fast with a first life taken from the Rufford Guides just over the beacon. With adrenaline high Andy and I made our way up on top of the Beacon where only 1 or 2 more lives where taken by Andy after we got out for a walk. Ricko and Chris where over by Apply Bridge at this point taking some more first lives.
Through out the day Andy and myself took lives slowly but surely. Andy had a very good technique of catching because of the ability to catch teams with out even getting out of the car. One of Andy’s highlights of the day was catching Ken Cunliffe over by the Plough. I was in the middle of catching a team when I saw Kens team that was walking towards Westhead. I shouted to Andy who had not seen them because he was breaking into another sandwich.
Around 5pm came the catch of the day (even if I do say so myself). It was probably my best catch ever. We made our way towards Rufford station from Mawdsley when we saw Sue Gregg and co. stop on a track. Andy and I saw a chance to poach the team they where chasing. Andy sent me off in pursuit of this team, which I caught in the middle of a field. As I took this life I saw another team about 2 fields away. Off in pursuit of this team I went again. Meanwhile Andy was distracting Sue Gregg by chatting her up!! I chased this team for about 3 miles across fields and caught them about 2/3 s to Croston along the railway track. It turned out to be The Newburgh Old Boys. For Old boys they sure are fit. I was soon on the phone to Mike Bellingall who was eager to find out where they where.
After that I only caught 1 more team before the final rocket went off. Every year it is amazing how teams seems to appear out of the ground at the finish when you have been looking there for the last hour. Team C.A.R.L. came second in the Catchers prize to the 45th Catching Team, The Teletubbies. Congratulations to them. They beat us by 3 points where as between 2nd and 3rd the where 60+ points.
The Day was as fantastic as ever and I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped organise and run the day … just to let you know I’ll be back next year!!”
