Falklands War veteran from Kenilworth marches to raise £3,500 for army charity

John Aitken, 75, completed the 22-mile ‘bronze’ route of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Cateran Yomp in ten and a half hours over the weekend.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Jun 2023, 18:13 BST
Updated 5th Jun 2023, 18:14 BST
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A Falklands War veteran from Kenilworth has rolled back the years to complete a gruelling march to support an army charity.

John Aitken, 75, completed the 22-mile ‘bronze’ route of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Cateran Yomp in ten and a half hours with his sons Nick, currently a serving officer, from Bristol and Ben from Sutton Coldfield. over the weekend.

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John, a survivor of the Sir Galahad bombing in 1982, spent 24 years in the dental corps as a dentist.

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John Aitken at the ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Cateran Yomp. Picture by Ed Smith.John Aitken at the ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Cateran Yomp. Picture by Ed Smith.
John Aitken at the ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Cateran Yomp. Picture by Ed Smith.

Having supported the charity since 2018, he has now raised more than £3,500 through the Cateran Yomp and other events.

He said: “It was a daunting prospect and difficult to train for, but I took part in the charity’s Frontline Walk twice before, so doing the Yomp was the next step.

"ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is such a worthwhile cause.

"Many soldiers and veterans need support, and it’s up to those who can help to do so. It was a tough walk on a very hot day but a tremendous experience to take part with Nick and Ben.”

Over 1,200 soldiers and civilians from across the globe came together to support ABF The Soldiers' Charity this weekend. Raising £300,000, soldiers, veterans and civilians, aged 16 to 76, travelled from as far as the US, Lebanon, New Zealand, Ukraine, Italy and Germany to walk side by side on the Cateran Yomp, a 24-hour trek across the beautiful hills and glens of the historic Cateran Trail in Perthshire. Photo by Graham Niven.Over 1,200 soldiers and civilians from across the globe came together to support ABF The Soldiers' Charity this weekend. Raising £300,000, soldiers, veterans and civilians, aged 16 to 76, travelled from as far as the US, Lebanon, New Zealand, Ukraine, Italy and Germany to walk side by side on the Cateran Yomp, a 24-hour trek across the beautiful hills and glens of the historic Cateran Trail in Perthshire. Photo by Graham Niven.
Over 1,200 soldiers and civilians from across the globe came together to support ABF The Soldiers' Charity this weekend. Raising £300,000, soldiers, veterans and civilians, aged 16 to 76, travelled from as far as the US, Lebanon, New Zealand, Ukraine, Italy and Germany to walk side by side on the Cateran Yomp, a 24-hour trek across the beautiful hills and glens of the historic Cateran Trail in Perthshire. Photo by Graham Niven.
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Starting in Perthshire at 6am on Saturday and ending in the early hours of Sunday morning, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Cateran Yomp challenged teams to walk 22, 36 or 54 miles in less than 24 hours.

More than 1,200 participants of varying ages and from all over the world enjoyed favourable weather on the 54-mile route around the foothills of the Cairngorms, with the distraction of live music, magically lit forests and fireworks.

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