Combined Cadet Force

CCF – Combined

A celebration of the myriad of activities undertaken by the Combined Cadet Force dispite the unusual circumstances of Covid-19.

by SQN LDR SMALE

he Combined Cadet Force

Thave managed to achieve a lot in the last year. The new Middle Fifth recruits approached their training in the autumn term with positivity and enthusiasm. The training, which would normally be delivered by the Upper Sixth NCOs, had to take place in year group bubbles, planned by the pupils but delivered by staff members. The Middle Fifth responded well and kept high standard throughout their training in drill, first aid, leadership, communications, military knowledge and navigation. The staff have been impressed by the standard of the recruits. Each year there is an award for the top recruit and this year the award went to George Pereni, who showed exceptional enthusiasm and interest at every step of the training.

The Upper Fifth cadets in all three sections have managed to complete a certificated first aid qualification across a six-hour course. They have also had climbing sessions, leadership, shooting, swimming and tai chi. The RAF section have completed their senior cadet course, many achieving distinction level passes. The navy and army sections have also both been completing syllabus training; it was the navy Upper Fifth who launched the return of offsite activities this year with their DofE bronze expedition in October.

The Lower Sixth in all three sections have been completing the leadership courses and building their skills in order to take on the training of the recruits and step up to being the senior cadets in autumn 2021.

This year was challenging and somewhat disappointing for the senior cadets who, having trained and prepared, were unable to complete their CCF journey in the manner they

Upper Sixth Former Stan Hart was awarded the Jack Sadler Award.

expected. They did however receive a fully revised programme of activities which saw them delivering training to each other. They also had some less formal sessions including orienteering and “CCF does Taskmaster”!

A formal parade was held for our departing NCOs, including awards for our most outstanding cadets.

NAVY SECTION: WO James Waddington and CPO Oscar Cobb

ARMY SECTION: SSgt Stan Hart, Sgt Lilymay Girvin, Sgt Tom Kilmartin and Sgt Sam Moudiotis

RAF SECTION: FSgt Oliver Irons, Sgt Lily Howe, Sgt Finlay Scott and Cpl Luca Riezzo

All of them had shown commitment and dedication to the CCF above and beyond the expectation.

The Jack Sadler award is given to the most outstanding cadet in the CCF each year and this year it was awarded to Stan Hart.

This year also saw significant staff changes with Lt Morley departing in January; we welcomed Lt Reeves as the new Navy Section Commander. We also said farewell to 2Lt Whittall in January and welcomed Lt O’Connor to take her place in the Army section. PO Tamblyn also joined the RAF section in the autumn term. At the end of the year we also said goodbye to our longest serving non-uniformed member of staff, Mr Lowles, and the exceptionally dedicated Lt James, both of whom will be dearly missed in CCF. We look forward to welcoming Mrs Wilson and Lt Collard in their place.

The Tri-Service Competition went ahead this year with activities in year group bubbles. The three sections competed against each other in a range of light-hearted activities. There was a quiz, a construction challenge, a team physical challenge, dodgeball, drainball and bucketball. It was very close but the winners this year were the RAF section.

A flight simulator has been installed this year. Two of the Upper Sixth Formers in the RAF section, Luc Barrett and Luca Riezzo, have led on the project, working with Sqn Ldr Smale, Fg Off Rose, Mr Saunders of the DT department and Mr Lapenna and Mr Sprake in IT support. They have installed the software and hardware, configured the controls and designed and built the frame to resemble the cockpit of a Grob Tutor, the aircraft flown at air experience flights. It is hoped that the ground training and simulated flying programme will help the cadets learn more about the workings of the aircraft and the principles of flight so that they can achieve more when they go on flying trips.

As lockdown eased, more trips were able to go ahead. A group of Lower Sixth cadets went gliding at Upavon airfield. This is the first gliding trip which has gone ahead for many years as the gliders were grounded following an incident in 2014 and cadet gliding has only been very slowly making a comeback in recent years.

Two activities weeks went ahead in the summer holidays in place of summer camps this year. The CCF activities week took place at the same time and both programmes culminated in a combined activity on Woodbury Common, including field craft and team challenges. The other activities through the busy weeks included shooting, swimming, sports, navy field gun, coasteering, beach, watersports, climbing, indoor caving, STEM activity, leadership, RAF outreach team, clay pigeon shooting and archery.

Many thanks to all of the CCF staff who have shown exceptional commitment this year and putting in more work than usual in planning and delivering so much for our cadets in such challenging times.