The C.C.F

The second meeting, on 6th February, was an internal meeting at which two members of the Club spoke. Potts spoke about "Sheep", outlining a calendar of procedure for a sheep farmer. The second speaker was Adcock, who spoke on "Poultry". Both lectures were illustrated by use of the epidiascope.

At the third meeting, Mr. Kirby spoke on "Hill Sheep Farming", illustrating his lecture with ccloured slides. Mr. Kirby had taken most of the photographs himself and they provided a very striking accompaniment to his talk.

At the final meeting of the term, Mr. Sneesby, an 0.P., described to the Club life in an agricultural college and answered many questions on that subject, based on his experiences at Seale-Hayne College, Newton Abbot.

One visit was made during the term on 20th March to Messrs. Myers and Burnell at Dunnington. Here, members of the Club were shown many types of agricultural equipment as used in the Massey Harris-Ferguson system. W.I.M.

C.C.F. NOTES

The term's training was, of course, hampered from time to time by the weather, and it is surprising how much it was possible to do outside. For example, the Recruits were able to carry out an exercise on Strensall Common, organised by Sgt. Chilman, and the N.C.O. Cadre spent the last parade of the term in an exercise on the old golf course area.

Preparation for examinations has dominated training in most Sections; in the Signals Section, Corporals Beresford and Crowther are to be congratulated on gaining Instructors' Certificates.

Main Events

4TH FEBRUARY.

Visit by Squadron Leader B. H. Walker, D.F.C., of Headquarters No. 64 (N) Group.

18TH FEBRUARY.

March-past. Salute taken by Group Captain L. W. G. Gill, D.S.O., Officer Commanding, Royal Air Force, Linton-on-Ouse.

11TH MARCH.

Major D. D. Penfold, M.B.E., Officer Commanding, Depot Company, K.O.Y.L.I., was to have taken the salute at a march-past which had to be cancelled because of the weather.

18m MARCH.

Certificate "A", Part I, examination : 26 out of 35 passed.

25TH MARCH.

Certificate "A", Part II, examination; this was conducted for the first time by the K.O.Y.L.I. 15 out of 35 passed. 39

Annual Inspection

This will be on Tuesday, 24th June, and the Inspecting Officer will be Air Vice Marshal H. V. Satterly, C.B., C.B.E., D.F.C., the Air Officer Commanding, Headquarters No. 64 (N) Group, R.A.F.

Annual Camp

This will be at Castlemartin, near Pembroke, from 29th July to 6th August.

The Dronfield Trophy

The Head Master has kindly agreed to give his name to the new trophy for the Inter-House C.C.F. Competition.

VISIT TO B.A.O.R. Easter, 1958

The two of us who had volunteered had the good fortune to join Bridlington School C.C.F. to visit the 7th Royal Tank Regiment.

On Thursday, 10th April, we travelled to Harwich and from there on the "Empire Wansbeck" to the Hook of Holland. As senior N.C.O.s we were given 1st class accommodation amidships, but this did not prevent the R.N. section representative from being, with about 80% of the 750 cadets on the boat, violently seasick during the choppy crossing.

On arrival at the "Hook" we changed our English money into B.A.F.S.V.s and entrained for Germany. We arrived at Soltau, our detraining camp, after a nine-hour journey at 8 p.m. on the Friday night, and completed the journey in regiment "B" transport.

Our barracks at Hahne, easily the best we have ever seen, were originally built for Hitler's S.S. and Panzer divisions and were only about a kilometre from the notorious Belsen concentration camp.

On arrival we were split into three parties, one N.C.O. and six cadets going to each squadron. From this moment our activities differed considerably.

"A" Squadron (P.J.B.)

On Saturday morning we were kitted out and told that next week the whole Regiment were going out on a five-day scheme which we were attending as active members of tank or vehicle crews.

Saturday afternoon and Sunday were free and we visited Bergen, a large village a few miles from camp and, on Sunday afternoon, Belsen; that day being the 13th anniversary of its liberation there were crowds of German and Polish-Jew mourners. It was altogether a rather impressive and shocking sight with great tumuli containing hundreds and thousands of dead.

On Monday we went to our respective Centurion tanks and drove the 29 miles to the Soltau training area. Unfortunately, owing to a piece of grit in my eye I was sent to the hospital and missed from Monday p.m. until Wednesday.

Our Squadron Commander, Major Fare-Harvey, M.C. and bar, seemed adept at guessing the Colonel's intentions (he was acting as chief umpire) and we had to be continually held up by hastily-laid mine-fields. Eventually we caught up with "B" and after an exciting chase and mock battle were declared victorious.

Thursday was maintenance day and "A" Squadron's tanks were all in good condition; we were able to return and get rid of accumulations of dirt.

On Friday we didn't set out until 9 o'clock and this time we were seeking "C" Squadron. Acting as wireless operator I was able quite easily to pick up the most interesting tactical situations which evolved. One amusing situation occurred when one of the enemy's tanks was sitting astride one of the rides in the woods. As we had not been observed a dismounted attack was ordered. The attackers were told that they would be considered victorious if they "tapped" the tank's crew on the heads. Unfortunately they were unsuccessful as it retreated on their approach.

The day ended with the most exciting battle of the week; thunderflashes, flashing spotlights, verey lights, speeding tanks and scout cars combining to make a most satisfactory scheme's end.

"B" Squadron (D.J.C.)

On the Saturday morning we were given a short talk on the Tank Regiment and drew our kit for the exercise : mostly warm clothing. We then met our respective commanders for next week. I was introduced to Staff Sgt. Engmen in charge of the Squadron's Light Aid Detachment which includes a one-ton truck and an armoured recovery vehicle.

As Saturday afternoon and Sunday have already been dealt with I shall therefore proceed to Monday and the start of the scheme.

Well wrapped up, as befitted the hour, we took our places in the vehicle for the march to "B" Squadron base camp, some 30 miles away, and, having set up camp, I rejoined the one-tonner to lay a telephone wire to R.H.Q., three miles away.

On Tuesday at 11 a.m. the first exercise began, a tank battle : "B" and "C" Squadrons and R.H.Q. against "A".

That day we remained in reserve, only the A.R.V. being called out to a tank for a clutch job that was to keep it busy for the next 48 hours. The exercise ended the next day at 7 a.m.

I had little sleep in the one-tonner in bitter weather—an experience that was to be repeated almost every night that week. The next day, Wednesday, with "B" Squadron alone, the L.A.D. was on the move all day with minor repair jobs, based on S.H.Q. Since I was taking turn and turn about as wireless operator, I was at all times able to follow on a map the course of the battle which was often very interesting, as were some of the messages on the air.

On Thursday and until 9 a.m. on Friday, the L.A.D. was engaged on minor repair jobs and throughout the night we helped the A.R.V. to complete the clutch mending. By Friday morning every tank was in tip-top condition for the final exercise which began at 9 a.m. and lasted till 7 p.m.

In the meantime an attempt to get cadets into an Auster A.O.P. of the Army Air Corps was abandoned through lack of time. "C" Squadron was this time the enemy and though there were no major breakdowns, neither the one-tonner nor the A.R.V. were left idle, and with S.H.Q. were continually on the move.

The battle ended on a large plain in great style, for a regiment of tanks with attached vehicles are at any time an impressive sight. After a night march back to base camp we had a short sleep, struck camp and moved back to Hohne. * * *

Saturday afternoon was again free but most of us were too tired for sightseeing and spent the time eating and sleeping.

On Sunday, slightly recovered, the senior N.C.O.s were taken out to dinner by Flt./Lt. Charlton, the Bridlington C.C.F. C.O., and were convinced that German cuisine is easily as good as the French.

The following morning we were taken to F.M.R. for gunnery practice, using a .22 attachment to a tank.

In the afternoon we visited Celle, a beautiful town similar to York in many respects. Here we did our shopping and visited the castle, whose small but beautiful theatre is the oldest in Germany.

Our last morning was spent in returning kit and cleaning out our rooms.

We left with regret at 11-30 and entrained again at Soltau for the Hook.

The journey back was, luckily, calm, for which we were thankful and we disembarked at 6-30 on St. George's Day, in high spirits.

In conclusion I would like to express our great thanks to all those who helped to make our stay enjoyable, both officers and men, and also to Flt./Lt. Charlton and the Bridlington Contingent for so easily accepting us amongst them. P.J.B., D.J.C. 42

Visits to Royal Air Force, Linton-on-Ouse, have been made by six cadets, going in pairs on ordinary parade days. Four of them had substantial dual flying, and the other two, grounded by the weather, had link trainer experience.

Cadet Lord was accepted for a new type of R.A.F. camp in the Easter holidays. It was for long hill-walking exercises with map and compass, and general fieldcraft training at Bethesda, North Wales.

In the March Proficiency examination seven candidates out of nine passed.

Annual Camp

This will again be at Royal Air Force, Cranwell, from 29th July to 5th August.

BETHESDA HILL-WALKING CAMP Easter, 1958

Four courses were held at Easter, lasting a week each, for R.A.F. and A.T.C. cadets, to develop powers of leadership, initiative, and stamina. I attended between the 12th and 19th of April, the third course to be held. The courses at the moment are somewhat in the nature of an experiment, which looks like being very successful. The idea was originated by the local A.T.C. commander, F/O. Davies, for cadets from North Wales, but now it has become nation-wide. There are twelve cadets there at a time and in the week I was there they came from such places as Bournemouth, Bristol, Ripon, Dartford, and Walsall.

The course headquarters are in a but by the River Ogwen at Bethesda and in charge are two regular officers, F /O. Dolman and F/O. Mann, the latter being a rock-climbing expert. Most days are spent walking in the hills to pre-arranged objectives such as wrecked aircraft, which lie in abundance all over the Welsh hills.

We walked about nine to twelve miles a day, dividing up into two flights of six each, one cadet being in charge for one day. We travelled light, the only rations taken with us being chocolate and corned beef. Steering was done by compass and by map-work. The Wednesday was perhaps the most interesting day. The morning was spent building a wooden bridge across the River Ogwen. We had a quick lunch and just as we had started rock-climbing training, a crowd of newspaper reporters arrived and several faked-up photographs were taken. After three hours rock-climbing, we then took down the bridge. This was the most interesting part of the afternoon, as three people were left on the other side of the river. They were

meant to cross dry-shod on a scout-transporter, but unfortunately someone let go of a rope. When they had swum back, they seemed annoyed. Then in the evening we had a night exercise, a four-mile walk, during which we walked up a slate slag-heap and through a bog.

Cooking was done by the cadets, but for the first day or two the officers cooked their own meals, to be on the safe side. In the evenings we were free to wander round Bethesda or crowd round the juke box at a local establishment called "Eddie's".

We had several visits, both official and unofficial. On Monday, S.A.S.O. Home Command, A.V.M. Gilmore, came on an informal visit just as we had come back from a stiff walk. He was given tea from a pint mug heavily doped with condensed milk to emphasise the fact that we had no cups or fresh milk. Other visits were by W/Cmdr. Price, from R.A.F., Valley, who supplied our rations, a Flt/Lt. from 64 Group at Rufforth, and several officers from the Army Outward Bound School.

These courses are still in the embryo stage and several improvements are planned, if these courses are to become a permanent feature. At the moment there is no fresh milk supplied, which seemed unnecessary as it is only two minutes to the nearest dairy, and there are no baths or showers. At the moment the only place for a bath is the river in the middle of Bethesda; this makes washing embarrassing. The scope of the course is still rather limited, owing to stringent regulations concerning safety, though an escape and evasion exercise is planned. But the whole thing was undoubtedly a success, efficiently run by two enthusiastic regulars and it is to be recommended to any R.A.F. cadet who has a chance to go.

J.M.L.

R.N. SECTION

At the beginning of the term the R.N. Basic Squad joined the R.N. Section, making the total strength 42. The term's training programme was partly determined by the weather, which considerably reduced the possibility of outside activities. Accordingly much of the training had to be carried out in the seamanship room and classrooms, though it was later possible to engage in power-of-command training on the parade ground.

The examination results were fairly satisfactory, five cadets passing for P.O., and ten for Leading Seaman; the whole Basic Squad had already passed the A.B. Examination.

With the closing down of "H.M.S. Ceres" and the Humber Division R.N.V.R., the administration of the School R.N. Section has been transferred to the Tyne Division R.N.V.R., whose Headquarters are "H.M.S. Calliope", Newcastle-on-Tyne.

44