C.C.F. Notes

We first have to record with regret that Lieutenant Mair has found it necessary to leave the Contingent. Everyone in the School will be well aware of Mr. Mair's many commitments, particularly in the boating terms, and we are most grateful for the time he has given to C.C.F. activities during the past seven years.

Lieutenant P. G. Croft has joined the Contingent, and is at present fully occupied as the Adjutant.

Apart from these changes, the main characteristic of the term has been the ease with which a new year's activity settled down. Under our completely voluntary system we naturally have doubts about recruiting each year, and about the maintenance of a Band in particular; but so far we find the system working well, with more opportunities for younger cadets to get promotion as senior ones "retire" after three years. It might be as well to erpphasise again that a Proficiency Test Certificate must be gained as the first essential for promotion, or to remain in the Contingent longer than three years, and that to gain Proficiency it is necessary to attend at least one annual camp or Arduous Training course.

An unfortunate accident in which a contractor's roller caught a stay of the mast and caused its complete destruction has left us without a mast for a whole term. It seems that it will be some time before there will be a replacement and the return of the colour parades.

The list for annual camp at Cultybraggan, Perthshire, is now filled up, and it is pleasing to fmd that a high proportion of each Service Section will be attending camps, some with Arduous Training as an alternative or as an addition.

R.N. SECTION

Last term the following promotions were made: L/Sea. J. N. Yellowley to Petty Officer i/c. A.B. D. J. Barker to L/Sea. 2 i/c. L/Sea. D. J. McKenzie was appointed Section Writer. A.B. R. J. Mawer to L/Sea. i/c Stores.

The Naval member of the Joint Cadet Executive, Commander J. F. House, R.N., paid us a visit at the beginning of term. The purpose of his visit was to see how the section was run, and to see the remains of the mast which had unfortunately lost an argument with a steam-roller during the holidays.

The whaler was used several times at the beginning of term, and everyone received instruction from Chief P.O. Scribbins on handling and pulling it. This boat has since been forced into retirement and will probably be used for instructional purposes up at School.

Three cadets, P.O. Yellowley and A.B.s Talbot-Jones, Fairhurst, Harrison, took part in a two-day cruise starting on 6th November on board H.M.S. "Northumbria", a coastal minesweeper of the Royal Naval Reserve, based at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It was too foggy to go out to sea on Saturday, but the ship made her way down river to Tynemouth, where she was moored for the night by the cadets. By Sunday the fog had lifted, but the sea was rather rough, and so there was little paint in remaining at sea for any length of time. Lanchester sub-machine guns and .303 rifles 22