Combined Cadet Force Report

COMBINED CADET FORCE

Operating CCF two days a week with the Fourth Form cadets having their own session on Tuesdays significantly changed the flavour of our CCF offered to cadets this year. The model came with both challenges and opportunities.

Operating in year group bubbles the Fifth Form, Lower Sixth, and Upper Sixth, without their normal instructional duties, were treated to an effective bespoke training programme on Wednesday afternoons brilliantly prepared by section officers. A gripping competitive element was introduced to a really concentrated training programme that included training in built up areas and multiple field craft exercises, along with work on orders and estimation which we were able to introduce to the programme for the first time.

The Royal Marine/Advanced Infantry “taster” event was a highlight of the Wednesday afternoon programme and Drumhead Remembrance Services held for all year groups “in the field” were even more poignant than usual. Training truly became “combined” with members of all four sections regularly working together in a variety of activities with planners never quite knowing what was around the next corner.

On Tuesdays the Fourth Form followed programmes “inspired” by individual cadet syllabuses under the supervision of adult volunteers without the support of senior cadets. Cadet activities included radio procedure and communications, ship recognition, navigation, orienteering, glider construction, low and high ropes, first aid and flight simulator work. The opportunity for senior cadets to instruct their juniors is an essential component of CCF with adults unfortunately this year having to step increasingly into that role.

A cadet instructional techniques course did however form part of the Wednesday offer for senior cadets. The CCF adult team worked miracles on both days given the team was never available in its entirety with an academic programme also running on CCF afternoons. One has to feel some sympathy for our team of senior cadets who would usually work with the Fourth Form and as a result develop themselves in their roles. The Fourth Form also missed the opportunity of being instructed by their peers and sadly our equestrian offering this year was indeed a casualty of external COVID protocols.

The Drum Corps also had its challenges in its first year without Mr Ray Smith. It did however manage to rehearse online and outcomes were impressive if not displayed as fully on the wider stage.

A system of virtual training was put in place encouraging cadets to undertake a range of activities online, ranging from learning to tie knots and develop observation skills to completing virtual problem solving exercises.

The Dukes’ Trophy had its second virtual outing with the RM and RAF sections sharing the honours – origami tanks went down well! The House Drill Competition inspired Fourth Formers. Even without senior cadets to lead the standard of drill in the year group soared and with only a week to practice outcomes were impressive and The Picton victorious. Swan Lake saw socially distanced paddle boarding, kayaking, raft building and armoury field and the surrounding area saw all the elements of camp craft such as basha building and cookery in the field – including toasted marshmallows! Our cadets worked their way through an ever increasing offering of command and leadership tasks getting wet and muddy. The emphasis on keeping cadets outdoors in the fresh air meant that cadets in all sections were exposed to more expansive and wide-ranging training activities often covering syllabus content that would normally be delivered indoors.

The imagination of adult volunteers in reworking the ordinary into the extraordinary was unbelievable. Necessity certainly became the mother of invention and we were jolly lucky with the weather! Blank firing contact/ambush drills, air-rifle, laser quest and static target paintball serials all added variety to training and at the time of writing a two-day exercise is planned for Fourth Formers to mark the end of the year. This will replace the traditional camp and will include many of the aforementioned activities that the fourth year have yet to experience and some extra ones such as an acquaint with historical weapons, archery and arrow tag. The year to end for the fourth year with a CCF barbecue following an on-site overnight fieldcraft exercise for interested cadets.

Cadet shooting was also possible with 20 cadets attending a successful Easter Camp with several up for selection to The Athelings and cadet team to the Channel Islands. Wellington cadets also made the finals in the British Schools’ Senior and Junior smallbore championships and represented England Schools. At this time there are 15 entries for the forthcoming prestigious Imperial meeting.

Ian Frayne CCF Contingent Commander and Teacher of Physics July 2021