CCF

Open to: Years 9 -13
Term(s): All
Contact: J B Ashcroft

The School contingent dates back to 1896 and currently consists of 450 cadets from the three services, The Royal Navy, The Army and The Royal Air Force. 'The function of the CCF is to provide a disciplined organisation in a school, so that pupils may develop the powers of leadership, by means of training, to promote the qualities of responsibility, self-reliance, endurance and perseverance. The self-confidence and self-discipline required in service life are equally vital in the civil life of the nation today.' (Combined Cadet Force Manual, MOD 1994).

To achieve this aim the MOD provides finance, transport, camps, highly qualified training teams from the regular services and support for adventure training and courses. The opportunities within the CCF are endless.

One thing is certain, they will have the chance to try new activities and have lots of fun - have a look what they got up to at Army Camp 2005.

Action and adventure at half-term camp

Captain Treharne put together a packed three day camp for the half term break. The camp included Adventurous Training in North Yorkshire and an exciting exercise at Warcop Camp in Cumbria. This is his account of the trip:

Day One - Caving in North Yorkshire We left school at 09.00 and travelled to Ingleton in North Yorkshire where we were met by Mick Lloyd, a former member of 40 Cadet Training Team who recently retired from the Army. After changing into caving gear we travelled to Selside to the north-east of Ingleborough, a journey which took us past the spectacular view of the Ribble Head Viaduct. Walking a few hundred metres up the hillside in our Wellingtons, we passed Alum Pot and arrived at Long Churn Cave.

Day Two - Rock climbing in North Yorkshire Travelling this time to the north-west of Ingleborough we parked up at a farm below the spectacular Twisleton Scars. On a day without a cloud in the sky these rock faces were a great location for a day of rock-climbing in late October. Mick set up several climbs during the course of the day which gave everyone some challenges, the group included complete beginners and some who regularly used the school’s climbing wall.

At 15.00 we left the rocks, returned to the bunk house and changed into our Army uniforms. An hour’s drive through the Yorkshire Dales and into Cumbria took us to Warcop Training Camp. We were given an evening meal and went onto the training area where we set up camouflaged positions for the next morning.

Senior ACF cadets carried out reconnaissance on us during the evening in preparation for attacking us at dawn! We prepared our weapons and filled our magazines before getting a few hours sleep in a barn on the training area.

Day Three - Dawn Attack VI

Up at 05.45 we put on plenty of warm clothing, grabbed our weapons and ammunition and drove out to the positions we had prepared the night before. Our role in these exercises is to provide enemy forces for Army Cadet Force personnel as they are given a thorough assessment of their training. Trip flares and other pyrotechnics were prepared by the instructors and we were ready.

Shortly before 07.00 a flare went up and the first position was under attack. After a brief fire-fight with masses of smoke and flares the position was taken. As the ACF cadets were in the middle of their ‘re-org’ our second position opened fire and another fire-fight ensued. Based on their reconnaissance from the previous night the ACF cadets were under the impression the exercise was over, all the enemy they had seen were accounted for. However, there were still two more Arnold cadets in reserve who were able to carry on the battle for a while longer.

While the ACF cadets were being debriefed on their performance the instructors provided the enemy for the Arnold cadets to attack and yet another battle took place!

After the traditional stop at Tebay services for a massive fried breakfast we returned to school. Dawn Attack VII anyone?

Pictures

Warcop 2006

As usual Annual Camp for the contingent was a great success. Held at Warcop Training Camp in Cumbria it was a week of training and fun not to be forgotten. The weather was very hot at times making training difficult, but it stayed dry which is always a bonus in that part of the country.
Watermanship, comms, battle first aid, section battle drills, leadership tasks, adventurous training, sport….the list is endless and needless to say the cadets all had a good time, and were very tired by the end of the week!
The highlights for our cadets had to be winning the Leadership Trophy which is always regarded as the hardest one to win, and our cross-country team coming in second, with Yr9 Cadet Sophie Oliver being the first female runner home.
All together a great week, not to missed!

The Cadet RSM is seen with CO and the Leadership Trophy. Raft Building

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