Warcop proves a winner

The Annual CCF Camp at Warcop proved to be a big hit with all those who attended. With a large party away on the rugby tour to South America there were far fewer senior cadets and many more Year 9 and 10 cadets attending.

The week started with what is regarded as the hardest test of intelligence and determination, the Leadership Tasks. True to form there were a lot of happy faces at the end of the morning before they made their way over to the other side of the training area for the Watermanship stand run by the Engineers. It is fair to say that the girls were not quite as good as the boys when it came to lashing a raft together and they were struggling to stay afloat at times! Day 2 was Range Day and the cadets were instructed in defence drills as well as playing on the biggest computer game imaginable in the form of the SAT Range.

The forecasters were telling us that we were going to get wet but Tuesday dawned bright and sunny, unlike some of the cadets who were finding the long days and 6.00am starts hard to bear. The First Aid stand was quite remarkable with the cadets having to treat the ‘victims’ of a road traffic accident. The make-up used and the performances of the injured made it an extremely realistic event which many of the cadets felt was the highlight of the camp. The afternoon was taken up with a variety of signals exercises using different means of communication, from radio to semaphore.

Adventurous Training is one of the highlights of any camp and the cadets had a good day either kayaking or climbing near to Derwent Water.

Warcop Wanderer is an all day exercise which is designed to test the organisational and leadership skills of every cadet. Physically and mentally demanding, the cadets gave their all, much to the delight of the directing staff that were fulsome in their praise of a job well done.

The last day of training means it is traditionally time for the March and Shoot competition, consisting of a three mile hill march followed by the assault course, and then four of the team to shoot. Any one part in isolation is hard enough, but all three is just staggering. I just wish the parents of these young cadets could have seen what they achieved. Determination and the desire to not let the team down was etched on every face.

And so to the final parade and the prizes, presented for the best school at Leadership, First Aid and the March and Shoot. With sixteen schools on camp, some with up to seventy cadets, the competition was going to be tough. However, class will tell, and we won the Leadership award and took third place in First Aid. An incredible result considering the age profile of our cadets. An excellent end to an excellent week only marred by the absence of Mr Beck who is recovering from illness. We wish him well; he would have been very proud!
Pictures

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Date: Wednesday 18/07/2007