Land and Sea with the CCF

At sea and on land, PGS CCF cadets have been experiencing a little of what it is like to serve in their respective armed forces over the last few weeks. 

First out were the Royal Navy cadets were able to spend an amazing weekend at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. 

They stayed in the college and had the pleasure of being victualled in the grandeur of the Senior Gun Room.  Their activities included: High Ropes and Low Ropes; a session in the Bridge Trainers; a visit to HMS Cattistock as she was also visiting Dartmouth; as well as bouldering and Tag Archery. 

They were also taught some of the history and tradition of the college, and even saw where senior members of the Royal Family had signed their names on the ceiling of the wardroom and were left with the puzzle of how they had reached that high! 

Huge thanks go to the Royal Navy for facilitating such a fantastic time. 

Last weekend, 24 PGS army cadets attended the March Camp at Hankley Common. The aim of the camp was to prove the cadet’s tactical fieldcraft within an Exercise scenario. Blessed with blue skies, the cadets were broken down into three sections and were sent out on recce patrols. They practiced their tactical ‘Harbour’ routines (setting up camp) before receiving orders to attack a suspected enemy position. The enemy were the Year 13s who enjoyed firing a lot of blank rounds at the approaching PGS forces, with some very dramatic ‘Hollywood’ death scenes. 

After the victory of the PGS forces, they embarked upon a recce patrol through dusk into darkness, practicing their stealth movement over ground and night navigation skills. After a very early wake-up call courtesy of Sandhurst Officer Cadets attacking a nearby location with a lot of ammunition, the PGS forces undertook loud and silent ambush rehearsals, before a tactical move into an ambush site. With Mr Wickes and Mr Murray spectating, the cadets successfully accomplished two ambushes upon the unsuspecting Year 13 enemy, who again showed some Oscar winning performances. 

The camp concluded with 1,500 spent blank rounds, tired, but smiling cadets and a lot of photographs of their efforts in the field. For the Year 13s, we hope they carry these happy memories with them of their last CCF PGS camp. My thanks to Mr Sheldrick, Mr Kedward, Mrs Eastburn and Mr Lancey for conducting such an excellent weekend.