Page 171 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

We successfully completed the weekend, much fun”, said one triumphant but exhausted
Somerset Cadets in Wales
collecting a certi cate in the process. By 2017 the popularity of the event had grown to such a proportion that only one team from each Brigade area was to be allowed to compete and we missed the cut.
For the Ri es National Cadet Cup Compe- tition Somerset entered a strong team, once again trained by Salamanca Company, intent on defending our position as the National Campions, only missing retaining that title by a whisker when the team fell down on their recognition of Ri es bugle calls - a bitter pill to swallow, but one that will certainly be recti ed this year with a skills injection from the Silver Bugles Band.
With the majority of the senior cadets involved in previous Cosford and the Nijmegen Marches leaving Army Cadets after they reached 18, it was going to be tough to emulate our previous successes. Pride, hard work, determination and sheer bloody mindedness are powerful elements when the events involve many hours of footslogging along country roads, but con icting events eventually meant that only one team entered the RAFWARMA Cosford Two Day Marches, trekking around the Shropshire countryside in glorious weather to nish success- fully. At the time of writing the Nijmegen Four Day Marches are taking place, where Somerset have entered a composite team with the Somerset & Devon Wing of the Air Training Corps before planning a full onslaught in 2018.
Entrants into the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme have risen massively this year, elevating Somerset rapidly up the national standings. Kayaking and climbing have become very popular, with regular kayaking training also taking place as well as climbing, initially on Dartmoor. Cadets spent over a year training hard to compete in the recent Exercise Caledonian Challenge, an eight day, self-supporting, wild camping canoe trip from Inverness, down the Great Glen to Fort William. Fighting terrible unseasonable condi- tions and constant rain the cadets shrugged off the discomfort and discovered a great deal about themselves and their ability to attain what they previously thought to be unattainable. “I had such a great time this past week! It was such an amazing experience. Thanks too to all the adults who organised it and the cadets who made it so
cadet. Every year interest in some activities wanes but immediately another takes its place, energising and testing youngsters in ways they never imagined. Athletics and track events have seen Somerset cadets compete for the highest honours whilst rugby, football and hockey have all thrown up new young stars.
2017 has also seen the re-opening of Yeovil Platoon, run by SSI Louise Wellman, after a complete rebuild of their unit. The location is now shared with 675 (Ri es) Squadron, 6 Regiment Army Air Corps. In addition the Doniford Platoon, run by SSI Nathan Croker, has re-opened after a period of hibernation and the Bishops Hull Platoon Taunton has grown from 8 to 55 cadets in only a year under the leadership of SSI Andy Cload. We hope the growth will continue across the county. Meanwhile in late 2017 we anticipate opening our rst Army Air Corps’ badged platoon around Wincanton, widening the range of opportunities and support from Regular and Army Reserve units.
On the social side the county enjoyed a ‘ rst’; a combined Of cers’, Warrant Of cers’ and Serjeants’ Mess Dinner in the newly built Warrant Of cers’, Senior Rates’ & Sergeants’ Mess at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, organised by the indomitable PMC SSI Andy Cload.
Overall it has been an eventful and successful year for Somerset.
“I HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME THIS PAST WEEK! IT WAS SUCH AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE”
THE RIFLES
CADET FORCES 169
Cadet Team from Somerset Cadet Bn (The Ri es) ACF