Page 96 - RSDG Year of 2022 CREST

104 EAGLE AND CARBINE Black Watch Battalion
Army Cadet Force
Colonel Alasdair Halford-Macleod
This is the first time that I, as Commandant of the Black Watch Battalion ACF, am writing for the Army cadets in Perthshire and Fife. I have taken over command during a period of intense tempo as the Black Watch Battalion ACF, whose Kinross Detachment is SCOTS DG cap badged, works hard to re-energise the cadet habit amongst our cadets and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs).
The focus of the Battalion has been to deliver the Cadet Experience to the young people who turn up numerous times a month to take part in Cadet activities. This will be our main effort for the foreseeable future as well. As I have told cadets and CFAVs alike, ‘the only oxygen we breathe is the Cadet Experience’. The Black Watch Battalion ACF is committed to running fun activities that make sure our cadets want to turn up and are ‘inspired to achieve’ and as a result our hard working CFAVs enjoy and feel inspired by the activities they have organised for our cadets. The main event for the Battalion was the Annual Camp ’22 at Garelochhead where 211 cadets attended, supported by 48 CFAVs in early July. Week 1 focussed on the 2 to 4 Star cadets and Week 2 focussed on 1 Star training with lots of fieldcraft, shooting, signals and Adventure Training in and around the Garelochhead area. Throughout, the weather was kind and midges were compassionate as the cadets and their CFAVs spent most of the time running around the West of Scotland.
Despite the amount of cam cream used and rations consumed, the cadets became a very keen fighting force that even the most challenging of enemies would find frightening. Thanks to the hard work of the QM the large quantity of blank ammunition expended was probably the main motivator. There were broad smiles everywhere after every contact and stayed there even during weapon cleaning!
The Battalion hosted a small contingent of Polish cadets who were thrown into our activities straight
The Black Watch Battalion and Polish Cadets at Faslane Commonwealth War Graves
The Commandant, Colonel Alasdair Halford- MacLeod briefs the cadets on exercise
away teaching the 1 Star cadets fieldcraft the Polish way whilst also comparing the differences in drill and commands with the senior cadets. The disco/ Polish style mosh pit indicated that our guests had a great time! They left for Barry Buddon having been marched out by the whole Battalion and each with a Red Hackle as a reminder of the Regiment’s post war connection with Poland. We look forward to engaging with more collaborative training in the future.
Other visitors included the Deputy Commander Cadets, Brigadier NR Holmes MBE and Lt Col Lackey. The Deputy Commander was presented with a pipe tune called ‘The Cadet Experience’ specially written for the occasion of the visit by Cadet Pipe Major Rowan Laws.
Cadets also found time to visit the Commonwealth Cemetery at Faslane, where many submariners were laid to rest and the Pipes and Drums provided and excellent evening of entertain for the residents of the Erskine Veterans Village.
Away from Camp the tempo has been predictably high. Cadet RSM Luke Appleyard was selected as the Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet for Perthshire, an honour that brought him many opportunities. RSM Appleyard represented the ACF in Scotland at the Service of Thanksgiving for the ACF Colonel in Chief of 69 years, HRH The Late Duke of Edinburgh. He was also selected to be part of the UK Cadets delegation to the Indian Army Cadets, both unique occasions. Both bands and a Cadet Guard of Honour represented the Battalion at the Platinum Jubilee Youth Spectacular in Kelty in June and the Regimental Band Beat Retreat at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in August.