Page 161 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Rifles’ Cadets in Greater London 2014
The Greater London area cadet world is split into four Sectors/Units,Middlesex & North West London, City of London & North East London, South West London & South East London.
Of the 114 Greater London ACF Detachments 11 are Rifles badged. Added to this there are 4 Rifles badged CCF Detachments within the boundaries of the capital.
It is interesting to note that three of
the Rifles badged ACF units are school based thus drawing their cadets and adult instructors mainly from the schools’ pupils and staff they are based on. Traditional old Green Jackets London drill halls, which have not seen a adult Rifleman for years, still have a “Rear Guard” of Rifles cadets upholding rifleman like traditions within the TA Centre or Army Reserve Centre (ARC) as they are now called namely at Mile End Road and Handle Street. F Coy 7 Rifles at Davies Street and the G Coy 7 Rifles at the Portway in West Ham share their facilities with 232 and 46 Dets ACF respectively.
232 Det ACF, at Davies Str, have special exemption and still proudly wear the KRRC cap badge with the Battle Honour “South Africa” which as a cadet unit they uniquely hold having been mobilised and participated
SW London ACF Rifles officers and serjeants at annual camp with Col Simon Chapman
Cadets from 138 (RIFLES) Detachment at the Virgo Fidelis School in Upper Norwood
as buglers and drummers in the Boer War. Rifles badged Whitehall warriors continue to do the annual external inspections of our
ACF detachments which helps to spread the message of enthusiasm, commitment
and professionalism of the cadets and their adult instructors to the inner corridors of power in the MOD and is much appreciated by the detachments. 7 RIFLES are in contact with our London detachments and do joint training, strengthening links and keeping the bugle horn in the cadets’ mind as they decide what to do when they leave the ACF.
Cadets participate in a full range of exciting and safe activities, which include sport, first aid, adventure training and community work, as well as shooting
and other military skills. The watchword
of ACF training is “transferable life skills
and the opportunity to achieve vocational qualifications”. In the past year cadets have been to Australia, Canada, France and Germany on exchange or representational duties/opportunities. Competitive sports are keenly pursued and in 2014 Westminster City School ACF Det (234 Det) won the National ACF 6-a-side Junior Football Championships
Rifles cadets also provide continuous, close links to their communities. The
profile of the ACF has never been higher with more requests for ‘military’ support
for school and civic functions than can be supported. The enthusiastic and useful contributions made by our adult volunteers and cadets providing music, marshalling etc is testimony to the real value of the Army’s values and standards in every day life. The cadet presence is the only glimpse many potential riflemen and their parents see of the regiment.
In London we are fortunate that our Regimental Colonel Cadets, Col Simon Chapman, is commandant of the SW London sector and able to advise the regiment from personal experience. J-D v M
THE RIFLES
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