Page 172 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Johnny (blue top) sharing a night in a snowhole. On the Hardangervidda, Norway Johnny as Lord Lieutenants Cadet Imjin Bks, Innsworth
My Chronicle as a Cadet at Wycliffe College CCF
Wanting a military career, was nurtured and built around the activities that I have participated in throughout my time as a Cadet.
My time at Wycliffe College CCF has been filled with adventure, challenges and, at times, moments of true fear. I have been lucky to have a fulfilling and diverse range of experiences within the CCF, whether it is kayaking down a
Grade 4 White Water
in Southern Norway, or
escorting royalty around
the newly opened
‘Soldiers of Gloucester’
Museum.
The climax of the camp for the Year 9 cadets is their Pass Out Parade, the first time they get to wear the CCF’s adopted regimental headdress, which shows they have now become competent cadets.
The next year of being a cadet involves a large degree of Adventurous Training, with the opportunity to go kayaking, rock climbing and to take part in the arduous
on how to tackle grades 3/4 white-water.
I was back in Norway nine months later, this time Cross Country Skiing 60km self-supported across the Hardangervidda Mountain Range, with the last night being spent in a snow hole on the side of a mountain. Wycliffe College CCF also takes part in several shooting events, the highlight of which is the National Schools Shooting Competition at the NRA Range in Bisley. We compete using the Cadet GP 5.56mm and the Target Rifle 7.62mm, shooting at distances between 100m and 1100m.
I have also been lucky enough to be appointed as a Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet in Gloucestershire. This role has allowed me to escort the Lord Lieutenant, HRH Duke of Gloucester around the opening of the Soldiers of Gloucester Museum, as well as other events in Gloucester Cathedral, such as the High Sheriffs Appointment and St George’s Day Service.
The Cadets at Wycliffe have provided me with many of the skills of which I now boast as I leave school. The Cadets have given
me the opportunity to build these skills - such as leadership, courage
and commitment – alongside like- minded people. I’m leaving Wycliffe to study a One Year Agricultural
Course at the Royal Agricultural University before hopefully entering
officer training in the Royal Marines in September 2015-
a career and mind frame that was helped and built around the activities I have
participated in throughout the last few years.
CSM Johnathon Day
28th July 2014
A young Johnny Day receiving the Best Year 9 Trophy
It all started five years
ago with the Year 9
Challenge Weekend,
located around the school grounds. The Challenge Weekend’s aim is to give the New Year 9s an insight into the CCF, as well as a chance to bond and to make new friendships in a team-orientated weekend. The challenges involved a Rock-climbing Wall, a basic introduction to Infantry Skills, Orienteering, a Casualty Evacuation of a ‘downed pilot’ and other such activities. The weekend finished with a series of physical relay races after a night
under canvas. One third of the year signed up to CCF after their Challenge Weekend, making it a great success. The next highlight for the cadets, after a year of learning how to handle,
maintain and fire the Cadet GP Rifle and learning basic Infantry Skills, is the Annual Sumer Camp. A chance for the whole CCF contingent to travel to a military facility for a week and to take part in a mixture of military and adventure training activities.
One third of the year signed up to CCF after their Challenge Weekend, making it a great success.
35 mile Ten Tors
event on Dartmoor. The third year for the cadets allows them to learn their first aid and order and command structure, as they begin to command small fire teams and sections
on field exercises. The
experiences from this training combine to prepare them as platoon commanders a year later. They spend most of Yr12 focusing on leadership, until at the end of Yr12 the new Company Serjeant Major (CSM) is selected, along with a Colour Serjeant.
Throughout my time in CCF, I have been lucky to participate in most of what our cadets have on
offer. In Year 11 I went on my
first overseas Adventure Training Expedition - ‘Viking Challenge’: a ten- day adventure across the white-water rapids and fjords of Norway, where
we completed a three day self- supported canoe expedition across the fjords, as well
as 9 days spent on the rapids
learning skills
170 CADETS
THE RIFLES