Page 94 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2017

92 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
Affiliated Army and Combined Cadet Forces
The King’s School Combined Cadet Force
In 2017 the King’s School Combined Cadet Force (CCF) con- tingent has had a very good training and development year, especially building up its relationship with The Royal Lancers. The army section cadets now have a positive and stimulating relationship with our cap badged regiment, and have seen the Regiment in action. My thanks to Major William Greig for mak- ing this all possible.
We started off the year by winning the best fieldcraft section and section commander cadet at the Cadet Skill at Arms Meeting 2016, held at Stanford Training Area (STANTA). This was followed by a very good visit to the contingent from 33 Squadron Royal Air Force. The Royal Air Force landed a Puma on the school field, and all cadets of the contingent, both Royal Air Force and Army, had an educational look around an operational helicopter.
Summer Camp then arrived and we were treated to a day’s visit to the Regiment in Catterick. Lieutenant Paterson had put to- gether a really good training programme. We first visited the Officers’ Mess and were all treated to tea and toast, followed by a look at the historical oil paintings and Regimental history, to- gether with a viewing of the Regimental silver in the Mess. A short walk to the armoury and we were able to get ‘hands-on’ the weapons and demonstrate the cadets’ skill at arms training. This was finally followed by a visit to the vehicle park where all the cadets enjoyed climbing over the Scimitar.
The Regimental Leavers’ Annual Dinner for the CCF contin- gent soon arrived after camp with a guest of honour, Lady Sa- rah McCorquodale, and her husband Neil both attending. My thanks to Captain Mick Holtby for supplying the Omdurman Candelabra’s and Major Greig for bringing some regimental sil- ver from Catterick. The CCF cadet leavers for this year were dined out and an excellent evening was enjoyed by all.
The Bi-Annual inspection came and went with the contingent under scrutiny by Air Commodore David Bentley Royal Air Force. An overall grading of excellent was achieved. Two of our Royal Lancer cadets attended the Cadet Leadership Course (CLC) at Beckingham and out of some 60 senior cadets they were awarded the best cadet awards for Platoon 1 and Platoon 2. They also won the overall best two cadets on the leadership course which had been organised by 7th Infantry Brigade. Well done Corporal Ed and Squadron Sergeant Major Adam; a credit to the contingent.
The contingent (organised by Staff Sergeant Instructor Pulfrey) were also invited to attend at the Cenotaph in London by the Western Front Association. 12 cadets were on parade and were in the marching contingent with the purpose of remembering the fallen of all wars. Additionally, the contingent paraded in Gran- tham on Remembrance Sunday. Captain Dunlop led the Army section and Flight Lieutenant Barton led the Royal Air Force Section. Lieutenant Colonel Ogg was the parade commander. Over 150 cadets from King’s CCF were on parade along with Magnus Academy, who are our Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) school, who were on parade for the first time.
Finally, our year finished off with our 3rd participation in the Army’s Operation REFLECT initiative, in conjunction with the Woodland Trust at East Keal, which remembers the 100th anniversary of the Great War. The contingent planted 400 trees and was joined by Mr Hugh Drake, a Deputy Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, together with Simon from Walking with the Wounded, a charity organisation that we are going to work with in 2018. 2017 has been an excellent year for developing the mis- sion statement and CCF ethos within The King’s School Gran- tham contingent.
RMO
King's School CCF parade at the Cenotaph London