Page 172 - The Rifles Bugle Autumn 2019
P. 172

        THE CADETS WERE TRULY GRATEFUL & HUMBLED THAT RIFLEMEN ON OPERATIONS WOULD FIND TIME TO SPEAK TO THEM IN THEIR BUSY SCHEDULE
This has been yet another busy year for the CCF. We have been able to deliver safe, challenging and fun training to all sections and we have helped to develop the leadership skills and capability in our senior cadets.
Our annual Sword of Honour Parade took place on the Cotswold Astro with Gp Capt Martin Cunningham presented the CCF Prizes at a splendid parade on a beautiful May afternoon. This was followed by the traditional annual CCF Sword of Honour Dinner Night at which we dine out the Upper Sixth and the Lower Sixth wait on table to ‘learn the ropes’ for their dining out next year.
During the year we have also had several arrivals and departures. We have welcomed SI Jed Greenhouse to the Army Section, as well as the return of Maj Kirk Steel as Head of the Army Section. At the end of term, we also say goodbye to Charlotte Knowles and Capt Dan Townley when they leave for pastures new. We would like to thank them both for their great contribution to CCF life at College.
This has been the first year where CCF has not been compulsory for the Fourth Form. Pupils could choose between CCF, DofE and Community Action. We were very pleased with the uptake for CCF, and we committed to ensure that all who wanted to should be able to complete their Award
alongside CCF.
The new system has worked well for the CCF
and has enabled us to enhance the training and challenge aspects as we are working with cadets who have actively chosen to participate.
Lt Col Ayres, the Contingent Commander, and WO2 Gwynne, the School Staff Instructor would like to personally thank this year’s Head of The Corps Cadet WO1 Georgina Grimwade, Head of Army Section Cadet WO2 Jilly Woodward, Head of Navy Section Cadet WO Georgia Rattigan, and Head of RAF Flt Sgt Tom Hartley and their cadet leadership team for the great work they have all done in developing College CCF and engendering the Values and Standards of the military to the younger cadets.
This year the Army Section has had over seventy recruits in the fourth form, which was a good size intake for the Section and as always, the adults and the Cadet Leadership Team have delivered a great cadet experience. This includes the weekly training programme and a tactical exercise overnight at Swynnerton Training Area in their first term.
In the Lent term we received a visit from Lt Seb Clarke from 1 RIFLES at which he talked to the cadets about life of a young infantry officer and gave us a briefing regarding the battalion’s upcoming Op TORAL tour in Kabul, Afghanistan. He opened the cadets’ eyes to the opportunities that the Army has to offer for young people.
During the Summer Term, Lt Clarke arranged a live video link from Kabul to CCF where he, his Company Commander, Maj James McCarthy along with L/Cpl Nichols and L/Cpl Bates, briefing the cadets on what life was like in Afghanistan, the daily routine and the nature of their operations. The cadets were truly grateful and humbled that Riflemen on operations would find time to speak to them in their busy schedule.
Summer camp was in Nesscliffe where the Section had a fascinating and challenging week under the tutelage of HQ 11 Sigs Bde Cadet Training Team. Members of the CCF also undertook a canoeing expedition on the River Wye as part of Annual Camp.
This year we sent a small but focussed team to Bisley where we had one cadet in the Schools One Hundred and places in a number of individual matches. Next year we hope to build on this to effectively compete in the Ashburton Four.
Cheltenham College CCF
    170 CADET FORCES
THE RIFLES
A splendid summer day on the Wye for Cheltenham College CCF – only a few blisters at the end!
 Lt Col Ayres and the team on the Century Range at Bisley
















































































   170   171   172   173   174