Army News

Summer Camp 2011

Summer Camp took place at Wathgill Training Camp, not far from Catterick Garrison. 38 cadets and 5 members of staff set off on the short coach trip almost immediately after the prize giving ceremony at the end of term. The week’s activities began on the 1st evening, with cadets shooting on the DCCT (dismounted close combat trainer), enabling them to practice their marksmanship principles. After an early start the next day, the cadets marched up to the ranges and spent the morning clay pigeon shooting and in the DCCT again.

Several of the cadets displayed some excellent shooting skills with Lance Corporal Steve Webster winning the shot gun shoot off and Corporal Chris Moore getting the closest grouping on the target scenario on the DCCT. That afternoon cadets took part in some team building exercises which practised them in their communication and leadership skills and in the evening, cadets had an hour’s drill training with the drill Sergeant Major who certainly put them through their paces.

The cadets took part in an orienteering competition on the Monday morning. The contingent was split into 17 groups and each team set off at 1 minute intervals. Lance Corporal Hugh Carter and Cadet James Beedle won the competition, with a very respectable time of 34 minutes and 42 seconds and Cadets Ben Ridley and Matthew Jeffery came second with a time of 38 minutes and 48 seconds. Just before lunch the cadets took part in a drill knock out competition which was won by Sergeants Donna Opray and Guy Van Den Dries with cadets Claire Wilkinson and Ross Currie doing very well too. Following a packed meal, the contingent was split into 4 sections and they spent the afternoon completing a series of command tasks which included getting the whole section through a spider’s web, rescuing an injured soldier and getting him to safety by crossing a mine zone filled with shark infested custard and erecting a tent whilst blindfolded. A special mention must go to Cadets Amanda Usher, Chris Harrison and Niamh Tait, as well as Corporal Aaron Day and Sergeant Guy Van Den Dries who displayed some excellent leadership skills. To finish the training, the contingent split into two teams for a race. Major Hall’s team completed the course in 5 minutes 45 seconds and Lieutenant Nicholson’s team completed it in 6 minutes. The evening was spent taking part in an obstacle course competition, and after a warm up, team one completed the course in 2 minutes and 29 seconds and team two completing it in 4 minutes and 34 seconds.
Tuesday was spent at Ellerton Lake for the adventure training package. The cadets spent the morning on the water where they built rafts, practised acrobatics on the open boats and completed some fun games on the kayaks. After changing back into dry clothes, the afternoon was spent on the mobile climbing wall, taking part in a volleyball competition and also gaining some instruction on the archery lane. The evening was spent taking part in an archery competition which was won by Lance Corporal Hugh Carter.

After a day on the advanced tactics stand, where cadets took part in patrolling and shooting at falling plate targets on the close quarter battle lane, we deployed straight into Exercise Gandale. Cadets moved into the farm accommodation and then received their orders for the evening’s mission of carrying out a recce of the area. Two of the sections led by Sergeants Hannah Byers and James Dickinson unfortunately walked straight into an ambush and had to tactically withdraw back to base camp. The other two sections led by Colour Sergeant Sam Hunter and Sergeant Tory Richardson managed to successfully carry out a close target recce and gained some vital information from an enemy position. The following day on the way to carry out some section attacks, the cadets patrolled straight into a film crew who were filming a documentary called Eternal Law. They did film us that morning, so we could be all famous if we are seen on TV! The final day was spent relaxing a Lightwater Valley.

Cadet Iona Borer was presented with the shield for the best year 10 cadet on camp, Sergeant James Dickinson was presented with the shield for the overall best cadet on camp and Colour Sergeant Sam Hunter won the cadet’s cadet trophy. It goes without saying that throughout the week, the cadets were a credit to the School and certainly put 100% effort and enthusiasm into every activity they were presented with.

Exercise Second Look

Exercise Second Look took place in the Summer term, and 26 cadets attended the days training. The aim of this exercise was to teach the cadets the section battles drills enabling them to carry out section attacks on enemy positions as quickly and as effectively as possible.
The morning was spent carrying out some weapon handling revision with Mr Lewis before being taught the 6 section battle drills by the NCOs. The cadets eagerly took notes as the following lessons were delivered to them; battle preparation by Sergeant Tory Richardson, reaction to effective enemy fire by Warrant officer Ed Grundy, locating the enemy by Sergeant Lauren Carden-Grigg, winning the firefight by Colour Sergeant Sam Hunter, the attack by Corporal Arran Day and finally the lesson on reorganisation Corporal Chris Moore and Junior Corporal Jonny Wanless.

With the cadets heads brimming with this new found knowledge, they then embarked on some physical section attacks, putting into practice what they had been taught that morning. As each section patrolled across the open ground, they soon came under enemy fire and after diving to the ground and locating the enemy, they were able to keep the enemies heads down by steadily firing shots at their position.

Smoke grenades were thrown onto the ground which provided excellent cover for the sections to take a right flanking manoeuvre enabling them to move closer to the enemy position. This tactic enabled them to win the firefight as they took the enemy by surprise.

The staff were very impressed with the enthusiasm that the cadets gave to each section attack, in particular, cadets Claire Wilkinson and Thea Thompson who took on the roles as 2 i/c for their sections and gave excellent fire control orders to their fire teams.

Exercise 1st Look

The howling gales and sheet rain didn’t phase the 40 new recruits as they embarked on Exercise 1st look at Downholme woods, Catterick Training Area for a 20 hour military exercise.
The year 9s only joined the School’s CCF a couple of weeks ago, and with their uniform issued and a few lessons of drill under their belt, they were now going to complete their basic training field craft module by spending a weekend under canvass.
The weekend began immediately after school on Saturday and once the cadets had been dropped of at the training area, they were put into their 4 sections under the watchful eye of Colour Sergeant Sam Hunter (1 section), Sergeant Hannah Byers (2 section), Sergeant Abi Graham (3 section) and Sergeant Tory Richardson (4 section). The training began with a round robin of 4 lessons taught by Colour Sergeant Oliver Chrisp, Colour Sergeant Heather Appleby, Sergeant Donna Opray and Cadet Warrant Officer Ed Grundy. Lessons included camouflage and concealment, the 24 hour ration pack, observation post and how to build a basha. These skills would certainly prove very useful for later on in the day. The final lesson of the afternoon was to watch the NCOs demonstrate how to complete a command task and also the comedy demonstration of how not to complete a command task.
Cadets then had a couple of hours to build their bashas which would provide shelter for the evening, cook their evening meal from the ration box and cam up. Once done and after a quick briefing from their section commanders, the sections were deployed to a secret rendez-vous point where they had to patrol up to an area and carry out a close target recce of the enemy position. 2Lt Fairwood had unfortunately been held hostage and we needed to try and rescue him. The sections had to gain as much information from the enemy which included passwords, types of weapon they had, when their next supply helicopter was flying in, their moral and of course the welfare of 2Lt Fairwood! On gaining the information, the sections made their way back to base camp where they were met by Mr. Lewis and Major Hall. As the cadets were handing over the information they had collected that evening, the enemy must have followed them as they opened up fire on the cadets who quickly and safely made their way to the emergency RV. After a head count, the cadets were given a mars bar and were quickly off to sleep.
As the rain poured down throughout the night, the cadets slept comfortably as they had listened carefully as to how to build a basha that provided shelter from the wind and rain. Some of the Officers should have paid more attention. Major Hall’s basha collapsed in the night and she had to evacuate to a minibus, Lt Monument had a similar experience a couple of hours later and Flight Lieutenant West decided to fix his basha however ended up pouring water all over Flight Lieutenant Child’s feet!
By 0730hrs the next morning, breakfast had been cooked, bashas had been dismantled and kit had been put onto the van. The cadets spent the morning taking part in two command tasks and a paintball target lane. The weekend ended with a section competition which included each section working as a team to carry a jerry can of water up the hill, sprinting through the woods before one of their section began a casualty and has to be stretchered back to the finish line.
Presentations were awarded to a number of cadets which included the winner of the paintball target lane was cadet Sam Theakston and the winner of the observation post was cadet Jacob Shannon. 3 section won the section competition with an impressive time of 4 minutes 47 seconds and 2 section were the overall best section. The best new recruit went to cadet Sam Theakston and the runner up was cadet Emma Robson. Throughout the weekend, the Officers were also looking at the NCOs and Lt Nicholson awarded the Nicholson Shield to Sergeant Tory Richardson who was the best senior cadet. Next term the cadets can look forward to lessons on the cadet A2 rifle before completing their weapon handling test in December.