CCF round up from last term from the cadets point of view

We opened the first term of the year on the 12 September, welcoming many new Glyn Year 9 students to try out cadets for the first time. We had 12 students join us to find out what life as cadets is like! Over the three weeks in September they had to try out, they took part in many activities and lessons such as: Drill, History of the CCF, Military knowledge, and much more fun.

Moving on, we had the annual exercise First Knight from the 11-13 October. The exercise is made for the new recruits to advance on the knowledge they have also learned, as well as learning some of the basics they will need throughout their time in cadets. The Year 9 recruits were taught: Ranks of the CCF, History of the CCF, Judging Distances, movement techniques, and many other military-based skills which gave them a sense of community. During the same weekend, the first Skill at Arms weekend took place of the year. At the training, cadets now in their second year got hands-on with the L98A2 Cadet GP rifle, practicing many procedures such as: stripping, cleaning, and assembly of the rifle, the functions test, how to load and unload, and the many stoppage drills. This revision enabled the cadets to take part in and pass the test at the end of the weekend. The rest of October consisted of the Year 9s continuing drill practice, the Year 10s learning fieldcraft skills, and the Year 11s being taught how to teach.

Continuing into November, the Year 9s continued with their drill practice, getting ready for their upcoming drill test at the end of the month to earn their berets and begin lessons to practice their basics in the new year. The Year 10s continued with their fieldcraft training for their test in November, recapping all the knowledge they have learned over the term. And finally, the Year 11s finished learning the Method of Instruction (MOI) with a test at the end for them to start teaching the younger cadets in the new year.

The final two parades of the year ended with a lot of fun for the cadets to take part in. The penultimate parade on the 5 December had all the cadets getting ready in preparation for the following week when they would all be taking part in Exercise Christmas Cracker, which all the cadets had been looking forward to! Exercise Christmas Cracker consists of all cadets in the contingent taking part in a reconnaissance patrol in sections of 8 around the woods and City of London Freemen's School site. The patrol consists of many skills they have learned over their time in cadets, with the aim to get information on an event from the “enemy” (portrayed by Senior NCOs), and to have a fun end to the term. The information they gathered was in a code they had to figure out to find out what the enemy was going to use to attack a specific location.

Overall, the first term back at cadets has been an amazing start for all the cadets with them all having lots of fun partaking in all the lessons and activities in store for them!

To round this article out, here are some messages from our Heads of Army and RAF here at Glyn-Freeman's CCF:

“The beginning of the year saw a new cohort of cadets join the contingent, who are full of enthusiasm and anticipation for the upcoming terms and years of their CCF life. I am confident that these new cadets will benefit and strengthen the contingent in all that they do and achieve. I am also privileged to be part of a great senior leadership team and surrounded by a passionate and committed NCO corps, without whom nothing could be completed to the standard that it is now so prominent and respected. I do not take it for granted that I have been given the opportunity to lead and teach the contingent, and I look forward to the exciting exercises and activities that we will take part in in the upcoming year. Wishing all the best to all cadets in this new year.”

SNCO Staff Sergeant Harry S 12D

"This year, we have a new budding set of cadets eager to put their strengths to the test and work their way up, having shown great promise and a genuine desire to learn the CCF way and acquire new skills. Under a strong Glyn leadership team, as well as the NCO team as a whole, I believe we can look forward to continuing what has already been an incredibly successful year, as well as finalising the cadets' basic training to get them on camps, exercises, and range days in the next few months. Thank you to all the cadets who truly bring pride to Glyn Freeman's CCF; onward we go!"

SNCO CWO Bathurst 13D

Article written by Cpl Spencer A-R 11B