3 minute read
From the CCF
CCF Summer Camp 3rd - 11th July
Second Lieutenant Loudoun and Second Lieutenant Brownridge and our 10 Holyport Cadets had a fantastic week at Eton College’s CCF Summer Camp. We were staying at a military training area in Wales, supported by First Battalion The Rifles, in order to develop fieldcraft, team building, battle tactics and weapons handling drills. The military stage was divided in two halves to mimic deployment. The first stage was orientation: Setting up camp, zeroing weapons and physical training, all taking place at the Barracks of the Regiment.
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The second stage was going on operations. Several objectives were set including patrolling in the field and engaging the enemy, close quarter battle, ambush and reconnaissance patrols. It was not long before our cadets realised how intense the experience would be with 6am wake-ups and briefings, recce patrols and weapons cleaning, not to mention hourly sentry duties through the night. Uniforms were ironed every evening and rooms inspected by the RSM (Regimental Sergeant Major). Our two senior cadets, Cadets Clarke and Dudley had passed their weapons handling test and were able to shoot live ammo on the range while the others practiced fire and manoeuvre drills in the field.
FROM THE CCF
14th July 2021
On the sixth day of military camp, and the second day out on exercise, Cadet Darcy Clarke was the Platoon Commander leading 3 sections, with fire support from 1 Rifles, to successfully suppress and occupy three enemy buildings. Darcy had to strategically place the two heavy machine guns and sharp shooters for maximum impact. Afterwards the cadets employed some of their basic first aid training and had to stretcher their wounded to the safe zone. Darcy’ s leadership was first class and the exercise a resounding success. Cadet Elwyn Mollart won the Rifles Coin, an award given to one cadet who overall exemplified the skills and standards taught during the week.
After the military phase the cadets headed north to the Brecon Beacons for Adventure Training. For the remaining three days our students took part in gorge walking and hill climbing before having some much needed free time in the evening.
FROM THE CCF
14th July 2021
Recruitment for September 2021:
For those who are interested in joining cadets next year details will come out in the first week of September with a week to join. We are asking for your patience until then for asking questions however can outline briefly below what is expected for new recruits.
We will be taking first year (D Company) recruits from Year 9 and Year 10 next academic year. If there are any Year 12s who have come from another school which ran cadets then we are happy to interview them for suitability to join. The fees for joining are £400 per year for new recruits, and £300 for cadets re-joining Eton CCF. Students will miss a number of lessons during the Monday afternoon sessions and will be expected to catch up on work missed. Students will have to be signed off as being physically and mentally fit enough by the Welfare Team and nurse along with signing a behaviour declaration to ensure they are going to work safely and to the values and standards of the CCF and our school policy.
