NAVY NEWS, MAY 2010

41

Scottish units are at the CUTTing edge

l Leadership training at RAF Wittering

CCF can now host training

LEADERSHIP training, team

work and self-confidence have long been seen as three of the major benefits that young people gain from being a cadet. Two courses long enjoyed by senior cadets and aspiring junior leaders alike have been the Leadership courses.

And the standing of the CCF

RN’s week-long leadership course’s recognition for the ILM Team Leading award level 2 underlines its value in the outside world too.

But before cadets can attend the

course at HMS Raleigh they now need to have attended a weekend course.

Until now that meant them

travelling to Portsmouth for one of the five courses based aboard HMS Bristol and using the facilities of the Navy’s Leadership Academy (East) site in HMS Collingwood. This year, for the first time, cadets will be able to attend weekend courses in their own CCF areas around the country. The first of these was run at

RAF Wittering using the Air Cadet facility on the airfield. For a full report on proceedings, see next month’s Navy News.

ALMOST 50 Sea Cadets and Royal Marine Cadets from

Queensferry and District unit

(TS Lochinvar) and Paisley unit (TS Grenville) made the 14-hour bus trip south to HMS Raleigh for an all-action training week. The programme included Continuation Unit Team Training (CUTT) and general cadet training courses, while staff undertook advanced seamanship and RYA level 3 safety boat courses at the Jupiter Point boat station. The cadets spent four days and

five nights at the Navy’s recruit training base in Cornwall, training, working and eating alongside Navy trainees, though they were accommodated separately within the Sea Cadet Training Centre’s Vigilant Block. Training facilities open to them included Triumph Squadron, where cadets learned to extinguish several types of fires with a variety of equipment, and the Havoc damage control unit, where they worked against the clock to stop the inflow of very cold water into a life-size mock-up of a section of a warship.

Cadets also trained on the assault course, with a team from Queensferry setting a new record. In addition cadets were given

drill instruction using the drill sheds and parade ground. Formal training was completed with a forenoon of sea survival training using life jackets, high diving boards and real 25-man life rafts moored in the pool. There was time for recreation and sport, with cadets taking a tour of frigate HMS Monmouth as well as a boat trip around Devonport and Plymouth Sound. Visits were laid on to the village of Looe and Mount Edgecumbe

Country Park, for orienteering, and the cadets used sports and swimming facilities within the base for dog watch sports. Special thanks should go to Lt Cdr Lee Sanderson and his staff for all their expertise which helped the whole week to go smoothly. Any unit wishing to take

advantage of the facilities at Raleigh should contact the SCTC directly and talk to Lt Shone on 01752 815139 where full information will be given.

l Scottish cadets tackle fire (top, at Triumph Squadron) and water (above, on the assault course)

Pictures: Lts (SCC) Butcher and Macdonald

Another date for Callum

AC CALLUM Malone featured in our last edition when the Southwark unit cadet was judged the outstanding cadet at TS Cossack.

This time Callum, aged 14, was one of four London Area cadets chosen to attend a Services dinner in honour of the Royal Navy at Armourers Hall in the City of London.

The dinner, hosted by the Honourable Company of Knights of the Round Table, gave cadets the chance to meet distinguished guests, including Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Sir Alan Massey, his successor Rear Admiral Charles Montgomery and former First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West. Captain Sea Cadets Capt Mark Windsor escorted the four cadets who spent the evening trying to part senior officers from their money and any spare ships they may have – all for the Corps. Callum took the formal occasion in his stride, as he did a waterborne challenge just days before – the teenager finished first in the London Area trials for the Honda Rib Youth Challenge, bringing with it a place in the next round of the event and a power boating planing course for Callum.

Rare medal

A SEA Cadets senior rate has been presented with a rare medal for his 25 years’ service with the Red Cross.

served with the Red Cross and Sea cadets since he was ten, and trains cadets at his Bromley unit in first aid skills. The Red Cross Voluntary Medical Services Medal is issued after 15 years’ service, so Paul was presented his with two clasps, each showing a further five years. The medal bears the famous red Cross on one side and Crimean War nurse Florence Nightingale on the other

AN OFFICER at Newhaven and Seaford has received an award on behalf of the unit for its achievements with young people in the area.

S/Lt (SCC) Steve Townsend

RNR, the Officer in Charge at TS Defiance, was presented with the

Reward for Defiance Mum (and CO) is so proud

inaugural Youth Group of the Year award, sponsored by Newhaven Town Council. The awards were the brainchild

of the Young Mayor of Newhaven, Daly Tucknott,

who wanted

to recognise and celebrate the positive things that children and young people in the town achieve. TS Defiance was nominated for the award by the unit’s PRO, Amanda Wilkins, and had to beat off competition from nine other contenders. The judges selected

the

cadet unit for their excellent community work and the fact that they are great ambassadors for the county.

A SPELL in the Sea Cadets does not necessarily lead to a career in the Senior Service – unless you happen to be a member of the Buckett family, that is. Proud mum Viv Buckett saw her third and youngest

son, Matthew, pass out of HMS Raleigh in the middle of March. Matthew aims to become a marine engineer, just like his oldest brother Adam, who is serving in HMS Richmond. Middle brother Christopher took a slightly different view, opting to join up as a Royal Marine. Mrs Buckett had hoped the day at Raleigh would be a special occasion with all three of her boys in the same place at the same time. That didn’t quite happen; Christopher was unable

to travel down from Faslane, but the fact that Matthew won two prizes (best recruit in his intake and best academic award) went some way towards

Menin Gate ceremony was poignant reminder

l Cadets and the Seaman’s Mission with Naval engineering staff WO1 Geoff Moss, CPO Mark Gains and CPO Rachel Virdee, all members of the Joint Maritime Support Squadron, commanded by STO(N)FI Paul McVey

Tug firm tonic

THE most southerly Sea Cadet unit has been given a financial fillip by the company which runs a tug-boat charter for the MOD. TS Endurance and the Lighthouse Seaman’s Mission, both based in Stanley, Falkland Islands, visited the Mount Pleasant Complex to receive donations from Wim Van Wijngaarden, the owner of the Netherlands’ MoD charter support Tugs, MT Giessenstroom and MT Dintelstroom, based at nearby Mare Harbour. Vessel masters Michel Helsma and Pieter Van

Wijngaarden

presented CPO (SCC) Ken Newton and Mr and Mrs Lake

from the Seaman’s Mission with cheques for £1,250, which will help towards future projects and support to both units.

On completion of the ceremony,

all personnel involved sailed round Mare Harbour on board the tugs, giving the cadets the chance to not only drive the vessels but gain an insight into life on board. The Lighthouse Seaman’s Mission provides support to all seafarers located in the Falkland Islands and is affiliated to the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen in the UK, established in 1881.

MEMBERS of Bromley unit took a thought-provoking trip to lay a wreath and present the unit colours at the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium.

in

went, two cadets were selected by the unit’s CO, Lt (SCC) Chris Hartwell RNR, to lay a wreath and present the colours. AC Tom Kennard represented the Sea Cadets and Marine Cadet Joe Peagam represented the Bromley Marine Cadet detachment by laying a wreath. The cadets were joined by Steve

Susans, representing the Bromley branch of the RNA, who presented the branch’s colours. The daily tribute to soldiers of the British Empire who died in World War 1 has been held at the gate every night at 8pm since 1928, except during World War 2. Performed by a team of local buglers, the poignant ceremony

Of the 28 cadets and staff who

remembers the victims of the bloody battles along the Ypres Salient.

Association to maintain this ceremony in perpetuity. During the day the cadets also visited local museums and Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries, culminating in a visit to the Tyne Cot cemetery at Passchendaele.

It is the aim of the Last Post

l Cadets line up ready for inspection

Picture: Dave Sherfield

Funnel vision Hydrographic hosts

A 30-year affiliation between Nottingham unit and the destroyer which shares its name ended with the decommissioning of the warship in February. But the link will not be forgotten – and a permanent reminder was handed over to TS Orion by Cdr Andy Price, the destroyer’s CO, in the form of the ship’s funnel badge, which will remain on display at the unit’s headquarters.

A TOUR of survey ship HMS Echo was one of the highlights of a weekend with the RN for members of the CCF sections of

Wellington, Reading Blue Coat, Taunton and Newcastle-under- Lyme Schools.

The 102 cadets were taking

part in the annual Warfare Branch affiliation weekend, which this year celebrated its 25th anniversary, and was hosted by the Hydrographic

and Meteorological Squadron at the National Sea Cadet Training Centre at HMS Raleigh. The affiliation was initiated by Capt Geoff Hope, Captain of the Hydrographic Survey Squadron, in 1985.

The cadets got the chance to test the assault course – Wellington School took the honours – and they also toured Devonport Naval Base.

making up for his brother’s absence. All three of the Buckett boys were Sea Cadets at

Rochdale unit, reaching the rank of petty officer cadet before stepping up to the Royal Navy. And they had plenty of encouragement from their parents – did we mention that proud mum Viv is also S/Lt (SCC) Viv Buckett RNR, CO of the Rochdale unit? And that dad John is Jimmy the One? “The cadets became an involvement for all the family,” said Viv.

“As parents assisting the boys we called in for a

coffee at the unit and ended up being Commanding Officer and First Lieutenant respectively.” Another former Rochdale cadet, who recently qualified as a logistician (catering services (preparation)) – or chef – also travelled to Raleigh to see his good friend finish initial training.

CPO (SCC) Paul Webster has Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48