GMACF Annual Camp 2017 – Diary for Day Six

By Major Peter Hilton, Media Ops Team, GMACF

Today – Friday – was the last training day of Camp, though if anything, the pace picked up as a week’s classroom lessons, practical training sessions and rehearsals culminated out on the training in a myriad of firefights and hundreds of blank rounds expended.

The main agents of this carefully planned mayhem were the Three and Four-Star Cadets, running through a variety of battle drills at section level and the training adults who were learning – and learning to teach – the skills which they will one day pass onto Cadets. For all of these Cadets and Adults, their training was not just about becoming skilled practitioners, but on being leaders.

While these exercises were unfolding on the training area, the Two-Star Cadets had spent a less hectic day; the Training Two Stars focussed on marksmanship skills on the 25m Range and the Shotgun Range, while the Assessment Two Stars at last got their chance to sample canoeing, mountain-biking and orienteering at the Adventurous training venue.

Last, and certainly not least, the Corps of Drums spent another day on music training as they prepare for their performance in front of the County on Saturday’s final parade.

Do you have what it takes to serve with GMACF, either as an Adult Volunteer or as a Cadet? Are you looking for an opportunity to work hard and develop new skills? If so, why not contact GMACF County HQ on 01204 512600.

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force can also be found in other locations on the Internet 

… at our official ACF Web Page at:

https://armycadets.com/county/greater-manchester-acf/

… on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/GreaterManchesterACF

… on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/gmanacf

on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPYwSoMWLE8hN8CBkdim0Q

on SoundCloud at:

https://soundcloud.com/gmacf-891255911

Camp Diary – Day Five

By Major Peter Hilton, Media Ops Team, GMACF

Almost inevitably, Manchester-type weather hunted us down today and there were showers throughout the early morning until after breakfast time, though it did little to dampen spirits.

Out on the training area, the Three and Four-Star Cadets had spent the night under their bashas, but both positions are well-sheltered by trees and the ground soft and well-drained, and this combined with the experience of past camps and training weekends meant that everyone was well-prepared and the main concern was being issued with one of the more favoured ration-packs. Apparently, the on-trend choices this year are pasta with chicken or meatballs, though the nougat bars raise a few eye-brows and the ginger-sponge in ginger syrup is seen as being a little over-ginger; but the sachets of fruit drink find favour because it’s warm work training at this level. The Four Stars, who’ve had a mind-taxing time learning about the Orders process and how to deliver Orders were grateful to demonstrate their practical skills today, patrolling and setting up and executing an ambush. The Three-Stars were planning an ambush for later in the day.

Meanwhile, in Camp, the Corps of Drums spent most of the day on musical training, now bolstered by additional instructors, while the Two-Star Assessment Cadre spent the day in camp, practising their marksmanship skills on the 25m Range and the Shotgun Range, where a number of Cadets discovered skills that they had not been aware of previously. For Cadets on the Two-Star Training Cadre, it was their turn to visit the Adventurous Training site, though there was a strange early morning reluctance to think that canoeing in the rain was a good idea; as if canoeing in fine weather is ever an entirely dry experience.

Do you have what it takes to serve with GMACF, either as an Adult Volunteer or as a Cadet? Are you looking for an opportunity to work hard and develop new skills? If so, why not contact GMACF County HQ on 01204 512600.

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force can also be found in other locations on the Internet 

… at our official ACF Web Page at:

https://armycadets.com/county/greater-manchester-acf/

… on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/GreaterManchesterACF

… on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/gmanacf

on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPYwSoMWLE8hN8CBkdim0Q

on SoundCloud at:

https://soundcloud.com/gmacf-891255911

 

Day Four – In the Field, Out of the Field

By Major Peter Hilton, Media Ops Team, GMACF

Today marked the middle-point of Camp – by night-time, four days gone and four to go. Aside from the Corps of Drums (for whom this was their Adventurous Training Day) and the Adult Instructors (for whom this was the dreaded Assessment Day), the main theme of the day was the cycling around of training cadres, two of whom – the Two Star Training and Assessment cadres – came to the end of their Fieldcraft sessions, as evidenced by the multiple blank-firing exercises erupting across the training area, as Cadet patrols bumped against their adult instructors, now playing the part of the villainous enemy with a frequently dubious dress-sense.

As these exercises drew to a close, the Three and Four Star cadres were preparing their Cadets for a deployment into the field in the late afternoon, where they will live for the next two nights, under shelters they were completing as the light faded.

Do you have what it takes to serve with GMACF, either as an Adult Volunteer or as a Cadet? Are you looking for an opportunity to work hard and develop new skills? If so, why not contact GMACF County HQ on 01204 512600.

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force can also be found in other locations on the Internet 

… at our official ACF Web Page at:

https://armycadets.com/county/greater-manchester-acf/

… on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/GreaterManchesterACF

… on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/gmanacf

on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPYwSoMWLE8hN8CBkdim0Q

on SoundCloud at:

https://soundcloud.com/gmacf-891255911

Day Three of GMACF Annual Camp – Variety is the Spice of Life

By Major Peter Hilton, Media Ops Team, GMACF

The third day of our Annual Camp saw training cadres all around Crowborough Camp and beyond as the tempo of Camp began to rise.

Decidedly out of Camp were the two Two Star cadres, who had moved out onto the training area last night and had spent the night in shelters they had rigged for themselves. Despite the brief excitement of a pre-dawn shower, this had passed by breakfast time (at least breakfast time for normal folks not wearing camouflage gear and practicing more war-like regimes), and the remainder of the day was warm and sunny. One of the Three Star cadres, along with the Four Stars had meanwhile moved to the adventurous training site some 40 minutes up the road, spending the morning falling into a lake, or causing others to do so, all in the name of canoeing and raft-building; the afternoon was spent biking and orienteering.

The remaining Three Star Cadre had spent part of the morning in Camp, only to mount their Great Escape later, disguised as a Navigation Exercise, returning to camp before they got too hungry. Following the previous day’s shooting practice, the Corps of Drums spent several hours on Tuesday on band practice, whilst the Adult’s training cadre took their place on the 25m and Shotgun ranges, supervised by the County Shooting Officer, Lt Paul Anderton and his increasingly veteran team of coaches, some recently returned from national competition at Bisley. The adults had the opportunity to develop their own marksmanship skills, whilst coaching each other. In a few months’ time, they’ll be passing these skills on to Cadets.

Do you have what it takes to serve with GMACF, either as an Adult Volunteer or as a Cadet? Are you looking for an opportunity to work hard and develop new skills? If so, why not contact GMACF County HQ on 01204 512600.

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force can also be found in other locations on the Internet 

… at our official ACF Web Page at:

https://armycadets.com/county/greater-manchester-acf/

… on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/GreaterManchesterACF

… on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/gmanacf

on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPYwSoMWLE8hN8CBkdim0Q

on SoundCloud at:

https://soundcloud.com/gmacf-891255911

Training Starts at GMACF’s Annual Camp

By Major Peter Hilton, Media Ops Team, GMACF

The idea of training by cadres might be new to the County, but what has remained unchanged on this first training day has been the energy and determination shown by all, Cadets and staff alike. Most remained in the Camp – though that will very quickly change as huddles of Cadets went through the age-old routine of preparing to go into the field by packing, unpacking and then re-packing again to ensure that they have what they need and know which pocket or pouch of waterproof bag to find it in; even though this was a glorious day, these are the older, more experienced Cadets and they know how fickle “Exercise Weather” can be.

This is an outline of what happened today:

• The Two Star Cadets – two groups of them, one training, one being assessed for their Two Star awards – spent most of the day preparing to go into the field, liberally supplied with water, sun tan cream and insect repellent
• The Three Star Training cadre spent a happy day on adventurous training, including canoeing, managing to press-gang one of the Press Team into a boat, which even stayed upright
• The Three Star Assessment cadre spent their day trying to remember how to navigate in sunny conditions, where they can actually see the terrain unimpeded by cloud and mist
• Four Star Cadets spent their time going through Fieldcraft skills including the delivery of Orders
• The Corps of Drums meanwhile spent their day on the 25m Range, being assessed on their marksmanship skills.

 

Do you have what it takes to serve with GMACF, either as an Adult Volunteer or as a Cadet? Are you looking for an opportunity to work hard and develop new skills? If so, why not contact GMACF County HQ on 01204 512600.

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force can also be found in other locations on the Internet 

… at our official ACF Web Page at:

https://armycadets.com/county/greater-manchester-acf/

… on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/GreaterManchesterACF

… on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/gmanacf

on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPYwSoMWLE8hN8CBkdim0Q

on SoundCloud at:

https://soundcloud.com/gmacf-891255911

Crowborough Camp Welcomes Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force

Crowborough Camp Welcomes Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force

By Major Peter Hilton, Media Ops Team, GMACF

“The Training Event” of the year has once more come around! GMACF has set up Annual Camp at Crowborough in East Sussex. After a day’s sometimes fraught travel on the country’s motorways, everyone has arrived safely in Camp and the initial settling in and muster parade are behind us.

This year’s Camp will be conducted to an entirely new formula. First off, it will be to a shortened, eight-day format, secondly, we are without our newest Cadets (our training One-Stars, who camped earlier in the year, at Easter), and finally, rather than training by Companies, we’re training by Cadres. Each training cadre is focusing on a particular level of skill or qualification and the Cadets in each cadre are drawn from all over Greater Manchester, so that it will be a completely new experience, giving everyone the chance to make new friends and develop their general Cadet skills, and their leadership skills, because this is very much a camp for potential and current junior Cadet JNCOs.

The Cadet training cadres are:

• Two Star
• Three Star
• Four Star – preparing them especially for the most challenging of the ACF external courses, the Senior Cadet Instructors’ Course, the Cadet Leadership Course and the Master Cadet Course
• The Corps of Drums – who in addition to their musical skills, will also undergo other forms of training including a range practice

And, behind the scenes – at least for now – is a training cadre for future Adult Instructors.

Do you have what it takes to serve with GMACF, either as an Adult Volunteer or as a Cadet? Are you looking for an opportunity to work hard and develop new skills? If so, why not contact GMACF County HQ on 01204 512600.

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force can also be found in other locations on the Internet 

… at our official ACF Web Page at:

https://armycadets.com/county/greater-manchester-acf/

… on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/GreaterManchesterACF

… on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/gmanacf

on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPYwSoMWLE8hN8CBkdim0Q

on SoundCloud at:

https://soundcloud.com/gmacf-891255911

 

Former Commandant Re-Visits Holcombe Moor

By Major Peter Hilton, Media Ops Team, GMACF

Former Commandant Colonel Mike Glover, accompanied by his wife Elizabeth was recently welcomed back to the Holcombe Moor Cadet Training Centre by current Commandant, Colonel Paul Irvine and members of the Officers’ and Senior Ranks Messes, their aim being to unveil an oak tree and bench outside “the White House”, a building with which many current and former members of the Reserve and Cadet Forces will be thoroughly conversant, having been put to many uses over the years.

Blessed by unusually fine weather, Colonel Glover made a short addressed, followed by a short test flight of the new bench, before everyone retired to the Mess for a slap-up lunch provided by the Camp staff.

Do you have what it takes to serve with GMACF, either as an Adult Volunteer or as a Cadet? Are you looking for an opportunity to work hard and develop new skills? If so, why not contact GMACF County HQ on 01204 512600.

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force can also be found in other locations on the Internet 

… at our official ACF Web Page at:

https://armycadets.com/county/greater-manchester-acf/

… on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/GreaterManchesterACF

… on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/gmanacf

on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPYwSoMWLE8hN8CBkdim0Q

on SoundCloud at:

https://soundcloud.com/gmacf-891255911

The Cadet Imperial Target Rifle Competition 2017

By Cadet Lance Corporal Shelbie Marsland, 3 (Somme) Company, GMACF

Editor’s Note: This year marked the 148^th running of the Cadet Imperial Competition. In its current format, it is open to Cadets aged 14 or 15, senior Cadets who may be about to move on to become Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) and CFAVs seeking to improve their own target shooting skills. The event lasts a week, during which competitors fire at 300, 600, 800 and 900 yards using the bolt-action L81A2 Cadet Target Rifle.

Corporal Marsland takes over the story:

Cadet L/Cpl Marsland at Bisley earlier this year.

From the 9^th July, I took part in the Cadet Imperial 2017.On arrival, we were allocated our rooms, told the timings for the following day and then left to sort our own kit and to get to know the people we were staying with for the next two weeks. The Cadets around me came from all over the United Kingdom and from the CCF and Air Cadets as well as the Army Cadet Force.

We began our practice shoots on the 10^th, as the competitions started on the 14^th. The 13^th  was set aside as a rest day after two solid days shooting.

From the 14^th onwards, we took part in different competitions, shooting at 300, 500 and 600 yards. On the 18^th we had the experience of shooting long distance out to 900 yards, a much greater range than most people ever shoot at.

This was the second time I had attended Bisley, but it was  still a whole new experience as the previous time I had fired the L98A2 cadet rifle, whereas this time I was shooting the L81 target rifle. During the course of the week, I learned how to shoot alongside three other people in my lane and to self-coach, trying to judge the wind correctly, adjusting the sights correctly as well as other skills to get the bullet on target.

While doing the Cadet Imperial, I met and made friends with people from different places all over Great Britain. I really enjoyed taking part in the event and I would recommend it to anyone who gets the chance.

L/Cpl Marsland and the GMACF Target Rifle Team at Bisley 2017

Do you have what it takes to serve with GMACF, either as an Adult Volunteer or as a Cadet? Are you looking for an opportunity to work hard and develop new skills? If so, why not contact GMACF County HQ on 01204 512600.

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force can also be found in other locations on the Internet 

… at our official ACF Web Page at:

https://armycadets.com/county/greater-manchester-acf/

… on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/GreaterManchesterACF

… on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/gmanacf

on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPYwSoMWLE8hN8CBkdim0Q

on SoundCloud at:

https://soundcloud.com/gmacf-891255911

Bury Army Cadets Exchange Camouflage for Pink for a Weekend

By 2Lt Andy Pilling, 1 (Minden) Company, GMACF

Cadets and staff from Number One (Minden) Company, GMACF gave up a weekend recently to support Cancer Research UK run the annual Pretty Mudder and Race for Life events in Heaton Park, Prestwich. This annual event raises hundreds of thousands of pounds to help in cancer research.

Day One started at 8 am with Cadets travelling to Heaton Park to be briefed on the Pretty Mudder Event.  As the morning went on, the day became hotter and hotter and more and more participants arrived in various shades of pink.

For those taking part in the event it started with a gentle warm up. The Cadets showed off their abilities in dance warm up sessions throughout the day, assisted by an instructor on the main stage.

For the ladies taking part, the route comprised a 5 Km route going over, under and through various obstacles, those obstacles involving lots and lots of mud added by water, kindly topped up by the Cadets, who took the opportunity to practice their shooting skills, not with their usual rifles, but with large powerful water pistols. They filled the pistol with nice cold water, taking aim and firing a long stream of water at their victims, which resulted in some loud shrieks from those taking part.

At the end of the race the final straight to the finish was lined by the Cadets, giving loads of encouragement for the muddy and tired participants. Race completed, success was rewarded by a medal and a nice bottle of water handed out by the Cadets.

Once the last of the participants had gone through the course the Cadets took the opportunity to show their own love of mud and do the course. Not making any attempt to keep their uniforms clean.

After a long day, with numerous medals and bottles of water handed out the they headed off home, for many to return on Sunday.

Sunday saw them return for another hot day in the sun. Uniforms now all clean and smart after the previous day in the mud – parents – how do you do that?

A gentler day saw several thousand ladies, children and even dogs arriving to run, jog and walk the two 5km and 10km events around the grounds of Heaton Park, each with their own personal stories and reasons for attending on T-shirts and cards carried on their backs.

Once again, Cadets displayed their dancing skills to assist in the warm-up, whilst others fired streamer cannons over the participants announcing the race was about to start. Guided by a line of cadets the thousands of runners were led to the start line and on the sound of the air horn, they were off.

On the successful completion of the course cadets welcomed the runners with a high fives, a medal and bottle of cooling water to drink. Even the dogs got their very own medals for completing the run.

The day was complete, thousands of bottles of water and medals handed out and a successful weekend was over with £450,000 raised for a very important cause.

Cadets returned home for a well-earned rest and the satisfaction of a job well done.

Do you have what it takes to serve with GMACF, either as an Adult Volunteer or as a Cadet? Are you looking for an opportunity to work hard and develop new skills? If so, why not contact GMACF County HQ on 01204 512600.

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force can also be found in other locations on the Internet 

… at our official ACF Web Page at:

https://armycadets.com/county/greater-manchester-acf/

… on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/GreaterManchesterACF

… on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/gmanacf

on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPYwSoMWLE8hN8CBkdim0Q

on SoundCloud at:

https://soundcloud.com/gmacf-891255911

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force Excels at Bisley

By SI Jordan Molyneux, GMACF County Shooting Team

This time of year is the pinnacle of Cadet Target Rifle Shooting with the Inter Service Cadet Rifle Meeting otherwise known as ISCRM held at the well-known Centenary Range on the National Rifle Association grounds at Bisley in Surrey, the home of British shooting.

Prior to the competition, the top 20 teams in the ACF attend a four-day pre-Bisley shooting and coaching course to help prepare Cadets and coaches.  Due to limited time on the range prior to the ISCRM we needed all the practice we could get!  This year GMACF had 10 Cadets attending, who left Holcombe Moor on Sunday 2^nd July for the drive down to Surrey, where Pirbright Camp would be our home for the next eight days.

The week started off with a series of lectures and then straight onto the ranges firing at 100m, 300m, 500m and 600m.  Sadly, due to the excessive heat we had to stop training early on Wednesday though this didn’t put the teams off their game.

On Thursday, the final day of pre-Bisley, the teams took part in the Commonwealth Match to help coaches see how their teams worked in a timed shoot.  At this point, team selections were finalised.

Team A consisted of Cdt Sgt Anderson, Cdt Sgt Short, Cdt LCpl Wolstenholme and Cdt LCpl Marsland, coached by myself.  In Team B were Cdt LBdr Mason, Cdt LCpl Savery, Cdt Homes and Cdt Phillips, coached by 2Lt Chris Townson.  Cdt LCpl Davies and Cdt Lythgoe then took the role of team markers working for the duration of the competition in the butts marking the targets where the rounds landed, to allow the teams to adjust their sights after each shot.

After Lunch all the teams representing the Sea Cadets, Air Training Corps, Combined Cadet Force and the ACF – a total of 84 teams – descended on Bisley and Pirbright Camp

Friday started in earnest with a practice shoot at 300m, to ensure any last-minute sight adjustments and introduce the teams to how the competition would work from then on.  Straight after came the individual 300m Shoot and 600m Shoot, fighting the horrible wind on Centenary Range swirling from all directions.  Sadly, again because of the heat, the day was cut short and the Cadet Coached Shoot was cancelled (the Cadet Coached Shoot is where the Cadets coach each other, with no adult coaches are allowed on the firing point.

After another early start, Saturday started at a brisk pace with two shoots at 300m immediately followed by two shoots at 500m.  These shoots where for both the Frankfort Trophy and Patriotic Shield, each completion assessed by the combined scores at both 300m and 500m.  The combined scores from Saturday and the 600m shoot from Friday determine the rankings for the Cadet 100 award.  This is the overall ranking of all ACF Cadets.

Last year, we managed to get one firer in the top one hundred; this year the team achieved three top 100 places Cdt Sgt Short, Cdt Sgt Anderson and Cdt LCpl Wolstenholme placing 33rd, 83rd and 93rd respectively out of a total of 329 ACF Cadets – a glowing reflection of all the hard work put in by Cadets and adults alike and a just reward for all the freezing winter practices at Holcombe in January and February.  Saturday night saw the team enjoy a well-earned rest and recuperation with a visit to Pizza Hut!

Another early start on Sunday saw all the teams descending on Century Range for the last competition, the Watts Bowl, fired at 600m, the longest competition with 12 rounds fired by each team member, all of them counting to the final score.  The final shoot of the day was the Inter-Service Competition with teams of 8 Cadets from of all UK Cadet organisations and Canadian teams shooting against each other.

Straight after this, the Cadet 100 parade is held on the Range where the Cadets are presented with their Cadet 100 badges by senior ACF officers. The last thing to do before heading back home is the Butt Markers Parade where all the teams and coaches applaud all the Cadets who have spent the week working in the butts – it’s our way of saying thank you for all their hard work.

The competition was a huge success not only for the three who gained their Cadet 100 but for our younger members who were attending for the first time and whose shooting improved over the weekend.

As most of the team departed on the long journey home Cdt Sgt Short and Cdt Marsland stayed behind to participate in further competitions.  Cdt Sgt Short has been selected to travel to Canada for six weeks to participate in the Army Cadet Leadership Instructor Marksmanship course, attached to the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Force, while Cdt Marsland is staying at Bisley for a further two weeks to take part in the Cadet Imperial Competition.

I would like to say a big thank you to all the Cadets who took part as well as the staff – Lt Short, 2Lt Townson,  SI Bland, SI Gibb and SI Maunder for all their determined effort over the week.

Do you have what it takes to serve with GMACF, either as an Adult Volunteer or as a Cadet? Are you looking for an opportunity to work hard and develop new skills? If so, why not contact GMACF County HQ on 01204 512600.

 

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force can also be found in other locations on the Internet 

… at our official ACF Web Page at:

https://armycadets.com/county/greater-manchester-acf/

… on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/GreaterManchesterACF

… on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/gmanacf

on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPYwSoMWLE8hN8CBkdim0Q

on SoundCloud at:

https://soundcloud.com/gmacf-891255911