On Thursday 5 March, the Cadets of Habs CCF Army Section, with RAF Upper Sixth and Year 11 Cadets embedded, deployed onto RAF Barnham training area in Norfolk, on exercise.
 
Preparation began in November with Capt Gannarelli and Lt. Col. Woodall testing all exercising cadets over around 20 hours during lunchtimes, before and after school. At the same time, Year 10 and Year 11 cadets have been developing the fieldcraft skills that would be demanded of them on the exercise, the Lower Sixth cadets have been engaging in the leadership development programme with 2Lt McLarin, and the Upper Sixth have been conducting the training, and preparing the orders for field day.
 
Events began with a thorough and inspiring Orders Group conducted by CUO Ayaan Latif (Army Scholar), in which he assigned all Year 10 and 11 cadets to platoons and sections, assigned leaders, and gave the Lower Sixth their training assignments. Lower Sixth cadets spent the next week drawing up plans and orders for their platoons, and preparing lessons, to be supervised by the CCF Officers.
 
We boarded our coaches on Thursday evening under grim skies, but morale was high, and we had fine weather and a bright moon on arrival in Norfolk. Year 11 cadets deployed fully tactically to establish a patrol harbour in woodland, under their platoon commanders, Cdt Cpls J. Cobb and E. Levin. The platoons then engaged in reconnaissance patrols of an area of known enemy activity, in advance of a planned ambush the next day. Sentries were then set, and the boys settled down for a chilly but dry night. At the same time, under platoon commanders Cdt D. Sandler, and Cdt Cpl J. Coles, the Year 10’s established their own harbour, being walked through the complex process that they will be expected to undertake tactically next year.
 
Friday dawned bright and sunny, and brought an exciting programme of activities. Year 10 engaged in a wide programme of training, including a paintball close-quarter battle lane, a navigation stand, and other activities against an Upper Sixth enemy. The highlight of Year 11 training was the planning and execution of a platoon deliberate ambush. Cpl Cobb should be complimented on his outstandingly clear and commanding set of orders, and Cpl Levin on his exceptionally imaginative and effective use of cover, as well as the excellent drills on completion of the ambush, which permitted the effective repulsion of a counter-attack.
 
All those who attended, thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and it was a particular thrill for the RAF cadets to be involved in an exercise of this type.
 
Thanks are due to the Upper Sixth cadre, who, in their final field day put on an outstanding programme of training, and especially, to Ayaan, our outstanding under officer. Thanks also to all the officers of Habs CCF, as well as to our visiting cadet volunteers, Miss Woodall, Mr Sidford, and Capt Hamnett.