Habs CCF Army cadets visit Bramley Training Area

For Field Day, 127 Habs CCF Army cadets, from across the Middle School and Sixth Form, were deployed to Bramley Training Area, Hampshire, for their first field training exercise since the beginning of the pandemic.

Cadet preparation for the deployment began on earlier in the term, when our outstanding RSM, Stefano, gave the Lower Sixth their orders to produce plans for training of younger cadets to take place on the training area. 

Year 10 cadets, under acting platoon commanders Cpls Alain and Noah, learned to construct improvised ‘Basha’ shelters for tactical use, experienced cooking and living in the field, and had oustanding lessons in such basic tactical skills as target indication, judging distance, camouflage and concealment, casualty first aid, and field signals and patrol formations.

Year 11 cadets were in a tactical exercise context throughout. Led by their acting platoon commanders Cpls Rohan and Ollie, they established a tactical, defensible harbour, from which to conduct patrols, feed, clean equipment and sleep in their bashas.

This has been a hard but rewarding start to the training year, with new challenges presented by lack of cadet experience, a short run-in to field day, and unprecedented interest from young cadets.

Thanks must especially go to our SSI, Cpl Maj Sandercock, who has shown great adaptability in rising to these challenges. Thanks go also to our Contingent Commander SqnLrd Pearson, our incoming section head U.Off, McEwan-Cox, and army section officers Lt. Geering and Lt McLarin (RN), as well as visiting instructors Capt Hamlett, and Sgt Ganesh.

Very special thanks go to Mr Taberner and Mr Lunn, without whose support this trip could not have happened. And to Mr Lunn for the amazing photographs!