CCF Field Weekend

The largest ever field deployment of Repton's Combined Cadet Force saw 205 cadets enjoy an action-packed 24-hour exercise. Well, three exercises in one, actually!

The Army Cadre took part in a weapons-based training package, where our cadets fired the A2 rifle on a full-bore range for the first time in their cadet servive so far. Capt. John Wadsworth (7 Para RHA), our Adjutant, took the range, and commented that the cadets had achieved some really decent marksmanship. The night-time saw Army cadre attack the A-Coy, under brilliant illumination of parachute flares, turning night into day and prompting one of the attacked forces to declare that it was "sick" (I overheard, and assume this is a positive!)

RAF Cadre achieved a field exercise involving various command tasks, navigation exercises and basha living, and it was slickly organised and entertaining to observe.

A-Company (our entire A block plus twenty-four sixth-form NCOs - that is almost 160 cadets on the day) undertook A-block's first ever taste of CCF exercises. When they get over the fatigue, they can reflect on a special opportunity to try things such as sleeping under a basha, GPS training, night-nav recce, eating Operational Ration Packs, trying nettle soup, leaping under/over/through a brilliant obstacle course built by our staff... too many items to list. The weather was kind, the many Regular soldiers also on the Exercise area (mainly a Gurkha Logistics regiment with impressively large trucks, but also an EOD team, some Royal Irish regt. doing land-rover cross-country driver traianing) all behaved impeccably towards our cadets and gave our pupils a tiny glimpse of real-life professional soldiers' training, and I am delighted to report that our A-block were on cracking form. They impressed me with their positive responses to the challenges. CCF exists to develop powers of leadership, responsibility, self-discipline, fortitude and endurance through military and adventurous training... this weekend, the cadets did themselves proud.