The Spring term saw the biggest recruit intake to Colfe’s Combined Cadet Force in many years, with 59 new recruits attempting to complete Exercise FAWN COLFEIAN at the start of the May half term. The exercise was held at Longmoor Training Camp in Hampshire, where the recruits were put through their paces with .22 rifle shooting, obstacle courses, fieldcraft, camping, orienteering and the bergan march. The days were spent training for the tests and one of the nights was spent out in the field sleeping under bashas.
The final activity of the camp was the drill test and whilst this was won by Wildcat section, with Merlin section winning the stretcher challenge and Apache section winning the orienteering, it went down to 2nd place results and Merlin proved victorious overall.
For the recruits this would have already been a memorable trip due to the challenges faced, but the trip was made even more unforgettable by a visit from an Apache Attack Helicopter from 4 Regiment Army Air Corps, which landed on the sports field and gave the cadets an opportunity for an exclusive tour of the airframe.
Major Roberts, Colfe’s School CCF Commanding Officer, said: “Exercise FAWN COLFEIAN was an excellent exercise for our new CCF Recruits, the largest number of whom we have seen for many years. A big congratulations to all sections but especially to Sgt Noyce, LCpl Manito and the rest of Merlin section. At the end of the exercise I am pleased to say that all recruits passed the cadre and the only remaining aspect of the recruit training remaining is the Summer Parade on Saturday 28 June at the school field, where the recruits will be formally accepted into the Squadron as trained cadets.”
For more information about Colfe’s CCF please email ccfsquadron@colfes.com.
