Issue 87 - NWRFCA - Northwest Reserve Forces & Cadets Association

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greater manchester ACF GMACF Cadets clean up after riots There cannot be many times since 1945 that a Cadet formation has been anywhere close to be “operational”, but that’s exactly the situation that No 2 (Kohima) Company have found themselves in during the second week of the County’s Annual Camp at Wathgill Camp. The background lies in the grim events of August, where civil disorder brought violence and vandalism to a number of English Cdt CSM Ryan Gemell being interviewed by Salford Online cities including, sadly, Greater Manchester, the home of our cadets. At the time, no one had a particularly clear idea of what was going on – Wathgill Camp doesn’t boast a strong mobile phone signal, the NAAFI TV was broken for several days, and the Cadets were kept fully occupied by the pre-planned routine of Annual Camp. Rumour Control of course had a field-day - City fans were briefly excited by tales of Old Trafford in flames, while United fans pondered on the possibility that City’s ground had succumbed to some of the same. Aside from that, Annual Camp moved on. However, over the middle weekend, the Lord Lieutenant’s Office in Greater Manchester began to pull together Operation VALANT, whereby “Youth United”, sponsored by Greater Manchester Police would coordinate a clean-up operation, manned by members of Greater Manchester’s uniformed youth organisation. To this end, late on Monday night, following a day of hectic planning, including consultation with parents, No 2 Company was withdrawn from the field to be rested and refitted overnight, before 40 volunteers and attached adult staff were despatched to Manchester, where following briefing from the Lord Lieutenant and Assistant Commissioner of GMP, they were deployed to Salford to complete two clean-up tasks. In one they tended to gardens in pensioner accommodation, and secondly at Salford Shopping Precinct, where they painted the panels in a number of retail outlets damaged during the violence. It is very difficult to express how magnificently the Cadets coped with all aspects of the situation, carrying out the repairs with dedication and cheerfulness, engaging members of the public in conversation, explaining who they were and what they were doing and in a number of cases handling interviews with the media with tact and determination, making it clear how much they disapproved of the recent troubles and condemned it as the work of a minority. Busy year for Pipes and Drums Band As GMACF Pipes and Drums come to the end of another busy year, we look back with interest and pride, on what the members of our Band have achieved during 2011, and what events and places we visited and performed at. Before we begin however, we must mention the sad passing away of Mrs Rose Fletcher. Rose was, for many decades one of the most influential people on the piping scene. Her enthusiasm is however, alive and well, and is demonstrated on a regular basis by her three daughters, Pauline, Janet and Jennifer, who are all very active instructors in our Band. In January we only performed once, which was at a Fund Raising event at St Sebastian’s Church in Salford. February was the same, with the Band performing at Smokies Nightclub in Oldham. In March however, things picked up a little and we not only gave a display at Liverpool School, but we also took part in a Drumming Workshop and achieved First and Second place in the North West of England Juvenile Piping Trios, held in Sheffield, at the Fire and Rescue Service HQ. On 9 April we took part in the Birkenhead Mini-Band Competition and Piping Quarters, where we came first in the Novice Juvenile Section and First in the Grade 4 March Section. We also came a creditable Third in the Grade 4 March Strathspey and Reel Competition. Members of the Band attended the Cadet Forces Piping and Drumming Concentration at Cameron Barracks, Inverness, culminating in Cdt Sgt Louise Townson, Cdt Peter Crowe, Cdt Andrew Rainey and Cdt Chris Dawson being selected to join the Band which performed Beating The Retreat in Inverness. Later the Band was to be seen Beating The Retreat, just across the river in Dingwall. The month of May saw the same four Cadets back up in Scotland for the Army Cadet Force Association Beating The Retreat in Glasgow. June was a busy month. On the 12th we performed at the Imperial War Museum (North) at Salford Quays. Saturday 18th June saw us journeying to Fulwood Barracks for the Annual Preston Military Show. On 24th June we gave a display at Hawthorne School in Audenshaw, and on 26th June supported the Annual Garden Party at Broughton House, Salford; the Care Home for retired Servicemen. July saw members of the Band taking part in numerous RSPBA Grade 3 and 4 Competitions, at Annan, Corby and Ashbourne, as well as Chatsworth House for their County Fair Weekend. With September came the rehearsals and actual Opening Ceremony on Sunday 25th September for our new Col Mary Creagh County Headquarters and Cadet Training Centre at Holcombe Moor. Our photograph shows the Pipes and Drums entertaining the Civic and Military VIPs, under the leadership of Cadet Drum Major Kyle Foster. With bookings for 2012 already flooding in, next year promises to be more of a challenge than 2011. 36 the volunteer www.nwrfca.org.uk
lancashire ACF Lancs Cadets go for Gold Six Lancashire ACF cadets went to the Trossachs National Park in Scotland to join Cheshire ACF on a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award expedition. The cadets had participated in a demanding three month training programme which included a navigation exercise in the Trough of Bowland and two practice expeditions on the North Yorkshire Moors. Each expedition has to have a purpose and the aim of the Lancashire team was to compare the architecture and building techniques in the Scottish national park with those of their own region. During the four day self sufficient expedition the cadets gathered information and evidence which they will present to an invited audience. For some of the cadets, having successfully completed the Lancs ACF Gold Award Team; Cdt Cpl Raivo Lescinskis. Blackburn Royal Signals; Cdt Sgt Matthew Dicketts. Blackpool; Cdt Cpl Alex Myerscough. Chorley; Cdt Sgt Maj Kalvern Myerscough. Chorley; Cdt Sgt James Webb. Leyland; Cdt S/Sgt Patrick. St. Aidans with assessor Mr Roddy Ross demanding exercise marks their completion of the Gold Award and they can look forward to an invitation to St James’ Palace in the future. Best Shot in the North West CONGRATULATIONS to Cpl Woodward of Ormskirk Detachment Lancashire ACF who successfully competed at Cadet SAAM 2011. He walked away with a host of individual trophies including the best shot in the Montgomery of Alamein Shoot and Overall Winner in CSAAM 2011. Lancashire’s A and B Teams were highly competitive claiming several second place positions, although the highlight of the day was the victory claimed by Lancashire ACF B Team in the Falling Plate competition who, cheered on by the Hon Col Lady Shuttleworth and the Commandant Col Williams, narrowly beat Caldy Grammar School CCF to the prize. Shooting Officer Captain Smith with Lancashire ACF A and B Teams CSAAM took place at Altcar, Saturday 17-18th September 2011 and was well supported by all the Cadet Forces. www.nwrfca.org.uk the volunteer 37
Page 1: THE OFFICIAL FREE MAGAZINE OF THE R
Page 4 and 5: People & places Altcar 150 Celebrat
Page 6 and 7: People & places Kevin bids FAREWELL
Page 8 and 9: People & places 146 Sqn gain 100th
Page 10 and 11: People & places Double VC memorial
Page 12: People & places Getting a taste of
Page 15 and 16: A British Company 1000s more produc
Page 17 and 18: Pure Performance Absolute Precision
Page 19 and 20: 4 lancs Centre stage for 4 Lancs
Page 21 and 22: 75 engr regt training weekend Navig
Page 23 and 24: C sqn rmly RMLY train in Wales C (C
Page 25 and 26: 4 Mercian Matt completes TA Commiss
Page 27 and 28: mly Medal for LCpl CARL Swannick LC
Page 29 and 30: ccf Some of the Army section prove
Page 31 and 32: cumbria acf New padre for Cumbria A
Page 33 and 34: Greater Manchester ACF GMACF Annual
Page 35: Greater Manchester ACF Death Valley
Page 39 and 40: isle of man ACF IOM ACF Annual Camp
Page 41 and 42: cheshire acf County RSM proving wha
Page 43 and 44: SCC Rowing success for cadets Huyto
Page 45: atc Then lo and behold the weather
Page 48 and 49: atc » Cdt Sgt Wright said: “It w
Page 50 and 51: Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders Thr
Page 52 and 53: Liverpool University OTC » the sho
Page 54 and 55: CADETS.UK. SPECIAL OFFERS £34.99 T
Page 56 and 57: Manchester and salford university o
Page 58 and 59: Manchester and salford university o
Page 60 and 61: in the spotlight IN THE SPOTLIGHT W
Page 62 and 63: COMPETITIONS Top Tunes! See if you
Page 64 and 65: DIRECTORY TA Cheshire FOX BARRACKS
Page 66 and 67: DIRECTORY Army Cadet Force Merseysi
Page 68: ‘ SHUN GENUINE US MARINE TAGS The

Issue 87 - NWRFCA - Northwest Reserve Forces & Cadets Association

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