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Here you can keep up to date with the latest goings on around the County. 

News is added regularly to the site and you might even find us in your local newspapers - Surrey Army Cadet Force is always doing something worthwhile.

Click on the link below to review old news items.

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  - NEWS ARCHIVE -

:: Octavia Hill Honoured - Blue Plaque Ceremony

On Sunday the 12th August Cadets from Mytchett, Farnham and Pirbright Detachments along with the Corps of Drums Detachment took part in the unveiling of a blue plaque to commemorate the formation of the first army cadet detachment by Miss Octavia Hill, the renowned Victorian social reformer. 

The first detachment was formed at the original drill hall of the 1st Southwark Cadet Corps in Red Cross Hall at Southwark in 1889. Colonel Salmond of the Derbyshire Regiment did the practical work in Southwark, and she even persuaded Viscount Wolseley to preside at the first meeting of the Southwark Corps in 1889. The Corps attracted 160 cadets with many refused.

In 1890 the corps band took part in the Lord Mayor's Procession, which helped encourage and increase membership. Octavia Hill had problems persuading the war office to pay for brighter uniforms than the dull green that the parent unit wore. Ingenious to the last she wrote to Eton College suggesting a link between their Hackney Wick Mission Corps and that in Southwark. They accepted and helped pay for a smart red uniform which Octavia felt would do much to cheer the dull Southwark streets. Eventually, after tireless work, Octavia retired to her home in Kent and died in 1912.

Stephen Humphrey (Local History Library), Veronica Alden (Southwark Heritage Association), Simon Hughes MP, Gillian Darley, Helen Firminger (BOST), Cllr Bob Skelly, Peter Clayton (Octavia Hill Society) & Brigadier Mike Wharmby	Brigadier Mike Wharmby OBE General Secretary of the Army Cadet Force Association

The Mayor of Southwark, Councillor Bob Skelly, and Gillian Darley, biographer of Octavia Hill unveiled the plaque and Brigadier Mike Warmby OBE, the General Secretary of the Army Cadet Force Association, made a short speech. Other dignitaries attending the ceremony included Mr Stephen Humphrey (Local History Library), Ms Veronica Alden (Southwark Heritage Association), Mr Simon Hughes MP and Ms Helen Firminger (BOST). The unveiling was followed by a series of presentations by the cadets that demonstrated the types of activities in which they participate whilst in the cadets, such as drill and first aid.

SI Adrian Hirons aided by SI Natalie Alden, both of Farnham Detachment, organized the unveiling ceremony for the blue plaque.

:: Defiant Cadets Jump Out Of Aeroplane

Ten Surrey ACF cadets with three instructors took part in Exercise Defiant Cadet 2 in July this year to learn how to parachute at the Joint Services Parachute Centre at Bad Lippspringe in Germany – JSPC(L).

During the week long trip the cadets were taught the rudiments of parachuting before they were taken aloft for their first jump. Conventional wisdom says that the worst jump is the second one, because you know what is coming after doing the first! However, this didn't deter the intrepid Surrey cadets some of whom jumped nine times during the week!!!!!

Going up in the world	Defiant Cadets	Puppets on a string!	Here goes nothing!

Here goes number 53	Bombs away	Heeeeeeelp!	Phew!

:: Nijmegen 2007 - 17 / 20 July 2007

Five cadets and two instructors from Surrey ACF participated in the gruelling annual 91st International Nijmegen Four Days' marches in Holland. The team, due to its small size, was merged with an ATC contingent. This however did not daunt the intrepid marchers. The complete team finished the foot punishing 100 miles and earned their Nijmegen medals and team award. Another 34,019 marchers also completed the event!

The team comprised:- C/Sgt N McQueen (Pirbright), Cpl O Tetlow (Deepcut), L/Cpl J Gordon (Deepcut), Cdt R Smillie (Deepcut) and Drum Major R Sobey (Corps of Drums).

Adult Leaders were SI R Higgs and SSI G Fuiza (both veterans of the event).

The Combined ACF/ATC Team	The Night Stalkers - Up At 3am For A 25 Mile Stroll	The Coveted Medal

:: ABF Summer Charity Bazaar - Sandhurst - 17 June 2007

On a blisteringly hot June day, Surrey Army Cadets were out in force at Sandhurst - aided by colleagues from Berkshire ACF - in support of the Army Benevolent Fund's first Summer Charity Fair at the Royal Military Academy.

Helped by the good weather, the crowds were out in force to see what Sandhurst had to offer and were not disappointed when they reached the ABF tented village. The wide variety of quality merchandise on offer had something for everyone.

The Surrey cadets, from Chobham and Yorktown Detachments, assisted by selling programmes and helping stall holders. The day was long but worthwhile. Col Peter Cook, Regional Director of the ABF and one time Commandant of the Cadet Training Centre at Frimley Park, commented, "The cadets have done an absolutely first rate job. We couldn't have run the bazaar without them."

Yorktown Detachment	Chobham Detachment	The Commandant raises the flag	Yorktown mug Chelsea pensioner	Calm before the storm

:: 4 DIV Military Skills Competition

The 4 Div Cadet Military Skills Competition is for all ACF/CCF units within the 4 Div area and competing in this event were 6 ACF counties and 14 CCF schools. There are four trophies to win and they are the CCF Trophy, the ACF Trophy, the March & Shoot Trophy and the Main Skills Trophy. In the main competition, Surrey ACF came third out of the 20 competing teams and was the best ACF county.

Over the course of two days the teams were tested in:

Command Tasks, Fieldcraft, ETR Range, DCCT, First Aid, 0.22 Indoor Shoot, Weapons Skills, Map & Compass, Signals, Military General Knowledge, Night Navigation, March & Shoot and Obstacle Course.

The Surrey Team trained  for months to reach the exceptionally high standard required to succeed in this competition. The team regularly went on  8 km marches over hilly terrain with command tasks and obstacle courses thrown in. Whenever there was spare time available other tasks were thrown in such as Skill at Arms and Map & Compass.

The Training Staff were: Captain Terry Hayter, SSI Gerardo Fuiza, SSI Charmain Turner and SI Lowes

The Team comprised: Cadet RSM Wilkie (Chertsey), L/Cpl Limbu (Yorktown), L/Cpl Harrison (Farnham), Cadet Kilgour (Yorktown), L/Cpl Cowler (Chertsey), L/Cpl Dodds (Chertsey) and Cadet Cooper (Feldbridge).

If you need an explanation about the Satsumas, ask SSI Fuiza.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SURREY ACF MILITARY SKILLS TEAM

:: Lord Lieutenant's Cadet Poppy Appeal Awards 2006

Mrs Sarah Goad JP, Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, presented prizes at the annual award ceremony for cadet units participating in the Lord Lieutenant’s Poppy Appeal Competition. Mrs Goad to instituted the competition in 2001 to encourage young people
to assist the British Legion during the annual Poppy Appeal.  Surrey cadets of all services raised a total of £33,126.95, an increase of £8,192.42 over 2005.

The presentation evening took place at Gordon Boy’s School, West End, Woking on 13 March 2007 attended by Miss Penelope KEITH CBE DL (Surrey CAC); Mr David DAVIS (Chairman of Surrey County Council); Cllr Keith BUSH (Mayor of Surrey Heath) with virtually all Surrey’s Mayors; Cllr Geraldine STANFORD (Mayor of London Borough of Merton), Cllr Richard BAILEY (Mayor of LB Sutton): Nick SEALY (High Sheriff in Nomination);  Col Piers STORIE-PUGH MBE TD DL (Chairman - Surrey Reserve Forces & Cadets); Chief Supt Sue WARREN – Div Commander – WOKING;  Keith OVENS (County Chairman - Surrey RBL) and Mrs. Margaret COOK (Chairman - Surrey Women's Section). Special Guest for the evening was Vice Admiral Sir Tom BLACKBURN KCVO CB – Chairman – The Marine Society and Sea Cadets UK.

Surrey ACF, who entered 18 detachments, won the overall competition taking the first, second and fourth places and raised a staggering £19,277.63 out of the total raised of £33,126.95.  

1. L/Cpl Robin HUGILL                 Horley Detachment          £1,141.74p   2^nd Year Running

2. L/Cpl Ben WHITTAKER              Merrow Detachment           £769.89p

3. L/Cpl Oliver HENNEM                Merrow Detachment           £613.90p

The most improved Unit was Leatherhead Detachment with a 485% increase in collections to £889.31.

The overall winner of the Duke of Connaught’s Cadet Cup for the most funds raised was WALTON Detachment led by SSI Stephen Peel.

:: Laying Up of the Banner of the 1st Cadet Battalion Surrey ACF - 10 Jan 2007

The colours embody the pride, history and loyalty of a military unit and are the focus of the shared experiences handed down over generations. Just as the regular army has its colours, so too does the Army Cadet Force – but more generally called a Banner.

On Saturday 10^th February 2007, Surrey Army Cadet Force layed up the Banner of its now disbanded First Battalion in time-honoured tradition at St. Mary’s Church in Bletchingley. The County of Surrey Army Cadet Force was recently reorganised which resulted in the disbandment of the First Battalion and its redeployment as “A” & “B” Companies of Surrey Army Cadet Force. Cadets from the First Battalion come from detachments in Felbridge, Lingfield, Horley, Caterham, Reigate, Redhill, Leatherhead, Banstead and Walton on Thames.

At 2pm on Saturday 10^th February 2007, the banner was paraded from the Village Hall in Bletchingley at the head of a column of Army Cadets through Bletchingley High Street to St. Mary’s Church.  The presiding Rector, Reverend Canon Nigel Nicholson assisted by the Rector of St Mary's, Rev Peter Moseling, accepted the Banner into the safe custody of the church.

The service was attended by The Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, Mrs Sarah Goad JP; the Chairman of Surrey County Council, Mr David Davis; the Mayor of Elmbridge, Cllr Victor Eldridge; the Deputy Mayor of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, Cllr Mrs Ross-Tomlin; the Vice Chairman of Tandridge District Council, Cllr Stephen Altria and the Chairman of Mole Valley District Council, Cllr Valerie Homewood. In attendance were Lt Col John Ross TD, Deputy Commandant of Surrey ACF, and Lt Col Martin Neame TD, representing the Colonel of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. Other members of the military establishment as well as serving and ex-cadets and serving and ex-adult instructors dating back to before the Second World War were also present at this poignant event.

The First Battalion was officially recognised by Army Order Number 381 of 19^th July 1915 and has since seen thousands of Surrey’s youth pass through its doors. 

Reverend Canon Nigel Nicholson & Rector of St Mary's, Rev Peter Moseling	Lord Lieutenant leaves the church following the service	Guests leave the church following the service

:: 50th Anniversary Service - Duke of Edinburgh Award - Guildford Cathedral

Twenty-one cadets from Chobham, Woking, Deepcut, Corps of Drums, Merrow and Cranleigh Detachments assisted at Guildford Cathedral on Sunday 26th November during the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. Cadets were in evidence assisting with car parking, helping visitors find their way around the cathedral grounds and acting as ushers inside the cathedral. The cadets were surprised and delighted when Surrey ACF Honorary Colonel, Brigadier Graeme Bartlett MBE DL appeared. Supervising the cadets were Adult Instructors and Officers from Chobham, Woking, Deepcut, Leatherhead and Redhill Detachments as well as County Headquarters. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Officer, Captain Flint was also present.

Brigadier Bartlett encourages the cadets	Cadets assisting arrivals for the service	Some of the volunteer cadets

The day started with a downpour but ended mild and windy with the threat of rain. Fortunately, it did not rain. Sustained by a lunch in the cathedral refectory the cadets went about their tasks with the normal Surrey ACF enthusiasm, ending the day with a bun fight in the Seasons Restaurant on Surrey University campus. Many thanks to all the Cadets and Instructors who volunteered for the event.

:: Potential Officers Course

:: Orienteerers Show The Way - Again

Once again the Surrey ACF Orienteering Team has swept the board in the National Cadet Orienteering Championships which were this year held at Warcop in Cumbria. Following months of intensive training, the Surrey ACF Team  won the Senior Boys, Junior Boys and Junior Girls team events.  The team honours are listed below:

Individual Competition

ACF Team Competition

Surrey ACF won the Junior Boys, Junior Girls and Senior Boys Team Events in the ACF Team Competition, the overall timed places were as follows:

Junior Girls Team	Senior Boys Team

Congratulations to all involved including the Orienteering trainers and back up team.

:: Surrey ACF Crash Dummies

On 21st October 2006, Surrey Fire & Rescue Services in conjunction with Surrey Saint John's Ambulance and the Police organised an Emergency Services Exercise at Dunsfold Aerodrome at which Surrey ACF cadets acted as casualties.

The cadets were asked to imagine that they were on a coach with their mates chatting away when suddenly the coach is on its side ... there is the sound of metal on tarmac ... they smell burning ... somewhere someone is screaming ... others are crying ... 

Click on the images to see some horrible sites!!!!!

Ouch!	Who's a pretty boy then?	Spotty	Casualties	The perils of eating curry
Crash dummies 1	Volunteers	Crash dummies 2	The accident	The accident

The exercise was a great success, testing the emergency services response and effectiveness. Fortunately none of the cadets was hurt, despite some fairly horrific fake injuries. Hope you all enjoy the photographs! Well done Farncombe, Merrow, Cranleigh and Deepcut detachments.

:: Surrey Army Cadets Remember

Hundreds of Surrey Army Cadets participated in Remembrance Day services across the county on Sunday 12th November 2006.  On a chilly but bright morning, columns of cadets weaved their way through Surrey streets to take post in front of town and village War Memorials. The size of the crowds this year appeared to be even bigger in the aftermath of recent conflicts. 

In Woking, detachments of cadets from Chertsey, Addlestone, Woking, Chobham, Pirbright and Deepcut paraded in the town square to the accompaniment of the Surrey ACF Corps of Drums. 

In Camberley, Yorktown detachment paraded with elements of Deepcut detachment and others at the War Memorial outside the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.

Click on an image to see a larger version.

:: Leatherhead Cadet Wins South East Impact Prize

We are delighted to announce that the winner of the competition in the last issue of South East Impact Magazine is Lance Corporal Sam Knight, 14, from Surrey ACF’s Leatherhead Detachment. He won a Snugpak Sleeka Elite reversible jacket, ideal for this winter's cadet activities. Sam has been in the ACF for two years and is a pupil at Therfield Secondary School in Leatherhead. This was the first competition he had ever entered. “The best thing I ever did was join the Cadets and I am completely amazed that I won the competition. Thank you very much to everyone at Impact South East.

Lance Corporal Knight was presented his prize by Battalion Commander Major David Newman.

:: Woking Army Day In Support Of The Army Benevolent Fund

On 21st October 2006 the Army Benevolent Fund held a fund raising event in Woking supported by the Royal Logistics Corps Band, Surrey ACF Corps of Drums and cadets from Woking, Chobham and Deepcut Detachments. The event was attended by the Worshipful Mayor of Woking, Councillor John Kingsbury an ex-Logistics Corps soldier. The event was a great success for the ABF as well as providing some musical entertainment for Woking shoppers.

Surrey ACF Corps of Drums	RLC Band	Mayor of Woking Helps ABF	Mayor Thanks Woking Citizens

:: Surrey Cadets Jump Out Of Perfectly Good Plane!

Fourteen Surrey ACF cadets with three instructors deployed on Exercise Defiant Cadet in July this year to learn to parachute at the Joint Services Parachute Centre at Bad Lippspringe in Germany – JSPC(L).

The week-long trip was one of the best experiences they have ever had whilst being in the ACF. “I would recommend it to anyone,” said the aptly named Cadet CSM Stuart Jump. “The feeling of jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft with a parachute on your back can’t be beaten, and I hope to do many more jumps in the future. Landing is another exciting part, not only because you can put both feet on the ground once again but also because it is something else that involves a degree of skill, which I lacked in the first few jumps! A good landing is very satisfying but if you mess it up, it makes you eager to jump again and perfect it.”

Under-Officer Adrian Paice revealed that more Surrey Cadets will have the chance to  go on a similar course next year when the County plans to take two groups of Cadets out to Cyprus for two one-week long courses.

:: Walton Cadets Clean Up In Elmbridge

In April of this year, Walton Detachment in cooperation with the Elmbridge Housing Trust ran an eight-week citizenship course designed to attract local young people. The course required attendance one evening per week from 7pm to 9pm during which time the local youngsters completed parts of the Army Proficiency Certificate.

The course included first aid, map reading, command tasks, fire prevention, awareness of drugs and alcohol abuse, physical training, country code and fieldcraft. During the course, two of the participating youths undertook two weeks of Work Experience with the army through the Army Careers Officer Major B Gould. At the conclusion of the course all the participants were involved in a clean up operation of the St John’s Estate making the area safer for local children.

As encouragement for the local youth to complete the course, Elmbridge Housing trust provided a supper, a first aid pack and vouchers towards a new pair of trainers. 

Key personnel involved were RQMS Charlie Cooper and SI Stephen Peel of Walton Detachment with Mr Chris Teale of the Elmbridge Housing Trust. Also assisting with the project were Cpl Snape, L/Cpl Pugh, and L/Cpl Pamment, all cadets at Walton Detachment.

To finalise the initiative, there was a presentation evening on the 5^th April 2006 to which the local MP Mr Ian Taylor was invited to hand out certificates of achievement. Also present were The Mayor of Elmbridge, Army Careers Officer Major B Gould, Elmbridge Housing Trust Officer Mr Chris Teale, Surrey ACF Deputy Commandant Lt Col John Ross and the families of the participants. All parties were agreed that the initiative had been a great success and many parents commented that there had been a visible change in the behaviour and attitude of their children.