Achieving Master Cadet Status

Over half-term, three Lower VI Army cadets passed the toughest course in the Army Cadet movement, in so doing taking Corps’ tally of those achieving Master Cadet status in the past eighteen months to a whopping thirteen. One of them, Sgt Woods, writes:

‘At the beginning of the half-term, Sgt Parsons, Sgt Gumbley and I arrived at CTC Frimley Park for our week-long Master Cadet course. We are nervous but excited as we joined 36 other senior ACF and CCF cadets from all across the nation, from Surrey to Cumbria to Northern Ireland. By the end of the first day, everyone had begun to familiarise themselves with one another. 

‘The following day, the course truly began with lessons in fieldcraft consolidating our basic knowledge before the field exercise. Then came Monday, the beginning of the test of our teamwork and physical courage with an early morning 800m log run immediately followed by the obstacle course; it was at this moment that it became clear that not all 39 cadets would pass this course …

‘From Monday afternoon until Thursday, we spent four days and three nights on a field training exercise, Ex DUKE’S CHALLENGE, where each day demanded more from us than the last. Every evening we had to set up a harbour area, only permitted hastily to erect our bashas after dark and going to sleep typically at 2300 hrs. And the challenge did not pause for the night: we were stationed in alternating pairs onto Stood-To Armed Guard (STAG) for two one-hour shifts per night, then awoken finally by 0545 hrs before first light to take down everything we had worked hard to set up the night before.

‘The days were even harder. Tuesday featured section attacks where cadets received appointments as 2i/cs and Section Commanders; Wednesday prompted quick tactical thinking in unusual combat situations; and Thursday gave us the challenge of a three-hour platoon attack. Combine this with increasingly less sleep, weighty equipment, a strict routine and MoD ration packs and you can see why this is the toughest course Army Cadets can undertake. After firing hundreds of blank rounds and sharing a sleeping bag with it, by the end, our rifle was our best friend.

‘Thursday evening gave us all a much needed respite with hot showers and a delicious carvery for dinner. All three of us Caterhamians passed (by no means all taking part did) and were delighted to maintain Caterham School CCF’s proud and impressive record of success at Master Cadet – and I am certain that we won’t be the last. By bringing back from the course what we learned, I hope that we can repay the favour to Corps for all our preparation for this course and help to create the next Master Cadets.’

Sgt Woods

Lower VI, Army Section