Ellesmere Cadet Exercise

As Ellesmere College starts to wind down for the end of term, lessons were canceled for 3 days to enable all pupils to get off the school grounds an experience something very different from the classroom. Ellesmere College provides a wide range of extra curricular opportunities and it’s 3 day ‘expeditions’, as they are known, play a significant part in this.

Patrol
Patrol

The cadets in the Army section of the Ellesmere College CCF took advantage of this opportunity to embark on a 3 day exercise at Swynnerton Training Area. It is a chance to end the year by bringing all the skills learnt through weekly training together and putting them into practice.

This has been an annual Summer fixture for many years now, but this has been far from a normal year. The introduction of a new weapon system into the cadet forces has had a large impact on the training programme, with all cadets needing retraining. For many, it has been the unlearning of old habits from the previous weapon that has been the hard part. MoD funding was pulled in October of last year, and not reinstated until April, which caused a fair amount of frustration and held back training even further. However, I guess we all have to tighten our belts these days!

What happens when you don't pick up the empty cases!
What happens when you don't pick up the empty cases!

Year 9 cadets were put through some intensive weapons training, as well as basic field craft. Many were able to take part in their first fighting patrol with weapons and fired a weapon for the first time in an ambush. The Year 10 cadets undertook recce patrols, planned and executed an ambush, revised and practiced section battle drills, practiced camouflage and tactical movement, and finished off with some platoon attacks. The NCOs (Non Commissioned Officers) in the 6th Form had the opportunity to put leadership skills into operation by taking command positions at both section and platoon levels. All in all, it was a very positive, productive and enjoyable exercise. Well done everyone.

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