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Saturday 12th July
CCF

Oswestry School CCF Take the Honours at Warcop Camp

Not even the heavy rain interspersed with Cumbrian Fell mist was going to dent the enthusiasm of Oswestry School CCF as they took part in 42 Brigade’s annual CCF Camp inter-contingent March and Shoot Competition at Warcop. The competition marks the highlight of the week’s military training at Warcop camp and Oswestry School’s cadets had prepared themselves well through the week’s training in readiness for this event.

A party of 4 staff and 29 cadets spent the week at Warcop training in a variety of different activities and approaching all their training with keenness and determination notwithstanding the daily dose of rain that accompanied their visit. The cadets acquitted themselves well in every discipline and entered the final day’s inter-contingent competition full of confidence that they could do well. In a keenly fought contest with a high standard of turnout and a demanding route march it was the obstacle course and 30m range shoot that would ultimately determine the outcome. Though not the fastest contingent over the obstacle course, it was the lack of penalties that was decisive in keeping the contingent’s hopes alive as they entered the shooting phase of the competition. The icing on the cake for the contingent was when their shooting team turned in the best team shoot of the competition.

The week’s training began with a military skills day, known as ‘Warcop Wanderer’ in which cadets practice section formations, fire control orders and weapon handling before mounting a series of section and attack manoeuvres in a platoon attack. The first evening of camp was spent in briefings and rehearsal of basic skills in readiness for the next day. The standard of instruction was high and gave cadets every confidence in proving and improving their skills as the day progressed.

The element of surprise, predictably, was held to the end when the platoon, having carried out 4 section attacks, believed the exercise to be over when yet again they came under fire. This time, with limited ammunition left, a tactical withdrawal was necessary and provided a different and novel scenario for the cadets to experience.

The ‘Ranges’ day training package similarly provided the cadets with a novel experience as they came under fire from a superior force and had to practice a section in defence making a tactical withdrawal. It also provided them with an opportunity to fire on the 30m range and in the Close Combat Trainer where the computer analysis of their shooting provided an invaluable aid to improving the accuracy of their firing. Lessons that were clearly learnt when, later in the week, a team of 4 firers was randomly picked by the directing staff to shoot in the March and Shoot competition.

Combat First Aid is also a vital skill although it was upon the scene of a simulated road traffic accident that the cadets were required to demonstrate their abilities and awareness.
Whilst some of the cadets were made up with very realistic injuries the remaining cadets, when patrolling, were to come across the road traffic accident and had to deal with amputees, burns victims, head injuries and shock victims. They responded to the task exceptionally well earning high praise from the directing staff. In the evening the cadets undertook a ‘Heartstart’ course and earned their certificates for emergency response and resuscitation. The military training packages also included the cadets spending a half day on Signals training using radios and learning to use semaphore. A half day was spent on a challenging leadership exercise involving navigation around a course and the completion of a series of command tasks. This demanding course was also used as an inter-contingent contest over the course of the week and was taken into account when, on the final day of camp, the ‘Best Contingent’ award was made.

Annual CCF camp also provides a good opportunity for cadets to experience a range of Adventure Training activity. Whether it be climbing and abseiling on the Climbing tower, Kayaking on Derwent Water, Hill walking in Borrowdale, or raft building and watermanship on the training areas of Warcop camp, there is plenty of activity for all cadets to pursue. Every cadet from the contingent managed to take part in at least 3 of these 4 activities. The weather, throughout the week, was disappointingly wet and although getting wet goes with the territory for some of these activities nevertheless it was potentially discouraging for the cadets who took part. So much fun was enjoyed by the cadets, however, that the rain never deterred them from getting the benefit of a full day’s training session and ‘Adventure Training’ produced several high points for each cadet in their week.

It was a particular delight that such a large party of cadets were able to attend summer camp notwithstanding the draw, for the more senior cadets, of attending the CCF Climbing expedition to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Attendance at Warcop camp was the highest that Oswestry School CCF has experienced for many years and it is especially rewarding to see that the contingent performed so well. Clearly those cadets who attended thoroughly enjoyed themselves and it was testimony to their enjoyment that so many put their name down for Wathgill camp 2009. My thanks go to Capt. Roger Leonard, Lt. Russell Maxfield and Miss Rosie Shaw for their invaluable help and support at camp and without whom the Contingent could not have achieved such success.

RGE.