Cadets' Heroic Actions Save Friend's Life
(Above) Cambridgeshire cadets demonstrate CPR at Showcase Day, July 2026.
Present and former Army cadets use their first aid skills to help save lives all over the country every year. In June, Cadet Staff Sergeants Kit Gandy (Ely Detachment), Tristan Enderle (Chesterton) and Air Cadet Harry Ewan (Ely) used their knowledge and skills to directly save a friend’s life. All three are to be awarded certificates by the Army Cadet Charitable Trust in recognition of their actions.
The three cadets have all received significant first aid training with the Cadet Forces, with Gandy having completed 4 Star Level first aid training and the First Aid at Work Course, Enderle having completed 3 Star Level and taught first aid to other cadets, and Cadet Ewan also receiving crucial training from his organisation.
(Above) Cdt SSgt Gandy
On 20ال June, the three cadets attended a party to celebrate the end of their GCSEs. Soon after arriving, they became aware that one of the other boys at the party was getting into difficulties having quickly consumed a very large quantity of spirits. Very soon, he collapsed, and all three cadets went to his aid, and on observing the rise and fall of his chest, realised he was breathing very erratically, with periods where he was not breathing at all. The cadets called the emergency services and described the situation to them. As they were in rural Norfolk, it was going to be some time before an ambulance arrived, meaning that, as the only trained first aiders present, it was down to the cadets to keep the casualty alive. The emergency services advised them to immediately begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The cadets also got the attention of an adult at the party, who went to get a defibrillator located nearby.
SSgt Kit Gandy performed the CPR, whilst SSgt Enderle and Cadet Ewan monitored his breathing. Gandy said: “after just 10 or 20 seconds he began to breathe again, but he was still unconscious.” Once he was breathing, he vomited very dramatically.
Enderle sent someone for a bucket of water and a towel and then cleared the vomit from his mouth to prevent choking and make sure his airway was clear. SSgt Enderle and Air Cadet Ewan helped Gandy to get the casualty into the recovery position, whilst they continued to monitor his breathing.
(Above) Cdt SSgt Enderle being promoted recently by the Deputy Commandant.
However, within minutes, the casualty stopped breathing once again. Gandy again performed CPR, resulting in him resuming breathing and giving a response by moving his arm and squeezing one of the cadets’ hands. Soon afterwards, the adult returned with the defibrillator, but as the casualty was breathing, it was not needed.
Eventually, two ambulances arrived and the cadets were able to brief the paramedics about what had happened. The casualty was taken to hospital for further care and observation, and quickly made a full recovery. Gandy said “I have seen him since and he thanked me and said he would buy me a chocolate bar, but I haven’t got it yet!”
WO2 Jules Perry oversees first aid training across the County. She said: “Both of our cadets were great students during their training. and I am very proud that they took all their training in and were able to put their skills to use in this very important situation.”
Cadet SSgt Gandy said: “It was the scariest moment of my life, but looking back at it, I’m very proud of what we did.” He also made the point that the significance of his cadet training in this situation was not limited to his knowledge of first aid. “We worked very well as a team. The ACF has grown my confidence as a leader, but it has also taught us all to work together. I wouldn’t have been able to do it alone”
(Above) Air Cadet Harry Ewan.
Cdt SSgt Enderle agreed, saying: “We were able to work together and communicate clearly because of our cadet training. The ACF has given me the skills and the confidence I needed, and allowed me to discover things in myself that I didn’t know I could do. The experience was terrifying, exciting and surreal. When I look back on it, I feel quite proud. I wish it hadn’t happened, but since it did, I’m glad that we got to use our first aid skills to save someone’s life.”
All three cadets will receive well deserved Meritorious or Praiseworthy Action Certificates from the Army Cadet Charitable Trust (ACCT UK). Alan Sharkey MBE CStJ TDLt Col (Retd), Honours and Awards Manager with ACCT UK, said “Please convey to the cadets our congratulations for their praiseworthy action. The Meritorious Action certificate for Cdt SSgt Gandy reflects that he carried out the CPR. The Meritorious Action certificate is the higher of the two awards available from ACCT UK, and is scarcely given.”
Cambridgeshire ACF has many exceptional and inspirational young people in its ranks, and many remarkable first aid stories. There can be no doubt that these cadets, and their heroic actions, are amongst our most inspirational, and our whole County is exceptionally proud of them.
Text and interviews by Lt Doug Stuart.