Annual Camp 2023 - by Capt N Bizzell
Humberside and South Yorkshire Army Cadet Force Annual Camp 2023 was an amazing, action packed seven days of friendship, fun, and adventure in sunny Scotland.
As well as Army Cadets from across the county footprint we were joined for the full camp by Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC) and, in their first ever visit to the United Kingdom, the National Cadet Corps (NCC) of India visited for 3 days, spending time with our cadets and experiencing a range of the activities on offer.
The camp offered a wealth of training activities to those who made the journey north. All of the training platoons took part in a two day Adventure Training (AT)package with mountain biking, Coasteering, white water rafting and highland games. The cadets and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers all enjoyed the challenge and excitement, the opportunity to learn new skills and test courage in the exciting and exhilarating environment of the Scottish coastline, rivers and forests. Some made giant leaps into the sea, some learnt to ride a bike for the first time, all came back talking about the amazing time they had.
The training area offered a great space for Navigation, Expedition and Fieldcraft training. each of the training company spent some time out on the area. Four stars with B Company spent a large part of their week in an extended exercise testing their Fieldcraft and Leadership skills in the picturesque coastal environment. Spending time under canvas in the woods and utilising the lighthouse complex as a Forward Operating Base (FOB) they made the most of the facilities available to provide an engaging realistic exercise that generated lots of fun and a host of ACS passes. They even welcomed guests from the NCC for a day taught them communications and ambush skills, shared ration pack meals, and engaged them as allied forces to ambush an enemy patrol approaching the FOB. Returning from exercise they then headed out for the AT package to complete their week.
The three stars with E company were also out on the area learning and testing fieldcraft skills. After a slightly shorter exercise they had time to head to the ranges to put their marksmanship to the test with the Cadet General Purpose rifle. After a day of shooting and coaching they headed back out onto the area to practice their navigation skills. To finish their camp they joined the four stars for the AT package.
The two stars with C and D companies, along with out attached RAFAC personnel, headed out to their AT package earlier in the week rotating through this, tag archery, gun run, laser shotgun clay shooting, and some ACS training focussed around Skill At Arms and Drill. They joined the three stars for the range day some taking their first opportunity to fire live ammunition on a range, some honing their skills and achieving some impressive groupings. To finish their week, after some planning and completion of route cards, they headed out to take their turn in the beautiful dunes practising their Navigation, fieldcraft and First Aid skills.
The end of camp seemed to come around very quickly with such a busy program of activity squeezed into an amazing seven days. There were lots of tired but smiling faces loading onto the coaches for the journey south, all keen to come again next year. Will you Join them?
Click the "Join now!" link above to find a detachment near you, or talk to your detachment commander to sign up for next year.
Not convinced yet? Use the links below to read more about each of the days and see more of the pictures.
