By Second Lieutenant Henrik Laidlow-Petersen, Acting County Music Officer
The newly established Kent ACF Corps of Drums has just returned from the first of our two national training camps, this time at Otterburn Training Camp in Northumberland. It was the biggest camp ever with 651 cadets Army, Air, Sea, Marine and CCF cadets. Very exciting!
The music spanned from Corps of Drums, Bands and Pipes & Drums. Music could be heard throughout the day starting with a “gentle” get out of bed song at 06:15 by one of our Scottish pipers.
The style of camp is very different from “green” camps. Breakfast is between 07:00-08:30 and morning parades are cancelled if it is raining, and no indoor facility can cater for all the cadets. It is all about the music and learning. When the parades are on, we are marching into the parade square behind some of the marching bands. The sound was awesome, and you feel special being part of this.
Cadet Sandhu (Kent RE), who was on the basic bugle course, said: “I made a lot of new friends. I also found the fellow cadets very helpful.” Cadet Sandhu finished with a basic music badge on what is the hardest of the Corps of Drums instruments.
Each band had a smart uniform on top of our MTPs. That made some of them look like guards’ regiments (who sometime donate old uniforms to the cadets).
Cadet Wanstall (B Coy) came as a beginner on the flute but managed, through hard work, to end camp with a one-star music badge. Well done!
Cadet Corporal Matthews (A Coy), who achieved her two-star music badge on the snare drum said: “There were plenty of adult instructors to help. I found the final parade exciting”.
Kent ACF did really well on the camp, despite only having been in existence for four months:
- 6 basic music stars
- 5 one- star music
- 4 two-star music
- 1 three-star music
There were 50 cadets in the three-star cadre, but only seven passed the tough testing. Cadet Corporal Gumbrill (A Coy) was one of them. He impressed his adult instructors to an extend where they came to me after the hectic schedule to praise him. That, and some other good efforts, made me feel very proud of representing Kent ACF.
We have on the music side, both a weeklong camp in spring and autumn. The next camp is expected to be at Longmoor Training Camp. At county we can assess and pass up to two-stars, the rest must be at the National Music Camps.
As adult volunteers we are also building up knowledge and experience with running music detachments. There will be some exciting changes very shortly.
If you are interested in joining, then contact your Detachment Commander who will speak to your Area Music Lead.
