Suffolk Cadets Honoured to Play Part In London Remembrance Events

A Weekend to Remember – Suffolk ACF & Westbourne Academy CCF

What an incredibly proud and memorable weekend for Suffolk Army Cadet Force and Westbourne Academy Combined Cadet Force!

Our cadets were honoured to play a part in two of the nation’s most significant acts of remembrance: the Фестиваль пам'яті at the Royal Albert Hall and the National Remembrance commemorations at the Cenotaph in London.

We arrived at CTC Hammersmith late on Thursday 5th November. Following some much-needed rest and a quick shake-out, rehearsals began under the expert eye of Company Sergeant Major L Smith, B Company.

Uniforms and boots were inspected, with every loose thread and speck of fluff removed! Cadets were then formed into ranks of six, ready to begin the drill phase. This was a different marching format from what many of our cadets were used to, but they adapted brilliantly, quickly understanding their roles and responsibilities. The evening finished with some essential boot polishing, ironing and a little time to relax.

Saturday 7th November – A Day of Two Experiences

Saturday saw our group split across two activities.

Seventeen cadets and four adult volunteers enjoyed a Blue Badge guided tour of London, followed by a visit to the National Army Museum.

Meanwhile, our remaining cadets provided front-of-house assistance for the Королівський Британський Легіон (RBL), selling programmes and collecting donations. Dressed in their Formal Army Dress (FAD) uniforms, this was a completely new experience for many of them. They looked incredibly smart and received numerous positive comments from members of the public. They represented their organisations with real pride and professionalism.

A particularly proud moment saw Cadet Cpl Osborne from Woodbridge Detachment carry the National ACF Banner, while Sgt R Costa carried the National CCF Banner during the Festival of Remembrance.

Our cadets also had the opportunity to watch the performance itself, which proved to be an incredibly moving and memorable experience for everyone.

The National Remembrance Parade – The Cenotaph

The highlight of the weekend for all our cadets was undoubtedly the National Remembrance Parade at the Cenotaph.

Setting off from Hammersmith in their MTP uniforms, the cadets made their way to Horse Guards Parade. The weather was kind, although there was certainly a chill in the air!

To stand alongside serving personnel, veterans and representatives from across the country, taking part in one of the most significant acts of remembrance in our nation, is an experience that will stay with our cadets for a lifetime.

It was a tremendous honour to represent Suffolk ACF and the Army Cadet Force on such an important national occasion.

Every cadet involved demonstrated commitment, discipline, smartness and respect throughout the weekend. They should all be incredibly proud of what they achieved.

A huge thank you to all our cadets and adult volunteers (CFAVs) who gave up their time, worked so hard and represented their units and organisations so brilliantly.

These are the moments that create lasting memories, build confidence and demonstrate the very best of the Cadet Forces.

We will remember them.

Maj S Revell

Suffolk Remembers

Elsewhere around the county our cadets were selling poppies and attending Remembrance Sunday Services and Parades in their local communities. There was a fantastic turn out for each of the detachment towns, and we are very proud of how our cadets carried themselves and represented Suffolk ACF.

A special mention goes to Halesworth detachment. With detachment commander SSgt Hunt passing along this message:

‘After the Halesworth detachment being closed for many years it was lovely to see how happy the people of Halesworth were to see the ACF back in the community. Cadets were assisting the RBL with poppy collections and then parading for the first time in over 10 years through Halesworth to pay their respects. We were very fortunate to have our company OC, Major George Haldenby, accompany us and lead the cadets in the parade in which they all performed excellently, especially as this was our first solo big event. Cadet LCpl Birkinshaw and Cadet Gee performed their wreath laying duties superbly. All the cadets made me proud to be their DC.’

All of us here at Suffolk ACF are extremely proud of our cadets’ efforts, especially those that attended the London weekend. To stress again that none of this is possible without our fantastic adult volunteers. We are very grateful for their time and hard work in creating such worthwhile experiences for our cadets.

With thanks to the Media Team for providing photographs of the event