On Tuesday the 12th March Kingham Hill School CCF (Combined Cadet Force) held its biennial inspection in front of a number of members of the school’s senior management team and governors, local dignitaries, representatives from the armed forces and parents.
The reviewing officer was Kingham Hill old boy Air Vice Marshal Malcolm Brecht, CBE, who has recently been appointed as Chief of Staff (Capability).
The day began with snow flurries turning the parade square into something more akin to Red Square than Chipping Norton. However, the clouds soon parted and the parade square was bathed in glorious sunshine as the day’s proceedings began.
A guard of honour was mounted for the reviewing officer, led by CSgt Peter Juckes, followed by an inspection of the guard. Captain Alistair Grant (late Welsh Guards) described the guard of honour’s performance as “very good”; high praise, indeed!
After a brief refuelling stop, the main purpose of the day began with a number of stands showing off a range of the contingent’s training, including; fire and movement, a flight simulator, shooting on our four-lane range, command & leadership tasks, and weapon training with the stands culminating in a section attack demonstration by the army section.
The army section was particularly pleased to have a representative from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers – Maj (Ret’d) John Turquand – present, as the army section has recently affiliated with the RRF, and we look forward to a long a successful relationship with the regiment.
At the very least, great interest and excitement has been generated in the army section at the prospect of donning the regimental red-over-white hackle.
Excitement only subduing slightly when told that the red top does not actually come from being dipped in the blood of the French after the battle of St. Lucia in 1778!
With the contingent on parade at the end of the day, AVM Brecht spoke of how he was impressed with what he had seen the cadets achieve (especially given the chilly conditions), and reminisced fondly his own memories of the CCF when he too was a cadet at Kingham in the RAF section.
AVM Brecht was pleased to present the Head of Corps cane to CSgt Juckes as formal recognition of his position as the senior cadet of the contingent, and the Best Recruit shield to the best overall recruit since the start of the recruits’ training in September.