June 13, 2023
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Army Cadets from the Highlands travelled to Wales for an international fieldcraft exercise, which saw them return home with silverware.
The cadets from 1st Battalion The Highlanders took part in the Cadet Cambrian Patrol (CCP), which was held on the Sennybridge Training Area in Powys between 19-21 May.
The CCP aims to push cadets, testing them both physically and mentally on the skills they have learned throughout their time in the ACF in the form of a 26km patrol, which sees the teams undertake stands en-route covering observation, medical evacuation, defensive shooting, military knowledge, and section attacks. The exercise welcomes teams each year from the whole of the UK, with the Highlanders being the only Scottish team in this year’s event.
This was the first time the Battalion had entered. Selection for the team started back in February with monthly training weekends at Dingwall and Fort George, which saw prospective cadets put through their paces and tested on their knowledge of the Cadet Syllabus.
The eight cadets who were selected to represent the Battalion were Cadet Company Sergeant Major Nathaniel McCully (17), Cadet Sergeant Kai Greig (17) and Cadet Lance Corporal Ennis Cotterhill-Stirling (17) from Ross Company, Cadet Corporal Callum Prideuax (17), Cadet Corporal John Bremner (15), Cadet Corporal Keanu Jones (16) from Caithness Company and Cadet Lance Corporal Saul Anderson (15) and Cadet Colour Sergeant Adam Ferenc (17) from Moray Company.
There is no overall winner of the exercise, each team’s patrol and conduct at the stands is assessed against a set marking criteria and at the end of the competition each team is given an overall grade: Gold, Silver and Bronze or a Certificate of Competition. Out of 19 teams who entered, the 1 Highlanders team were one of only four teams to achieve Gold and the Highlanders were the only ACF team who achieved Gold with the other teams being from the Combined Cadet Force. The battalion team was also named Best International Army Cadet Force Team, with the trophy collected by Section Commander CSgt Ferenc.
Upon his return home from the event LCpl Anderson said; “Without a doubt that was the best exercise I have been involved in. It was a great experience within the Sennybridge Training Area. An intense Saturday with the sun beaming the whole day, the testing stands around the training area allowed for all skills that we have learned to be put into a tactical practice. Our training for the CCP was challenging, enjoyable and physically demanding. With a wide range of skills covered from navigation to field tactics to fitness, all being possible due to our adult instructors’ commitment to delivering our training.”
The CCP is an annual event and is an exercise, not a competition. Being selected to take part is a great achievement for every cadet.
● All photos by WO2 James Fraser.
