CCF Field Day 2016
This week saw all Year 10 Eastbourne College CCF cadets (B company of the Army section, the RAF section, and the RN section) deploy to Pippingford Park for the annual culminating exercise entitled FULL STOP.
Cadets travelled north from Eastbourne to the training area near Crowborough and spent Monday evening constructing their bashers and preparing an evening meal over barbecues. This was followed by a night patrol exercise which lasted until approximately 11.00pm. After a fitful sleep, cadets rose again at 6.30am and moved to a central area where they were met by a hot cooked breakfast brought to them from the College.
After refuelling, cadets undertook a series of challenging teamwork and leadership tasks. Activity stands were supervised by members of the College CCF team, joined by personnel from the regular Army and Royal Marine cadets. The winning section was section RAF-2 and the best section commander was Cpl Jack Hind.
This year’s field day coincided with the contingent’s biennial inspection and the College was honoured to be visited by Brigadier Matt Lowe, Deputy Commander (Cadets) Regional Command and Lieutenant General Mark Poffley OBE, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Capability). Lt Gen Poffley’s son Tom was a pupil at the College, leaving in 2006, so for him the visit was a nostalgic one.
On return to College from Pippingford Park a number of volunteers formed a guard of honour for dinner guest Lt Gen Poffley. This was followed by a black tie dinner for contingent officers as well as Old Eastbournians with some connection to the military, whether they be current or former serving members of the Armed Forces.
