Developing teamwork and a sense of camaraderie at CCF camp

Sixty-five boys from the Combined Cadet Force enjoyed a week-long camp in Shropshire that featured activities ranging from kayaking to a 24-hour field training exercise organised by the QE contingent.

The CCF boys from Years 9-12, accompanied by seven members of staff, joined cadets from four other schools at Nesscliffe Cadet Training Centre near Shrewsbury.

Among the highlights was the award of second place – out of all 400 cadets there – for Year 10’s Zayaan Humdani in the short range shooting competition.

“It was a good week for our boys: such camps are invaluable experiences, helping cadets improve their individual skills and also developing teamwork and a sense of camaraderie,” said Major Mev Armon, who is both the CCF commanding officer and a Biology teacher at QE.

The week began with a day of personal development training at a local activity centre, which included kayaking, canoeing, mountain-boarding, climbing and Laser Quest. The following day was spent on the shooting ranges, with the cadets split into two groups, depending on their level of experience. Activities ranged from competition shooting at 200m and 300m for the senior group to weapons training and a DCCT (Dismounted Close Combat Trainer – a computer-simulated range) shoot for the junior group.

The middle of the week saw two days devoted to military skills and combat skills, followed by the field training exercise planned and run by QE. The last full day was given over to competition, with the schools entering teams of up to ten into challenges that included military skills, tug of war and a ‘gun run’ contest.