“One of those experiences you just don’t forget” – cadets on camp

The spirits of QE’s Combined Cadet Force remained high during their spring training camp, despite their getting ambushed and enduring freezing nights in a forest.

During the two-day exercise in Mereworth Woods in Kent, the cadets focused on learning and practising 1 Star Fieldcraft – training which includes looking after yourself and your equipment, being self-reliant in the field, and the basic skills of a rifleman.

Contingent Commander (and the PE & Games department’s Head of Aquatics) Richard Scally Said: “Alongside 1 Star Fieldcraft, they learned a range of important military skills, including camouflage and concealment, movement in the field, and working effectively as a team.

“The training helped cadets build confidence, discipline, and leadership abilities while also strengthening their understanding of how to operate in outdoor conditions.

“Although cold at night, the weather was mostly kind during the exercise, allowing activities to run smoothly throughout the day. Despite the cold, everyone showed great resilience and enthusiasm.”

Among those taking part was Year 10’s Niketh Putta, who recalled the highs and the lows of his time at the military training facility near Sevenoaks.

The first day involved walking through the forest carrying 15kg Bergen rucksacks. “We got ‘ambushed’ within the first hour, so we had to dive into the leaves and camouflage ourselves –we spent a full hour just waiting completely still, hidden in the bushes.”

After that, the cadets set up camp in triangle formation, built ‘bashas’ (simple army-specified shelters) and “tried to sleep in negative temperatures with insects crawling around us. It was a rough day,” said Niketh.

The night was not yet finished, either: there was still sentry duty to be faced. This, Niketh said, involved “waking up at 2am to keep watch in complete silence in the pitch black. It had us rethinking our life’s decisions!”

To stay connected, one of the boys would make a ‘cacaw’ sound into the darkness. If a reply came, the cadets would meet up secretly.

Afterwards, Niketh reflected on the whole camp: “It was one of those experiences you just don’t forget. Both days were spent shooting blank rounds at enemies through trees, crawling through mud, eating rations and doing things on paper that sound absolutely miserable. And yet we were still laughing the whole way through.

“Nobody tells you this, but it’s never really about the experience. It’s about who you’re in it with. The cold felt less cold. The long nights felt shorter. The hard moments turned into jokes before they even finished happening. Surround yourself with people who make the hard stuff worth it. That’s everything you’ll ever need.”