Lottie Giles (Lower Sixth)

It’s been an action-packed and exciting start for the BGS Combined Cadet Force (CCF) students who, together with boys from Bedford School embarked on skills-based field weekend (1st-2nd October 2022) at Chicksands in Bedfordshire.

Lottie Giles (Lower Sixth) reflected on the weekend:

“The Year 10 field weekend was an immersive and educational experience for the cadets. Unfortunately, due to Covid, the year 10s had missed out on vital fieldcraft experiences. Therefore, this weekend allowed them to practice new and exciting exercises.

“It was an activity-filled weekend that started off on Saturday, the cadets quickly got to start on learning different useful skills. They were able to all successfully and collaboratively put up bashers, cook on army cookers and camouflage and conceal themselves. This allowed the cadets to try and use camouflage cream on their face. Some managed to grasp the concept of using light amounts of the cream, whilst others instead opted to cover their entire faces. The cadets were then set off on their first small patrol in a combat scenario.

“Later in the evening whilst it was getting darker the cadets were given a task to get back to camp (1.5km) from a given point without being seen. This was obviously made harder as the other SNCOs and I were patrolling up and down the paths looking for them, if caught they were sent back to the start. This led to the cadets to have to hide in bushes and to be constantly looking for cover while patrolling. This was also made harder as they weren’t allowed to use torches, in spite of the fact that by the end of the activity it was completely dark (I certainly found the pitch black scary by the end of the night).

“After a night in bashers it was an early start, and after breakfast the camp was packed up. Then it was taken upon the SNCOs (lead by RSM Barney) to demonstrate the different examples of section attacks, contact drills and snap ambushes. This was then carried out by the cadets to allow them to practise these drills at a high standard whilst also maintaining a fun and exciting atmosphere.”

Gracie Beech (Year 10) and Hollie Blewitt (Year 10) added: “The night time stalk was so fun, and it was a great practical experience. It also meant that we got to meet new friends and properly bond as a section.”