CCF Inspection 2024
Our annual CCF Inspection took place in School last Friday afternoon, carried out by Commodore Robert JA Bellfield CBE ADC DL Royal Navy. Thank you to friends and family who joined us to watch the Inspection, which included a parade and various displays from all sections including Army, RAF and Navy.
Year 13’s Hannah, Head of Contingent shared her report from the afternoon.
Last Friday was our annual CCF Inspection, an opportunity for us to exhibit our amazing facilities and excellent cadets. We kicked off with a parade of all 230-plus cadets in the Dome, involving the Navy, Army, RAF and a specially compiled Quarter Guard. The Inspecting officer cast an eye over our troops and spoke to several cadets. In his speech to visiting parents and friends of the school he emphasised the difficult world we live in and how we can contribute to the safety of our nation.
Once the cadets had fallen out, the audience was treated to two drill displays. One performed by the Navy, current drill champions of two years, alongside their colleagues in the Drum corps, and one by the RAF. Both teams put in a great deal of hard work and did themselves proud with their excellent performance.
Then followed a tour of our grounds and facilities as well as the activities which cadets take part in on a regular basis. The confidence course was a big hit, with our cadets demonstrating their physical capability as well as wonderful teamwork. Paintballing, low ropes, first aid, flight simulator, command task, fieldcraft and raft building were all on show from various sections, largely led by NCOs from Years 12 and 13. The team from East Coast Adventures held Archery, at which the Commodore excelled, rivalling even our sharp-shooting cadets. The 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers made an appearance with an armed vehicle as well as demolitions equipment, which certainly captured the imaginations of the Army cadets present.
We then returned to the Dome pitch for the gun run, the final competition in the Trower Trophy. Always a thrilling event which gets every cadet cheering for their team, this year it featured an enthusiastic accompaniment from the Drum Corps. The race was won by the RAF A Flight, who also won the intersection competition as a whole. Congratulations to them!
On final parade we again heard from the Inspecting officer, who congratulated us on the quality of our CCF and reminded cadets of the value of teamwork and camaraderie, particularly in the trying times of the modern world. Despite all of the rain on our parade, quite literally, the CCF showed its very best.
Congratulations to all the cadets involved and best wishes for all of the Year 13 NCOs, for whom this was the last CCF session and my final parade as Head of Contingent. Thank you all!
As well as Hannah’s superb report, we also received a thank you to Miss Norman from Commodore Bellfield, shared below:
‘I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon with Woodbridge on Friday and thank you so much for your personal investment in time and support for the CCF. I have reflected the support from the SLT in the report.
As a local, with my RN ‘hat’ on, and as a Suffolk Deputy Lieutenant, I’m always delighted to support local schools. Thank you so much for an excellent afternoon. My best inspection so far – by some margin!‘
