ROYAL MARINES COMBINED CADET FORCE

The Combined Cadet Force owes its origin to the Volunteer Force formed in the army in the late 1850s. Cadet units were established at schools and colleges in support of these volunteers and provided a source of recruits for them. In 1908 the cadets were reorganised and one branch became the Officers' Training Corps, with a senior division based on the universities and a junior division on the public schools; primarily to produce suitable candidates for commissions in the Territorial Army. In 1940 these divisions were retitled the Senior Training Corps and the Junior Training Corps. In 1945 the JTC was reorganised as the Combined Cadet Force when naval and air sections were incorporated. In September 1980 Royal Marines Detachments were formed in the naval sections of ten CCF contingents and over the years this has expanded to the current eighteen schools of:

BEDFORD MODERN SCHOOL, Bedford
BRADFIELD COLLEGE, Reading, Berks
CANFORD SCHOOL, Wimborne, Dorset
CHARTERHOUSE, Godalming, Surrey
GIGGLESWICK SCHOOL, Settle, North Yorkshire
HARROW SCHOOL, Harrow on the Hill, Middx
KING'S COLLEGE, Taunton, Somerset
MALVERN COLLEGE, Malvern, Worcs
PANGBOURNE COLLEGE, Reading, Berks
ROYAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL, Holbrook, Ipswich, Suffolk
RUGBY SCHOOL, Rugby, Warwickshire
SHERBORNE SCHOOL, Sherborne, Dorset
SHREWSBURY SCHOOL, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
STRATHALLEN SCHOOL, Forgandenny, Perth
UPPINGHAM SCHOOL, Uppingham, Leics
WELLINGBOROUGH SCHOOL, Wellingborough, Northants
WELLINGTON COLLEGE, Crowthorne, Berks
WINCHESTER COLLEGE, Winchester, Hants

The Royal Marines Detachments are broadly organised on a troop structure, with three sections of eight and the older cadet boys acting as Junior and Senior NCOs. RMCCF have allowed girls to join dependant on school policy since 1999. The cadets cover all basic military skills such as drill, fieldcraft, administration and minor tactics. They can also cover subjects such as unarmed combat, survival skills, mountain and arctic warfare, more complex tactics, scuba diving and parachuting. The detachments offer the cadets an opportunity to develop useful skills such as teamwork, leadership and the ability to work in groups whilst also gaining an insight into the Royal Marines.

The cadets also take part in an annual inter-detachment competition "The Sir Steuart Pringle Trophy Competition" held at CTCRM over a weekend in October. This involves a team of eight cadets from each detachment competing over two days of military tests, in order to enhance their knowledge and find the best detachment.

The highlight of the cadet year is the Annual Training Camp in Scotland each summer. Based at Garelochhead this twelve day exercise tests every aspect of the cadets training and is a challenging and rewarding experience for all!

More info can also be found from the RN Reference site at www.rnreference.mod.uk