CCF Annual Lent Field Exercise 15th/16th March 2011
Weirhead Parade Square 1630hrs - We are sat in our platoon sections on our turtle packs waiting for the Army transport to take us to Swynnerton. Anticipation is heightened as we travel up the motorway watching the video: ‘We were soldiers’ with Mel Gibson. Suitably inspired (and as the credits begin to roll) we arrive at the base, collect our 24hr ration packs from WO1 Lindon and yomp off into the wood to erect our bashers and cook our evening meal.
Reveille was at 0645hrs (a lie-in for some of us) and after litter-sweeping our harbour area we set out eager to complete the 8 stands on our matrix which included live firing on the 30m range, an observation task, map reading and physical tests and First Aid. It was generally agreed that the highlights of these were the ‘live firing’ the assault course (we will long remember being ‘blind dogs’) and the ‘casualty simulation’.
Major McQuitty was the ‘last man’ to step off the square at Swynnerton after a successful exercise in which it was apparent to all of our officers that we had moved on substantially in our training and personal admin from that first wet field day in October.
We are proud to have proved that we can be ‘THE BEST’ in the CCF! Quote of the end of the exercise ‘Can we watch a comedy on the way home? We are all ‘warred’ out now!The girls say: ‘…it was amazing!’ ‘…too good for words!’ ‘…loved the fake blood!’
