Dear Mum and Dad,

Summer camp is awesome – we love being in DPM all day and the outdoor activities just get better and better.  Priya has found out that she is a pretty nifty archer and Emily just loved the kayaking which rounded the week off nicely on Friday.

Sunday and we are at the armoury nice and early to collect our rifles and shoot on the live-firing range while our officers have to be sentries and try to perfect their radio technique.  Section 4 take an early lead in the intersection competition with the winning and second place shots on the day....... and guess what - I’m better at clay-pigeon shooting than my section leader! 

On the second day we learnt how to tie knots and throw cordage before making rafts and taking to the water where Section 1 beat Section 4 (and Major McQuitty) into second place in the raft race.

It’s Tuesday and we are sharpening up our navigation skills using grid bearings of prominent local landmarks to draw resections before going orienteering through the sand dunes and onto the beach.

It’s the big day and we are off on the overnight field exercise after checking our kit, one more room inspection (Section 3 are winning these so far) and prepping our weapons.  Having set up our harbour area and leaving Section 4 ‘on guard’ the rest of us go out on recce patrol prior to the night assault on the ‘Devonian’ army.  It was so exciting – waiting for the flare to go up and ready to ‘Open fire!’

Love patrolling - we had to do a clearance sweep around our harbour area after the enemy attack at 6.30 in the morning. – sneaking up on people in camouflage is way more fun than playing ‘James Bond’ at home – sorry Dad! 

Having caught the enemy napping on the beach (well done -Section 3 Scout Laura B who was out on patrol with section 4) we regroup to launch an all-out platoon attack through Thursday morning.  I think I can safely say we have got the hang of ‘pepper potting’  as the Uni OTC are playing dead in bunkers all over the area.  Elana has put her cross-country skills to good use as the commanding officer’s runner, relaying orders to each of the sections as they moved into position and Laura S still hasn’t stopped smiling!

Well done to Section 2 (under the careful guidance of 2Lt. Johnson) for winning the intersection competition – it went right down to the wire with all the sections in the lead at one time or another.

The jokes, the memories (singing out of tune and trying out a variety of wicked accents) and the skills from each challenge will undoubtedly stay with us all for a long time.

Such a liberating experience – proving to the boys that the girls can do anything!

I’m incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to be part of Monmouth School CCF.

It will be weird coming home and not having to arrive everywhere 5 minutes before a certain time.  I will expect written orders and a full briefing on the following day’s activities every evening.  Good luck to Sophie who is now off to Frimley on leadership training.

Love from your Penally Platoon Princess