THE Isle of Man's Combined Cadet Force (CCF) held its biennial inspection day at King William's College as part of its centenary year celebrations recently.
The event started with a parade at 9am in which cadets representing all three military branches – army, navy and air force – faced a detailed inspection by Air Vice Marshal and ex-RAF Commander Sir David Alan Walker.
The rest of the day was filled with field activities including first aid exercises, leadership and teamwork tasks, map and compass work, rifle shooting and climbing.
The activities ended with a Topper Challenge Competition, in which parents were invited to take part, before a centenary dinner in the evening.
The dinner was held in the College's Barrovian Hall and featured awards presentations and an address by College alumnus Major General Sir Laurence New.
Sir Laurence New was one of a number of King William's alumni who attended the event, with many of them bringing along old photographs of their own time in the CCF to contribute towards a pictorial record of the last hundred years.
The organisation was formed in 1911 from the junior branch of the Island’s Officer Training Corp.
Sponsored by the British Ministry of Defence, it has since become a central feature of school life for many students.
It teaches key transferable skills and promotes a feeling of personal achievement and cadets take part in training exercises both on and off the Island during the course of the academic year.
In September 2010 the King William's College CCF was also opened up to students of Castle Rushen High School, a move which was greeted with great enthusiasm by the two student bodies.
Hilary Morton, contingent commander of the King William's College cadet force, said: "This event marked a full century of commitment to the Island's youth and helping to develop them into the best that they can be.
"With the recent addition of Castle Rushen students to the Cadet Force it can honestly claim to have never been stronger.
"I am incredibly proud of the cadets and the strengths and values they have exhibited both today and over the course of the year."
College Principal Martin Humphreys said: "The Cadet Force is extremely important for the College.
"It encourages and motivates students in ways that traditional education alone cannot achieve.
"It takes them out of the academic environment and allows them to use their minds and the skills built up in the classroom in new and different ways.
"The impact it has on students is evident from the many alumni that have returned to attend this event.
"It is wonderful to see them celebrating such a major milestone in their history."
