Suffolk ACF - B&C 103 Dec 04

Retirements
Maj Garry Turner, County Training Officer and formerly OC C Coy (Ipswich) as well as Capt Jayne Tyrell County HQ 3 Star Trg Offr and formerly Trg Offr B Coy have retired after many years of service with Suffolk ACF and we wish them well in retirement. Capt Dick Jarvis retired (again!) as PMC Officers’ Mess and has been replaced by Maj John L Raybould TD.

Social
On a glorious June evening, in the beautiful gardens of our retiring Suffolk ACF Honorary Colonel, Maj Gen Tony Pollard CB CBE DL, Suffolk ACF hosted the Annual Garden Party to show local dignitaries what Suffolk ACF are about. Click here for some photographs.

Sport
Tug of War is a relatively new sport in the Army Cadet Force and 2004 saw the first county teams from Suffolk Army Cadet Force competing at Regional and National Level. The success of the Boys and Girls teams at the Eastern Region Athletics Meeting resulted in their being selected to enter the National ACF Championships in 2004. Held in Colchester at the Military Festival, enthusiastic crowds cheered on the teams. At the end of the preliminary rounds Suffolk Boys had to be satisfied with 3rd place to the experienced finalists, Highlanders and Leicester/Northamptonshire.
The Suffolk Girls had won 3 pulls and drawn one and were in the final, pulling against the Highlanders, also with seven points. This was a most remarkable effort by all concerned especially as it was the first competitive year for Suffolk.
Suffolk won the first end, Highlanders the second and then it all depended on the 3rd pull.
Suffolk ACF were most grateful for the vocal support of their local rivals, Norfolk ACF !
After a magnificent effort, with both teams moving to and fro, it was Highlanders who won the final pull.
At least the Suffolk ACF Girls 2004 Tug of War Team can declare themselves as ‘Best in England!’

Particular thanks go to the Adult Leaders whose enthusiasm had much to do with the success of these Suffolk teenagers: trainer John Barber, Boys coach Trevor Willoughby and Girls coach Pete Fowler. Click here for some photographs.

Congratulations
Earlier this year, Cdt SSgt Luke Heffer of Ixworth Det was appointed as The Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet to The Lord Tollemache. He was then selected to join the National Army Cadet Wilderness Challenge Expedition to South Africa. To cap a distinguished year, Luke (who also serves with the MT Section EER in Bury St Edmunds) was awarded the unique ‘Brooks Stick’. It is presented annually to the Cadet who exemplifies all that is good about the ACF. It is named in honour of Col RW Brooks OBE who gave 44 yrs of service to Suffolk ACF and was Commandant 1935-1947.

In 2003, Cadet Tanya Richardson, also from Ixworth Detachment, was one of 14 Cadets nationwide to be selected to undertake the 4-week Wilderness Challenge.

We congratulate SSIs Steve Gallagher (Lowestoft North, B Coy), Capt Les Jackson (CAA B Coy) and John Stewart (County 1st Aid Offr) on the award of their Cadet Medal (12 years of service) and Lt David Smart (Lowestoft North, B Coy) on the award of his 2nd Clasp (for 24 years of service!)

SSI William Picton-Jenkins (known to all PJ) undertook a 152 mile sponsored walk from Sudbury, Derbyshire to Sudbury, Suffolk, on behalf of Children in Need in Nov 04. (The B&C production deadline means this is being written before the event so a report will follow in the next issue.)

Exchange
Set up by former Suffolk ACF County Commandant, Colonel Chris Burrell-Saward, for many years a Cadet Exchange has taken place between Suffolk ACF and US Marine Corps Cadets at Ross S Sterling High School, Baytown, Texas. In 2003 seven Suffolk Cadets spent 3 weeks in Texas. 2004 saw the reciprocal visit from Baytown to England where the Cadets and 2 Adults were hosted for 3 weeks, jointly by C (Ipswich) Coy, Suffolk ACF, in Suffolk and by the CCF for 5 days at Wretham Camp on the Stanford Battle Area in Norfolk. The Cultural, Recreational and Training activities were masterminded by Capt Ron McDaid, Cadet Admin Assistant at C (Ipswich) Coy. Click here for some photographs.

Photographs 2004

Maj Ted Askew and daughter Joanne, Halesworth Det B Coy and
Maj Gen Tony Pollard CB CBE DL

2004 Top Shot

‘Brooks Stick’ Winner 2004

QM Capt John Catt and
Camp Accommodation Manager Melvin Goldstraw,
both there in 1984!

Camp 2004
Suffolk were the first ACF Unit to use the newly opened Leek Camp in 1984 and in 2004 were the last Cadet Unit to use the camp in August before it closes. Leek lived up to its name with the weather but a vast range of adventurous, testing and enjoyable training was pursued. A welcome visitor, making his last official visit, was our retiring Honorary Colonel, Maj Gen Tony Pollard CB CBE DL. Taking over from Maj Gen Jack Dye CBE MC DL in 1992, we thank Gen Tony for 12 years of unstinting support and enthusiasm. Our new Honorary Colonel, who also visited camp, is Col Paul Long OBE. Click here for some photographs.

Camp 2005
The 2005 2-week Annual Summer Camp is at Rollestone on Salisbury Plain. A vast range of activities are planned: abseiling, adventurous training, assault course, camping, canoeing, fieldcraft, First Aid, walking, initiative tests, military training, mountain biking (or, as it is Salisbury Plain, biking on mountain bikes!), orienteering, rock climbing, soccer, survival techniques, target rifle shooting and tug-of-war. For £70 all-found it must be the best summer 2005 bargain in Suffolk !

The initiative of our Commandant, Col Paul Denny, an additional voluntary opportunity, for extra cost, is a static line parachute jump from 3000’ and a tandem skydive from 10 000’ at the Joint Services Parachute Training Centre, Netheravon. The Suffolk ACF Webmaster will have some of that, subject to permission from the boss at home!

Editorial Rule
To qualify for inclusion in the B&C there is only one rule - something described must have been said to have happened.
The authority is the Editor, British Army Review No 114 Dec 96, `If the facts don`t fit the legend, print the legend’.

However, the rules of good taste, respect and confidentiality are always applied.

Site edited and maintained by Major John L Raybould TD Editor, Norfolk Section, The Britannia and Castle
B&C Norfolk Editor
You may wonder why the Suffolk ACF report appears on these Norfolk pages ?
It's because the Norfolk Section Editor is Webmaster Suffolk ACF !