Abingdonian 2020

32 The Abingdonian CCF When first joining Abingdon in the third year, I was given a decision to make, between choosing CCF or Services and Citizenship. I had heard all kinds of things about the CCF, mostly from people who had done it in the past, and most of what they said made it sound interesting. They talked about learning how to handle a rifle, learning all sorts of techniques that are used in the army, going on adventurous trips, becoming more confident and learning how to work as a team — all of which sounded amazing. But then there were people who thought otherwise, saying CCF is boring, or it’s tough, it’s time-devouring or scary. I personally felt drawn to the CCF with the knowledge that I will have to do compulsory military training since I’m a Swiss citizen, but I know that for others, the decision wasn’t so easy. However, as I later came to find out, I made the right decision, as I can say with confidence that CCF is a thrilling experience. In our very first session of CCF, I remember everyone was buzzing with excitement. We all stood outside the CCF headquarters and were addressed by Squadron Leader Cottam, Captain Edwards, and 2Lt Moore, the head of the recruits. We were all given our kit and uniforms, and a brief explanation of how CCF works. We were also told about the recruit training weekend that was coming up the next week, where we would properly begin our recruit training. The trip took place in St Georges Barracks, Bicester. It was the first time being in a barracks for most of us and although we didn’t see many soldiers around, it was an interesting experience. During the trip, we were properly divided into our sections and assigned Section Commanders. The weekend was mostly made up of different workshops that taught us different skills we would need in CCF. There was a teamwork workshop, one where we were taught how to stand to attention, another where we were taught about the attributes of a cadet in the CCF, and more. Other activities included a movie night, with pizza and tuckshop, and we watched a film about a US marine fighting in Somalia - quite relevant to the whole ‘army’ theme. For the rest of the Michaelmas Term and most of the Lent Term, most of our CCF training revolved around weapon handling. As cadets use the L98A1 GP rifle, we were going to have to learn how to safely use a rifle so that we could do all the activities that were waiting for us in Easter camp which would be in the Easter holidays. Weapon handling training, although not the most exciting thing, meant that we could complete our weapon handling tests, which we did in early February. Other highlights of the Michaelmas Term and early Lent Term included our very first Remembrance Parade, practising other skills such as marching, and our very first Contingent Dinner, where we were fortunate enough to be addressed by a General in the army, who had a lot of wise advice for everyone in the CCF. It was a very eye-opening experience. Once our weapon handling training had come to an end, we began to do more exciting exercises in preparation for Easter camp. This included harbour drills, practising patrolling and what to do when under attack. All of these were practised on the Recruit Field day, which was a personal highlight for me and many other recruits in the contingent. It was great fun, and a favourite for my section was an activity where we had to practice stealth, meaning we wore camo face paint, and had to crawl through bushes and shrubs to capture a certain point without being spotted by the enemy. Sadly, due to the recent pandemic, Easter Camp, which all of the CCF was looking forward to, had to be cancelled, which was very unfortunate, as lots was planned for us recruits so that we could complete our training and advance in our CCF journey. However, I look forward to coming back to school in September, and returning to the CCF! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to try something completely different, and who wants to gain a sort of experience you simply can’t gain from any of the Other Half activities Abingdon has to offer. Jonathan Ochero, 3JCM