Youngsters of Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force were treated to an extra special surprise on Monday 20^th April when top British Army commander Brigadier Jim Richardson MBE called into the local detachment at Bottisham to inspect cadets from the county’s Corps of Drums.

 

Captain Lynn Herriot watches the display with Brigadier Jim Richardson

Eighteen young cadets aged 13 to 18 from all over the county - and representing each of the three geographic companies that make up Cambridgeshire ACF - gave resounding demonstrations of their prowess with various musical instruments including bugles flutes and side drums. They train to give musical performances at public events all around the county and raise the profile of the cadet movement.

 

As part of his busy schedule the Brigadier had first visited adult cadet force staff at their headquarters at Waterbeach near Cambridge and then took a drive with county commandant Colonel Roger Herriot to visit Bottisham, which is one of two detachments in Cambridgeshire teaching cadet force music – the other being at Fletton in Peterborough.

 

“It is wonderful for the cadets to have the opportunity to show their skills to a senior commander”, said Commanding Officer of the County Corps of Drums, Captain Lynn Herriot. “We offer young people all the excitement associated with one of the country’s top youth organisations and in addition they have the chance to learn a range of musical instruments from scratch, taught by our qualified instructors free of charge – and many go on the achieve the BTec award in music which is the equivalent of four GCSE examinations”

 

The cadets show their skills

After watching the display the Brigadier awarded five cadets with their ‘drummers’ badge for having previously played at a public event, and one young lad, Cadet Sam Harding (13) from Peterborough, received the coveted ‘Commandants Bugler’ badge for achieving 2 star level bugle at the recent band concentration at Altcar.

 

Brigadier Richardson assumed command of 49 (East) Brigade in July 2007 and has a keen interest in the army cadet force. He has had a varied and interesting military career having joined the army in 1978 and being commissioned into the Royal Signals in 1984. During his military service he has served in no less than 14 countries around the world, including a recent appointment as Chief Campaign Planner at the Multi-National Force HQ in Iraq.