FIELDCRAFT TRAINING FOR DURHAM NORTHUMBERLAND WING

This past weekend, 16 cadets and 12 staff members from several squadrons in Durham Northumberland Wing took part in a Fieldcraft Training Weekend at Warcop Training Camp. The purpose of the weekend was to test a programme of Fieldcraft Lessons with Weapons, with a view to this becoming the normal training practice.

Cadets and Staff were issued with L98A2 weapons, with blank firing attachments and blank magazines, but no Blanks or Pyrotechnics were used. All Cadets and Staff also operated in the field from Saturday Lunchtime until Sunday Lunchtime, including overnight sleeping in Improvised Shelters.

The activities undertaken were taken from Chapter 1 of the Fieldcraft Training Material, with the emphasis on the later lessons in that chapter, whilst recapping on the early lessons.

In addition, 7 WHT's were also performed to either renew or extend prior to training commencing and training of 6 potential new Fieldcraft Instructors, (3 staff, 3 Over 18 Cadets), took place, with a view to taking them through to become full instructors in the coming weeks.

All Staff and Cadets who attended were unanimous in their enjoyment of the weekend, despite the heat, and agreed that it was the direction they would like to see Fieldcraft Training moving in.

The Weekend was planned and executed by Sgt McAree, Sgt Davison, with support from CI Livingston, CI Low and SAC Nicholson as lead instructors, and from the additional staff of FO McNully, PO Bateson, Sgt Hall, Sgt Hamilton, Sgt Molina and CI Milner.

Thank you to 861 Sqn & 1338 Sqn for the use of their minibuses.

On a personal note, it was great to see so many staff and cadets enthusiastic about fieldcraft and what can be achieved with enough staff and resources available.

SLR - WFCO