Eight CCF cadets travelled to HMS Raleigh for an action packed two days at the RN base in Cornwall.

The cadets were shown to their dorms and given their overalls for the two activities on Wednesday and then to bed, as a morning 6.30am alarm call was part of the programme to get the cadets to breakfast for 6.45am.

The first activity that the cadets experienced was DRIU (Damage Repair Instructional Unit) training in the Havoc simulator. The cadets were shown practically how to mend the damage to a ship to keep it seaworthy. A quick change into their wet gear and then the cadets were thrown into the deep end as the lights went out, the claxon sounded and the damaged ship started to rock from side to side and water flooded in from various areas of the ship compartment. The cadets had to work as a team to fix the damaged ship and they were remarkably calm in a very tough and challenging task.

The afternoon activity was Firefighting and the cadets were given a presentation on the various ways that different fires can be controlled on board a ship. Then it was the turn of the cadets and they were able to extinguish a galley fire and a fire in a box store using the fire extinguishers and hoses that would be found on board RN ships.

A tiring but enjoyable day and the cadets were soon in bed to get ready for their second day of activities. A second early alarm call saw the cadets march to breakfast and then back to the classroom where the cadets were taught all about sea survival on RN warships. They were taught about the various RN Life Jackets and sea survival clothing and then it was their turn to practice sea survival techniques in the training pool. The instructors were excellent and the cadets learnt a great deal.

The activities over, the cadets returned to their dorms to pack, tidy and hoover, before jumping into the minibus and returning to King’s. The cadets experienced some wonderful practical scenarios, lived on a RN base for two days and worked together as a TEAM, a key philosophy of the RN.

Major Craig Barrow - Contingent Commander, King’s Bruton CCF