Happy New Year

A Happy New Year to everyone at Long Stratton Detachment.

See you all on the 10th January for the first parade of the year,

SMI Perkins
OC Long Stratton Detachment

Dates For Your Diaries

Here are the dates that you should be putting in your calendar for next year.

Those of you doing Bronze & Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Awards need to get on the relevant expeditions and planning days.

I will be bidding for these on the first parade back in the new year so will be asking for names that can take part so I can out your names in.

There are a few other things in the pipeline but I'll put the dates for those up when I have more details.

2012:

Jan 10: First Parade

Feb 13: Snow Cadet Brief for Cadets & Parents.

If you want to do Snow Cadet then you must be over 15 on feb 27th 2013 and have a passport.

It will also cost £200 which you must pay on the night of the brief.

Your parents can ring me or pop in to Detachment on Jan 10th if they want to ask me any questions about it.

March 16 - 18: CNE Weekend

Apr 14: DofE Bronze & Silver Planning Day

Apr 21 - 22: Bronze Exped

Apr 27 - 29: Game & Country Fair

I would expect all Long Stratton Cadets to take part in this.

More details in Januarys Newsletter.

May 4 - 7: Silver Exped in the Peak District.

I took part in this last year and it's a really good Exped route.

May 25 - 27: CNE Weekend

June 23: Long Stratton Trip.

July 6 - 8: CNE Weekend

Aug 4 - 13: Annual Camp

Sep 15: DofE Bronze Planning Day for Sept Exped

Sep 16: DofE Bronze & Silver Planning Day for Oct Exped

Sept 29 - 30: Bronze Exped

Oct 13 - 14: Bronze Exped

Oct 19 - 21: CNE Weekend

Oct 27: Long Stratton Trip

Nov 11: Remembrance Parade

Dec 7 - 9: CNE Weekend

2013:

Feb 16 - 23: Ex Snow Cadet

Competition Weekend

The teams for the comp weekend have been picked and as there were more volunteers than places not everyone could take part:

Comp Weekend
25th - 27th November

Shooting
Spr Ambrose
Spr Royall
Spr Newcombe
Spr Foley

Housego + Mason
Lcpl Evans
Spr Baines
Spr Sculfor
Spr Gilding

More details to follow as I get them.

SMI Perkins
OC Long Stratton Detachment

Competition Weekend

Tuesday night I'll be picking the team for the Squadron Competition weekend.
If you want to be considered make sure you are free on the weekend of 25th to 27th of November and let me know tomorrow night.

SMI Perkins
OC Long Stratton Detachment

Remembrance Week | Series 2 - Episode 5 | Radio Times

The other programmes that have been on this week are all available on the BBC IPlayer.

Remembrance Week Series 2 - Episode 5 Radio Times

11-11-11

Remembrance Day

Just a reminder to all Cadets that you are to be at the Detachment at 09:30hrs on Sunday 13th November.
Make sure your kit is immaculate and that you have a poppy behind your cap badge.

SMI Perkins
OC Long Stratton Detachment

Remembrance Day: D-Day Landings

Unlike previous years Ive been slacking when it comes to my posts in preperation for Remembrance day.

If you managed to read all the articles about World War One, here's another large subject with many pages you could read.

I've just picked the Wiki page as it tells you everything you need to know but once again if you are going to read it then have a cup of tea and a biscuit ready.

Wiki: Normandy Landings

Also there's a link to the Pegasus Bridge page as LT Madeley wouldnt forgive me if I didnt include this:

Pegasus Bridge

BBC - On This Day: 6th June 1944

Gold Beach was where predominantly British Forces landed at Arromanches Les Bains and whilst not as famous at the beaches the Americans landed on, Utah & Omaha, gold beach was where the Mulberry Harbours were built to bring the supplies and men through once the beaches had been taken.

Wiki: Gold Beach

Gold Beach at Arromanches Les Baines as it looks today

Sgt Jeffery by the remains of part of the Mulberry Harbour

Operation Overlord Map

Arromanches Les Baines

Port Winston Plaque

Arromanches Les Baines - Gold Beach

[Spot my motorbike]

SMI Perkins

OC Long Stratton Detachment

Remembrance Day: World War I

World War I is a huge subject and one that I can only skim over on the Blog, but below are plenty of links for you to follow and find out more for yourselves.

The first article is a very good piece on how the war started and the main battles that took place on all fronts.

Whilst the Great War of 1914 - 1918 was supposed to be the war to end all wars history tells us different.

Why the picture of a Tank? WWI was the first time the tank was used in a battle and a piece of weaponry that would play a part in my life some 70 years after that first battle.

World War I

Animated WWI Timeline

WWI Trench Virtual Tour

WWI Life In The Trenches Virtual Tour

WWI Dogfight Over The Trenches Virtual Tour

WWI Front Line Trench Virtual Tour

WWI Dug Out Entrance Virtual Tour

WWI Dug Out Interior Virtual Tour

The first tank battle and the name of the barracks where I did my Basic Training.

The Battle Of Cambrai (1917)

The Louveral Cemetary - Cambrai

SMI Perkins

OC Long Stratton Detachment

Remembrance Day: The Tomb Of The Unknown Warrior

The idea of a Tomb of the Unknown Warrior was first conceived in 1916 by the Reverend David Railton, who, while serving as an army chaplain on the Western Front, had seen a grave marked by a rough cross, which bore the pencil-written legend 'An Unknown British Soldier'.

He wrote to the Dean of Westminster in 1920 proposing that an unidentified British soldier from the battlefields in France be buried with due ceremony in Westminster Abbey "amongst the kings" to represent the many hundreds of thousands of Empire dead. The idea was strongly supported by the Dean and the then Prime Minister David Lloyd George.

Read the full story by following the link:

The Tomb Of The Unknown Warrior

SMI Perkins

OC Long Stratton Detachment

Remembrance Day: The Cenotaph

The Cenotaph in Whitehall, London has played host to the Remembrance Service for the past nine decades. But how did the monument become such an indelible part of the UK's commemoration of those who lost their lives in past conflicts?
Originally intended as a small part of the Peace Day events of July 1919, The Cenotaph was designed and built by Edwin Lutyens at the request of the then Prime Minister Lloyd George
The Cenotaph - which literally means Empty Tomb in Greek - was initially a wood and plaster construction intended for the first anniversary of the Armistice in 1919. At its unveiling the base of the monument was spontaneously covered in wreaths to the dead and missing from The Great War. Such was the extent of public enthusiasm for the construction it was decided that The Cenotaph should become a permanent and lasting memorial.
The Cenotaph, made from Portland stone, was unveiled in 1920. The inscription reads simply "The Glorious Dead".
On the Sunday nearest to 11 November at 11am each year, a Remembrance Service is held at the Cenotaph to commemorate British and Commonwealth servicemen and women who died in the two World Wars and later conflicts. The monarch, religious leaders, politicians, representatives of state and the armed and auxiliary forces, gather to pay respect to those who gave their lives defending others.
The service has changed little since it was first introduced in 1921, hymns are sung, prayers are said and a two minute silence is observed. Official wreaths are laid on the steps of The Cenotaph. The ceremony ends with a march past of war veterans; a poignant gesture of respect for their fallen comrades.

The Cenotaph on Wikipedia

SMI Perkins

OC Long Stratton Detachment

Remembrance Day: Menin Gate

The Menin Gate is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient.

The Salient was formed during the First Battle of Ypres in October and November 1914, when a small British Expeditionary Force succeeded in securing the town before the onset of winter, pushing the German forces back to the Passchendaele Ridge, the Second Battle of Ypres began in April 1915.

There was little more significant activity on this front until 1917, when in the Third Battle of Ypres an offensive was mounted by Commonwealth forces to divert German attention from a weakened French front further south. The campaign finally came to a close in November with the capture of Passchendaele.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Every night at 20:00 hours a moving ceremony takes place under the Menin Gate in Ieper.

Some evenings, particularly in summer, there are large crowds of visitors. Every evening the busy road through the memorial is closed to traffic shortly before the ceremony.

For a few moments the noise of traffic ceases and a stillness descends over the memorial. At exactly 20:00 hours up to six members of the regular buglers from the local volunteer Fire Brigade step into the roadway under the memorial arch. They play Last Post, followed by a short silence and then play Reveille.

On some occasions the ceremony may be extended, visitingg individuals and groups may lay a wreath and there may be music by bands, choirs, orchestras, or a parade by Standards and military personnel.

The Last Post Ceremony has become part of the daily life in Ieper (Ypres) and the local people are proud of this simple but moving tribute to the courage and self-sacrifice of those who fell in defence of their town.

In October 2010 I did a 5 day tour of Belgium and French Memorials and sites of famous battles and even though it wasnt very warm the Menin Gate was completely packed with spectators.

Below is my not very good attempt at capturing what the Gate looks like, look out for Sgt Jeffery in a couple of pictures.

The Menin Gate: Wikipedia
The Menin Gate Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commision: Menin Gate

The Last Post Ceremony: Menin Gate

SMI Perkins
OC Long Stratton Detachment

Remembrance Day: Poppies

With Remembrance day fast approching and our own preperations coming along I thought I'd take the chance to put a few posts up over the next few weeks about exactly why we set aside a day for remembering.

For some of you that have been at Long Stratton a while some of my posts may seem familiar but this year instead of putting up posts from previous years I shall try and find new sites and posts to read.

The strongest image about Remembrance day has to be the Poppy, but why has the Poppy become such a powerful symbol?

Follow the links and you'll find information about The Poppy:

Remembrance Poppy

The Story Of The Remembrance Poppy

SMI Perkins
OC Long Stratton Detachment

World War II: The Last Heroes | Series 1 Episode 1 World War II: The Last Heroes | Radio Times

World War II: The Last Heroes Series 1 Episode 1 World War II: The Last Heroes Radio Times

BBC4 Online Collection

Army: A Very British Institution

BBC4 have gone through the BBC archives and put together what it calls it's first collection.

This Collection focuses on the Army and has links to many documentaries that go back even further than even I can remember.

It may be hard for you to imagine a time when there were only three TV Stations and normal people rarely appeared on television.

Nowadays we think nothing of multi channel digital stations being beamed via dish or cable directly into our home.

There are some real classics on the website so follow the link and watch some of the best Army documentaries ever to appear on television.

I shall be taking a look at some I remember and will put up a few posts with my pick of what I consider to be the best that the BBC4 site has to offer.

Watch and enjoy from a time when Big Brother was a book and not a TV programme dedicated to making sad talentless individuals famous and people were less media aware.

Army: A Very British Institution

SMI Perkins

OC Long Stratton Detachment

School Holiday Dates

I'm trying to plan some activities and need to know the school holiday dates from now through next year.
If anyone knows them then can you email them to me.

SMI Perkins
OC Long Stratton Detachment

Competition Weekend

November 25th to 27th is the Squadron Competition weekend.

I need to know this Tuesday who would be available for that weekend so I can make selections for the various Competition Teams.

SMI Perkins.

OC Long Stratton Detachment

Open Night

Just a reminder that Tuesday the 4th is Open Night.

Parents are encouraged to come and see what we do and find out what we have planned over the next few months.

Also if you have any friends that show an interest in what you do at Cadets then get them to come along and find out more about Cadets.

SMI Perkins

OC Long Stratton Detachment

Training Weekend: Kit List

By now most of you should have done a weekend so you should know what kit to take but just in case here's a reminder.

Uniform:
Beret
T-Shirt
Shirt 95
Trousers 95
Combat Jacket
Socks
Boots
Twisters
Belt.

Additional:
Pen
Pencil
Note Book
Wash kit
Towel
Boot cleaning kit, including spare laces
Sleeping bag
Civvies, for those rare moments you will be out of uniform.

If you are doing FieldCraft then remember your kit for out in the field. If you don't have any or not all the items then basha's, webbing, mess tins etc will be issued to you once at the Cadet Training Centre.

Due to work commitments and already having used up all my annual leave for this year on Cadets I wont be able to be on teh weekend but Sgt O'Brien will be there if you have any problems.

Remember that the transport leaves Long Stratton at 20:00hrs so don't be late.

SMI Perkins
OC Long Stratton Detachment

Training Weekend: Transport Timings

The mini bus will be at Long Stratton at 20:00hrs Friday, that's 8pm for those of you that can't do the 24 hour click.

Don't be late!


SMI Perkins
OC Long Stratton Detachment

Open Evening: Tuesday 4th October

I will be holding an open evening on Tuesday the 4th of October for all parents and young people who are considering Joing Cadets and want to find out more.

It will be a very informal evening, lots of tea and biscuits and a chance to show parents what you do and answer any question they may have on what you can get out of your time in Cadets.

If you have any friends who you think may like to join then this is the perfect night to bring them along.

SMI Perkins

OC Long Stratton Detachment

CNE Training Weekend: 30th Sept - 2nd Oct 2011

The Training Weekend at Croxton Road Thetford will take place from Friday the 30th September to Sunday the 2nd October 2011.

The following Cadets have places:

Basic:

Spr's Foley & Giles

1*

Spr Gilding

2*

Spr Royall

As yet we have no information as to what transport will be available but I will put any details on the Blog as soon as I have them.

Next week I will put up a kit list and any other details I have.

SMI Perkins

OC Long Stratton Detachment

Annual Camp Photos

If anyone has any photos from Annual Camp please e-mail them to me so I can put some up in Detachment.

SMI Perkins
OC Long Stratton Detachment

Email Test

Just testing the email posting and if this works I will put up some pictures of Camp later today.

SMI Perkins

Camp Bus Times

The bus will be leaving (on Saturday) at 10:00. This means you will need to be there a 09:30.
We will be traveling in our kit. (Boots, full 95's)
For the bus journey its best to bring some food and drink and something to do. (Ipod, book...)
Any questions to do with camp text me or SMI Perkins.


Cpl. Fitzgerald

Annual Camp Kit List

Issued uniform:

Beret

Cap badge

Boots

Brassard

2 x CS95 shirt

2 x CS95 trousers

Issued socks

Brown t shirts

Combat Jacket

Belt

Socks

It is important that you bring all your uniform and that it is clean and ironed!

Boot kit:

Boot cloth

Boot on and off brush

Boot polish

Twisters/elastics – Get a spare set as you wont be able to get any on camp

Spare boot laces – Boot laces regularly break, especially on Camp so have a spare set in your boot cleaning kit

Knife, Fork, Spoon – There wont be any cutlery in the field and probably not in the cookhouse, so take your own

Plastic mug

Trainers for PT

PT shorts/trackies

underwear

Tshirt for PT

Night clothes/shorts etc

Civvies

Hygiene:

Toothbrush and paste

Shaving kit (boys)

Towel

Baby wipes

Shower gel/soap

Shampoo

Deodorant

Talc

Hair net/kit (girls)

Hair brush (girls)

Its amazing how many people forget silly little things, so double check your kit before you pack it.

MEDICATION - If you are on any

*Notepad and pens* One of the most important items, buy a cheap pack!

Sleeping bag

2 x bin liners – Use these to pack your fieldcraft kit in before we go in the field so if its wet your clothes stay dry.

Padlock – Combination is better but if you have a padlock with keys then put the spare one in an envelope and hand it to your Detachment Commander on camp. Every year we have to use bolt cutters to open Cadets lockers after they’ve lost the only key, and the last two years weve had to do it on the first night

Recommended kit IF available:

2 bungees

2 tent pegs

Flip flops for showers

Watch - You will have to be on time for everything you do, do not rely on a phone as you will have it turned off most of the time during training.

plastic clothes hangers

Sewing kit

Other potential kit – NOT compulsory:

Other toiletries for fieldcraft

Baby wipes are fine for taking off Cam Cream, they will not be allowed as your only means of washing when out in the field

Suncream

Washing powder/liquid

Crap (jungle) hat

Head torch

Cam cream

Zinc foot tape/Compeed

All jewellery and other valuables should be left at home, if you feel the need to bring a valuable to camp (e.g. Mobile telephone or iPod speakers) then ensure that you lock them away when you aren’t using them.

It is also advised that you discretely name your kit (e.g. in permanent marker on the label) in case your kit becomes confused with kit belonging to other cadets.

Nesscliffe Camp

This is a birds eye view of where those going to Camp will be spending their time:

for a look on the web for a map here's a link:

View Larger Map

SMI S. Perkins

OC Long Stratton

Camp 2011

Camp is fast approaching and as this Tuesday [26th July] is a non uniform night then I hope all your kit is steadily going through the wash 8-)

Tomorrow night I will post a full kit list for you to start your packing.

Tuesday night is also Camp Brief night. For those of you attending your first Camp this is where I tell you everything you need to know and if it is your first Camp then its a good idea if your parents come along so they know exactly where you'll be and what you'll be doing whilst you are away.

Tea and biscuits will be provided for all parents as an incentive for them to come along.

SMI S Perkins

OC Long Stratton

Uniform to work day

June 25th is Armed Forces day and on June 22nd it is 'wear your uniform to work day'.
This year Cadets are allowed to wear your uniform to school if you meet the following conditions.

• The Headmaster of your school must give you permission.
• Your parents must give their permission.
• You must inform me, an email to me will do.

You must wear your uniform as you would on a parade night, ie boots, combat trousers, twisters, brown tshirt, combat shirt (shirt sleeve order), brassard & beret.

If you do get permission off all three people you need and do wear it on Wednesday 22nd of June then make sure your uniform is immaculate.

SMI Perkins

Annual Camp

The Cut off date for Annual Camp is less than three weeks away.
If your camp form and money are not handed in at Detachment by the 21st June you will not be allowed to go to camp.
There will be no exceptions.
If you are 13 years old by Camp, passed Basic and have 1* Skill At Arms you are eligible to go.
If you are in any doubts then this Tuesday will be your last time to ask questions before next Tursdays cut off!

SMI Perkins

Blog & Recruiting

Well hopefully some of you will have taken a look at the Blog but if its like last time we ran one it'll be used by Senior cadets and Parents more.

I will be sending a letter home in the next week or so with the blog address on so I know that the information posted will be seen.

Hopefully the posters you were given made it home and you are trying to come up with ingenious places to put them.

Remember Basic & 1* Cadets show me a picture of where it has been put and it'll go towards your Cadet In The Community test.

SMI Perkins

Recruiting Poster 01

Recruiting Poster O1

Here's the first recruiting poster for Long Stratton. Click on the link, you'll then be asked for a password which you can get by requesting it from me.

Remember to ask before putting the poster up.

More recruiting poster & leaflets will be up soon so keep an eye on this part of the Blog.

If you want to have a go at producing a recruiting poster bring your design to Detachment and if I like it, we'll use it.

SMI Perkins.

The Blog Strikes Back...

After far too long the Long Stratton Blog is back. For those of you that have never seen it before this is the place for finding out what is happening at Detachment and within CNE Squadron.
This isn't a place for discussions its for me and the Detachment staff to pass on information to you. If you've forgotten the transport timings for an activity or a weekend camp then this is the place to come as all weekend information will be put on the Blog.
As it gets closer there will be news and updates about Annual Camp, in fact pretty much everything that will be happening at Long Stratton will appear here, so if you're not sure of something then this is the first place to look. There is also a link to my e-mail address on the right of the Blog in case anyone, Cadet or Parent needs to get in touch or ask a question.
The coming months are going to be busy as once again myself and Sgt's S & J O'Brien make Long Stratton the best Detachment in CNE.

SMI Perkins.

Return To Long Stratton

I'm back,

SMI Perkins