Cadets’ exciting day learning about life in the Royal Navy

On Wednesday 28 February, cadets from the school’s Naval Section had an early start to journey to Gosport, Hampshire.

The Fourth Form recruits spent the morning taking part in leadership and team building tasks on the low ropes and obstacle course at HMS Collingwood naval base. They scaled the 10-foot wall with the help of their teammates and navigated torrents of “shark-infested custard” using Tarzan-style rope swings.

After warming up inside for their lunch break, they then travelled to the Royal Navy Submarine Museum.

Whilst touring HMS Alliance submarine, which was in service from WWII to the 1970s, the cadets were given first-hand accounts of life on a diesel submarine, from veteran submariners.

The tour guides did an excellent job of painting a realistic picture of conditions on the eight-week deployments (smelly, hot and cramped!) and taking the cadets through the workings of a submarine, torpedo firing and escape procedures. There was plenty of Maths and Physics involved.

The senior cadets had the fantastic opportunity of spending the day aboard HMS Medusa. It is a Royal Navy WWII Motor Launch. It has been carefully and lovingly restored by a group of enthusiasts and she is quite the movie star having appeared in many films, including the recent Dunkirk motion picture. The fact that One Direction star, Harry Styles, had been on the same boat was the highlight of the day for some.

The cadets worked alongside the crew to take Medusa to Cowes on the Isle of Wight for a well-deserved fish and chips lunch. The CCF cadets were extremely fortunate to crew on such a historic vessel and would like to thank all those who made it possible.