The time is 10:00. Cadets are helping set up the squadron. Staff are organising their stalls. And Flight Sergeant Brentley, and Drill Team One are taking up their positions on the drill square.
Throughout the past few weeks, cadets have been sponsored by parents, friends, relatives, and anyone else happy to donate to the squadron – And it all came down to the next six hours. Six hours of non-stop drill! The cadets were split up into three teams, and rotated around in twenty minute shifts. Each shift also had a different member of the NCO team taking the drill for that session. We’re happy to say that the drill didn’t stop; and we completed the challenge! Well done to every cadet who took to the square.
This wasn’t the only event during the day; there was also stalls for first aid, modelling, adventure training, the flight simulator and much more, as well as the Vulcan Café and barbecue hosting hungry visitors. The café was ran by Mrs Ashcroft & Mrs Francis in the parade hall, with our videos from flying and Wing Training Day being repeated on the projector, and the barbecue was ran by Warrant Officer Ashcroft (Snr.) and Mr Pym. Both of these were great successes!
The stalls also went tremendously well – Sergeant Ball’s Adventure Training tent attracted many guests, especially when Cadets Greenwood H, Greenwood T & Wilson shared their meal made with rat-packs! Corporal Markey’s first aid tent featured many realistic and extremely artistic injuries, including Cadet Trafford’s stuck pencil and Cadet Green’s broken bone! Mrs Greenwood’s Wine or Water stall, along with the RAFA Stand and Raffle also did great!
At half past four, after the cadets had all changed into their Wedgwood uniform, the continuity drill sequence, led by Sergeant Ball, commenced. The sequence, containing a complex mark time-form up manoeuvre, four figure-of-eights and forming a squad on the march, was performed with extreme professionalism and precision in front of many spectators. After the sequence, Sergeant Ball, Corporal Pym and Cadets Greenwood J, Sherrington C & Lloyd put on the banner drill gloves and belts, and completed their banner sequence, which was again, performed with immense precision.