Blue Camp 2005
RAF Halton
From the 13th to the
20th of August 2005 cadets from our squadron went to RAF Halton for a week for
our annual camp.
DAY ONE
We met up at the squadron HQ for 10:00am and waited for our
coach to arrive. When our coach arrived we packed in our bags and suitcases and
collected the other squadrons coming with us. When we arrived at the station we
were told what rooms we were going to be in and split into flights. After this
we went to our rooms and unpacked all our kit and got changed into our DPMs for
a camp briefing by the ACLO. We were told where we could and couldn't go on our
own unless on an official visit. After the camp briefing we had dinner and then
a FamEx. After the FamEx we went back to our rooms to iron our kit ready for the
rest of the week. Then we had some free time to go to the nearest shop selling
snacks and other stuff, then lights out at 22:30.
DAY TWO
Got up at 06:30 and had to be washed and ready in our flights
for 07:15 for breakfast where I had a very nice full English. After breakfast we
changed into our Wedgewoods and did an hour of drill then got changed into
civvies and went to oxford to go shopping and all the things teens do. After
about 4 hours of being in oxford we went back to RAF Halton and got changed into
our DPMs again and went to dinner where they were serving Sunday roast. After
dinner we went back to the block and we got ready to go swimming. When we
arrived at the pool we started with our swimming proficiency tests which were
very easy followed by some games, including a great game of water polo. After
swimming we went back to the block where I instantly slept for the rest of the
night.
DAY THREE
Up at 05:30 this time as we were going to RAF Benson to go
flying for the day with 6 AEF to fly the Grob Tutor. When we arrived at RAF
Benson we sat around in the waiting room for a bit then went on a visit to a
squadron on the station that flew Puma helicopters. We were given a presentation
about the squadron's history, its roles and where it has been deployed since it
was in service. After the presentation about the squadron we had a look around
one of the Puma's. The puma looks reasonably big but inside it is incredibly
cramped - the aircraft could hold 6 fully equipped soldiers or 12 lightly
equipped soldiers. There were about 17 of us in the helicopter so you could
appreciate the conditions the crew and passengers had to work in. After being
told about the interior of the helicopter we all had a turn to sit in the
cockpit and were told about the instruments and its controls. After visiting the
Puma squadron we headed back to the waiting room to wait for our turn to get
airborne. After about 20 minutes it was my turn to get airborne in the Grob 115,
which is the Air Cadets' main AEF aircraft. This was my third time flying this
aircraft so instead of just flying the plane around, the instructor and I went
on a navigation flight. This was where the instructor flew the plane to where we
were going, and I navigated, and when we got to the place we were flying to I
flew the plane and he navigated us back. Once we got back to Benson the
instructor then showed me how to do some steep turns which was quite nerve
racking but very fun.
After my flight in the tutor we went to visit the Merlin
helicopter squadron, where we had a look round at one of the aircraft and were
told about what its roles were and what it does operationally. The Merlin is a
huge helicopter and has about 20 seats and has some pretty nifty equipment.
After visiting RAF Benson we went back to RAF Halton where we got changed into
our full DPMs, ready for our night exercise with the RAF regiment. First the RAF
regiment showed us how to apply camo cream face paint properly and were then
told that we could keep the camo cream pads we used. After camming up we then
went over a field craft move called clearing an obstacle (such as a road or a
bridge) which was later used in the night exercise. After the field craft
techniques we were then briefed on our night exercise. The scenario was that our
team had to move from where we were briefed to the airfield to recover an
ejection seat. The ejection seat had valuable information that we had to stop
the enemy from retrieving. We also had to destroy and old aircraft in the area.
There was also a slight problem, the enemy wasn't imaginary, it was real!! The
role of the enemy was played by the RAF regiment on the station who would fire
at us with blank firing rounds. If we were shot at we had to go into a prone
position and the enemy would back away... if we were caught by the enemy we
would get a 10 minute time penalty. The teams consisted of a squad leader, a 2IC
who also operated the radio, a demolitions man to plant the bomb on the
aircraft, a medic in case there was an injury, 1 time keeper, 1 safety person
and 2 members of staff that would supervise us. After the night ex we went back
to our rooms where we were treated to a lovely cup of soup to warm us up and
then lights out at 01:00am.
DAY THREE
We woke at 06:30 and had to be up and washed for 07:00 for
breakfast.
After breakfast people who had their first time flight
yesterday went back to Benson to clock up some more flying hours. As for the
rest of us???? Well I can't remember what the rest of us did but I'm sure it was
good!
DAY FOUR
Usual timings for getting up and breakfast. After breakfast
we had an inspection of our working blue uniform by the camp commandant: Flight
Lieutenant Jenkins, and then a NavEx around Wendover woods. Some of us were
going to see the passing out parade at the basic training squadron so we did a
short route to get back in time to change. The rest of us did the medium route
and I am proud to say that my group doing the medium route were the first back
and had an hour's free time to iron our Wedgewoods for the camp photo the next
day. After ironing all our kit and when the people who went to watch the passing
out parade had arrived back at the block we changed into greens and went to
dinner. We then went back to the block to do our weapon handling tests on the
L98 general purpose rifle and the no8 .22 rifle. After the weapons instructions
and tests some cadets and I helped load the rifles onto the minibus loaned to us
for the camp and it took them back to the armoury. After we had been to the
armoury we were dropped off next to the local burger bar so we could get a
burger and chips (yummy!)
DAY FIVE
Today we visited the nuclear, biological and chemical warfare
training centre, and were given a talk about how the RAF train new recruits in
case of un unlikely but more increasing threat of a nuclear, biological or
chemical attack. We were shown all the funny looking gas masks and all the suits
they had to wear, and the process of training on the subject. After visiting the
NBC training centre we headed back to the barracks to get changed into our
Wedgewoods for the inter-flight drill competition, which was judged by a drill
instructor from the recruit training squadron. After the drill competition we
had our camp photo in front of a tornado F3 and then a tour around the RTS
followed by dinner then more weapons handling training.
DAY SIX
Usual wake up times and breakfast times. Today we went down
to the shooting range all day. When we got to the range we signed all the
documents necessary to shoot then shooting began first with the no8 rifles.
Half-way through the .22 shooting the people that were qualified to shoot the
L98 rifle went to the SAT range which is a simulated rifle range. The simulator
replicates a real shooting range on the L81A2 rifle including wind direction,
loading and cocking the weapon, recoil and all the other things that can happen
on a rifle range.
After we had been to the SAT range we went to lunch and then
straight back to the range where I did my .22 shooting and then waited for the
others to finish theirs. After all the people did their .22 shooting the fun
part came up.... The L98s! When we went to shoot the L98 only 6 of us were
qualified to shoot the weapon and the Warrant Officer who trained us and tested
us on the weapon put in an order for extra ammunition. Due to this we had to
fire every round on the L98 we had been given and therefore we were told we were
going to have 120 rounds of ammunition to fire off. Because we had so much
ammunition we had a small competition. The aim of the competition was that the
man or woman who made the biggest hole on the target won. So we started the
competition making the loudest bangs I've ever heard in my life, and getting
huge kicks in the shoulder from the recoil. After absolutely annihilating the
targets down the range they were judged and the winner was announced. The winner
who was next to my firing point won with ease, she had made a hole big enough to
put her whole fist through. After the shoot everyone was talking to us about how
much noise we made with the rifles and we showed off our bruises from the
recoil.
After our trigger happy shoot down the range we made our
declaration that we had no empty cases or live rounds on us and went back to the
block to get our boots polished for the camp commandant parade. On the parade
all the awards were given out for the competitions. My flight had won many
awards and promotions including best flight. After the parade we went to dinner
then back to the block where we changed into our civvies for the end of camp
disco. The disco was absolutely great and many of the classic songs were played
such as the YMCA, the cha cha slide and many others. We had drinks and pizzas,
and at the end of the disco it was all agreed that we had a great time and my
room mate managed to swipe 12 pizzas from the disco that were not eaten. For the
rest of the night my room mates and I played poker.
DAY SEVEN
Up at 07:00 this morning and had breakfast at 07:30 in
civvies. We were all packed and had a huge clean up session making sure
everything was spotless and so clean it was safe to eat off it. After the
immense cleaning session we packed our bags on the coach to go home. On the
journey home most of us were taking the time to talk with friends from other
squadrons before we were dropped off.
The camp was my first annual camp and I would like to say
that I had a great time meeting other squadrons and making new friends and it
would not have been possible without the hard work of the ACLOs and staff who
made the stay more enjoyable. If there are any other things I have missed out I
apologise for them not being mentioned as there was so much to do there I forgot
a lot of it.
The people that went to the camp were:
Flight Lieutenant Mortimer
C.I. Rose
C.I. Orritt
Padre Guest
Flight Sergeant Bagshaw
Sergeant Gardner
Corporal Whale
Corporal Hill
Cadet Catlin
Cadet Stevenson
Cadet Law
Cadet Yardley
Note: If there are any people I have missed out please let me know.
Cadet Jack Yardley