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About the Cadet Force

The CCF of today is part of the national youth movement administered by the Ministry of Defence, (although individual school’s CCF activities are subject to the policy of the Headmaster) and the Regular Services give financial, material and manpower support. It is a voluntary, part-time Corps organised in schools, which are mostly in the independent sector. The organisation within schools is based on the Contingent, which may consist of one to three service sections. There are currently 250 schools with Combined Cadet Force Contingents – a total of some 1800 officers and 42700 cadets.

The Ministry of Defence states that:

‘The aim of the CCF is to provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training, and develop the qualities of responsibility, self-reliance, resourcefulness, endurance and perseverance and a sense of service to the community. It is firmly believed that the self-confidence and self-discipline required in service life is equally vital to the civil life of the nation’.

The specific function of the Service training in the Combined Cadet Force is:

To provide the opportunity to exercise responsibility and leadership and to learn from the service how best they can be developed.

To impart a basic knowledge and understanding of the role of the Armed Forces.

To encourage those who have an interest in the Services to join the Regular or Reserve Forces.

Stonyhurst College Cadet Force more than fulfils these criteria and, thanks to the willingness of its instructors and the co-operation of the Armed Services, in recent years a number of cadets have undertaken the following out-of-school activities:

Royal Artillery Parachute course

Royal Marines Amphibious course

An introduction to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Cadet Leadership Course – Frimley Park

Each year Service Scholarships are awarded to Cadets going on to take commissions. Every year there is at least one former Stonyhurst pupil passing out from one of the Service Academies.

A Brief History of the CCF at Stonyhurst College

The history of the Cadet movement dates from 1860. On inauguration they were part of the Volunteer Force with an operational role in defence of the country.

Stonyhurst College Cadet Corps mustered for the first time in the Ambulacrum on Tuesday October 16^th, 1900. The then War Office had assigned the First Volunteer Battalion, the East Lancashire Regiment, to oversee military training. Diaries show that Colonel Robinson, Commanding Officer of the above Battalion, made numerous visits to the College and along with two Sergeants McHugh and Buckley, who came from Blackburn and Clitheroe, gave instruction in drill and musketry. The uniform would appear to have been scarlet with white piping and a slouch hat. The uniform however changed to khaki sometime after 1911 and by 1913-14 it was the standard uniform of the day.

The Corps had the honour of sending a contingent representation to the Coronation in 1910 and to the Royal Review at Windsor in 1911.

During the Great War the work of training the Corps went on steadily. Musketry experts were sent to instruct the Corps along with Drills and tactics. Many of the older boys had gone to Sandhurst or Woolwich or had obtained temporary commissions direct from school. 160 Stonyhurst Old boys laid down their lives for their Country during this conflict. The number of awards made to some of these remarkable heroes is astonishing for a school as small as Stonyhurst.

The Victoria Cross was awarded to the following:

Lieutenant Maurice James DEASE V.C.                 (Mons, Belgium 1914)

Captain John Aiden LIDDELL V.C.                         (Ostend, Belgium1915)

Second Lieutenant George Gabriel COURY V.C.             (Guillemont,Som 1916)

The following were also awarded:

30 Distinguished Service Orders

77 Military Crosses

4 Distinguished Flying Crosses

2 Air Force Crosses           

The Corps contingent continued with its training and regular camps until 1939, when once again war broke out and the older boys went to Enlist. The  ‘Stonyhurst War Record 1939-45’, lists both those known to have served and gives a brief history of each of the fallen. Again the awards made are remarkable, considering the size of the school. 101 pupils gave their lives during this conflict.

The Victoria Cross was awarded to the following:

Captain Harold Marcus Ervine ANDREWS V.C.             (Dunkirk 1940)

Captain James Joseph Bernard JACKMAN V.C.     (Ed Duda,Tobruk,1941)

In addition to:

12 Distinguished Service Orders

8 Distinguished Service Crosses, one with Bar

30 Military Crosses

9 Distinguished Flying Crosses

4 Croix-de-Guerre, one with Palm

1 Air Force Cross

Two further V.C.s were awarded to:

Lieutenant Edmund William COSTELLO V.C.             (Matakand, India 1897)

Captain Paul Aloysius KENNA V.C.                (Khartoum, Sudan 1898)  

Other pupils have served their countries and made the ultimate sacrifice around the globe and their names are inscribed on the College’s War Memorial, serving in places such as India, Matabeleland, Waziristan, Palestine, Korea and Egypt. More recently awards have been made to pupils serving in the Falklands, Gulf War and Northern Ireland. A Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross were awarded during the Falklands Conflict.

The Corps today

The CCF is organised into two Companies, Junior Company and Senior Company. All pupils entering their second year at the College are obliged to join the Contingent and remain for one year as Junior Cadets and are divided into four Platoons. They attend weekly training, field weekend exercises and annual summer camp.

Junior Cadets wishing to remain in the Corps beyond their compulsory year can apply to stay on into Senior Company the following year. Senior Cadets are required to remain enrolled for the whole year and attend weekly training, field weekend exercises and the potential NCOs Cadre. In addition there are various voluntary exercises and training throughout the year.

Each platoon is commanded by a Junior Under Officer, a Rhetoric pupil who would be in the forth year of the Corps. He/she is supported by a Platoon Sergeant, also a Rhetorician and two or three Corporals, Poetry pupils.

Each Platoon is named after a VC award winner, ie.

‘The Seven VCs of Stonyhurst College’, written by H.K.Kirby and R.R. Walsh available through the Association Office at the College.

‘With a Smile and a Wave’ The life of Captain Aiden Liddell VC MC by Peter Daybell.

In addition to weekly training and camps, many Cadets, during their time in the Corps compete in regional and national shooting competitions, visit military units (home and abroad) and attend Service-sponsored courses.

Outdoor pursuits/Adventure Training

This comes under the direction of the CCF pursues many of the activities one would expect.

Training takes place during sports time on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons, Wednesday being a half day, undertaking activities such as Kayaking, Sailing, Rock climbing, Abseiling, Skiing, Snowboarding and Horse riding. A pupil taking the games option for outdoor pursuit activities is included in the nominal roll for the CCF but does not have to undertake any of the military training.