A collection of photographs and memories about Kingham Hill School's Combined Cadet Force (CCF).

Recollections and images of KHS's Combined Cadet Force CCF

During his military service our historian served twice with the regiment that our CCF detachment was first badged to, holding the rank of Colour Sergeant. He is keen that this history can now start to be documented on these pages by sponsoring the start of this archive. He invites others to add their recollections to this.

Many bands of brothers were forged when in our CCF detatchment. Most if not all public and private schools have a combined cadet force detachment. Ours started its life as an army cadet detachment. Army cadet detachments are adopted by local regiment in their own area's. This is referred to as being badged to a regiment. Our ACF detachment was then badged to the:-

The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.

Our historian recalls back in the 1950s polishing with pride his cap badge ready for the Monday afternoons' ACF parades.

It was on the night of the 5 June 1944 that a force of 181 men of the Oxon & Bucks, led by Major John Howard, set out from an RAF station in Dorset, southern England, in six gliders to capture Pegasus Bridge. The bridge crossed the Caen Canal, between Caen and Ouistreham in Normandy, France.

Some gliders landed as close as 40 yards to the bridge at 16 minutes past midnight. The Oxon & Bucks poured out of their battered gliders, completely surprising the German defenders, and took the bridges within 10 minutes. This was the opening raid of the Normandy Landings on D-Day the sixth of June.

Coincidently, during the 1950s two brothers were at KHS [the older in Sheffield and the other in Bradford house] whose father was on that raid. Unfortunately he was killed in action some ten days later.

Thomas Payne (Sheffield House 1940 - 45) Reports that it was during his time at school that our Cadet detachment was formed out of necessity during the World War 2 years.

A.S.R.Parker, the schools English & French master, founded the Cadet detachment.

The following military skills were taught in those early days: Drill & Turnout, Field craft, Map & Compass, and Weapons Training. There was also shooting at Bisley Ranges.

Tom Payne, who reached the rank of Cadet Sgt, also recalls doing an Army sponsored motor transport course, in Poole in Dorset. He was the only KHS representative on the course.

In the early days to qualify to join our cadet detachment, pupils needed to be able to complete two circuits using the road way running around the main sports field past Severn House, Greenwich, up Chapel Hill, past Top School, down the hill towards Durham House, and then round to Severn House again. This would be done in full Battledress and boots - a distance of two miles in the qualification time of 15 or 20 minutes.

The historian also recalls in the late 1950s a similar task was dished out as a punishment duty. Any defaulters would be ordered to run round this same circuit; the added bonus being that cadets would carry out this duty holding a Lee Enfield MKII Rifle above their heads. (The MKII weighed around 10lbs).

"Monty" inspects Kingham Hill School army cadets.

Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery KG, GCB, DCO, PC. inspected the CCF detachment of our army cadets at our army camp in June 1961.

Captain T A Bowker was our commanding officer, Lieutenant Benson our second in command, and Sergeant Major Clarkson.

Sheffield house master Captain Tom Bowker recalls Monty asking him “Kingham Hill - where is that?”.

Field Marshal Montgomery

Pipes and drums on the hill for the march past.

Inspection of our cadet corps.

Teddie Cooper, Warden, escorted by no less than two county Lord Lieutenants to inspect his troops.

Images from the history of our CCF.

Mark Mitchels MA

Sheffield House 1960 – 1966

Cdt. Mitchels was the first detachment bugler 1962

The Officers & Cadet NCOs' in Summer 1964

Seated Central from left as viewed:
Sergeant Major Clarkson, Major Green, & Lieutenant Chapman.

The Officers & Cadet NCOs' in Autumn 1965

Seated from the left as viewed:
2nd Lieutenant Woolliams, Maj. Green,
Sergeant Major Clarkson*, Lieutenant Chapman.

* Sergeant Major William (Bill) Clarkson, was an Airborneveteran of WWII, D-Day 6th June 1945.

In 1965 our Cap badge changed because the Oxon & Bucks amalgamated with both The Kings Royal Rifle Corp and The Rifle Brigade to become the Royal Green Jackets.

All three regiments that amalgamated can trace their ancestry back through the British army as far as 1740. They all played prominent roles during the Napoleonic Wars, and all used the Baker rifle that was first produced in 1800. During this period all these regiments wore the distinctive Green Jackets: hence the name Royal Green Jackets.

1966 The detachment Shooting team: CLICK PICTURE FOR SOUND EFFECT

By the mid to late 1970s, as can be seen in our next illustration, our detachment now included sections representing the other armed services: The Royal Air force and The Royal Marines.

The historian invites any former pupil who wishes to add to this story of our school cadet detachment to please contact him.

Sovereign's Parade

Back Row from the left: Malcolm Brecht, Far right Roberto Campana

Middle Row from the left: Darren Billings,

Front Row seated from the left:Two Cadet NCOs with red sashes. Then in RAF blues: Pilot Officer Malcom Fry, Sgt. Maj Bruce Strongman, Teddie Cooper, Cpt. Rodney Chapman (Contingent Commander), Flt. Lt James Woolliams.

(Can you fill in the blanks?)