Kent Army Cadet Force

Kent Army Cadet Force
Active	March 1963? [1] –present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army Army Cadet Force
Type	Registered Volunteer Youth Organisation
Role	To provide pre-training and experience of life in the British Army
Size	County [a]
Part of	Headquarters South East
County HQ	Maidstone
Website	Kent Army Cadets
Insignia
Army Cadet Force Badge

The Kent Army Cadet Force (Kent ACF) is the county cadet force ^[a] for Kent and Medway which operates as part of the Army Cadet Force. Since 2014, the county has been part of Headquarters South East, and is divided into four companies (one entitled a squadron for the Royal Engineers).

Background

In 1863, along with the formation of the Volunteer Force, the first government sanctioned cadet groups were allowed to be formed. These groups would mostly be formed in connection with existing volunteer companies and battalions. Following the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 which organised the former Volunteer Force into a coherent organisation, known as the Territorial Force (TF), the cadets were expanded. Each company consisted of no less than 30 cadets, and four of these companies formed a "Cadet Battalion", the predecessors to the modern "Cadet County". ^[2]

Unlike their modern successors, the first cadet battalions were administered by their local County Territorial Force Associations, and rarely ever came under an "army command". However, following changes to the organisation of the Cadets, in 1923 all cadet forces were taken under complete control of the County Associations. ^[2]

Below is a list of the cadet battalions which had been formed in Kent during the reorganisation of the TF and into 1939: ^{[3] [4] [5]}

• Kent Public Secondary Schools Cadet Battalion
• Kent Fortress Royal Engineers 1st Cadet Battalion
• Kent Fortress Royal Engineers 2nd Cadet Battalion
• 1st Volunteer Cadet Corps Battalion, East Kent Regiment (The Buffs)
• 1st Cadet Battalion, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
• 2nd Cadet Battalion, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment

The first mention of the Kent Army Cadet Force was in 1964 in the London Gazette. The supplement for 9 October 1964 states the restoration of the former commander of the county to the Territorial Army, but does not provide an appointment date. ^[6] A further mention is made in the 15th March 1963 supplement showing an officer commissioned from the county. ^[7]

Under the Army 2020 programme, the 2nd (South East) Infantry Brigade was merged with 145th (South) Brigade to form the new 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East on 1 April 2014. Following these changes, the county left the control of 2nd (South East) Brigade and joined 11th Infantry Brigade as part of Headquarters South East. ^[8]

As of December 2021, each Army Cadet Force county reports to their local brigade deputy commander, or in the case of independent regional headquarters the commander. However, for administrative duties each cadet county reports to Commander Cadets, who is a senior 1* Brigadier part of Headquarters, Regional Command. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

Organisation

As of December 2021, the Kent Army Cadet Force consists of appx. 850 cadets and 200 adult volunteers in 35 detachments spread throughout the county of Kent. ^[12] Each Army Cadet Force 'county' is in-fact a battalion, and each 'detachment' equivalent to that of a platoon. ^[9]

The organisation of the county ^[a] in 2021 was as follows: ^{[12] [13] [14]}

• County Headquarters, at Yeomanry House, Maidstone
  • Kent Army Cadet Force County Training Team ^[15]

Detachment	Affiliation [16]	Location	Borough/District	County	Postal Code
A Company [17]
A Company Headquarters	Encompassing East Kent (Borough of Swale, City of Canterbury, Thanet District, and Dover District)			Kent
Broadstairs Detachment	Royal Tank Regiment	185 Westwood Road, Broadstairs	Thanet District	Kent	CT10 2NT
Canterbury Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Leros Barracks, Sturry Road, Canterbury	City of Canterbury	Kent	CT1 1HR
Deal Detachment	Royal Tank Regiment	Middle Deal Road, Deal	Dover District	Kent	CT14 9SN
Faversham Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Stone Street, Faversham	Borough of Swale	Kent	ME13 8PH
Herne Bay Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	William Street, Herne Bay	City of Canterbury	Kent	CT6 5NY
Margate Detachment	Royal Tank Regiment	Victoria Road Drill Hall, Margate	Thanet District	Kent	CT9 1NA
Whitstable Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Cromwell Road, Whitstable	City of Canterbury	Kent	CT5 1NN
B Company [18]
B Company Headquarters	Encompassing South Kent (Borough of Ashford, Folkestone and Hythe District, and southern part of Dover District)			Kent
Ashford (Alamein) Detachment	Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers	Chart Road, Ashford	Borough of Ashford	Kent	TN23 3HX
Ashford (Tobruk) Detachment	Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers	Chart Road, Ashford	Borough of Ashford	Kent	TN23 3HX
Dover Detachment	Royal Tank Regiment	London Road, Dover	Dover District	Kent	CT17 0SZ
Folkestone Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Ship Street, Folkestone	Folkestone and Hythe District	Kent	CT19 5BE
Shorncliffe Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Church Road, Shorncliffe Army Camp	Folkestone and Hythe District	Kent	CT20 3EL
Saint Mary's Bay Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Jefferstone Road, Saint Mary's Bay, Romney Marsh	Folkestone and Hythe District	Kent	TN29 0SG
Tenterden Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Appledore Road, Tenterden	Borough of Ashford	Kent	TN30 7BD
D Company [19]
D Company Headquarters	Encompassing West Kent (Sevenoaks District, Tonbridge and Malling, Borough of Maidstone, and Borough of Tunbridge Wells)			Kent
Boxley Detachment	Kent and County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) – Royal Yeomanry	Yeomanry House, Boxley Road, Maidstone	Borough of Maidstone	Kent	TN17 3ES
Cranbrook Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Causton Road, Cranbrook	Tunbridge Wells	Kent	ME14 2AR
Ditton Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	London Road, Ditton	Tonbridge and Malling	Kent	ME20 6DB
Mascalls Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Mascalls School, Paddock Wood	Tunbridge Wells	Kent	TN12 6NB
Moncktons Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	College Avenue, Maidstone	Borough of Maidstone	Kent	ME15 6YJ
Sevenoaks Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Argyle Road, Sevenoaks	Sevenoaks District	Kent	TN13 1HJ
Snodland Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Lee Road, Snodland	Tonbridge and Malling	Kent	ME6 5NN
Tonbridge Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Hectorage Road, Tonbridge	Tonbridge and Malling	Kent	TN9 2DR
Royal Tunbridge Wells Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Saint John's Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells	Borough of Tunbridge Wells	Kent	TN4 9UU
Wrotham Detachment	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	Wrotham	Tonbridge and Malling	Kent	TN15 7RA
Royal Engineers Squadron [20]
Royal Engineers Squadron Headquarters	Encompassing North Kent and Medway (Borough of Dartford, Gravesham, Medway, and Borough of Swale)
Dartford Detachment	Corps of Royal Engineers	Mead Crescent, Dartford	Borough of Dartford	Kent	DA1 2SH
Gillingham Detachment	Corps of Royal Engineers	Watling Street, Gillingham	Medway	Kent	ME7 2AA
Gravesend Detachment	Corps of Royal Engineers	Grande Road, Gravesend	Borough of Gravesham	Kent	DA11 0EU
Rochester Detachment	Corps of Royal Engineers	Fort Clarence, Rochester	Medway	Kent	ME1 3BG
Sheerness Detachment	Corps of Royal Engineers	The Bungalow, New Road, Sheerness	Medway	Kent	ME12 1BW
Strood Detachment	Corps of Royal Engineers	Tamar Drive, Strood	Medway	Kent	ME2 2EA
Swanley Detachment	Royal Regiment of Artillery	Swanley Lane, Swanley	Sevenoaks District	Kent	BR8 7LH
Walderslade Detachment	Corps of Royal Engineers	Walderslade School, Bradfield Avenue, Walderslade	Medway	Kent	ME5 0LE
Woodlands Detachment	Corps of Royal Engineers	Watling Street, Gillingham	Medway	Kent	ME7 2AA
Sittingbourne Detachment	Royal Regiment of Artillery	Crown Quay Lane, Sittingbourne	Borough of Swale	Kent	ME10 3SL

ACF Mission

The Army Cadet Force is a national, voluntary, uniformed youth organisation. It is sponsored by the British Army but not part of it and neither the cadets nor the adult volunteer leaders are subject to military call-up.  They offer a broad range of challenging adventurous and educational activities, some of them on a military theme. Their aim is to inspire young people to achieve success in life and develop in them the qualities of a good citizen.

The ACF can be compared to their counterparts in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (USA), Hong Kong Adventure Corps, and Canadian Army Cadets, amongst others.

See also

• List of Army Cadet Force units
• Combined Cadet Force

Footnotes

Notes

1. In the Army Cadet Force, a 'County' is equivalent to an army battalion

Citations

1. "No. 42946". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 March 1963. p. 2514.
2. Westlake 1984, pp. 1–3
3. Westlake 1984, p. 32
4. Westlake 1984, p. 69
5. Westlake 1984, p. 20
6. "Second Supplement to the London Gazette of Friday, 9th October 1964". The London Gazette (Supplement). No. 43459. 9 October 1964. p. 8639.
7. "No. 42946". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 March 1963. p. 2514.
8. "Regular Army Basing Matrix by Formation and Unit" (PDF). Army Families Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
9. Army Cadet Force Regulations, Army Cadets Order #14233. Version 1.12. Headquarters, Army Cadet Force. February 2017.
10. "Cadets". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
11. "Regional Command". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
12. "Kent Army Cadets". Army Cadets UK. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
13. "Our Detachments | Kent ACF | Army Cadet Force". 20 July 2012. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
14. "About Us | Kent ACF | Army Cadet Force". 30 July 2012. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
15. "COUNTY TRAINING TEAM | Kent ACF | Army Cadet Force". 20 July 2020. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
16. "PWRR Badged Cadets | Army Tigers". www.armytigers.com. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
17. "A COMPANY | Kent ACF | Army Cadet Force". 20 July 2020. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
18. "B COMPANY | Kent ACF | Army Cadet Force". 20 July 2020. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
19. "D COMPANY | Kent ACF | Army Cadet Force". 20 July 2020. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
20. "RE SQUADRON | Kent ACF | Army Cadet Force". 20 July 2020. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2021.

References

• Westlake, Ray A. (1984). A Register of Territorial Force Cadet Units: 1910 – 1922. Wembley, Middlesex, United Kingdom: Sherwood Press. ISBN   978-0950853024. OCLC   60073924.