Wiltshire Army Cadet Force

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Wiltshire Army Cadet Force
Activebefore June 1954 [1] –present
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
TypeRegistered Volunteer Youth Organisation
RoleTo provide pre-training and experience of life in the British Army
Size County [lower-alpha 1]
Part of Headquarters South West
County HQ Devizes
Website Wiltshire Army Cadets
Insignia
Army Cadet Force Badge Army Cadet Force (ACF) badge.png

The Wiltshire Army Cadet Force (Wiltshire ACF) is the county cadet force for Wiltshire, which operates as part of the Army Cadet Force. Since 2014, the county has been part of Headquarters South West and comprises three companies along with a county corps of drums.

Contents

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]

The first mention of the "Wiltshire Army Cadet Force" appears in a supplement to the London Gazette for 15 June 1954. The issue notes a chaplain 4th class, of the Royal Army Chaplains' Department transferring to the Dorset Army Cadet Force from the Wiltshire ACF effective 15 June 1954. [3]

Organisation

As of December 2021, the Wiltshire Army Cadet Force consists of appx. 700 cadets and 130 adult volunteers in 24 detachments. Each Army Cadet Force 'county' is in-fact a battalion, and each 'detachment' equivalent to that of a platoon. [4] [5] [6] The county's is organised as follows: [4]

DetachmentAffiliationLocation
Sword Company
Swindon AcademyBeech Avenue, Swindon
Abbey Park School DetachmentAbbey Park School, Redhouse Way, Redhouse
Royal Wooton Basset DetachmentJubilee Lake, Royal Wootton Bassett
Calne DetachmentCalne Cadet Centre, Bryans Close Road, Calne
Church Place DetachmentSwindon Army Reserve Centre, Church Place, Swindon
Dorcan DetachmentSt Paul's Drive, Swindon
Abbeyfield Detachment Abbeyfield School, Stanley Lane, Chippenham
Marlborough DetachmentMarlborough Cadet Centre, London Road, Marlborough
Corps of Drums & BuglesUTC, Bristol Street, Swindon
Juno Company
Lavington DetachmentThe Spring, Market Lavington, Lavington
Corsham DetachmentBuilding 160, Lysander Block, Westwells Road, Corsham
Colerne Detachment Azimghur Barracks, Colerne
Devizes Detachment Le Marchant Barracks, Franklyn Road, Devizes
Melksham DetachmentMelksham Cadet Hut, Riskin Avenue, Melksham
Trowbridge DetachmentTrowbridge Cadet Centre, Frome Road, Trowbridge
Warminster DetachmentWarminster Cadet Centre, Woodcock Lane, Warminster
Westbury DetachmentWestbury Cadet Centre, West End, Westbury
Gold Company
Bulford Detachment Royal Corps of Signals [7] Ward/Wing Barracks, Bulford Camp, Bulford
Downton DetachmentRiflesDownton Cadet Centre, Children's Corner, Downton
Larkhill DetachmentRoyal ArtilleryLarkhill Cadet Centre, Ross Road, Larkhill
Old Sarum DetachmentRiflesOld Sarum Army Reserve Centre, Old Sarum
Sarum Academy DetachmentRoyal Artillery Sarum Academy, Westwood Road, Salisbury
Tidworth DetachmentRiflesSaint Andrew's Hall, Tidworth Camp, Tidworth
Tisbury DetachmentVictoria Hall, High Street, Tisbury

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

Footnotes

Notes

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

Citations

  1. "No. 40202". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 1954. p. 3524.
  2. 1 2 Westlake 1984, pp. 1–3
  3. "No. 40202". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 1954. p. 3524.
  4. 1 2 "Wiltshire Army Cadets". Army Cadets UK. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  5. Army Cadet Force Regulations, Army Cadets Order #14233. Version 1.12. Headquarters, Army Cadet Force. February 2017.
  6. "About Us | Wiltshire ACF | Army Cadet Force". 24 June 2013. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  7. "The Royal Corps of Signals: Find a Unit (Cadets used on map below Army Cadet Force unit tab)". Royal Corps of Signals Corps Website. Retrieved 9 January 2022.

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References