C64 Adventure & Military Training Course
The course was split over two Modules
Module 1 – 02 to 05 May 2008 (Friday – Monday)
Module 2 – 19 to 26 July 2008 (Saturday – Saturday)
Amongst its aims are to give an introduction to the sort of activities entailed in a life in the armed forces and emergency services.
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My Log of the C64 course Leading Cadet Lindsey Fitzpatrick |
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Friday: - Arrival Day module one
I travelled to Inskip - didn’t have many journey problems even though it was the start of the bank holiday weekend. Once I had arrived, I unpacked and began to get to know people. We had a general meeting and met our team leaders too. They were going to be our leaders for both modules. However we did not get to bed until late as some late arrivals came at 22.30.
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Saturday: - Early start
We started the day off by learning how to pack a rucksack so that it would be comfortable and efficient for our preliminary walk. After this we grabbed our ration packs and we learnt how to cook them using the Hexi burners. We did some map reading and putting up tents. Later on in the morning we began our preliminary walk which was to be a 5 mile course and supervised, however this course was also going to be part of our module two course. Once we returned to Inskip we put up our tents to camp out overnight (the weather was shocking!) and we played a team game of football so we could get to know each other better. Group D, my group, won. woo!!!
Finally we had a tent peg thief during the night 
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Sunday: - Another early start
Cooked our own breakfast-we then had our first taste of Helicopter flying in a Army Gazelle Helicopter over Blackpool. Then in the afternoon we had to complete our Nightjar Challenge (we had sets of tasks that we had to complete for our challenge i.e. map reading) the money that we raised by sponsorship for these challenges would be presented in Module two. In the evening we had a briefing ready for module two and the chilled out.
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Monday:- Returned home.
Saturday: - Arrival Day of module two
After a chaotic journey to Preston, with trains cancelled and delayed; I had to think on my feet and work out an alternate route. I arrived, met up with my friends whom I met previously on module one and we chilled out, before having a small briefing on the week ahead.
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Sunday: - Early starts, late finishes
A day of briefings! How exciting! It was my least favourite day out of the week, but even though it was so boring it was completely necessary and essential that we had them although it was a good day to get some rest unaware of how hectic, draining and exhausting our week ahead would be. However there was a bonus which was I gained a qualification which was my Young First Aider’s Certificate by St Johns Ambulance which is equivalent to 3rd class first aid within the sea cadets. I also achieved the new Heart Start Certificate. Finally the briefings we took part in were the helicopter and safety awareness briefing which we needed to know as we were travelling via helicopters all week. The Country Code for our Duke of Edinburgh and expedition training. Also we learnt how to do air navigation which was crucial for the following day.
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Monday: - Another early start-wow a morning with the Royal Marines
| 07.30 | Breakfast |
| 08.30 | Oh My God fitness training with the Royal Marines, I knew I shouldn’t have had that fry up.
After getting cammed up and camouflaging our helmets we learnt a series of Royal Marine firing and covering formations such as Pepperpotting and Leap Frogging. We learnt how to manoeuvre over the ground with a weapon, and the Royal Marines showed us the technique they use on how to clear a building using an armed SA80 A2. Finally we were given the rifle to load and shot singly and automatically the SA80 A2, which is the current rifle used in the Armed forces today. |
| 12.00 | After lunch (lunch was eaten in the Minibus on our way to the next port of call) we arrived at the Football pitch. Waiting for us there was a Squirrel Helicopter– we spent the next Two hours taking turns to fly in and navigate the helicopter over Blackpool (sick bags were on the ready) |
| 14.30 - 17.00 | we had Archery lessons, played Football and yet another briefing for the Duke of Edinburgh the next day. |
| 17.00 - 18.00 | Dinner |
| 19.00 - 20.00 | Colours and First Aid again! |
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Tuesday:- D.O.E expedition (early start again!)
07.30 - Breakfast
08.00 - Packed our Rucksacks and collected our Ration packs, went through the Map and Safety Precautions for the D.O.E.
08.30 - Left SCTC Inskip and began our expedition to Eagland Hill.
We were on our own, without supervision, and we had to complete 30km over two days!!
First day was around 15 km however, we walked an extra 2km due to Air Cadets not listening to Sea Cadets - we did have other problems along the way as some of the Cadets struggled with Heat exhaustion and minor injuries. Wildlife was a major problem as we were attacked by Horse Flies and chased by Cows and young Bulls - not fun at all !! Once we arrived at Eagland Hill we set up camp and had yummy dinner-NOT!!!!
On the last day of our expedition to Crook Farm we trekked up the Never Ending Road which did end. . . . . . eventually.
At 15.00 we were transported back to Catforth Football pitch by Sea King Helicopter - which was awesome!
We then waited for another group to arrive and were then transported by Minibus back to Inskip to chill out and have a late briefing on Operation Safe Return.
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Thursday:- Operation Safe Return (had to get up even earlier)
06.30 – Travel by Army Lynx Helicopter
It was a joint operation involving the RNLI, HMCG, 2 Royal Navy patrol vessels and two helicopters - the RN Lynx and Army Gazelle.
My involvement in this operation was to go out to sea with an RNLI volunteer and a medically trained professional in the RIB’s to assist with the Sea operations, but unfortunately it did not go according to plan. First the RM RIB’s started to have floatation problems (they began to sink) so we assisted with that, we then had to collect an RNLI person who had been winched by Helicopter onto HMS Blazer – he had to return to his RNLI boat .Finally we had to drive the RIB’s learning some of the Level 2 Power Planing Course, at the end of the operation we returned to SCTC Inskip by Royal Navy Lynx Helicopter.
Thursday evening we had a RN, RM and Army Air Corp presentations, the funds we had raised were also presented to those that had helped us during the week i.e. RNLI the rest of the evening we chilled out and played some football.
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Friday:- My 16th Birthday and last day! – Off Shore Survival Training (a lie in till 06.50 woop!!!)
We travelled to the Off Shore Training Centre at Fleetwood, where we took part in Synchronized Swimming with Life Jackets on, how to keep together when you are in the water, how a Raft works and also how to be winched up by Helicopter-this training was then combined into an exercise-only it took place in the dark (lights were switched off), fog and wave machine were switched on and oh!! it was raining (sprinklers were switched on). We had to jump into the pool from the side of the pool (this is a 40ft pool with no shallow end) form a huddle in the pool and the get into a Raft which isn’t easy with a wave machine going (remember this was also in the dark)
From there we went Air experience flying in an Army Gazelle Helicopter and when we finally returned to SCTC Inskip we had to produce and show our PowerPoint presentations on the Black Knight Parachute Centre, before finally Certificates and Birthday Cake was presented by the staff- we were then allowed to have a Glow stick Birthday Party till 12.00 am.
It was a fabulous week and a fabulous Birthday and I met some great people who made it a special day.
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Saturday:- An unhappy day
We all had to say goodbye to all our friends we had become close too, however it was great to have some rest once home.
Oh and think about Inskip in October woooooooo!!!
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Random Pictures of the course
