Regional Drill Competition

What a day Father’s Day turned out to be. We loaded up the coach at 6am and set off for RAF Linton-on-Ouse via 148 Barnsley Squadron and Wing HQ.

This is where the problems started. Firstly the brief was given that the drill competition would start at 10.30am.

When were we due on? Just get ready for 10.30 and you’ll be on as soon as the ones in front go off (the routine takes roughly 8 minutes).

So 10.30 outside in uniform to go on. One wing are already parading and there is another wing in front of us.

But then a band marches on.

Secondly, the band finish, we move to get inspected. The NCO in charge of inspection has disappeared for lunch; no one else can do it! Come back at 1.00 and we’ll start again.

So we also go for lunch, which means the cadets cannot sit and relax as they don’t want to crease their perfect uniforms or scuff their shoes.

Thirdly, back at 1.00 and ready for inspection. Still no judge, his lunch has been extended!

Fourth, OK, go on the square and do the drill sequence. This won’t work; the uniform will suffer from the strict manoeuvres. So to compromise another judge will look at the dress standards and give feedback to the inspection judge when he returns.

Fifth, the squad go on and show some real determination despite all the problems and have a good stab at motivating themselves again. They leave the parade square and are finally inspected.

Skip forward to the final parade, confidence is low because of the problems during the day but the squad did it, South and West Yorkshire Wing represented by 218 Rotherham Squadron are once again Regional champions and through to the final six!

To top it all we also have Sgt Adam Cantrell as top Drill Instructor, although this was announced as FS Paul Woods (due to a communication error).

Let’s hope that they don’t cancel the Corps competition in November this time, but knowing our luck so far……