1300 Squadron ATC

Saturday/Sunday 26^th/27^th April, seven cadets from 1300 (Sutton-in-Ashfield) Squadron started a Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze expedition.  For two of those cadets, Corporals Sarah Livermore and Daniel Barnes, it was their FINAL Bronze expedition.  The remaining five cadets, Sergeant Luke Chadburn, Cadets Matthew Parry, Alexandria Brown, Stephanie Hudson and Seb Hudson were walking their first Bronze expedition practice.

The expedition started at the Halifax Bomber Memorial in Farnsfield at 11:00hours.  A 13.3km walk through Farnsfield, heading towards Blidworth and finally camping out at the Abelwood campsite near Ravenshead.  They finished their first days walk at about 16.32 hours.

Once their tents were pitched they all started to make their evening meal and warm drinks on small gas stoves.  Only the staff got out of cooking and ordered a pizza! (RHIP!)

To keep the cadets entertained until bedtime, they played “Escape and Evasion” – that’s “Hide and Seek” to you and me!  But one cadet didn’t quite get the gist of hiding!

Bedtime was at 21:00 and lights out at 22:00 hours.

Reveille was at 06.30 but some were up a bit earlier.  All cadets cooked their own breakfast before packing up tents and rucksacks for day 2 of their expedition.

The cadets decamped at 08.30 and started their 14km walk through Ravenshead, heading towards Blidworth and, following mainly the “Robin Hood Way” route, to Mansfield, finishing off their total 27.3km 2-day walk at Thieves Wood arriving at about 14:00 hours.

On Monday 21^st April 2008, I met one of the first cadets of 1300 (Sutton-in-Ashfield) Squadron.

John Pemblington joined 1300 Squadron in 1941, it was then located on Reform Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield.  1300 Squadron started when the Air Defence Cadet Corps became the Air Training Corps on 5^th February 1941.

John went through the usual ATC training of Foot Drill and Morse Code before joining the Royal Air Force in 1942 at the age of 19.  He had 17 weeks training at Blackpool, to be a wireless operator, where he had to learn to use Morse Code at 10 words per minute (wpm).  But because of his training in the ATC he could do 12wpm.

After his training he went via Liverpool to Egypt for 3 months on then onto Aden, and then back again to Egypt.  Overall he spent 2 years in Egypt.  He then served in Italy and then back to the UK at RAF Church Fenton.

John was demobbed from the Royal Air Force 1947.

John Pemblington was interviewed by AWO Amanda Coleman

The president of the Sutton Rotary Club, Brian Dawson, and fellow club member Paul McDuell presented a cheque for £250 to Commanding Officer Flight Lieutenant Phil Ridley on Monday 7^th April.

The Rotary Club holds a prize draw every Christmas to raise money to give to local charities and community projects in the Sutton-in-Ashfield area.

The Staff and Cadets of 1300 (Sutton-in-Ashfield) Squadron ATC would like to thank the Rotary Club for their generous donation!

On Monday 14^th April 2008, another Second Class Cadet Adam Taylor (15) passed his First Class Cadet exam.

The exam was given in 2 parts covering topics such as First Aid, Initial Expedition Training, Map Reading, Communications, the Air Training Corps, the Royal Air Force, History of Flight and Airmanship.

He now joins the rest of the cadets and can study for his Leading Cadet exam due in November.

Congratulations!!

The Staff and Cadets of 1300 (Sutton-in-Ashfield) Squadron would like to congratulate Cadet Aron Marshall on being presented with the BTEC Intermediate Certificate.

Level 2 BTEC in Aviation Studies is given to cadets who have passed ALL written exams; from First Class to Staff Part 1; and is equivalent to 4 GCSE’s.

Let's see some more Certificates presented in the future!

Two NCO’s from 1300 (Sutton-in-Ashfield) Squadron attended the first week of Easter Camps (Saturday, 29th March to 5th April) at RAF Leuchars, located north east corner of Fife, Scotland.

Corporals Daniel Barnes (15) and Sarah Livermore (16) joined other cadets from our region to enjoy a fun filled week of activities such as flying, drill, adventure training, competitions and Section visits at RAF Leuchars.

They may even have had time to see some of the sights of Northern Scotland.

You can see more information about RAF Leuchars on their website http://www.leuchars.raf.mod.uk/welcome.htm.

On Wednesday 9^th April 2008, Second Class Cadet Tom Wells (15) passed his First Class Cadet exam.

The exam was given in 2 parts covering topics such as First Aid, Initial Expedition Training, Map Reading, Communications, the Air Training Corps, the Royal Air Force, History of Flight and Airmanship.

Cadet Tom Wells passed with 97% and 71% of the marks.

Congratulations!!

The March exam results are back!

Leading Cadet

Draycott, James        -           Pass

Walters, Scott            -           Pass

Senior Cadet

Parry, Matthew          -           Credit

Parker, Sharon          -           Credit

Thomas, Martin         -           Credit

Staff Part 1

Bonser, Matthew       -           Pass

Chadburn, Luke         -           Credit

Livermore, Sarah      -           Pass

Marshall, Aron           -           Pass

Newton, Kirsty           -           Partial Pass

Corporal Kirsty Newton will retake Staff Part 1 in the May exams.  We now have a further 4 more cadets with the potential to become a Staff Cadet.  So watch this space!

Congratulations to all!!

dear 1300  squadron,

I want to congratulate all the cadets and N.C.O's and the staff for everything they've put into the sqn, you’re all a credit to the ATC.

I'd also like to say hey to the boys and girls that were around when I was, Tucker, Jones who looks good with the lanyard! Mr Shed, and the tall guy I never remember, probably now a member of staff, and thankyou to any staff that are still there, I’ve just applied for the RAF and passed all my tests easily and have a very high chance of getting in, but the thing they told me in the interview that made me stand out was that I was a member of 1300 squadron Sutton-in-Ashfield a highly reliable group according to the guys at the AFCO, and the progress I have made so far is down to the discipline and other skills that I had drilled into me by the 'N.C.O's and staff, and moral values that were encouraged by my peers.

Thanks again for everything, I wouldn't be the person I am today without everybody,

kind regards

ex-cdt Kyle green