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8th September 2007

Squared Up

With heads held high, arms straight and uniforms ironed and polished to perfection 13 Air Cadets from 134 (Bedford) Squadron marched onto the parade square at Royal Air Force Wittering, Cambridgeshire, to compete in the 2007 Regional Drill Competition.

The Drill Team March On

The event, which was held on Sunday 3rd September 2007, involves 6 teams from the Central and East Region completing 50 separate drill movements all of which were marked by the Station Warrant Officer from RAF Wittering.

Representing the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing at the competition for the fourth year in a row, Bedford Squadron was led by Sergeant Sean Denham, 16 yrs.

Having won the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing Drill competition in June 2007, the team from Bedford spent many additional hours rehearsing for the regional competition, from which the winning team enters the national drill competition held at RAF Halton, Buckinghamshire in October.

The team completed their routine after lunch and, despite a strong headwind which was blowing across the airfield, gave an excellent display of precision drill making full use of the parade square.

Uniform Inspection

The day then concluded with a final parade where all the teams formed up to learn the results of the day’s activities. First place went to Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire Wing represented by St Albans Squadron, the Corps champions from the previous year.

Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire gained a credible second place and Sergeant Denham also came second in the Best Drill NCO competition.

After the event Warrant Officer Taylor the Squadron’s Drill Instructor said, “Whilst naturally disappointed that we didn’t win, I am extremely proud of the team’s efforts this year. Coming second to the Corps champions is a credible achievement and has demonstrated to us that this is a competition that we can win in the future. We will dust ourselves down, hold our heads high and start training for 2008. Watch this space.”