Press Release

134 (Bedford) Squadron
Air Training Corps
Shortstown
Bedford
MK42 0TH

4th Jul 2013

Double, doubled!

Over the weekend of 28th to 30th June 2013, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing held its annual Wing adventure training competition (Field Day) and Wing Parade at RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire. A team from 134 (Bedford) Squadron, led by CWO Jonathan Bell, attended with spectacular results.

The selection process began in March when the Squadron held its Field Team Selection Weekend, during which the cadets were chosen after completing leadership tasks, drill tests, initiative exercises and culminated with a formal Interview Board.

The weekend began with a Friday evening departure from Bedford arriving to set up Camp on RAF Wyton. The competition started on Saturday morning and the cadets approached the series of exercises not knowing what to expect within each task. Some were fun, some had a more serious element to them, but each demanded concentration and professionalism for which the team drew upon all of its training over the last few months. With positive feedback from several events, spirits among the cadets were high and with each exercise completed the team felt more and more confident. The day concluded with the coveted Drill Competition.

With Saturday complete and everybody feeling positive, the team settled down for the evening within Camp where an excellent sit down meal had been prepared members of the Squadron’s Civilian Committee.

Sunday began with a 6:30 AM reveille followed by bacon and egg banjos, which, as with the evening meal the night before, were cooked to perfection by members of the Squadron’s Civilian Committee. After breakfast the Wing held its Annual Wing Parade. With over 350 cadets on parade the salute was taken by the Central & Eastern Region Commandant, Group Captain G Hewett RAF VR(T) . This year, the honour of carrying the Wing Banner on the parade fell to 134 (Bedford) Squadron’s Banner Team. Having inspected the cadets on parade the reviewing officer presented a number of trophies that are awarded annually.

Bedford’s first success was the Enterprise Trophy which was awarded to the Squadron for its efforts in promoting flying/gliding during the last year.

After the parade the cadets once again focused their thoughts on the second day of exercises that lay ahead. Following their last tasking, all of the cadets jumped straight in to the final awards ceremony to be awarded all the trophies which they have been working so hard for over the weekend and the months running up to it.

The Squadron came 3rd in the Wing Postal Small Bore Shoot and joint 2nd at the Lynx’s Look Competition.

The next presentation was for the coveted Drill Competition which saw 10F (Luton Airport) Sqn in 3rd position, 2331 (St Ives) Sqn in 2nd and 134 (Bedford) Sqn in 1st and crowned as winners, again, for the 9th time in 10 years.

Lastly, the main trophy of the day, The Field Day Shield. There was silence after the third, 10F (Luton), and second, 115 (Peterborough) places were announced with all the Cadets in the Wing holding their breath waiting to hear who had won. When the announcer said “134 (Bedford) Squadron” a massive roar came from Squadron cadets and staff alike. It has been 8 years since the “double” had been achieved in the Wing and then it was by the 134 Squadron 2005 team.

Flt Lt K Murad, the Squadron’s Commanding Officer said “I am immensely proud of the hard work and determination shown by all the cadets and staff to achieve this fabulous result. It’s been a long time since a Squadron has won both the Drill and Field Day in the same year and it’s fantastic to be a part of that success”

The Squadron can now look forward to taking its Drill and Banner Drill Teams to RAF Wittering to represent Bedfordshire & Cambridgeshire Wing at the Central & Eastern Regional Field Day in September. The squadron would like to thank everyone involved in helping the team achieve its success and to all those who congratulated the team on the result.