Wikipedia

Cleveland Army Cadet Force

The Cleveland Army Cadet Force (Cleveland ACF) is the county cadet force[a] for Cleveland that operates as part of the Army Cadet Force. Although the county of Cleveland was disestablished in 1996, the unit still maintains the name and recruits from its former area, which is now part of the North Riding of Yorkshire and Durham.

Cleveland Army Cadet Force
ActiveOctober 1974[1] – present
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeRegistered Volunteer Youth Organisation
RoleTo provide pre-training and experience of life in the British Army
SizeCounty[a]
Part ofHeadquarters North East
HeadquartersMiddlesbrough
WebsiteCleveland ACF
Insignia
Headquarters North East Badge
Army Cadet Force Badge

History edit

Background edit

In 1863, along with the formation of the Volunteer Force, the first government sanctioned cadet groups were allowed to be formed. These groups would mostly be formed in connection with existing volunteer companies and battalions. Following the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 which organised the former Volunteer Force into a coherent organisation, known as the Territorial Force (TF), the cadets were expanded. Each company consisted of no less than 30 cadets, and four of these companies formed a "Cadet Battalion", the predecessors to the modern "Cadet County".[2]

Unlike their modern successors, the first cadet battalions were administered by their local County Territorial Force Associations, and rarely ever came under an "army command". However, following changes to the organisation of the Cadets, in 1923 all cadet forces were taken under complete control of the County Associations.[2]

County edit

Following the Local Government Act 1974, the non-metropolitan county of Cleveland was formed from the Stockton Rural District (Hartlepool) of Durham and the unitary authority area of Redcar and Cleveland of the North Riding of Yorkshire.

The first mention of the 'Cleveland Army Cadet Force' appears in a supplement to the London Gazette dated 22 October 1974 with the first appointment of an officer.[3]

Under the Army 2020 programme, the 4th Mechanised Brigade was merged with 15th (North East) Brigade to form the new 4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East on 1 April 2014. Following these changes, the county left the control of the 15th (North East) Brigade and joined 4th Infantry Brigade as part of Headquarters North East.[4]

As of December 2021, each Army Cadet Force county reports to their local brigade deputy commander, or in the case of independent regional headquarters the commander. However, for administrative duties each cadet county reports to Commander Cadets, who is a senior 1* Brigadier part of Headquarters, Regional Command.[5][6][7]

Organisation edit

Each Army Cadet Force 'county' is in-fact a battalion, and each 'detachment' equivalent to that of a platoon.[5] The Cleveland ACF[a] is currently divided into three companies, with multiple detachments spread throughout the Cleveland area:[8][9]

  • Cleveland Army Cadet Force County Headquarters, at the Coulby Newham Army Reserve Centre, Middlesbrough[10]
  • Cleveland Army Cadet Force County Training Team, at the Coulby Newham Army Reserve Centre, Middlesbrough[11]
Detachment Affiliation Location County Postal Code
A Company[12]
A Company Headquarters Note: encompassing area from Norton-on-Tees to Hartlepool Norton Army Reserve Centre, Norton-on-Tees, Stockton-on-Tees Cleveland TS20 2QW
Billingham Detachment The Rifles[13] Beamish Road, Billingham Cleveland TS23 3DY
Hardwick Detachment Ketton Road, Hardwick, Stockton-on-Tees Cleveland TS19 8BU
Hartburn Detachment Harrowgate Lane, Stockton-on-Tees Cleveland TS19 8TF
No. 1 Hartlepool Detachment Corps of Royal Engineers[12] Easington Road, Hartlepool Teesside TS24 8JY
No. 2 Hartlepool Detachment The Rifles[12] Easington Road, Hartlepool Teesside TS24 8JY
High Tunstall Detachment The Rifles[14] Elwick Road, Hartlepool Cleveland TS26 0LQ
No. 1 Norton Detachment Royal Military Police (Adjutant General's Corps)[12] Norton Road, Stockton-on-Tees Cleveland TS20 2QW
No. 2 Norton Detachment Corps of Royal Engineers[12] Norton Road, Stockton-on-Tees Cleveland TS20 2QW
Yarm Detachment Yorkshire Regiment[13][15] Kirklevington, Yarm Cleveland TS15 9LW
B Company[12]
B Company Headquarters Note: encompassing the Middlesbrough area Coulby Newham Army Reserve Centre, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough Cleveland TS8 0TQ
Saint Peter's School Detachment Royal Corps of Signals[16] Normanby Road, Middlesbrough Cleveland TS6 6SP
Brambles Farm Detachment Yorkshire Regiment Sotherby Road, Brambles Farm, Middlesbrough Cleveland TS3 8BT
Burlam Road Detachment Royal Logistic Corps[17] Burlam Road, Middlesbrough Cleveland TS5 5AF
Coulby Newham Detachment Yorkshire Regiment[15] Ridgeway Road, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough Cleveland TS8 0TQ
Ingleby Barwick Detachment Corps of Royal Engineers[18] Haresfield Way, Ingleby Barwick, Stockton-on-Tees Cleveland TS17 5BL
Thornaby Detachment Yorkshire Regiment[15] Martinet Road, Thonaby-on-Tees, Stockton-on-Tees Cleveland TS17 0AS
Trinity Detatchment Royal Army Medical Corps Lacy Road, Middlesbrough Cleveland TS4 3JW
C Company[12]
B Company Headquarters Note: encompassing the area from Redcar across to Loftus and Guisborough Loftus Army Reserve Centre, West Road, Loftus Cleveland TS13 4RW
Freebrough Academy Detachment Yorkshire Regiment[15] Linden Road, Brotton, Saltburn-by-the-Sea Teesside TS12 2SJ
Guisborough Town Detachment Yorkshire Regiment[15] Park Lane, Guisborough Cleveland TS14 6EU
Loftus Detachment Yorkshire Regiment[15] Loftus Army Reserve Centre, West Road, Loftus Cleveland TS13 4RW
Normanby Detachment Yorkshire Regiment[15] Woodcock Close, Banksfield Road, Normanby Cleveland TS3 0TT
Redcar Detachment Yorkshire Regiment[15] Wheatlands, Redcar Lane, Redcar Cleveland TS10 2PA
Redcar Academy Detachment Yorkshire Regiment[15] Redcar Community College, Kirkleatham Lane, Redcar Cleveland TS10 4AB
Saltburn Detachment Yorkshire Regiment[15] Caravan Centre, Saltburn-by-the-Sea Cleveland TS12 1DE

Notable Events edit

In July 2018, more than 70 personnel from the Cleveland ACF went to Northern Ireland for a chance to win the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, but eight had to be evacuated after being isolated and exposed to the elements. The army later issued a formal apology and stated 'we failed cadets left stranded on mountains'.[19]

ACF Mission edit

The Army Cadet Force is a national, voluntary, uniformed youth organisation. It is sponsored by the British Army but not part of it and neither the cadets nor the adult volunteer leaders are subject to military call-up.  They offer a broad range of challenging adventurous and educational activities, some of them on a military theme. Their aim is to inspire young people to achieve success in life and develop in them the qualities of a good citizen.

The ACF can be compared to their counterparts in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (USA), Hong Kong Adventure Corps, and Canadian Army Cadets, amongst others.

Role & Affiliations edit

The Cleveland Army Cadet Force[a] has over 650 cadets and adult volunteers in detachments all across Cleveland.

Prior to 2006, the county was affiliated with the North Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards). From 2006, following the formation of that regiment, the county was affiliated with the Yorkshire Regiment, except for 4 detachments which are affiliated with the Royal Engineers, The Rifles, and Royal Military Police.[20][21]

Honorary Colonels edit

Honorary Colonels of the county have included:

  • – 17 May 2007: Colonel A. W. Illingworth TD[22]
  • 17 May 2007 – 1 July 2010: Colonel A. Wilson OBE DL[23]
  • 1 July 2010 – before 1 July 2017 (vacant till then):[24] Mr. Alasdair MacConachie OBE DL[25]
  • 1 July 2017 – 1 July 2020: Mr. Richard Kilty[24]
  • 1 July 2020 – present: Colonel V. B. Jassal TD DL[26]

See also edit

Footnotes edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d In the Army Cadet Force, a 'County' is equivalent to an army battalion

Citations edit

  1. ^ Supplement to the London Gazette, 22 October 1974.
  2. ^ a b Westlake 1984, pp. 1–3
  3. ^ "No. 46379". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 October 1974. p. 9542.
  4. ^ "Regular Army Basing Matrix by Formation and Unit" (PDF). Army Families Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b Army Cadet Force Regulations, Army Cadets Order #14233. Version 1.12. Headquarters, Army Cadet Force. February 2017.
  6. ^ "Cadets". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Regional Command". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Cleveland Army Cadets". Army Cadets UK. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Our Detachments | Cleveland ACF | Army Cadet Force". 25 June 2013. Archived from the original on 25 June 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Cleveland ACF County Headquarters | Cleveland ACF | Army Cadet Force". 23 June 2020. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  11. ^ "County Training Team/HQ | Cleveland ACF | Army Cadet Force". 25 June 2020. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g "A Company | Cleveland ACF | Army Cadet Force". 25 June 2020. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Reserve Forces and Cadets Association - Cleveland Cadets Cyprus Trip of a Lifetime". www.rfca-ne.org.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  14. ^ "Reserve Forces and Cadets Association - A Different Kind of Weapon Training for Cleveland Army Cadets". www.rfca-ne.org.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "The Regimental Handbook: The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th, and 33rd/76th Foot)" (PDF). Yorkshire Regiment Association. Yorkshire Regiment. June 2021. p. 82. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  16. ^ "The Royal Corps of Signals: Find a Unit (Cadets used on map below Army Cadet Force unit tab)". Royal Corps of Signals Corps Website. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Reserve Forces and Cadets Association - Army Cadet Takes Part in VE Day Celebrations". www.rfca-ne.org.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  18. ^ "Visit to Ingleby Barwick RE Detachment tonight- great to see engaged Cadets having fun practicing using the CASSIM kits". Twitter. Commandant Durham ACF. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  19. ^ Doward, Jamie (22 July 2018). "Army admits: we failed cadets left stranded on mountains". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  20. ^ "Cleveland ACF | Cleveland ACF". Army Cadet Force. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  21. ^ "About Us | Cleveland ACF". Army Cadet Force. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  22. ^ "No. 58345". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 5 June 2007. p. 8040.
  23. ^ "No. 59519". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 17 August 2010. p. 15856.
  24. ^ a b "No. 16608". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 5 September 2017. p. 60612.
  25. ^ "No. 61360". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 22 September 2015. p. 17623.
  26. ^ "No. 63091". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 25 August 2020. p. 14348.

References edit

  • Westlake, Ray A. (1984). A Register of Territorial Force Cadet Units: 1910 – 1922. Wembley, Middlesex, United Kingdom: Sherwood Press. ISBN 978-0950853024. OCLC 60073924.
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