For the fourth time 2028 (Southam) Squadron have held their Squadron Easter Camp at Saint Martin 's Plain, Folsktone in Kent . This year they attended for the period Thursday 14 th April to Wednesday the 20 th April with 24 Cadets and 5 Staff from 2028 Squadron. Cpl Steve Forrest RMP, an ex Cadet from 2028, who is also now a service instructor at the Squadron, also took time out to join the Camp. They were joined by two more ex. members of 2028 Squadron, CI Robert Foster and Sub Lieutenant Dougie Styles RN who is now serving in the Royal Navy.

The Camp is a ‘Training facility' and there were Army Cadets, University Officer Training Corps and Royal Signals soldiers staying at various times during the week. 2028 Cadets very quickly became a team in the best traditions of the Air Training Corps, with so many who had never been to a Squadron Camp. They all soon found that the accommodation, although comparatively old, was quite good and the food once again was excellent. This coupled with a full week of glorious weather, made the Camp the best yet.

After settling into their rooms on the Wednesday afternoon and having a good meal, the Cadets were briefed on the week ahead by Flt Lt Moreton and the other Staff and split into two Flights, after which they did a FAMEX around the Camp to familiarise themselves with the Mess, Drill Square and showers etc. They then settled down for the evening, no doubt wondering what challenges the week ahead would present them!

The Camp programme was quite intensive with everyone getting out of bed in time for Breakfast at 0700 hours each morning and not finishing until around 2200 hours each evening with lights out at 2300 hours! The Cadets started their week with swimming on the Friday, something of a tradition on Easter camp, which included the latest Swimming proficiency Test. After lunch, they all changed into greens for a full afternoon and evening on Field craft, Battlecraft and Patrolling. After evening meal in Camp the Cadets were briefed and moved back out onto the training area for their mini exercise which finished at 2300 hours. They were really ready for bed!

Saturday was spent at Lydd Training Area with raft building and raft races which went incredibly well, considering the various ‘rafts' the Cadets constructed, in fact the weirdest one of the lot finished first on the course! Everyone had a Bar-b-Q lunch on site and the staff also took time out to debrief on the previous evenings exercise.

Sunday was a day out in London which also turned out to be the day of the London Marathon, so the City was buzzing with activity and people. The morning was spent at the Imperial War Museum and then after a packed lunch the Cadets and Staff went on the London Eye. However Flt Lt Moreton and Cpl Forrest went missing with the Cadets wondering where they had disappeared to! When they returned, they had arranged a surprise visit to No 10 Downing Street. So everyone negotiated the crowds and was allowed through the security gates into Downing Street itself. The Police Officer in charge of the No10 door was very helpful and let everyone take photos outside the world famous black door. The looks on the faces of the Cadets as they stood in front of the door was fantastic, a privilege not many people ever get. After leaving London everyone stopped off at a Pizza Hut and relaxed after a busy but incredible day out.

Monday saw everyone visit RAF Odiham. After a really early start from Camp, everyone enjoyed a breakfast at Odiham before splitting into Flights for various section visits including the Survival training facility, a look over a Chinook Helicopter, a talk about the RAF Regiment and the Air Traffic Control Tower. Needless to say, everyone enjoyed scrambling over the Chinook! But Monday produced yet another highlight with everyone getting a ride in a Chinook with each Flight in the air for about 15 minutes each. Before leaving RAF Odiham the Cadets and Staff enjoyed an evening meal in the Mess and then returned to Saint Martin 's Plain once again, thinking how can we beat what we are doing this year?

On the Tuesday, the final full day on Camp, everyone went to the Battle of Britain War Memorial at Capel le Ferne over looking Dover . Then after returning to Camp and changing into civvies the Cadets and Staff went on a coastal walk along the cliffs, eating their packed lunches and enjoying the scenery. The walk ended at a small beach where everyone relaxed and watched just how many Ferries are in view on the Channel at any one time.

After returning to Camp, eating their evening meal, it was back into uniform for the Inter Flight Drill competition. This was followed by final parade with each Cadet and staff member receiving a Certificate. Awards were handed out for Best Flight, Best bed space, Best Cadet, Best turn-out and the best Flight at Drill. There was also a surprise for one Cadet, Cpl Caves , who was promoted to Acting Sergeant. The parade was followed by the need to prepare for leaving the following day which no one enjoyed but the work had to be done.

Flight Lieutenant Moreton, the Camp Commandant remarked, “The weather was dry, warm and sunny for the whole time we were at Saint Martin 's Plain. The Cadets entered the spirit of the Camp totally; the programme was intensive with long days and had everything we could add to make it both enjoyable and challenging. We found time to visit the Battle of Britain Memorial and surprise everyone with a visit to Downing Street . The second highlight was our day at RAF Odiham with a flight on an RAF Chinook. This is the best Easter Camp we have held and I am delighted to say that both my Cadets and the Staff pulled everything out to make it just simply a week to remember; in fact no one really wanted to go home. ”

Visit our Squadron Web Site and view the gallery showing a selection of the activities we enjoyed at Camp -