KES CCF Celebrates 125th anniversary
On 9th March 1900, the parents of pupils at King Edward’s School signed a petition for the founding of a Cadet Corps at the School. This was the brainchild of Headmaster, Edward Symons, and was largely inspired by the Boer War. The newly established Corps was styled as ‘The 1st Cadet Company of the Somerset Light Infantry’, and by the end of the first year no fewer than 65 boys had enrolled under the command of Captain C K Mason.
125 years later, KES CCF celebrated this milestone quasquicentennial by deploying to Scraesdon Fort in Cornwall earlier this term for an action-packed weekend including fighting in built-up areas, tactics, archery, obstacle crossing, orders, model-making, stalking, ambushes, blank firing and a game of Tug of War, testing both technique and teamwork. Commenting on their 125th anniversary, Contingent Commander Captain Philip Jones says, “I am proud to say that today’s KES CCF is stronger than ever. Our links with our affiliated regiment, The King’s Royal Hussars, grows stronger by the year, and their support is invaluable. In recent years we have added a Corps of Drums and marching band to our contingent. Their musical accompaniment to our public marching is routinely showcased during Remembrance Sunday in Bath, and this has certainly added a new dimension to the CCF.”
