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Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps

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Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps (BSCC)
The badge of the Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps
Founded1966
CountryBermuda (UK)
BranchRoyal Navy
TypeVolunteer Youth Organisation
Size3 Training Ships (shore stations)
Headquarters UnitTS Bermuda
Motto(s)Ready Aye Ready
WebsiteTS Bermuda
TS Admiral Somers
TS Venture
Commanders
Lieutenant Commander, Royal Naval Reserve (Sea Cadet Corps)Lieutenant Commander Michael Frith, RNR (SCC)
Notable
commanders		Commander A.J. Boyd, RN ; Lieutenant Commander J. Derek Taylor, RNR (SCC); Lieutenant Commander William Anthony Lightbourne, RNR (SCC); Lieutenant Commander Dwayne Trott, RNR (SCC).

The Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps was created in 1966 and registered as a charity under the Bermuda Sea Cadet Association Act, 1968. The first unit had actually been created two years earlier.

History

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Lt. Commander John Edwards, RNR (SCC), two other officers, and the Guard of TS Admiral Somers parade at Ordnance Island, Bermuda for the completion of Dodge Morgan's record-breaking circumnavigation of the world aboard the American Promise on 11 April 1986.[1][2]

Despite Bermuda's historical maritime economy, its connection with naval history (its location astride the route taken back to Europe by Spanish galleons had led Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick, a chief investor in the Virginia Company, that settled Bermuda - alias the "Somers Isles", and its spin-off, the Somers Isles Company, to utilise the colony as a base for privateering in the early 17th Century), and its long period as a naval base and dockyard,[3] there were no Sea Cadet units on the island before that date. This was even though Army Cadets had been established in the 19th century, and the Air Training Corps had been established locally during the Second World War. The Royal Naval Association Bermuda Branch (with members including serving and former members of the Royal Navy, Royal Naval Reserve, and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve) decided to rectify the omission, and began organising a local unit in 1964.[4] The Corps, effectively a branch of the UK Sea Cadet Corps, but administered separately by a local Executive Council, soon comprised three shore units, known as Training Ships. These are all located on former naval properties. TS Bermuda (the first unit, formed on 12 January, 1966)[5] is located on the grounds of the former Admiralty House, in Spanish Point, Pembroke (near the capital of Bermuda, the City of Hamilton). TS Admiral Somers is named for the founder of Bermuda, and Admiral of the Virginia Company, Sir George Somers. It is located at Convict Bay, St. George's, which takes its name from the prison hulks the Admiralty moored there at the turn of the 18th/19th centuries, when the area was used as a naval base before the re-location to the West End. The area was also used by the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War, commissioned as HMCS Somers Isles. The last unit, TS Venture, is located on Ireland Island, the core of the Royal Navy lands in Bermuda, and the location of the Royal Naval Dockyard. The first Admiralty inspection of the cadets of TS Bermuda was carried out on 7 April, 1967, by Commander A. J. Boyd, the Commanding Officer of HMS Malabar.[6]

Organisation and Training

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Queen's Birthday Parade, Hamilton Bermuda 2000

The Executive Council of the Corps is responsible for the overall sponsorship, financing, support and administration of the Corps. While the Council members are not uniformed personnel, many members over the years have been retired naval officers, including former Presidents of the BSCA Captain Sir David Tibbits, RN, DSC,[7][8][9] and Captain Gilbert Hallam, RN.[10]

TS Bermuda, the first unit opened, is nominally the Headquarters unit. Each unit has its own Management Committee, responsible for raising funds for the unit's expenses. All officers in the Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps are members of the Royal Naval Reserve, and their names are followed by "RNR (SCC)".[11] The rank bars worn on the cuffs of their jackets, and on epaulettes of shirts and pullovers follow the pattern of the old Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, being 'wavy', instead of straight. Each unit is under the command of a Commander, or a Lieutenant-Commander, RNR (SCC), with junior officers, Warrant Officers, and Cadet Instructors, Cadet Petty Officers, and cadet ratings making-up the rest of the command structure.

Before the Royal Naval Base on Ireland Island, HMS Malabar, closed in 1995, the Corps maintained a close relationship with it, with the commanding officer of the base having inspected the units annually. Cadets often are attached to Royal Navy vessels for sea experience, and also train on the UK Sea Cadet Corps tall ship, TS Royalist. The Corps has also taken a leading interest in the building of Bermuda's own tall ship for youth training, the Spirit of Bermuda.[12] Commander Anthony Lightbourne, RNR (SCC) was a Director of the Bermuda Sloop Foundation, which built and operates the traditionally designed vessel.

Female cadets and instructors had technically belonged nominally to the Girls Nautical Training Corps (GNTC), although practically they served within the Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps units. This distinction ceased in 1992, when the GNTC was merged into the Sea Cadet Corps in the UK and Bermuda.

In addition to training, the corps provides detachments for various public parades during the course of the year, including the King's Birthday and Remembrance Day.[13][14][15]

Uniform

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The Corps wears the cold water Royal Navy ceremonial uniform, of Navy blue trousers and jerseys (differentiated by Sea Cadet Corp shoulder titles worn above rating badges at the top of the sleeves). A white square-front shirt and white crowned caps (originally part of the tropical uniform, but now worn by the Royal Navy with the cold water uniform) is also used. Whereas the Royal Navy staff of HMS Malabar had worn tropical uniform (white shorts, square-front shirt, and cap) during the summer months, the Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps wears the cold water uniform in shirt-sleeve order. The working uniform is the No. 8 Dress, composed of blue shirt and darker blue trousers, Navy blue pullover sweater and Navy blue beret with "Sea Cadet Corps" badge (although this badge with the addition of the word "Bermuda" is used on some signs, it is not an item of uniform). Rating badges in red are worn on dark blue cloth slides on the shoulders of this uniform, which are also marked "SCC". The guards of the units wear whitened 1937 pattern belts with brass furniture and anklets.

Cadet rating badges

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Sea
Cadets Corps
 No insignia
Petty Officer
Cadet 		Leading
Cadet 		Able Cadet Ordinary Cadet Cadet 1st
Class 		Cadet New Entry
POC LC AC OC CFC CDT NE



Royal Marines
Cadets
(Part of the SCC)
 No insignia No insignia
Cadet
Sergeant 		Cadet
Corporal 		Cadet Lance
Corporal 		Marine Cadet Marine Cadet Recruit
CDT SGT CDT CPL CDT LCPL MC MCR



Junior
Sea
Cadets Corps
Leading
Junior Cadet 		Able
Junior Cadet 		Junior Cadet
First Class 		Junior Cadet
LJC AJC JCFC JC


Adult officers rank badges

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Sea Cadet Corps officers Captain (SCC) RNR Commander (SCC) RNR Lieutenant Commander (SCC) RNR Lieutenant (SCC) RNR Sub-Lieutenant (SCC) RNR Midshipman (SCC) RNR
Insignia
Sea Cadet Unit Officers (NCOs) Warrant Officer 1 (SCC) RNR Warrant Officer 2 (SCC) RNR Chief Petty Officer Petty Officer Probationary Petty Officer Civilian Instructor
Rank Slide

Weapons

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Each unit holds Lee-Enfield No. 4, Mk. I and No. 4, Mk. II rifles, deactivated for drill purpose only (any training in marksmanship is done with the Royal Bermuda Regiment using borrowed rifles). Edged weapons used for ceremonial duties include the No. 9, MkI Bayonet (used with the No. 4 rifle), and Royal Naval pattern swords and dirks for use by officers.

[edit]
  • TS Venture, on Ireland Island
    TS Venture, on Ireland Island
  • TS Bermuda at Admiralty House
    TS Bermuda at Admiralty House
  • TS Admiral Somers at Convict Bay
    TS Admiral Somers at Convict Bay

References

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  1. ^ "Bermuda (St. George's)". www.sea-cadets.org. Sea Cadet Corps. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  2. ^ "History: 1966 (first colonial unit, TS Bermuda, formed)". www.sea-cadets.org. Sea Cadet Corps. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  3. ^ Stranack, Lieutenant-Commander Ian (1990). The Andrew And The Onions: The Story Of The Royal Navy In Bermuda, 1795 – 1975. Bermuda: The Bermuda Maritime Museum Press. ISBN 9780921560036.
  4. ^ "Sea Cadet Corps Unit Planned by RN Assn". The Royal Gazette. City of Hamilton, Pembroke, Bermuda. 30 May 1964. p. 11. The Royal Naval Association is to form the Colony's first Sea Cadet Corps.
  5. ^ "Sea Cadet Corps". The Royal Gazette. City of Hamilton, Pembroke, Bermuda. 13 January 1966. p. 4.
  6. ^ "After Annual Admiralty Inspection...High Praise for Local Sea Cadet Unit". The Royal Gazette. City of Hamilton, Pembroke, Bermuda. 10 April 1967. p. 9. Commander A. J. Boyd, Commanding Officer of H.M.S. Malabar, made the first annual Admiralty inspection of the Bermuda Sea Cadets in a short ceremony at the Mariners Club on Friday night.
  7. ^ "Sailor, war veteran Sir David Tibbits dies at 92". The Royal Gazette. City of Hamilton, Pembroke, Bermuda. 21 May 2003. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Captain Sir David Tibbits obituary". The Telegraph. 3 June 2003. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Captain Sir David Tibbits obituary". The Times. 14 July 2003. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Obituary of Captain Kenneth Gilbert Ross Hallam". The Royal Gazette. 27 March 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Lieutenant Commander Dwayne Trott, RNR (SCC) hands over sea cadets helm". The Royal Gazette. 23 March 2016.
  12. ^ Simpson, Lisa (12 May 2018). "Young sailor chosen for trip to New York". The Royal Gazette. City of Hamilton, Pembroke, Bermuda. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Queen's Birthday Parade Advisory". Government of Bermuda. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Queen's Birthday Parade Advisory". Government of Bermuda. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Regiment On Parade For King's Birthday". Royal Bermuda Regiment. Royal Bermuda Regiment. 15 June 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
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