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Durham Army Cadet Force

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Durham Army Cadet Force
Durham & South Tyne Army Cadet Force
County Badge
Activebefore May 1982[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
County HQGilesgate
WebsiteDurham Army Cadets
Insignia
Headquarters North East Badge
Army Cadet Force Badge

The Durham Army Cadet Force (Durham ACF) is the county cadet force for Durham, which operates as part of the Army Cadet Force. Since 2014, the county has been part of Headquarters North East and comprises approximately 850 cadets and 200 adult volunteers in 41 detachments and four companies, including a band and bugle corps.[2]

Background

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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".[3]

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.[3]

Following the reorganisation of the cadets and Territorial Force in 1908, the following cadet battalions were formed in Durham (almost all affiliated with the Durham Light Infantry):[4]

  • 1st County of Durham Cadet Battalion
  • Church Lads Brigade
    • 2nd County of Durham Cadet Battalion
    • 3rd County of Durham Cadet Battalion
    • 4th County of Durham Cadet Battalion
    • 5th County of Durham Cadet Battalion
    • 7th County of Durham Cadet Battalion

The first official mention of the 'Durham Army Cadet Force' appears in 25 May 1982 edition of the London Gazette though the county is referred to as the 'Durham and South Tyne Army Cadet Force'.[1]

Organisation

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Each Army Cadet Force 'county' is in-fact a battalion, and each 'detachment' equivalent to that of a platoon.[5]

  • County Headquarters, Durham Army Cadet Force, at Chester le Street Army Reserve Centre, Chester le Street DH3 3SR
  • County Cadet Training Team, Durham Army Cadet Force, at
  • Borneo Band and Bugles of the Durham Army Cadet Force, at Picktree Lane, Chester-le-Street DH3 3SR
Detachment Affiliation Location Postal Code
A Company[6]
A Company Headquarters
Alamein Detachment 34 Dexter Way, Gateshead NE10 9JJ
Inkerman Detachment 34 Dexter Way, Gateshead NE10 9JJ
Blaydon Detachment Blaydon Bank, Blaydon-on-Tyne NE21 4AU
Felling Detachment 34 Dexter Way, Gateshead NE10 9JJ
Gateshead Detachment Elmgrove Terrace, Gateshead NE8 4HX
Hebburn Detachment Victoria Road West, Hebburn NE31 1BX
Jarrow Detachment Beech Street, Jarrow NE32 5LD
Seaburn (Martin Leake) Detachment Dykelands Road, Seaburn SR6 8DP
Northfield Gardens Detachment Northfield Gardens, South Shields NE34 6HH
B Company
B Company Headquarters
Alanbrooke Detachment Sunderland Road Army Reserve Centre, Horden SR8 4NL
Annfield Plain Detachment Church Street Cadet Centre, Chatchgate, Stanley DH9 8HE
Barnard Castle Detachment Stainton Camp, Barnard Castle DH!2 8UJ
Birtley Detachment Birtley Land Cadet Centre, Birtley DH2 LP
Boldon Detachment New Road, Boldon Colliery NE35 9DZ
Chester-le-Street Detachment Picktree Lane Army Reserve Centre, Chester-le-Street DH3 3SR
Frenchmans Fort Detachment Londonderry Hall, Dean Road, Westoe NE33 4EF
Horden Detachment Sunderland Road Army Reserve Centre, Horden SR8 4NL
Joseph Swan Academy Detachment Joseph Swan Academy, Saltwell Road South, Gateshead NE9 6LE
Redhouse Detachment Rutherglen Road, Red House Estate, Sunderland SR5 5LN
Shiney Road Detachment Herrington Burn YMCA, Herrington Burn, Houghton-le-Spring DH4 4JW
Shotton Hall Detachment Shotton Hall Army Reserve Centre, Sunderland Road, Horden SR8 4NL
Stanley Detachment Stanley Cadet Centre, High Street, Stanley DH9 0PW
Sulgrave Detachment Stephenson Industrial Estate, Washington NE37 9HR
Sunderland South Detachment Sunderland South Cadet Centre, Railway Row, Sunderland SR1 3HE
Washington Detachment Washington Cadet Centre, Sulgrave Centre, Washington NE37 3BJ
C Company[7]
C Company Headquarters Gilesgate Army Reserve Centre, Durham DH1 1JR
Durham Detachment Gilesgate Armoury, Durham DH1 1JR
Houghton le Spring Detachment 96 Newbottle Street, Houghton le Spring DH4 4AJ
Ryhope Detachment Ryhope DH4 4AJ
Seaham Detachment Tempest Place, Seaham SR7 7BY
Ushaw Moor Detachment Station Road, Ushaw Moor RH7 7PY
D Company[8]
D Company Headquarters
Bishop Auckland Detachment Rifles Regiment Saint Andrews Road, Bishop Auckland DL14 6RX
Churchill Detachment Royal Corps of Signals[9] Neasham Road, Darlington DL1 4DF
Hummersknott Detachment Royal Artillery Edinburgh Drive, Darlington DL3 8AR
Newton Aycliffe Detachment Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Greenwell Road, Newton Aycliffe DL5 4EW
Spennymoor Detachment Rifles Regiment Villiers Street, Spennymoor DL16 6AL
Willington Detachment Royal Army Medical Corps Willington DL15 0QF
CTC Stainton Detachment Royal Dragoon Guards

ACF Mission

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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.[citation needed]

See also

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Footnotes

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Notes

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

Citations

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  1. ^ a b "No. 48990". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 May 1982. p. 6924.
  2. ^ "Durham Army Cadets". Army Cadets UK. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  3. ^ a b Westlake 1984, pp. 1–3
  4. ^ Westlake 1984, p. 19
  5. ^ Army Cadet Force Regulations, Army Cadets Order #14233. Version 1.12. Headquarters, Army Cadet Force. February 2017.
  6. ^ "A Company | About Us | Durham ACF | Army Cadet Force". 8 June 2013. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  7. ^ "C Company | About Us | Durham ACF | Army Cadet Force". 11 June 2013. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  8. ^ "D Company | About Us | Durham ACF | Army Cadet Force". 11 June 2013. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  9. ^ "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.

References

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