Hong Kong Adventure Corps

Hong Kong Adventure Corps
Hong Kong Adventure Corps
Active	1995 – Present
Country	Hong Kong
Type	Volunteer Youth Organisation
Role	JLW – Cadet Training; Adventure Training Team – Adventurous Training to Unit(s) and Organization(s)
Size	1 wing (12 sabre squadrons, 1 training squadron) and one independent squadron
Headquarters	High Island Training Camp, Sai Kung Man Yee Road, High Island Reservoir, Sai Kung, Hong Kong
Motto(s)	Nulli Secundus in Oriente (Second to None in the Orient)
Colours	Red, Yellow, Blue
March	Quick – The Leather Bottle
Commanders
Commandant	Colonel Matthew WONG, ED
Chairman of the Council	Mr Norman Yeung
Patrons	Anson Chan (until July 2015), Tsang Yam Pui (until July 2015)

The Hong Kong Adventure Corps is a voluntary uniformed group subsidised by the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club. It was created in 1995 with ties to the British Army's Army Cadet Force and Combined Cadet Force.^{[citation needed]} Like the Hong Kong Sea Cadet Corps and Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps, the HKAC exists to serve the Hong Kong community. The HKAC's values are based in those of the British Army, providing a tough and challenging training with a distinctive military tone of discipline and esprit de corps.^[1]

History

Founded in 4 September, the HKAC succeeded the Royal Hong Kong Regiment's Junior Leader Corps (J Corps) in 1995 after the disbandment of the RHKR(V) and its J Corps in the same year. The RHKR(V) J Corps was created in 1971 by then colonial government and had the same mission as the current HKAC. The J Corps had a maximum strength of 300 members and was divided into two units: J1 Squadron and J2 Squadron. Unlike the HKAC, which trains both boys and girls, the RHKR J Corps accepted boys only.

"The Ninety Nine" and "The Nine"

The Hong Kong Volunteers in 1854 had its first establishment of 99 Europeans to defend Hong Kong, while the HKAC has its owned cadets of 9 in the first intake of recruits in 1995. This become the Corps' tradition to toast for the Ninety Nine and the Nine after the toast to HM and the people in its Foundation Day Dinner.

Training

The HKAC is an army-orientated and disciplined youth organisation that aims to promote qualities of responsibility, self-reliance, resourcefulness, endurance, perseverance and a sense of service to the community, as well as developing its cadets' leadership and social awareness.^[2] The Corps is now an Operating Authority of the Hong Kong Award for Young People (Duke of Edinburgh Award in Hong Kong) (DEA).

The Corps Headquarters is in High Island, Sai Kung District, and was given to the Corps by the Hong Kong Government. The facility was formerly a British army camp. Another training camp, also located in High Island, was formerly a correctional facility and detention centre for Vietnamese refugees.

Among its members, the HKAC aims to provide:

Challenges to stimulate potential
Discipline to cultivate autonomy
Demand to initiate growth

Training activities at the camp include:

General/Basic training
Drill & Parade
Fitness & Adventure training
Field-crafts
Indoor Air Rifles Shooting Programme

Field Training activities like tactics, night walk and camp craft are always conducted in the countryside nearby. Chong Hing (High Island) and Tai Mei Tuk (Tai Po) Water Sports Centre are often used by sabre unit for water sports activities.

Unit training also proceeded in those schools with an affiliation to the Corps.

In the period from 1995 to 2009, former British Forces Camp, the Burma Lines Camp in Queen's Hill, Faniling were also used for training.

Organisation

CHQ/Council

Chairman of Council and Honorary Commandant – Mr Norman Yeung
Commandant – Colonel Matthew Wong ED
Deputy Commandant (Operations & Training) – Lieutenant Colonel CK Kwong
Deputy Commandant (Support & Development) – Lieutenant Colonel KK Chung
Chief staff Officer – Lieutenant Colonel Kent Cheuk
Adjutant – Captain - KO Au
Corps Liaison Officer – Captain Charlie Lee
Corps Sergeant Major – WO1 CC Lee
Senior Warrant Officer – WO1 YH Chan
Cadet Sergeant Major – CWO2

Junior Leader Wing (Under DC(O&T))

OC A Squadron – Major HW Tam
OC B Squadron – Major KL Ma
OC C Squadron – Major KL Chiu
OC D Squadron – Major YH Ng
OC E Squadron – Major MW Fung
OC F Squadron – Major SW Lau
OC H Squadron – Major Patrick Chan
OC S Squadron – Major Tom Lai
OC Trg Squadron – Major WK Mak
OC SL Squadron – Dissolved
OC MKP Squadron – Major PY Cheng
OC HD Squadron – Captain SM Leung

Headquarter Units (Under DC(S&D))

OC Adventure Training Team – Major WY Lam
OC Central Training Team – Major Stephen Yiu
OC Corporate Communications Team – Major TC Mak
OC Medical Troop – Major Danny Wong
OC Signal Troop – Capt Sunny Chan
OC Guard Troop – Dissolved
DMus Band –
Band

Ranks

Officers

Type	Officers
Rank	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant	Officer Cadet
Abbreviation	Col	Lt Col	Maj	Capt	Lt	2Lt	OCdt
Insignia

Other Ranks (Adult members)

Type	Instructors and WOs
Rank	Warrant Officer Class 1	Warrant Officer Class 2	Staff Sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Instructor/ Potential Instructor
Abbreviation	WO1	WO2	SSgt	Sgt	Cpl	Instr/ PI
Insignia

Other Ranks (Cadets)

Type		Cadet SNCOs and JNCOs/Recruit
Rank	Cadet Warrant Officer Class 2	Cadet Staff Sergeant	Cadet Sergeant	Cadet Corporal	Cadet Lance Corporal	Recruit/ Cadet/ Senior Cadet
Abbreviation	CWO2	C/SSgt	C/Sgt	C/Cpl	C/LCpl	Rect/ Cdt/ Cdt
Insignia

Qualifications

The age range for joining the HKAC is between 11 and 21, and new members are given the rank of Recruit. Recruits who attain sufficient training are qualified to the rank of Cadet after a Passing Out Parade. Cadets may be promoted to the following ranks:

The Junior Dragon Squadron (JDS) was established in 2014, it recruits children aged 9 or above and has less physical requirements than normal army cadets. When members of the JDS reach 11, they have the choice to become recruits and received further training from the sabre unit.

Besides the rank system, the Corps also has a skill qualification system that recognises the skills of its members, and awards badges regardless of rank. These badges can be worn on a brassard while in uniform. The available badges are:

First Aider Badge (Badge holder must be the 'trained person' stated in the HK Laws Cap. 509 Occupational and Safety Ordinance)
Guard of Honour Badge
Marksman Badge (Air rifles)
Marksman Badge (Full-bore)
Bandsman Badge

Uniform

The HKAC dress uniform is similar to the British Army dress uniform. Inheriting the tradition from its parent regiment, the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, there are some slight differences between uniforms worn by the Army and Corps members.

The HKAC badge is similar to the badge of the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, with two dragons facing each other. The crown in the badge was replaced by a bauhinia after the 1997 handover.

HKAC members cannot wear their uniform when:

Engaging in a paid employment not associated with HKAC.
Engaging in political activities.
Participating in sports events (unless authorised by HKAC).

Cadet must wear their beret/headgear at any time, except when:

Sitting
Eating or Drinking
At work and on board public transport
In a hangar

Ceremonial Dress

By tradition, cadet members wear this dress with dark blue berets as their headgear, while adult members wear the No.1 Cap. Scarlet Red Sash is worn by all Senior Non-commissioned Officers (Sergeant or above). WO1s and Officers will wear the Sam Browne belt and carry the pattern 1897 infantry officer's sword when necessary; the Corps Sergeant Major and Senior Warrant Officer will also carry a regulation pattern Pace Stick as part of thieir uniform. Other ranks will not carry bayonet frogs (a pouch at the back of the belt for holding the bayonet) and will not mount bayonets onto their arms.

Some Non-commissioned officers will choose to wear Ammo Boots while Officers will wear George boots with spurs mounted or Oxford-style parade shoes.

Warm Weather Service Dress (Officers only)

Field Dress

Since the Corps was a sub-unit of Royal Hong Kong Regiment, DPM is adopted as field dress by the Corps. Dark blue berets with red flash (for cadet members) and green flash (for adult members) are worn as headdress. Jungle hats can be worn in field with authorisations from the unit commander.

Adult members who had military force service experiences might own sets of No.9 uniform, issued by both RHKR(V) and HKMSC. Others may buy DPM field dress themselves. Cadet members wear a pair of Olive Green lightweight trousers instead of DPM lightweight trousers. Combat Soldier 95 (CS95) shirts were restricted by the Corps as the system adopt rank slides instead of epaulettes. However, some members modified the shirts, putting epaulettes tapes onto the uniform to meet the standard of the Corps. Also, olive-green brassards used by Regular Army in early-1980s are adopted by the Corps, instead of rank patches used in late-1980s and early-1990s.

Mess Dress

Mess Dress is only available for adult members. Female members wear black mess jackets and black evening dresses, which is specially designed, unlike the "cavalry style" jacket adopted by the Regular Army.

General Service (GS)/Barrack Dress

Khaki long-sleeved shirt is worn by all members when they are in GS/ Barrack Dress. In summer time, sleeves are rolled up above elbow level. In winter time, olive-green pullovers or Combat Smock jackets can be worn, based on the orders from the commanders.

For GS Dress, olive green lightweight trousers are worn with high-leg boots. For Barrack dress, bottle-green barrack trousers (for male members) and skirt (for female members) are worn with Oxford-style parade shoes or ankle boots.

Stable belts or olive green working belts can be worn, based on the orders from the commanders. Cadet members are unauthorised to wear Barrack dress.

Service Dress

The Corps adopted the Service Dress in FAD (Future Army Dress of British Army) style to the adult members in both officer and other ranks in early 2012 and is now replacing the olive green barrack trousers.

Equipment

The Corps uses equipment handed down after the disbanding of the Royal Hong Kong Regiment in 1995:

Deactivated L1A1 SLR
PLCE Webbing System

In addition, a number of M16A3 and L85A1 replica weapons are in the armoury of the Corps, which are used as aids for teaching field-crafts and skill-at-arms.

Two Russian BTR-70 APCs confiscated by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department in an illegal shipment in 2000 are on display at the High Island Training Camp.

Fleet

The Corps has 11 vehicles in service, with most of them donated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The Home Affairs Bureau has also provided subsidies to replace two rubber boats used for water activities.

Types of vehicles:

MPV
Light Tender
28 seater Coach
Rubber boat

Awards

The Hong Kong Adventure Corps issues its own awards to its members that are not a part of the government issued orders, decorations, and medals of Hong Kong.^[3] The medals and clasps are modelled after those awarded by the British Army, and a lanyard with the Corps' colours are awarded to members receiving the following commandant commendations:

To celebrate the Silver Jubilee of establishment, the Corps issued its Silver Jubilee Medal to eligible members on 2020.

To encourage members who served the Corps, the Corps provides scholarships to members who received years of training upon being admitted to local universities as full-time students.

Exchange Trips

The HKAC cadets are often visited by fellow army cadets from other countries and they in turn visit cadets in other countries from time to time. The main exchange trip of the HKAC is with Britain's Army Cadet Force.

Recruitment

The Corps recruits all year round since late 2017. Before the change, the Corps inducted teenagers aged between 11 and 21 (inclusive) from March to May every year. Selections were conducted before the start of recruit training. The annual Passing Out Parade was held in the following year's April for recruits who pass the Recruit Basic Training Course.

The Corps began receiving online application for cadets and instructor since 2017 and 2018 respectively to cope with society needs.

References

^ "Our Vision". Hong Kong Adventure Corps. Archived from the original on 18 May 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
^ "Mission, Vision, Values". Hong Kong Adventure Corps. Archived from the original on 18 May 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
^ "Orders" (PDF). Hong Kong Adventure Corps.^{[permanent dead link]}

External links

[1] "Our Vision". Hong Kong Adventure Corps. Archived from the original on 18 May 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.

[2] "Mission, Vision, Values". Hong Kong Adventure Corps. Archived from the original on 18 May 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.

[3] "Orders" (PDF). Hong Kong Adventure Corps.^{[permanent dead link]}

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