W Company

Cadets from Belford Detachment have once again emerged as victors from the annual Fusiliers Military Skills Competition, held earlier this month.

The team, led by Lord Lieutenant's Cadet, Sgt Guy Renner-Thompson, pitted their wits against fellow army cadets from Northumbria in topics ranging from vehicle identification to shooting. Despite fierce competition from fellow W Company teams the defending champions managed to bring home the bacon this year too

The OC W Company, Major Mark Ewart,  is pictured above congratulating the winning team of Sgt Guy Renner-Thompson, Sgt Craig Holman and Cpl Kevin Joyce. LCpl Megan Smith was also a team member, but is absent from the photo.

Well done to everyone involved in Belford's marvelous achievement, which reinforces their position as the Company's hot shots.

Just as the election day polls were opening last week a very different decision was reaching an equally gripping conclusion - the appointment of W Company's new OC.

Step forward Major Mark Ewart, who succeeds our last OC Lt Col Sue Haughie TD.

Major Ewart, a long standing member of the W Company team, was finally unveiled as our new boss by the Commandant last Wednesday night. He was previously the 2IC of W Company.

The Company 2IC's position has gone to Capt Tom Jackson and the new Training Officer is Lt Keith Marchant. Lt Marchant remains Detachment Commander at Berwick.

Forty cadets from W Company again made us proud by achieving success in Northumbria ACF's County Athletics Meeting, at Monkton Stadium earlier today.

The following cadets managed to win their events:

• Cdt Catherine Phillips, Broomhill Det (junior girls 100 m, 200 m and long jump).
• LCpl Meg Straker, Alnwick Det (intermediate girls 100 m).
• LCpl Kate Netherwood, Alnwick Det (intermediate girls 200 m and 1500 m).
• Cdt Joe Miller, Broomhill Det (junior boys 200 m).
• Cpl Jack Hale, Rothbury Det (senior boys 400 m).
• Cdt Piers Barber, Rothbury Det (junior boys 800 m and high jump).
• Cdt James Scott, Amble Det (intermediate boys javelin).
• Cdt Tim Hamilton, Amble Det (junior boys discus).

Additionally, Cdts Jack Metcalf (Belford Det) and Sam Carter-Fox (Alnwick Det) were selected to represent the County in the junior boys 4 x 100 m relay at the Regional Competition at the end of the month.

Medals were presented at the end of the day by Deputy Commandant, Lt Col Sue Haughie TD, and Regional Director of Sport, Lt Col Jimmy Brown.

Despite our mammoth haul of silverware we only managed third place in the overall competition, mainly due to our lack of older competitors. We'll not have that problem next year, when a lot of the names above will have moved up to the next age category.

A huge thank you to everyone who worked so hard and made the day so successful.