W Company

The cadets and adults of W Company have returned home after a terrific ten days of achievement at Annual Camp.

This year's camp was at Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Strensall, near York. It included the usual mix of military and adventurous training, with the cadets enjoying excursions to Lightwater Valley, Allerthorpe Lakeland Park and Waterworld in York.

W Company, which took 72 cadets to camp, managed to complete over 200 APC assessments, with around 16 cadets returning home with a new APC Star badge on their arm. As mentioned in the previous post, several cadets were promoted in recognition of their ongoing commitment, effort and leadership potential within the Company.

We also had tremendous success in the inter-Company competition, being narrowly pipped into second place by this year's champions Y Company. The winning margin was only two points, which meant both Companies were on tenterhooks until the final moment the County Training Officer, Major Andrew Brown, announced the result. It really could have gone either way, with both Companies being in the lead at various times throughout the closing stages. We've vowed already that next year it will definitely go our way!

The Company managed to win the barrack room and drill competitions and came runners up in the shooting, orienteering and football. Cdt Joe Miller of Broomhill Detachment raced to victory in the junior males' orienteering.

This year's camp is also tinged with sadness that we're bidding farewell to two important members of the W Company - SMI Lynne Bannister and Cdt CSM Michael Sargent.

Lynne is hanging up her uniform for the final time after 28 years of dedicated service to both TA and ACF. A former long-serving TA Warrant Officer at 201 Field Hospital, Lynne has been with W Company and Alnwick Detachment for the last 2 years. We thank her for all the hard work she's put into her roles as CQMS, Company Sports Officer and Detachment Instructor.

Michael, our Cdt CSM since June, has reached the upper age limit (18 years 9 months) for cadet service. He first joined Alnwick Detachment as a 12 year old recruit and steadily worked his way up to the top cadet slot in the Company. Michael moves to The University of Plymouth, where he'll be taking an engineering degree course. We wish him the very best for the future and hope he'll visit next time he's up north.

The Company will also be welcoming back SI Gary Wilkinson, who takes up the appointment of CQMS on 1st October 2010. Gary, who will be doing his second stint as CQMS, comes to us from X Company.

For several months the Company has been preparing for the annual Brigade military skills competition, Colts Canter. Now in the final stages of their Colts Canter training, the team will be practicing at 101 Regiment Royal Artillery's Exercise Magpie Cadet competition in early September.

Yet another busy month ahead for W Company, so stay tuned for further updates here.

The OC W Company, Major Mark Ewart, is pleased to announce the following cadet promotions, with effect from 22nd Aug 2010:

To LCpl:
- Cdt K. Noble (Alnwick)
- Cdt J. Scott (Amble)
- Cdt R. Rose (Broomhill)

To Cpl:
- LCpl E. Inkster (Alnwick)
- LCpl J. Pendrich (Alnwick)
- LCpl M. Straker (Alnwick)
- LCpl D. Spence (Amble)
- LCpl C. Munro (Berwick)
- LCpl C. Wilkinson (Berwick)

To Sgt:
- Cpl K. Joyce (Belford)
- Cpl J. Hale (Rothbury)

To SSgt:
- Sgt A. Allan (Amble)

The OC also offers his congratulations to the following adult for his promotion, with effect from 20th Aug 2010:

To SSI:
- SI J. Grey (Belford)