CCF Inspection 2026
Last Friday afternoon, the School was full of family, friends and OWs here to celebrate our CCF Inspection which took place in the glorious sunshine. With parades and displays from all sections including Army, Navy and RAF, it was an excellent display of our students’ commitment and dedication, as well as their hard work and enthusiasm, and was certainly enjoyed by everyone. With the Inspection carried out by OW Lt Cdr David Armitage, Year 13’s Lucy our Head of Contingent, shares her report on the day.
Thank you to everyone who came, took part and helped organise this wonderful tradition which I know is much anticipated and enjoyed each and every year.
Year 13’s Lucy, Head of Contingent
Woodbridge school CCF annual Inspection took place on Friday 1 May. This event is not only an inspection of the CCF but of the work and dedication that has been undertaken throughout the year to be able to show the CCF at its best.
This year we welcomed back Old Woodbridgian Lieutenant Commander David Armitage, a Naval pilot who has committed his life to piloting the Merlin helicopter.
The afternoon began with a full contingent parade with the quarter Guard at the centre. Myself, Miss Norman, Major Garvie and Lieutenant Commander Armitage then proceeded to make our way around each section, starting with the quarter guard and ending with the RAF. Hearing the cadets mention their passions within their sections was a great highlight to the day.
The parade was followed by three displays: the combat cadets team’s casualty evacuation, the winners of the Trower trophy drill competition (the Navy) offered a drill showcase, and then finally a student-led drum corps performed by cadets in the Navy rounded up the displays.
Major Garvie and I then accompanied Lieutenant Commander Armitage around the grounds of the School showing the diversity of Friday afternoons in the CCF. We started strong with seeing Mr Smith teaching RAF cadets how to make rope out of nettles in bushcraft and moved on to see activities such as the zip wire, first aid, cooking in the field and finally rounded off by visiting the cadets in the flight simulator where Lieutenant Commander Armitage shared his wealth of knowledge on the physics of helicopter flying to keen cadets who regularly attend the flight simulator extra-curricular.
We then watched the gun run, the final event in the Trower trophy which cadets have been competing in all year. This year was a close call, with RAF A flight taking the win as the wider community of the School stood and eagerly watched.
The day was then rounded off by a team effort to pack away the gun run and a final parade where Lieutenant Commander Armitage gave us insight as to where this valuable experience in the CCF may take every individual and how the skills learnt in the CCF will never leave you or do you a disservice. He then had the pleasure of awarding the gun run trophy to the head of the RAF section (Year 13’s Angus) and the overall Trower trophy to the head of Navy (Year 13’s Reuben P) which could not have been a better end to the day, as when Lieutenant Commander Armitage was head of the Navy section in 2007, he too lead the Navy to victory and won the Trower trophy.
Finally, a personal thanks to the heads of section Year 13’s Ethan, Angus, Reuben P (Navy) and all other leaving NCOs who did nothing but show the brilliance of Woodbridge School CCF.
