Glasgow & Lanarkshire Battalion Acf

Saturday 29 June was Armed Forces Day and nearly 100 cadets and CFAVs from Glasgow & Lanarkshire Bn were on parade to show their support for our service personnel past and present. They were applauded by the public as they marched through the city and into George Square where the Lord Provost took the salute at the Cenotaph. The cadets were then invited to a reception in the City Chambers where they enjoyed well deserved refreshments. Well done for an excellent turnout.
Write up & pictures courtesy of SMI J Quin

Armed Forces Day 🇬🇧
Today the sun was shining down on the many cadets on parade in Glasgow today but one Detachment celebrated Armed Forces Day a little differently.
4 Platoon Scots Guards from Bellshill spent their day at Rosepark Nursing Home in Uddinston chatting to the residents & staff, Some of whom were Veterans but were not mobile enough to make the trip to the city to see the large parades.
... Roseparks activities manager, Laura reached out to the Amiens Company Detachment in Bellshill so the residents could enjoy Armed Forces Day with the rest of the Country.
The Cadets assembled with a supply of cakes and mingled with the residents.
4 Platoon Detachment Commander Staff Sergeant Instructor Darren Watson said " It was an amazing experience for our cadets to be a part of and we are truly blessed that we were able to share our day with these amazing people. Once again our cadets done us proud."
He added "There were tears, laughter and cake, I would like to give a big thank you to Macphies of Glenbervie Ltd for supplying us with the cakes that we took along."
The cadets returned home with a fantastic experience they will not soon forget and the residents managed to celebrate Armed Forces Day in a spectacular way.
Well Done all involved
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2 Platoon RSB have kick started Armed Forces Day Celebrations by attending the raising of the Armed Forces Day flag at the Civic Centre in Motherwell yesterday.
The cadets from Motherwell were invited down to the ceremony to take part in the ceremony that kicks off the official Armed Forces Day celebrations for North Lanarkshire
Stay tuned for more Armed Forces Day pictures as the Cadets attend Parades & Galas around the Battalion area

G&L Military Skills Competition
This weekend the Battalion held its first Military Skills Competition, Running in the same format as the Brigade Military Skills Competition each Company put forward a Junior & Senior team
The Competition was hard fought but Amiens Company emerged victorious on both the Senior & Junior categories
... Well done to all the cadets & adults that made the weekend a great success
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Amiens Company presents......
......A new Regimental Sergeant Major.
RSM Jack Hickie hands over the reigns to new RSM Josh Monteith of 3 Troop Royal Engineers
... RSM Hickie was promoted to Cadet Under Officer and handed over the RSM Pace stick to RSM Monteith
Cadet Sergeant Major Sammy Love also recieved his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award badge
The Commandant, Colonel McNamee proudly presented all 3 with their new ranks in front of their entire company on Saturday morning
The Commandant also presented some Adult Instructors with new ranks
PI Gough and PI Logan to PSI
PSI Jamieson and PSI mcluskie to SI
A special visit from RSM Gavan Mooney from the Cadet Training Team to present some certificates to 4 cadets. They recieved the new SQA Level 6 in Leadership and Management, The first ever in the Battalion, They earned it at the CLC
Well done to all the Cadet and Adults
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Capt Alec Stirling MBE handed over £885 this week to ROHHADs to help fund research to find a cure for this rare disease.
Lisa Hunter is a former A Troop cadet. Sadly her son suffers from the terminal illness which affects just over 100 youngsters worldwide.
Alec raised sponsorship from A Troop cadets, adults, parents and colleagues by agreeing to having a full body wax.
... The whole painful experience was broadcast via live Facebook. Ouch!
Well done sir.
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A weekend of First Aid for some Cadets & CFAV this week. Friday night a selection of eager First Aiders assembled to tackle a First Aid at Work course,
Bandages, Poisons & Automated External Defibrillators awaited the students as they completed the necessary hours & training to gain their awards.
Then on Sunday the Battalion First Aid Competition was held. Brilliant acting from the casualties but even better skills administering the First Aid.
... After a Close competition and excellent effort from all the teams a Junior & Senior team were crowned First Aid Champions 2019
Winners of the Junior 1st Aid was A Troop RA, with 2 Platoon RSB a close runner up and senior cadet winning team A RHF Cadets
Thanks to all who helped with the scenarios marking and acting as casualties.
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Team G&L descended on the ACFA Scottish Athletics in Perth yesterday to showcase their athleticism
Team G&L joined teams from all the other Scottish Battalions to battle it out and earn some Silverware for their Battalions
G&L emerged victorious and managed to bring back plenty of silverware for the trophy cabinet. The trophies the Cadets earned were
... Junior Boys - Winners Junior Girls - Winners Senior Boys - Runners up Senior Girls - Winners And the Overall Trophy - Winners
Well done to all the Cadets & CFAV. Cadets called forward for the National Athletics will be notified through their DCs
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Glasgow and Lanarkshire Battalion Instructor recognised in prestigious National Citizenship Award Scheme.
Sergeant Instructor Holly Pender of 2 Platoon Royal Scots Borderers has been named in the roll of honour of winners in the 2019 Diana Awards.
Nominated by fellow Instructor 2Lt Kenny Boag, SI Pender’s award was in recognition of her many years of service to the community in Lanarkshire. This covers a wealth of roles including her service to the Army Cadet Force Instruct...or and her position as a healthcare assistant at the St Andrew’s Hospice.
Additionally it was in recognition of her incredible work with Marie Curie Cancer Care. This involves her providing support and care to terminally ill cancer patients and their families in their homes.
If all of that wasn’t enough she is also studying for a BSc in Nursing.
Amiens Company Commander Major Donna Laird said “I am absolutely delighted with the news that SI Pender has received a Diana Award. She is an outstanding instructor and has a calm and caring nature that seems to get the very best out of the cadets in her care especially those who may at times require additional support and encouragement”.
SI Pender, who is also in the running for a Diana legacy award, will receive her Diana award at a awards ceremony to be hosted at the Scottish Parliament on the 14th of June 2019.
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Over the weekend of 26-28 April, the Cadet Council for Rifle shooting held its Annual CFAV National Clay Pigeon Competition at Cambridge Gun Club.
The competition sees CFAVs from the ACF, RAFAC, SCC and CCF pit themselves against each other to be crowned national champion.
This year, Lieutenant Cammy Green and Staff Sergeants Mark Maxwell and Darren Watson attended to represent the Battalion, the first team to do so for a number of years.
... 100 competitors shot in the 3 different class of shoots; Down the Line, Skeet and Sporting in some pretty adverse conditions for shooting.
Our own Staff Sergeant Mark Maxwell won a 3rd place medal for Class C Down the Line.
The Battalion hopes to form a Clay Pigeon shooting team for Cadets to attend the National Competition next summer, if interested keep your eyes peeled for more info on BROs in due course or get in touch with Lieutenant Green.
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Happy Birthday.... to Lanark Memorial Hall!!!
Lanark Memorial Hall was originally opened exactly 93 years ago. The building was originally built by public subscription in memory of the 232 men belonging to Lanark and District who lost their lives in World War One.
The community of Lanark deliberately chose to build a facility that would not only serve as a memorial to the brave men and women who lost their lives in the service of their country but would also be a vibrant and... accessible centre for community events.
Over the years it’s hosted a range of cultural and sporting events and during this time the permanent memorial to Lanark’s fallen of WW1, WW2 and subsequent conflicts in the reception has been visited by thousands of people.
A refurbishment of the hall in 2013 resulted in the formation of an additional entrance to cope with the increased use of the hall. The community council were concerned this would lessen visitors understanding of the memorial halls central purpose so they decided to erect a new plaque that would make it clear to all that the hall stood as a reminder for the fallen of the Royal Burgh.
The dedication ceremony on Sunday the 28th April 2019 was attended by ex and serving personnel along with representatives of the entire community in Lanark.
Our own 5 Platoon Scots Guards were delighted to recieve an invitation to attend and they gladly accepted the invitation. They stood side by side with the veterans from the Cameronian Scottish Rifles.
The sharper eyed amongst you will notice an infiltrator in the ranks of 5 Platoon Scots Guards. Cpl Boag of 1 Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, who is the son of 5 Platoon DC 2Lt Kenny Boag came along to swell the ranks of an exam depleted 5 Platoon.
Spotted wearing a TOS and Black Hackle, Cpl Boag was asked to join the honour guard and carry the Queens Colours during the dedication ceremony.
Well done to the Cadets & Adults of 5 Platoon Scots Guards & Their honorary member for the day Cpl Boag of 1 Platoon RSB
Post & Pictures by Second Lieutenant Boag
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Its not only cadet who achieve in the ACF, Our adult volunteers are also continuously learning & attending courses to enable them to offer cadets the full cadet experience
Last weekend, 2nd Lt Stephen Mulligan, SSI Andy Mcintyre, SI Peter Martin & SI Eddie Dougal dusted off the cobwebs from the brain matter and headed through to Dreghorn Barracks for a weekend with the Cadet Training Team to learn how to operate the DCCT
This excellent computer software allows cadets to enjoy... marksmanship training & range practices without having to run a full outdoor range
The students were taken through the package with Sergeant Jim Shoebridge, Who imparted a small portion of his vast experience with the system
All four G&L students passed to add to the pool of skilled instructors within the Battalion (Just in time to be planned for annual camp 😂)
Well done to all the Students & Thank you to the Cadet Training Team & Sergeant Shoebridge for his excellent training
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On a dreich Saturday evening, A crowd assembled on the famous espandade of Edinburgh Castle eagerly awaiting a group of exceptionally talented cadets to arrive.
The Cadets announced their arrival with a bang of the Bass drum & the Haunting skirl of the Pipes as they marched through the gate of the Castle and over the bridge to amaze the gathered crowds with their musical talent.
So begins the ACFA Beat to Retreat 2019
... A small number of G&L cadets have been training for well over a year to take part in this fantastic showcase of musical talent.
Cadet John McLarty (Brass section) from A Troop Royal Artillery & Cadet Melissa Rodgers (Woodwind section) from 2 Platoon Royal Scots Borderers joined the Military Band section of the Beat to Retreat.
Afterwards at the formal reception another A Troop Cadet, Cadet Elise Handyside was awarded her SQA Level 4 Certificate.
The cadets demonstrate that they are achieving remarkable things as young adults.
If you are interested in musical opportunities either Pipes & Drums or Military band ask Second Lieutenant Melissa Taylor and if you want to achieve SQA/CVQO Certificates ask CSM Joyce Quin via your Detachment Commanders.
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Battalion Athletics 2019
The inter detachment battalion athletics were held two weeks ago to enable selection for the Scottish Athletics in Perth on the 4th May
The winners were
... Boys
1st. A Troop Royal Artillery 2nd. 2 Platoon Royal Scots Borderers 3rd. 6 Platoon Scots Dragoon Guards
Girls
1st. A Troop Royal Artillery 2nd. 6 Platoon Royal Scots Borderers 3rd. 3 Platoon Royal Scots Borderers
The cadets selected for Scottish Championships will be notified.
Well done to all Cadets & CFAV
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After 19 years with G&L, Our Permanent staff, CAA, Lt Matt Roberton has decided to hang up his boots & pack away his TOS and slow down his life a little.
Although Matt is hoping to settle down to enjoy his John Wayne collection we are sure his family has other ideas.
On behalf of all the Cadets, CFAV & Officers of Glasgow & Lanarkshire ACF, We would like to wish you a very happy & long retirement & the good health to enjoy it.

Easter weekend, The sun is unusually out for a bank holiday weekend, However......40 Cadets, A group of Potential Instructors & The training wing team gave up on Chocolate eggs & Bank Holiday Bar B-Q's to get in a weekend of training at CTC Dechmont.
The 40 Cadets were aiming to achieve their 2 & 3 stars this weekend, and RSMI Terry Headed up his adult training getting our newest Potential Instructors ready for there AIC by tackling Fieldcraft with the PI's.
On Sunday afterno...on the Deputy Commandant, Lt Col Derek Coulter also missed his Easter Sunday to present 27, 2 star badges & 11, 3 Star badges.
On Sunday afternoon all the Cadets, PI's and CFAV returned home for some well earned Chocolate Eggs & Sunday Dinners in the sun.
Well done to everyone for a great weekend training.
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G&L's CSM Josh Monteith took on the Champion Cadet competition and although he did not win he was recognised by Major Tom Foote Royal Engineers as the only cadet representing the Royal Engineers and was gifted a Royal Engineer Challenge Coin.
Well Done CSM Monteith, Brilliant effort

2 Platoon Royal Scots Borderers at Motherwell have been presented with the Royal Regiment of Scotland "Regimental Cup"
The award is presented from each regiment to their affiliated cadet units for shooting achievements in the Cadet 100 competition.
The award was presented to the Motherwell cadets on behalf of the regiment by Captain A Stewart SCOTS & WO2 Duncan SCOTS both from 6 Scots