I volunteered to help out at the RAFAC National Drill Finals. These are based at RAF Honington in Suffolk, not far from Thetford. I took on the role of competition announcer, my dulcet, cold affected voice echoed around the Jimmy James Hangar parade square on and off over the course of the day.
RAF Honington is home to the training of the RAF Regiment. If you don’t know what the Regiment do then they are a bit like the Infantry of the Army but in Blue. They provide Force Protection to RAF bases and personnel. In terms of a rather old but funny television show they are “double-hard bastards”.
The hanger is named after Bertram “Jimmy” James who was a member of the regiment and also one of the greatest POW escapees during the second world war.
I had a good day and it’ll be nice to go again and help out. I quite like being the only-CCF chap on these events. It gives an instant shock factor. We don’t normally do these things.
The finals has three competitions:
- Banner Party Drill
- Continuity Drill
- Foot Drill
All six regions were represented along with the CCF as its own (massive) region.