Pictured at their headquarters, which is adjacent to Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre, the winning air cadets from 220 (St Albans) Squadron Air Training Corps, are:
(Back row, from left): Sergeant Matt McNamara (19); Flight Sergeant Stephen Russell (19); Sergeant Joe Campbell (17)
(Front row, from left): Cadet Keir Benn (16); Cadet Ewan Zielinski (15); Corporal Lucas Baker (16).
A crack unit of RAF air cadets from the St Albans based 220 Squadron Air Training Corps showed they are made of the right stuff when they stormed to victory at a grueling overnight navigation exercise.
Organised by the ATC’s Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire Wing, 30 teams of air cadets from across the two counties took part in the annual competition. The event tests the ability of cadets to navigate a 23km course over varying terrain during the hours of darkness, using maps and compasses.
Using their orienteering skills to full effect, the six cadets from 220 (St Albans) Squadron Air Training Corps, two of whom were participating for the first time, gave a text book display of teamwork, stamina and precision navigation. They won the race, which included 25 checkpoints, in just over four hours, beating the second placed team by a margin of 30 minutes.
Commenting on the cadets’ victory, which was the first time the St Albans Squadron had won the exercise, Officer Commanding, Flight Lieutenant Ben Wilkinson, said:
“This was a terrific achievement by our cadets to bring the trophy to St Albans for the first time. They put their training into practice perfectly and demonstrated a high degree of skill and team spirit. The whole Squadron is rightly proud of their victory.”