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A group from the Unit provided a Carpet Guard for the annual banquet of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights. The Shipwrights can trace their origins back to the 13^th Century, and from the 15^th Century have celebrated the day of their patron saints, St Simon and St Jude- the 28^th October. The modern Company of Shipwrights is composed of those professionally connected to shipping: naval architects, ship brokers, maritime lawyers, marine insurers and so on. The Company is a generous donor to many charities; they have been a long term supporter of, and donor to, the City of London Sea Cadets. Our Unit was mentioned half a dozen times in the after-dinner speeches.

Photo: The Carpet Guard with our Commanding Officer CPO (SCC) Paul Townsend.  

A small group of Cadets and staff conducted a cake raffle at KPMG. The Cadets were well looked after and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. This event was organised by KPMG employee and Parents’ and Supporters’ Association Committee member, Menglin Zhou.

Photo:  India Steel (left), the lucky winner, and Gemma Knowles.

Able Cadet James Ambler attended the second of two Marine Engineering 2^nd Class training weekends held aboard TS Iveston. James passed the course- well done James. The ME 2 syllabus consists of 13 modules covering pretty much every system to be found in a small marine diesel engine, such as lubrication, fuel, clutches, electrical wiring and cooling.

Photo: Some of the engines that Cadets use for training aboard Iveston.

The Unit was well represented at St Paul’s for this service. The first Annual National Service for Seafarers was held on the 25^th October 1905. The Service is organised by the international charity The Mission for Seafarers, and is strongly supported by one of the Unit’s major donors, The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights.

A team of six Cadets competed in the annual London Area Adventure Training Competition. This is known as the Chosin Cup after the actions of the 1^st US Marine Division, supported by 41 Commando Royal Marines, around the Chosin Reservoir in November 1950, during the Korean War. Vastly outnumbered by Chinese troops, and in mountainous terrain where the temperatures dropped to minus 37C, 1^st Marines fought their way out of an encirclement.

Well, brilliant though the London Area Adventure Training Team are- they couldn’t manage minus 37C and the People’s Liberation Army failed to oblige, on this occasion. Nevertheless, the Cup consists of a gruelling, and very muddy, series of tests of brains, brawn and stamina. Raft building, orienteering, assault course, rope work and other challenges- some conducted in darkness.  Our youngish team, including Gemma Knowles, aged 12, did brilliantly to come third out of the eight London Area teams.

Photo: Our team with India Steel on the rope- look in the gallery under “Events” to see what happens next.