They may be relative land-lubbers, but cadets from The Armidale School more than held their own to take out the annual Tri-Service Shield competition between Army and Navy cadet units from across northern NSW in Armidale on 10-12 October.
Held at the Armidale Navy Cadet training unit’s headquarters TS Armidale, and in the field and on the water at Dumaresq Dam, the competition involved 111 cadets from Army units from Glen Innes and Tamworth, and Navy units TS Armidale, TS Culgoa (South West Rocks), TS Rushcutter (Port Macquarie), TS Vendetta (Coffs Harbour), TS Shropshire (Coffs Harbour) and TS Lismore.
Competing in a range of events from canoeing, running, drill, swimming, general knowledge, tug of war, first aid, low ropes and other initiative games, the TAS Skill at Arms team came equal first with TS Rushcutter for the Tom Stevenson Shield for outstanding teamwork, and won outright the overall Tri-Service Shield.
“For one of the activities we had to rig a boat ready for sail, and we were thrilled to be only ten seconds behind the winning navy cadets,” said TAS team leader, cadet under officer Robert Butcher.
“It was really fun and challenging, but it was also great to learn some of the other rules and regulations observed in the Navy,” he said.
Photo: Members of the winning TAS cadet team that took out the Tri-Service Shield were (left-right) Robert Butcher, Matthew Giakoumi, Ethan Monk, Harry Mackenzie, SGT Simon Ball (at rear) Dennis Pitt, James Murphy, Bailey Widders and Tom Wright. Absent from photo: Cameron Holcombe, Alister Braham, Jacob Faint, Andrew Spokes, Sam Thatcher.
