Commander Trevor Price visited the sea cadets of Training Ship (TS) Rye last week for an inspection and to give out awards to the individuals who had worked hard to gain them.
The abiding impression he gave was that the commander really cared about every one of the cadets on parade. Some had been there many years and others had only joined a few weeks ago. Each one received the same time and interest. The youngsters’ faces glowed with pride and they felt so good because they had their own special moment and it mattered.
There is a purpose about the group, led by commanding officer Phil Whiteman. The cadets are keen, they listen and they want to learn. They are proud of their uniform and present themselves with great care. One of the young cadets was slightly worried about being presented outside as he didn’t want his shiny shoes to get dusty. The shoes shone dazzlingly and many hours had obviously gone into achieving this level of polish.
After the parade and presentation, the commander had these observations to make:
“As southern area officer I have the responsibility for 69 sea cadet units stretching between Poole to Margate and north to Banbury. TS Rye is part of Sussex District and it is always a pleasure to visit this beautiful part of England. The unit has done really well regenerating after Covid and whilst there is always work to do, I am proud of their achievements.
“They have mayor’s cadets and a lord warden’s cadet supporting Admiral Lord Boyce, lord warden of the Cinque Ports. They have also supported the local community for poppy appeals and parades and attended the local torch relay. Most importantly they have fun, enjoy paddle sports, rowing, seamanship and the Royal Marine detachment love their fieldcraft. I am extremely proud and thankful to the commanding officer, Petty Officer Phil Whiteman and all his volunteer staff for the care, energy and support they offer the cadets, and the Royal Navy is proud to have TS Rye as part of its family.”
Two new recruits, Eloise and Evelyn, told me why they joined up. “When we started at Rye marine cadets not long ago, our ambitions were to prove that young women were just as capable as men. Together, we are aiming to defeat the stereotype that joining the armed forces is predominantly a male occupation as we believe that any woman can achieve her aspirations – specifically in the patriarchal society that we live in. Our favourite skills that we learn at marine cadets are fieldcraft and rowing as they allow us to be introduced to activities and possible career paths we hadn’t known about before, and these are things we encourage others to participate in.”
The organisation’s website invites youngsters to join them for an adventure of a lifetime. They will work in the local community and young people will have access to incredible opportunities and skills that will help them to launch well in today’s world.
The last words go to Marine Cadet Kye: “I joined the Royal Marine cadets as I knew it would help me to prepare for a career in the Royal Marines. It is good for self-discipline and fitness. All this will help me achieve my goal to be a Royal Marines commando and try my best to achieve the highest rank possible. The cadets are really good because they helped teach me both independence and teamwork and especially life skills that I can take with me into the Royal Marines.”
Image Credits: Kt Bruce .