Durham Army Cadet Force

The Durham Army Cadet Force (Durham ACF) is the county cadet force for Durham, which operates as part of the Army Cadet Force. Since 2014, the county has been part of Headquarters North East and comprises approximately 850 cadets and 200 adult volunteers in 41 detachments and four companies, including a band and bugle corps.

Background In 1863, along with the formation of the Volunteer Force, the first government sanctioned cadet groups were allowed to be formed. These groups would mostly be formed in connection with existing volunteer companies and battalions. Following the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 which organised the former Volunteer Force into a coherent organisation, known as the Territorial Force (TF), the cadets were expanded. Each company consisted of no less than 30 cadets, and four of these companies formed a "Cadet Battalion", the predecessors to the modern "Cadet County".Westlake 1984, pp. 1–3

Unlike their modern successors, the first cadet battalions were administered by their local County Territorial Force Associations, and rarely ever came under an "army command". However, following changes to the organisation of the Cadets, in 1923 all cadet forces were taken under complete control of the County Associations.

Following the reorganisation of the cadets and Territorial Force in 1908, the following cadet battalions were formed in Durham (almost all affiliated with the Durham Light Infantry):Westlake 1984, p. 19

1st County of Durham Cadet Battalion Church Lads Brigade 2nd County of Durham Cadet Battalion 3rd County of Durham Cadet Battalion 4th County of Durham Cadet Battalion 5th County of Durham Cadet Battalion 7th County of Durham Cadet Battalion The first official mention of the 'Durham Army Cadet Force' appears in 25 May 1982 edition of the London Gazette though the county is referred to as the 'Durham and South Tyne Army Cadet Force'.

Organisation Each Army Cadet Force 'county' is in-fact a battalion, and each 'detachment' equivalent to that of a platoon.

County Headquarters, Durham Army Cadet Force, at Chester le Street Army Reserve Centre, Chester le Street DH3 3SR County Cadet Training Team, Durham Army Cadet Force, at Borneo Band and Bugles of the Durham Army Cadet Force, at Picktree Lane, Chester-le-Street DH3 3SR

DetachmentAffiliationLocationPostal CodeA CompanyA Company HeadquartersAlamein Detachment34 Dexter Way, GatesheadNE10 9JJInkerman Detachment34 Dexter Way, GatesheadNE10 9JJBlaydon DetachmentBlaydon Bank, Blaydon-on-TyneNE21 4AUFelling Detachment34 Dexter Way, GatesheadNE10 9JJGateshead DetachmentElmgrove Terrace, GatesheadNE8 4HXHebburn DetachmentVictoria Road West, HebburnNE31 1BXJarrow DetachmentBeech Street, JarrowNE32 5LDSeaburn (Martin Leake) DetachmentDykelands Road, SeaburnSR6 8DPNorthfield Gardens DetachmentNorthfield Gardens, South ShieldsNE34 6HHB CompanyB Company HeadquartersAlanbrooke DetachmentSunderland Road Army Reserve Centre, HordenSR8 4NLAnnfield Plain DetachmentChurch Street Cadet Centre, Chatchgate, StanleyDH9 8HEBarnard Castle DetachmentStainton Camp, Barnard CastleDH!2 8UJBirtley DetachmentBirtley Land Cadet Centre, BirtleyDH2 LPBoldon DetachmentNew Road, Boldon CollieryNE35 9DZChester-le-Street DetachmentPicktree Lane Army Reserve Centre, Chester-le-StreetDH3 3SRFrenchmans Fort DetachmentLondonderry Hall, Dean Road, WestoeNE33 4EFHorden DetachmentSunderland Road Army Reserve Centre, HordenSR8 4NLJoseph Swan Academy DetachmentJoseph Swan Academy, Saltwell Road South, GatesheadNE9 6LERedhouse DetachmentRutherglen Road, Red House Estate, SunderlandSR5 5LNShiney Road DetachmentHerrington Burn YMCA, Herrington Burn, Houghton-le-SpringDH4 4JWShotton Hall DetachmentShotton Hall Army Reserve Centre, Sunderland Road, HordenSR8 4NLStanley DetachmentStanley Cadet Centre, High Street, StanleyDH9 0PWSunderland South DetachmentSunderland South Cadet Centre, Railway Row, SunderlandSR1 3HESulgrave detachment Washington Cadet Centre, Sulgrave Centre, WashingtonNE37 3BJC CompanyC Company HeadquartersGilesgate Army Reserve Centre, DurhamDH1 1JRDurham DetachmentGilesgate Armoury, DurhamDH1 1JRHoughton le Spring Detachment96 Newbottle Street, Houghton le SpringDH4 4AJRyhope DetachmentRyhopeDH4 4AJSeaham DetachmentTempest Place, SeahamSR7 7BYUshaw Moor DetachmentStation Road, Ushaw MoorRH7 7PYD CompanyD Company HeadquartersBishop Auckland DetachmentRifles RegimentSaint Andrews Road, Bishop AucklandDL14 6RXChurchill DetachmentRoyal Corps of SignalsNeasham Road, DarlingtonDL1 4DFHummersknott DetachmentRoyal ArtilleryEdinburgh Drive, DarlingtonDL3 8ARNewton Aycliffe DetachmentRoyal Electrical and Mechanical EngineersGreenwell Road, Newton AycliffeDL5 4EWSpennymoor DetachmentRifles RegimentVilliers Street, SpennymoorDL16 6ALWillington DetachmentRoyal Army Medical CorpsWillingtonDL15 0QFCTC Stainton DetachmentRoyal Dragoon Guards

ACF Mission The Army Cadet Force is a national, voluntary, uniformed youth organisation. It is sponsored by the British Army but not part of it and neither the cadets nor the adult volunteer leaders are subject to military call-up. They offer a broad range of challenging adventurous and educational activities, some of them on a military theme. Their aim is to inspire young people to achieve success in life and develop in them the qualities of a good citizen.

The ACF can be compared to their counterparts in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (USA), Hong Kong Adventure Corps, and Canadian Army Cadets, amongst others.

Durham Army Cadet Force

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