The New Zealand Sea Cadet Corps (also known as Navy Cadets, SCC, and Sea Cadets) is one of the three corps in the New Zealand Cadet Forces, the other two being the Air Training Corps, and New Zealand Cadet Corps. It is a military-style training organisation for young people between the ages of 13 and 21. Activities include sailing and boat work, ropework, shooting and drill, amongst other activities, many of which involving the other branches of the NZCF. Cadets need to pass an annual swimming test to undertake water-based activities.
History
Foundation and early years The sea cadet corps was first proposed on 18 February 1926 during the Navy League Conference. The proposal highlighted the need for a naval reserve for men over the age of 18 and the institution of a sea cadet corps for youths under that age. The proposal was that every major seaside centre in the dominion should have naval reserves whose numbers were fed by the sea cadet corps upon graduation of training. The proposal was tabled again at the 1928 Navy League Conference
Ultimately it was not until 1929 that the first sea cadet corps company (Originally named "The Navy League Sea Cadet Corps") was formed by Colonel Vere Staunton Smyth, formerly of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and who served in the First World War with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (Earl of Liverpool's Own). Enrolment began on 16 October 1929 and after only a month had a strength of 65
By July 1930 the company had grown in numbers to 73 although the boys in the early sea cadet corps sometimes struggled to find funding for the uniform, which they had to purchase individually. In 1932 the sea cadets were noted to be underequipped by Colonel Smyth, "He mentioned the handicap under which the corps laboured in the lack of proper equipment, including a ships compass, signal flags, morse keys, and books". May 1932 saw the first two whalers' acquired from the admiralty.
By the mid-1930s the still exclusively Christchurch based sea cadet corps had flourished with regular camps being held at Ripapa Island, Quail Island, Port levy and the greater Lyttelton area. withcadets demonstrating semaphore and morse code usage. From 1937 command of the company transferred to Lieutenant Commander R. C. E Harding, who was tasked with increasing the strength of the corps to 100.
The formation of a second sea cadet corps unit in Dunedin was proposed in May 1938 and by the end of the year the unit had been formed
1940s and World War II A meeting in May 1940 established a central office for the Sea Cadet Corps which at the time included the two units based in Christchurch and Dunedin. The purpose of this office was to gain more formalised assistance from the Naval Authorities. This office was established in Christchurch user the auspices of the Canterbury branch of the Navy League.
In 1941 the corps expanded again with a Wellington-based unit being established and absorbing the Collingwood Sea Scouts. April of the same year saw the first two sailors of the sea cadet corps join the Royal Navy.
On Saturday 7 November 1942 the Training Ship Waireka was commissioned by Commander F. G. McDonald, R.N.R. The training ship, permanently moored in harbour was used throughout the war to provide practical training to cadets.
During the war the sea cadet corps contributed to New Zealand's war effort through assistance in the production of essential equipment for light armoured fighting vehicles manufactured in New Zealand.
1943 saw the introduction of units in Auckland with an advertisement to gauge interest receiving 112 applications. The unit was temporarily located at St Mary's bay while permanent accommodation was organised. The four units first met together in January 1944 when they gathered together on Quail Island.
At the conclusion of the war the sea cadet corps had provided more than 130 personnel to the Royal Navy or Merchant Navy and had 23 former members present at the Japanese Surrender while aboard HMNZS Gambia.
Post War Post war sea cadets were able to take advantage of the significant size and presences of both domestic and foreign navies with cadets being able to take trips on in 1937. During the same year attempts were made to have the name changed to "Royal New Zealand Sea Cadet Corps" to bring the organisation in line with its commonwealth equivalents, unsuccessfully. Late in the year a carnival was held between 31 Squadron, Air Training Corps (Not the same 31 Squadron that exists today) was held at the tepid baths.
In 1948 a joint exercise was conducted between the sea cadet corps and the Air Training Corps which saw the sea cadets facilitating a mock attack on Ripapa Island which after four attacks saw the successful capture of the island by the sea cadet corps. The same year saw the first international invitation by the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets where 25 cadets were invited to an 'Empire Camp'.
The New Zealand Naval Board agreed in 1950 to provide uniforms to all members of the sea cadet corps and established the protocol of sea cadet officer's receiving commissions in the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve Special Branch.
1951 saw the proposal of closed cadet units being established in schools, similarly to how the New Zealand Cadet Corps operated. At this time the Sea cadet corps was made up of 397 personnel.
RS Feva introduction into service Around 2006 the Sea Cadet Corps began research into acquiring a new and modern fleet of sailing craft for Cadet training. The Sea Cadet Corps Boats Officer, LT R. Glover sought feedback from every Navy Cadet unit in the country as to their requirements and thoughts about the new fleet. The result of this project was the selection of the RS Feva, manufactured in the United Kingdom. The first seven RS Fevas arrived in New Zealand in October 2009 through the importer, Takapuna Sailing Centre (Boats Bits Ltd.). A second delivery of five vessels arrived later in 2009, with each of the 17 units around the country having at least one craft by mid 2010.
The RS Feva is the first new class of training vessels the New Zealand Sea Cadet Corps has adopted since 1978.
Master Cadet Rank In 2011 the rank of Master Cadet was replaced by the more generic rank of Under Officer with the last Master Cadets being either Commissioning or leaving the NZCF by the end of 2012.
Organisation National The SCC is managed at a national level by the Commandant (usually a Regular Force Lieutenant-Colonel/Wing Commander/Commander), and their staff at Defence Force Headquarters in Wellington. It is supported by the Sea Cadet Association of New Zealand.
Area The country is divided into 3 areas, Northern (Northern half of the North Island), Central (Southern half of the North Island) and Southern (entire South Island). Each area has a NZCF Training and Support Unit (CFTSU), commanded by NZDF Senior Non-commissioned Officer or Commissioned Officer. Area Coordinator, with advisors for Sea Cadet Corps units.
Unit
Each unit is managed by the Cadet Unit Commander, and their officers. Sea Cadet Corps units are commonly referred to as "Training Ships".
A typical unit has between one and four officers filling various roles. The Cadet Unit Commander appoints all personnel in the unit to their positions. Each unit has an Adjutant, Training Officer, and Stores Officer. These positions are usually filled by a commissioned officer (officers can hold multiple positions if necessary). One or more of the positions may have assistants, the assistants are often junior officers or Senior NCOs.
Each unit also has a cadet NCO holding the position of Ships Coxswain (COXN), this individual will almost always hold the rank of Warrant Officer (personnel occasionally are bestowed the position without the rank, however, this is a rare occurrence and only when the individual is close to meeting the promotional requirements). If the Training Ship is large enough, each division of cadets may be led by a Chief Petty Officer. The Ships Coxswain is normally responsible for supervising all the NCOs in their various tasks, as a result, the Coxswain can skip the normal chain of command, enabling them to liaise directly with the Unit Commander.
Uniform and Insignia
Insignia The uniform worn by SCC members is the same as that of the Royal New Zealand Navy, except that for all ranks, the lettering on the bottom of the rank insignia shoulder boards reads "CADET FORCES" rather than "NEW ZEALAND" to differentiate SCC personnel from RNZN personnel. Officer Ceremonial Dress Uniforms have a shoulder flash reading "NEW ZEALAND CADET FORCES" rather than "NEW ZEALAND" for the same reason. Cadets wear a cap ribbon on their caps with the wording 'T.S. (Name of Ship)', while officers and officer cadets wear the same cap insignia as RNZN officers.
As of 2024 SCC Cadets now wear black brassards on their dress uniforms.
Badges Good Conduct Badge - Up to three may be awarded to a Cadet for each year of enrolled service during which their conduct is satisfactory and attendance is regular.
Seamanship Badge - This is the primary qualification of attainment for Sea Cadets. The RNZN Coxswains badge is used to denote this achievement. +Other Badges of SkillSkillBadgeBuglerBugleCookCookWriterWriterQuartermasterBoatswain Call and Chain
Uniforms The Sea Cadet Corps follows the Royal New Zealand Navy with regards to uniform standards and clothing items, with all mandatory clothing being issued from the RNZN. In the past the system used was that a unit would be graded 1–5 based on the quantity of personnel that attended a units parade night. Based on that grading the unit would then be issued an annual allowance for the unit to order new uniform as replacements or to provide to new cadets.
In December 2020 a major overhaul was announced. In combination with the update to cadet net, new uniform will be issued directly to a new cadet upon their enrolment into a squadron. Unit equipment officers will source measurements for each cadet and enter them into CadetNet. The cadet will then be issued with uniform. Units will still maintain a local supply of uniform as spares however the bulk of uniform issued to new recruits will come from Headquarters New Zealand Cadet Forces.
Cadet Working Dress First Introduced in August 2021 the Sea Cadet Corps and Air Training Corps have adopted a single multipurpose uniform named 'Cadet Working Dress' (CWD) that replaces the General Working Dress (GWD) currently used by the Sea Cadet Corps as its primary non ceremonial uniform. The Air Training Corps will adopt the uniform first to free up DPM for the New Zealand Cadet Corps. The style of the uniform is modeled off the RNZAF's General Purpose Uniform however lacks the flame retardant feature of the RNZAF version, this isn't seen as a necessity due to cadets rarely catching fire. This switch away from RNZN GWD is to allow a more streamlined logistics approach to working dress that will see costs decrease due to the much larger Air Training Corps being the primary consumer of the uniform.
While the uniform will be made of the same material and from the same supplier the uniform will retain the darker blue colour of the GWD
Cadets and Officers will be issued a set of Cadet Working Dress upon being issued their Half Blues and Full Blues uniform as part of the integrated logistics platform that will see new cadets issued a 'pack' of equipment and uniform from New Zealand Cadet Forces Headquarters.
As well as the key components, the New Zealand Cadet Forces intends to role out accessories such as matching rain jackets for cadets to either be supplied with outright, or purchase through the NZCF directly. More accessories are yet to be announced however warm weather equipment such as jerseys have been speculated by NZCF personnel.