Graduation day for cadets

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 318, 19 December 1989, Page 4

Graduation day for cadets

After a year of military training the 42nd graduating class of the Regular Force Cadet School impressed parents, friends and distinguished guests with their precision parade drill when they graduated last Thursday.

The cadets marched into Waiouru in January this year to start a very demanding training syllabus. The 74 graduating cadets of Taylor Class marched onto the parade for the last time with the pomp and ceremony which is traditional of the cadet's graduation parade. The New Zealand Army band provided the music and ensured that the cadets would remember a very proud moment in their military career. The reviewing officer for the parade was the commander ATG Colonel Phil Maguire who was accompanied by the Regular Force Cadet School class Patron Mr Lawrence (Rusty) Taylor, MBE, BEM. Cadet Warrant Officer class Two S.W. Skedgwell led the cadet school in an excellent parade and cadet school staff commented that 'Taylor Class' were carrying on the tradition. of previous graduating classes. At the completion of the parade the graduating cadets marched off the parade ground and unceremoniously tossed their berets into the air with a very loud cheer, then congratulated one another. The history of the Regular ForCe Cadet School started on 13 July 1948 when the first intake of cadets marched into Trentham Camp. A policy was established whereby each intake of cadets would be named after a

prominent New Zealand soldier - the class patron. The class patron, Mr Taylor, enlisted as a Regular Force Cadet in the first class of July 1948 and graduated as Top Cadet to the New Zealand Regiment. After a short period away from service life Mr Taylor rejoined the service in 1955. Spending several years overseas as part of an advance team in Malaya in 1957 and again in 1961 as an acting platoon commander 'Rusty' Taylor was awarded the British Empire Medal for his service over this period. Mr Taylor was posted as the first New Zealand Drill instructor to the Royal Military College Duntroon Australia, a position he filled for three and a half years. In 1974 Mr Taylor, by now a Warrant Officer Class One, became the first ex-cadet to become the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army's Schools. In 1976 Mr Taylor was selected by the Chief of General Staff, Major General R.D.P. Hassett, CB CBE to fulfil the new and very demanding appointment of Sergeant Major of the

Army, the most senior other rank position within the New Zealand Army. In July 1978 he was awarded the Meritous Service Medal which only 20 serving members of the Army may hold at one time. Mr Taylor was appointed class Patron Regular Force Cadet School in December 1988 and took up his appointment in January 1989.

After the parade parfents and invited guests moved to the camp cinema to watch the prizegiving ceremony. The cadets have now graduated from the Regular Force Cadet School to the following corps: Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery, Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps, The Corps of Royal New Zealand En-

gineers, Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport, Royal New Zealand Medical Corps, Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps, and Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Military Prizes: Officer Commanding's Book for the Best all-round cadet on Basic Recruit Training, Cdt WOII S.W. Skedgwell; The Gill Trophy for the best cadet on the Communication English Course, Cdt N.J. Middleton; The Hasset Sword for the cadet who showed the most leadership potential, Cdt SSgt L.V. Mooney; Pearce Cup for the cadet who achieved the best required fitness level test result, Cdt J.M. Keno; Shooting Shield, Cdt J.P. Kemp; The Ball Memorial Trophy for the best all-round cadet on soldier training, Cdt P.C. Albert; Capt Pethrick Officer Commanding's Trophy for Cadet CSM Cdt WOII S.W. Skedgwell; Milne and Choyce Cup for the best all-round cadet, Cdt WOII S.W. Skedgwell.