Cadet training introduces young men to a wide range of activities and skills which, it is hoped, will give them more recreational and service options later in life.
Army Cadets
The aim of the Australian Defence Force Cadets is to provide opportunities for all young Australians to obtain comprehensive personal challenges, growth, enhanced self-esteem, self-discipline and adventurous enjoyment in a military setting.
Churchie’s Army Cadet Unit has its basis in the 5th Battalion Australian Military Forces. In 1919 students from the School, as senior cadets, formed 16 Platoon, D Company of the Battalion. By 1921 the number of boys had increased to the extent that they comprised the whole company made up of both junior and senior cadets (a total of 109 cadets).
One hundred and nineteen names are displayed on the School’s Honour Roll, showing the young men of Churchie who laid down their lives in defence of their country. Anzac Day is very much a part of this School’s history and tradition. On 25 April each year, The Flat, terraces and surrounding areas are overflowing with Churchie families, friends, Old Boys and members of the Brisbane community to commemorate this day.
With the suspension of the compulsory cadet training clauses of the Defence Act in November 1929, Canon Morris, the Headmaster, announced, ‘it may be taken for granted that the school will establish a Cadet Corps. The good resulting from the discipline and exercise of an efficient Cadet Corps is too obvious to require argument.’ Thus the unit became the Church of England Grammar School Cadet Corps.
The unit has paraded continuously from that time, despite another disruption in 1975 when the government disbanded the Cadet Corps to have it re-established in October 1976 upon a change in government. Under this new scheme, the School elected to have the unit remain school-based rather than become part of a community-based unit, thus becoming a Limited Support Unit. In the latter part of 1998, the School became a fully supported unit.
Home training is conducted one afternoon a week during the school year. This involves practically orientated lessons, delivered by the older cadets, to equip each member of the unit with the skills required to perform as a member of the particular element of the unit to which he belongs.
Each year, cadets attend an annual camp (of one-week duration at the end of Term 3) and up to three weekend camps, better known as bivouacs. In addition to these activities, every effort is made to arrange visits to various regular and Army Reserve units as well as the opportunity to partake in other training facilities at Enoggera including the obstacle course, Weapons Training Simulation System (WTSS), night vision training facility and others.
Navy Cadets
TS Magnus is a school-based unit that is the second oldest Australian Navy Cadet unit in Queensland. Being active for over 50 years, we have seen a large number of ex-cadets move into the defence force fulfilling roles as varied as marine engineers, stores officers and ships captains.
TS Magnus began as the Sea Cadets and then became the Naval Reserve Cadets. It is now known as the Australian Naval Cadets.
Although they were jocularly referred to as Pat’s Pirates at the outset, TS Magnus has trained many young men in the ways of the sea, and many have gone on to serve in both the RAN and the Merchant Marine.
As the second Naval Cadet unit in Queensland and the first school unit, the ship, on the banks of Norman Creek, was (until recently) the only unit with Cadet Officers and today has one of the few Midshipmen in the state.
TS Magnus offers the opportunity to learn skills, go places and have experiences that most people can only imagine. We strive to make everything a fun and challenging activity. Unit training is conducted one afternoon a week and involves general seamanship, radio operation, powerboating, sailing, First Aid, drill, leadership and general life skills.
Each term a day or weekend activity is planned and may include a Tri-Service Camp with the Army and Air Force Cadets also based at Churchie, boating days, adventure training, navigation and seamanship weekends. There is also the opportunity to have the cadets conduct weapons safety and marksmanship training at the Weapons Training Simulation System (WTSS) at Enoggera Army Barracks.
Australian Air Force Cadets
The Australian Air Force Cadets 203 Squadron was formed in 1941 and was originally known as 54 Squadron – C Flight, East Brisbane. When the Whitlam Government closed down the cadets in the early 1970s, the School, in its wisdom, maintained the cadets with the help of several dedicated staff. When the cadets were reformed in the late 1970s, the Flight was renamed Number 3 Flight, ACGS – Queensland Squadron Air Training Corps.
In 1998 female cadets were introduced and the flight was opened up to students outside the ranks of the School to ensure a strong and viable future for the unit. In 2001 the Air Training Corp undertook a great period of change and was renamed the Australian Air Force Cadets. The Flight was renamed 203 Squadron, ACGS – No. 2 Wing Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC).
Training is conducted on Monday afternoons from 3.30 to 6.30 pm during the school year. This involves practical orientated lessons delivered by the older cadets to equip each member of the unit with the skills required to perform as a member of the unit. We cover the basic subjects such as aviation, aircraft recognition, drill, service knowledge, survival and fieldcraft, in both lectures and practical applications, such as camps, which are held four times per year at various locations.
Each cadet will be issued with the basic uniform requirements. Our unit wears SD polyester Blues, which are worn one parade per month as well as for ceremonial occasions such as Anzac Day and the Senior Passing Out Parade. We issue DPCU (Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniforms) as our general duty form of dress. Churchie provides all items of uniform free of charge.
See more Churchie cocurricular opportunities:
