Lothian and Borders Battalion, Army Cadet Force

Lothian and Borders Battalion, Army Cadet Force
ActiveApril 1992–present
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeRegistered Volunteer Youth Organisation
RoleTo provide pre-training and experience of life in the British Army
SizeBattalion
Part ofHeadquarters Scotland
County HQBroxburn
WebsiteLothian and Borders Battalion, Army Cadet Force
Insignia
Army Cadet Force Badge

The Lothian and Borders Battalion, Army Cadet Force (Lothian & Borders Bn, ACF) is a cadet battalion forming part of the Army Cadet Force operating within the Scottish Lowlands. Since 2014, the county has been part of Headquarters Scotland and is currently divided into five companies and includes a regimental band and pipes and drums.

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".[1]

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.[1]

Following the Options for Change announced following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union and subsequent End of the Cold War, the Lothian Battalion and King's Own Scottish Borders Battalions of the Army Cadet Force were merged into the new Lothian and Borders Battalion, Army Cadet Force. The first mention of the battalion was for a Second Lieutenant on probation appointed to be Lieutenant in the battalion from 23 November 1996. This battalion however had been formed in 1992.[2][3]

In 2013, the battalion was reorganised from six companies (lettered A-F) into four companies named after battle honours of the Royal Scots Borderers. Following this reorganisation, the battalion's structure was revamped and the below structure is that of 2021 after the reforms.[3]

As of December 2021, each Army Cadet Force county reports to their local brigade deputy commander, or in the case of independent regional headquarters the commander. However, for administrative duties each cadet county reports to Commander Cadets, who is a senior 1* Brigadier part of Headquarters, Regional Command.[4][5][6]

Organisation

As of January 2022, the Lothian and Borders Battalion ACF consists of appx. 700 cadets and 150 adult volunteers in 34 detachments spread throughout the Lothians and Border areas. Each Army Cadet Force 'county' is in-fact a battalion, and each 'detachment' is equivalent to that of a platoon.[7][8][9][10]

Detachment Affiliation Location County Postal Code
Alma Company
Company Headquarters Encompassing Midlothian and the City of Edinburgh (minus the North detachments) Eastfield Farm Road, Penicuik Midlothian EH26 8EZ
No. 10 Bonnyrigg Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Eldindean Road, Bonnyrigg Midlothian EH19 2HQ
No. 11 Penicuick Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Eastfield Farm Road, Penicuick Midlothian EH26 8EZ
No. 12 Dalkeith Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland East Houses Industrial Estate, Dalkeith Midlothian EH22 4DJ
No. 19 Gilmerton Troop Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Ferniehill Drive, Gilmerton, Edinburgh Midlothian EH17 7AR
Lothian and Borders Battalion ACF Pipes and Drums (No. 20 Troop) E (Lothian and Borders Horse) Squadron, Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry 301 Colinton Road, Edinburgh Midlothian EH13 0LA
Lothian and Borders Battalion ACF Band (No. 21 Troop) Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Army Cadet Force Hut, Chesser Crescent, Edinburgh Midlothian EH14 1RA
No. 22 Lanark Road Troop Royal Corps of Signals[11] Lanark Road, Edinburgh Midlothian EH14 2NA
No. 35 Alnwickhill Troop E (Lothian and Borders Horse) Squadron, Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry Alnwickhill Road, Alnwickhill, Edinburgh Midlothian EH16 6NQ
No. 36 Loanhead Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland King George V Park, Loanhead Midlothian EH20 9LA
Kohima Company
Company Headquarters Encompassing Northern Edinburgh and East Lothian Goosegreen, Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 7SN
No. 14 Musselburgh Troop E (Lothian and Borders Horse) Squadron, Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry Goosegreen, Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 7SN
No. 16 Dunbar Troop E (Lothian and Borders Horse) Squadron, Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry Castle Park Barracks, Bayswell Road, Dunbar East Lothian EH42 1EU
No. 17 Granton Square Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Granton Square, Edinburgh Midlothian EH5 1HE
No. 18 Claremont Street Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland East Claremont Street, Edinburgh Midlothian EH7 4HU
No. 23 MacDonald Road Detachment Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland 124 MacDonald Road, Edinburgh Midlothian EH7 4NQ
No. 24 South Queensferry Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Roseberry Avenue, South Queensferry, Edinburgh West Lothian EH30 9NX
No. 31 Tranent Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Old School House, Sandersons Wynd, Tranent East Lothian EH33 1DA
No. 32 Prestonpans Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Rope Walk, Prestonpans East Lothian EH32 9BN
No. 33 Haddington Troop E (Lothian and Borders Horse) Squadron, Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry Pencaitland Road, Haddington East Lothian EH41 4EW
No. 34 North Berwick Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Dunbar Road, North Berwick East Lothian EH39 4DG
Minden Company
Company Headquarters Encompassing the Eastern Scottish Borders (Berwickshire, Peeblesshire, Roxburghshire, and Selkirkshire) Paton Street, Galashiels Roxburghshire TD1 3AT
No. 1 Eyemouth Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Acredale Industrial Estate, Eyemouth Berwickshire TD14 5AN
No. 2 Duns Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Volunteer Hall, Duns Berwickshire TD11 3AF
No. 4 Kelso Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Eschiehaugh, Kelso Roxburghshire TD5 7BS
No. 5 Jedburgh Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Jedburgh Roxburghshire
No. 6 Hawick Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Union Street, Hawick Roxburghshire TD9 9LF
No. 8 Galashiels Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Paton Street, Galashiels Roxburghshire TD1 3AT
No. 9 Selkirk Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Dovecot Park, Selkirk Selkirkshire TD7 4ER
No. 15 Peebles Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Walkers Haugh, Peebles Peeblesshire EH45 8AU
Somme Company
Company Headquarters West Lothian Beveridge Square, Dedridge, Livingston West Lothian EH54 6QF
No. 25 Linlithgow Troop E (Lothian and Borders Horse) Squadron, Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry 52 Barrowshill Avenue, Linlithgow Linlithgowshire (West Lothian) EH49 7SQ
No. 26 Livingston Platoon 243 Provost, Royal Military Police Beveridge Square, Dedridge, Livingston West Lothian EH54 6QF
No. 27 Bathgate Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Torphichen Street, Bathgate West Lothian EH48 4HH
No. 28 Broxburn Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Pyot Hall Road, Port Buchan, Broxburn West Lothian EH52 6HN
No. 29 Whitburn Platoon Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland 264 West Main Street, Whitburn West Lothian EH47 0JB
Broxburn Academy Detachment Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Broxburn Academy, Cardross Road, Broxburn West Lothian EH52 6AG
Broxburn Academy Detachment Royal Scots Borderers, Royal Regiment of Scotland Broxburn Academy, Cardross Road, Broxburn West Lothian EH52 6AG

Lord-Lieutenant's Cadets

Lord-Lieutenant's Cadet
Incumbent
Cdt LCpl Jake Burnside
since 2022
AbbreviationLLCofMACF
AppointerLord-Lieutenant of Midlothian
Term lengthOne Year
SuccessionCdt Sgt Zoe Watson
Website[1]

The Lord-Lieutenant's Cadet is seen as the aide and representative of the cadet forces to the British royal family and the Lord-lieutenant in an administrative county Scotland. Typically, one is chosen from each of the main cadet forces, the Army Cadet Force, Air Training Corps and Sea Cadets (United Kingdom). Occasionally, one may also be chosen from the Combined Cadet Force. They are selected each year at the Spring Lord-lieutenant's awards in each county.

They provide an essential link between the armed forces and the local community, assist with recruiting within the cadet forces and assist the county's Reserve Forces and Cadets Association. The cadet from each arm of the cadet forces is selected and appointed based on their outreach and participation within their squadron, detachment or unit, and is seen as one of the highest achievements in the Cadet Forces.

See also

Footnotes

Notes

Citations

  1. ^ a b Westlake 1984, pp. 1–3
  2. ^ "No. 54718". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 March 1997. p. 3882.
  3. ^ a b "Borders Army Cadets to return". Border Telegraph. 14 July 2013. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  4. ^ Army Cadet Force Regulations, Army Cadets Order #14233. Version 1.12. Headquarters, Army Cadet Force. February 2017.
  5. ^ "Cadets". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  6. ^ "Regional Command". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  7. ^ Army Cadet Force Regulations, Army Cadets Order #14233. Version 1.12. Headquarters, Army Cadet Force. February 2017.
  8. ^ "Lothian And Borders Battalion Army Cadets". Army Cadets UK. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  9. ^ "About Us | Lothian And Borders Battalion ACF | Army Cadet Force". 2012-11-15. Archived from the original on 2012-11-15. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  10. ^ "About Us | Lothian & Borders ACF | Army Cadet Force". 2020-11-13. Archived from the original on 2020-11-13. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  11. ^ "The Royal Corps of Signals: Find a Unit (Cadets used on map below Army Cadet Force unit tab)". Royal Corps of Signals Corps Website. Retrieved 9 January 2022.

References

  • Westlake, Ray A. (1984). A Register of Territorial Force Cadet Units: 1910 – 1922. Wembley, Middlesex, United Kingdom: Sherwood Press. ISBN 978-0950853024. OCLC 60073924.