Editing Army Cadet Force (section)

== History ==
In 1859 the [[British Army]] was heavily committed to suppressing the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857|Indian Mutiny]] which left a shortage of Armed Troops in Britain to dissuade or repel a French invasion which at the time was a very real threat. At this time the [[War Office]] made the decision to organize local [[Militia (United Kingdom)|Militia]] units (predecessors of the [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]]), into a nationwide Volunteer Reserve Force which it names "the Volunteers".<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://armycadets.com/about-us/our-history/ |title=Our History |website=Army Cadet Force}}</ref> A number of these Volunteers formed their own Cadet Companies, and during the 1860 Volunteer review by [[Queen Victoria]] one unit - the Queen's Westminster's - paraded their Cadet Company alongside their adult Companies. At this time some public schools had started to form independent cadet units, and at least eight are known to have been in existence at this point (fore-runners of the [[Combined Cadet Force]]).

In 1889 renowned social reformer Miss Octavia Hill formed the first independent Cadet Battalion in [[Southwark]].<ref name="dnb">{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-1000035|title=Hill, Octavia (1838–1912)|website=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-1000035}}</ref> [[Octavia Hill]] considered strongly that the military context of the Volunteer Cadet Companies could be used to socialise urban youths struggling for direction, and wrote that "''There is no organisation which I have found that influences the boys so powerfully for good as our cadets ... and if such ideals can be brought before the young lad before he gets in with a gang of loafers it may make all the difference to his life''".<ref name=":0" /> At this time recruitment for the Cadet Forces was limited to young men "who had passed the age of make-believe"; Hill invited a serving officer of the [[Derbyshire Regiment]] to set up the company, and such was its popularity that its numbers had to be capped at 160 cadets.<ref name="smith">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Smith |first=Mark K. |url=http://www.infed.org/thinkers/octavia_hill.htm |title=Octavia Hill: Housing, Space and Social Reform |encyclopedia=The Encyclopaedia of Informal Education |date=2008 |access-date=14 November 2010}}</ref>

The late Victorian period was when the time of social change began to take hold in Britain and Adam Gray - who was considered to be a [[Innovator|pioneer]] in [[Social Work]] - founded Independent Cadet Corps units. The formation of Cadet units also spread to the colonies. The [[Bermuda Cadet Corps]] was formed at the turn of the Century with detachments in the schools of the British Army's [[Bermuda Garrison]] and the [[Royal Navy]]'s [[Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda|dockyard]], as well as a handful of civilian schools; its cadets wore the cap badge of the [[Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps]], to which the Bermuda Cadet Corps was attached.
[[File:School Cadets Map Reading Art.IWMARTLD3469.jpg|thumb|School Cadets map reading during the Second World War]]
In 1908, when the [[Territorial Force]] was formed, both the Volunteer and Independent Cadet Companies came under the control of the Territorial Forces Association under the new name of the Cadet Force, whilst the Public School units were part of the Officer Training Corps.<ref name=":0" />

In 1914 at the onset of [[World War I]] there was a massive expansion of the Cadet Force; at this time the War Office took back control of the organisation and administration of all Cadet Forces from their Territorial Associations and once again integrated the units into the central war effort.<ref name=":0" />

During [[World War I]], the [[War Office]] extended the earning of [[Certificate "A"]], which with Certificate "B", had been used by the OTCs ([[Officer Training Corps]]), to the Cadets. This became the goal for most Cadets until the Army Proficiency Certificate tests were introduced. The tests covered many aspects of infantry training, including drill, map reading, weapon training and shooting, fieldcraft (also known as Battle-drill), fitness, and command instruction.

The award of the certificate permitted the holder to wear a four-pointed star (red with khaki edgings) on the lower sleeve. A technical certificate (Certificate "T") was also developed, in 1943, covering engineering knowledge. The award of this gave another four-pointed star, but with the centre in blue. The holder of a Certificate "T" was assured entry into one of the technical corps (RE, RAOC, or REME) on being called up. A Certificate "A" holder was given a shorter training period.

In 1923, as a result of defence cut-backs, all governmental and military support for the Cadet Force was withdrawn, and Cadets were prohibited from wearing regimental insignia, buttons, or badges. This led to the forming of the British National Cadet Association (BNCA) by notable figures such as [[Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby|Lord Allenby]] who were keen to ensure the survival of the Cadet Force, and who lobbied the Government for both support and funding. This was partially successful during the 1930s, and in 1932 the BNCA was permitted to run the Cadet Force under the guidance of the Territorial Associations.

At the onset of [[World War II]] the Cadet Forces supported the [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)|Home Guard]] at a time when there was a significant threat of [[Operation Sea Lion|German invasion]]; this led to the War Office in 1942 re-assuming administration of Cadet Forces, which at this time consisted of the Cadet Force, [[Sea Cadets (United Kingdom)|Sea Cadet Corps]] (SCC), and the [[Air Training Corps]] (ATC) (named in 1941). When it resumed administration in 1942, the title Army Cadet Force (ACF) was bestowed upon the Cadet Force, leading in 1945 to the BNCA changing its name to the Army Cadet Force Association (ACFA).<ref name=":0" /> In 1948 those elements of the Army Cadet Force that came under School administration (approximately 100 units) were split from the ACF and were granted the title [[Combined Cadet Force]] (CCF).

In 1956, with World War II over and with National Service coming to an end, the government set up the Amery Committee to report on the future organisation and training of Cadets. Citizenship training was one of the needs and main benefits identified. During this period all Cadet organisations, including the ACF, participated in a pilot scheme for [[The Duke of Edinburgh's Award]]; to date it remains one of the UK's largest operating authorities of the Award.

Following the publication of the Amery Report by the government in 1957, the ACF assumed its role as a national youth organisation sponsored by the War Office. This sponsorship remains in place - however, current sponsorship is provided by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), as the War Office was renamed in 1967.

In 1959, also as a result of the Amery Report, a centralized [[Cadet Training Centre, Frimley Park|Cadet Training Centre]] was established at [[Frimley Park]], which remains the home of the Cadet Forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://armycadets.com/who-we-are/national-cadet-training-centre/|title=National Cadet Training Centre|website=Army Cadets UK}}</ref>

In 1960 the ACF celebrated its 100th anniversary with a review of the ACF and CCF in the grounds of Buckingham Palace by [[Elizabeth II|Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II]] and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|His Royal Highness Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh]]. At this time the Duke of Edinburgh presented a banner to the ACF.

Prior to 1982, females were unable to join the ACF, though they were able to join an attached unit (if there was one at that location) of the [[Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets|Girls Venture Corps]] which had been formed in the early years of the [[Second World War]]. Female instructors and cadets were formally enrolled into the ACF following numerous pilot schemes over several years; this led to the introduction of the ACF APC Syllabus in 1990, which noticeably dropped the requirement for hand-to-hand combat and included a major overhaul of instruction, tactics, and subjects. Today nearly 30% of Army Cadets are girls.<ref name=":0" />

In 2010 the Cadet movement celebrated its 150th anniversary with over 150 events in communities up and down the country, and beyond, under the banner of Cadet 150. The main ceremonial event took place on 6 July 2010, when over 1,700 Cadets and adult volunteers paraded down [[The Mall, London|the Mall]] for inspection by [[Charles, Prince of Wales|His Royal Highness, Charles the Prince of Wales]] before joining friends, family, and VIP guests at a garden party in the grounds of [[Buckingham Palace]].<ref name=":0" />

The Army Cadet Force was also a member of [[The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services|The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS)]], as an organisation with a voluntary and community youth focus until it closed in 2016.<ref name="NCVYS members">{{cite web |title=Full list of NCVYS members |url=http://www.ncvys.org.uk/index.php?page=392 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512231646/http://www.ncvys.org.uk/index.php?page=392 |archive-date=12 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Closure - Unofficial NCVYS Youth Center |url=http://www.ncvys.org.uk/closure.html |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=www.ncvys.org.uk}}</ref>

In 2018, after the theft of three Drill Purpose L103A2 rifles (modified [[SA80]] assault rifles) from an Army Cadet Hall in [[Newport-on-Tay]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/man-jailed-for-stealing-army-guns-in-fife-1-4896501 |title=Man jailed for stealing army guns in Fife |last=McCartney |first=Scott |date=27 March 2019}}</ref> [[Drill purpose rifle]]s have been taken into quarantine by the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|MOD]]; it was realised during the ensuing police investigation that the Drill Purpose rifles could be modified to fire live rounds.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/27/thousands-cadet-rifles-recalled-amid-fears-could-converted-live/ |title=Thousands of cadet rifles recalled amid fears they could be 'converted to live firers' |last1=Nicholls |first1=Dominic |date=27 March 2019 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |access-date=16 September 2019 |last2=Mendick |first2=Robert |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>

In 2021 the Army Cadet Force Association (ACFA) was renamed the Army Cadet Charitable Trust UK(ACCTUK). This organisation is a registered charity and continues to play a vital role in the life of the ACF.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our History - from AFCA to ACCT UK |url=https://acctuk.org/who-we-are/our-history/ |access-date=2023-06-03 |website=ACCT UK |language=en}}</ref>

=== Investigation into sexual abuse ===
In 2012, payouts made to victims of [[Child sexual abuse|sexual abuse]] across all Cadet Forces totalled £1,475,844. In 2013 payouts totalled £64,782, and in 2014 payouts totalled £544,213.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/dec/28/ministry-of-defence-pays-out-2m-settle-cadets-sexual-abuse-claims |title=Ministry of Defence pays out £2m to settle cadets' sexual abuse claims |last=Quinn |first=Ben |date=28 December 2014 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=22 January 2018 |language=en-GB |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229015116/http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/dec/28/ministry-of-defence-pays-out-2m-settle-cadets-sexual-abuse-claims |archive-date=29 December 2014}}</ref> In 2017, a [[BBC Panorama]] episode entitled "Cadet Abuse Cover-Up" highlighted sexual abuse cases in the Community Cadet Forces.<ref name=":0x">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40457123 |title=Sex abuse was covered up at cadet forces, Panorama finds |last1=Razzall |first1=Katie |date=4 July 2017 |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=4 July 2017 |last2=MacSorley |first2=Jane |language=en-GB |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704120820/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40457123 |archive-date=4 July 2017}}</ref> In the years 2012 to 2017 there were 201 allegations of sexual abuse made against ACF volunteers, including historical allegations. 158 cases were referred to the Police for investigation, and 62 offenders were dismissed.<ref name=":0x" />

=== Deaths on Exercises ===
The Cadet Forces claim a tight safety programme, and that injuries or more serious incidents are rare. <ref>https://armycadets.com/safety-in-the-army-cadets/</ref>
A freedom of information request to the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] revealed that a total of 10 cadets have died whilst taking part in cadet duties and activities. 5 fatalities were due to Road Traffic Accidents, 3 fatalities were due to aircraft accidents, 1 fatality was due to a boating incident and 1 fatality was due to substance abuse.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 August 2018 |title=Deaths of Cadet Force Volunteers |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c0799a640f0b6706e13b447/09641.pdf}}</ref> In 1998, [[Longmoor Camp#Death of Cadet Shore|a cadet was fatally injured]] on a fieldcraft training exercise.