Friday, 8 September is the final Unit Training for Term 3. We thank our recruits for an excellent start to their Cadet journey and for their enthusiasm for Bivouac, which will give some context to their training between now and AFX in 2024.
The first training back in Term 4 will be Friday, 13 October. Dress for recruits will be Summer Field – DPCU shirt sleeves down, DPCU trousers bloused, field hat (essential), undershirt (optional).
We wish our CAS Milskills Team all the best for their final preparations and for their competition against Barker, Knox, St Aloysius’ and Trinity on Saturday, 14 October. Thank you to WO2 Lachlan Isaac and SGT Rohan Baker for their excellent leadership in running the Milskills training sessions.
Those who were invited to express interest in the AAC Live Fire on Saturday, 28 October will receive a permission slip this week. Please ensure these are returned quickly to lock in our numbers for this exciting opportunity.
Thank you to the WCACU community for supporting our Legacy Day fundraising. The boys raised over $900 to this worthy cause and we thank them for their service in the cold wind tunnels around Bondi and Waverley on Friday morning.
Bivouac is fast approaching, and we are looking forward to taking our recruits on their first Cadet adventure.
On Friday, 25 August, cadets are asked to come to school in their DPCU Field Dress, complete with field hat, and their backpack labelled and packed with their gear. There will be designated areas on the lower tennis courts to store bags in Company locations until lunchtime.
Cadets will form up in bus lines on the Centenary Quad directly after lunch.
The Cadet Unit will be supporting local Legacy branches by selling badges and bears on Friday, 1 September to the local community. There will be cadets at Charing Cross and Bondi Junction, so please look out for them and support this worthy cause. Merchandise will also be available in the Staff Common Room and to students at recess. Cash only, I’m afraid, so please come prepared.
Image: courtesy Legacy website
The Cadet Bivouac is an important event on the Cadet calendar and requires all members of the Unit to attend. This is the first chance our recruits have to put their Friday afternoons into context, and it gives our new rank the chance to put into practice their newly-honed leadership skills in the field.
Bivouac takes place from 1:35pm Friday, 25 August – 4:30pm Sunday, 27 August 2023 at St Mary’s Towers, Douglas Park, and is a published event in the College calendar.
Please review the Joining Instruction emailed to all families on 25 July 2023. To ensure the best care for your son on this camp, it is vital that we have the most up-to-date contact information and medical and special dietary requirements on the Google Form below.
Click here to view and complete the Google form
Thank you to all the families who have completed the Google Form with these details.
The Cadet Unit will be supporting local Legacy branches by selling badges and bears on Friday, 1 September to the local community. There will be cadets at Charing Cross and Bondi Junction, so please look out for them and support this worthy cause. Merchandise will also be available in the Staff Common Room. Cash only, I’m afraid, so please come prepared.
Thank you to all who nominated to be part of the CAS Milskills Team. Your Milskills captains will be in touch with you shortly regarding the training schedule in preparation for the competition at Scheyville National Park on Saturday, 14 October 2023.
Thank you also to all who nominated to be part of the AAC Live Fire Activity at Holsworthy Army Base on Saturday, 28 October. We are fortunate to be one of the few NSW 2nd Brigade Units to be included in this exciting initiative. Please keep an eye on your emails for further information.
This week, we start the more practical aspects of Cadets with Alpha, Charlie and Echo Companies learning the art of a weatherproof hutchie, and Bravo and Delta concentrating on ration packs and how to efficiently pack their trek pack. In just three short weeks, they will put these lessons into practice in the field.
A reminder to all that the Bivouac Google Form below needs to be completed for all members of the Unit by this evening please.
Click here to complete the Bivouac Google Form
Special guests from HMAS Watson will be joining us at lunch time on Tuesday, 8 August to present career options in the Navy to our Years 10 and 11 boys. All are welcome to bring their lunch and interact with ADF members in the PAC.
Click here to view the HMAS Watson flyer
Expressions of Interest are called for the 2023 CAS Milskills Team. The team competes with Cadet Units from Barker, Knox, St Aloysius’ and Trinity across a range of field craft skills on Saturday, 14 October. For further information, please see the Commanding Officer.
During the school holidays, 116 cadets gave a week of their precious holiday time to attend the Waverley College Cadet Promotions Courses, learning valuable skills in leadership, team development, instruction and field skills, in order to lead the Unit in the 2023/2024 Cadet Year. Successful candidates have been posted to their new positions of responsibility across the Unit and on Friday we will celebrate the promotion of our successful candidates at the Rank Induction Ceremonial Parade.
We congratulate the new Senior Cadet Under Officer, CUO Oliver Malzard, as he leads the Unit into the coming year. In an exciting milestone in the Unit’s 110 year history, we are very proud to announce the first female Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) for the Unit.
The strength of candidature this year was such that we made the decision to commence a new Recruit Company (Echo Company with Platoons 13, 14 and 15) and a new Support Company Platoon with Engineers. These developments provide additional leadership opportunities from now into the future, and allow the Unit to grow as it continues to flourish.
It gives me great pleasure to announce the leadership team for the 2023/24 Cadet Year.
Senior Cadet Under Officer (SUO) – CUO Oliver Malzard
Adjutant – CUO Deuchar Dezarnaulds
Training Officer – CUO Mitchel Ho
Operations Officer – CUO Julia Mallam
Logistics Officer – CUO Lachlan Miranda
Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) – WO1 Hayley Paddock
A COY COMD – CUO Emma Hartwig
B COY COMD – CUO Marcus Kastrissios
C COY COMD – CUO Meg O’Connor
D COY COMD – CUO James Birbas
E COY COMD – CUO Remy Frampton
SPT COY COMD – CUO Luca Patrick-Watkins
A COY – WO2 Renato Rovacchi
B COY – WO2 Amelie Salem
C COY – WO2 Yannick Hott
D COY – WO2 Daniela Comino
E COY – WO2 Natalie Ha
SPT COY – WO2 Lachlan Hoy
JLC Course – CPL Ryan Murphy
SLC Course – WO2 Lachlan Isaac
CUO Course – CUO Lachlan Miranda
JLC Course – CPL Zac Jones
SLC Course – WO2 Natalie Ha
CUO Course – WO1 Hayley Paddock
The whole Unit will parade for the first time on Friday, 28 July, and we are looking forward to an engaging and dynamic year ahead.
Commanding Officer – WCCU, MAJ(AAC) Julie-Ann de Kantzow
All recruits should now be equipped with their Cadet uniform and gear. Any uniform issues or exchanges can be done from week to week at the Q Store under the Grange Building on Wednesdays – recess, lunch or after school.
We are looking forward to welcoming our new Year 8 recruits to the Cadet Unit in Term 3. A reminder to all parents/carers that this weekend is the Cadet Uniform Issue Weekend and 10-minute appointments are available to book for Saturday, 17 and Sunday, 18 June at by clicking the button below:
Click here to select a timeslot
Uniform and gear is provided on loan for the duration of your son’s involvement in the Cadet Unit, and is issued from the Q Store located behind the Grange Building on Carrington Road.
It has been a busy week in the Cadet Unit, with our CAS Drill Team performing brilliantly at the CAS Drill Competition on Wednesday, 31 May. Hosted by Waverley College at St Catherine’s School, we welcomed our friends from Barker, Knox, St Aloysius’ and Trinity, competing for the CAS Trophy with a challenging Drill routine.
While Trinity went home with the trophy, our team was exceptional in their preparation, their uniform, their team spirit and their drill execution. Expertly commanded by the RSM, WO1 Angus Birrell, they were deservedly proud of their performance.
Thank you and congratulations to: WO1 Angus Birrell, WO2 James Birbas, WO2 Emma Hartwig, WO2 Oliver Malzard, WO2 Meg O’Connor, WO2 Hayley Paddock, WO2 Luca Patrick-Watkins, SGT Matthew Garrop, SGT Mitchel Ho, SGT Campbell Porteus, SGT Reuben Seroa, SGT Aodhan Williams, SGT Zara Wiseman, CPL Kimmi Bilmon, CPL Daniela Comino, CPL Toby Fernandez, CPL Yannick Hott, CPL Lachlan Isaac, CPL Lara Karlovsky, CPL Lachlan Marzol, CPL Renato Rovacchi, CPL Amelie Salem, CPL Abigail Salem, CPL Benjamin Webb.
Sunday was a very special day in the Cadet Calendar as we farewelled our graduating Year 12 Cadets at the conclusion of their years of service to the Unit. The Annual Passing Out Parade and Awards Ceremony is a wonderful opportunity to bring our parents and community together to celebrate the successes of the year.
Reviewed by COL Nicholas de Bont, Commander NSW AAC 2nd Brigade, our Unit paraded proudly for the last time under the command of the SUO, Kayla Heng. Our cadets were resplendent in their Ceremonial DPCU, demonstrating their respect for tradition, for the Cadet Unit, and for our Senior Ranks as they complete their leadership of the Unit.
Congratulations to our 2023 Prize Winners for their dedication and commitment to the Unit over the past year:
A COY CDT Dante Fearn and CDT Archie Campbell
B COY CDT James Grant
C COY CDT Ryan Murphy and CDT Finnian McCarthy
D COY CDT Ben Cromer
SPT COY CPL Jacques Dezarnaulds
A COY CPL Archie Godby and CPL Amelie Salem
B COY CPL Daniela Comino and CPL Yannick Hott
C COY CPL Taj Lynn and CPL Lachlan Marzol
D COY CPL Sophie Jasczyk
SPT COY CPL Jamie Vanderkemp
SGT Will Sweetman and CPL Will Priddis
WO2 James Birbas, WO2 Oliver Malzard, WO2 Hayley Paddock, WO2 Luca Patrick-Watkins, SGT Kai Jones, SGT Marcus Kastrissios, SGT Alice Lee
CUO Hugh McDonald
CUO Alistair Isaac
CPL Lachlan Isaac
CUO Hugh McDonald
Year 10 Cadet Waverley College SGT Lachlan Miranda
Year 12 Cadet Waverley College CUO Zachary Straker
Year 10 Cadet St Catherine’s WO2 Emma Hartwig
Year 12 Cadet St Catherine’s CUO Vanessa Kimpton
Year 10 Cadet CPL Bailey Barker
Year 12 Cadet CUO Christopher Kallo
WO2 Luca Patrick-Watkins SGT Jack Ryan
SGT Jett O’Halloran SGT Charles Thompson-Owens
WO2 Meg O’Connor
CUO Max Van Buuren
WO2 Robert Muir
SIGS Platoon (Received by the RSO – CUO Paul Muir)
9 Platoon (Received by Platoon Sergeant – SGT Zara Wiseman)
A Company (Received by Company Commander – CUO Matteo Paolella)
CUO Thomas Gleeson
WO1 Angus Birrell
CUO Sarah Teitler
Senior CUO Kayla Heng
We thank the Old Boys’ Union for their generous donation of a further five ceremonial swords to the Unit. This year’s swords were:
The celebrations continued into the evening as our Year 10 and 11 Dining Stewards converted the gymnasium into a beautiful formal military mess, enjoyed by special guests from the AAC, St Catherine’s School, Waverley College and our Year 12 cadets, parents and carers.
As we end another Cadet Year, we thank the Year 12 cadets for their leadership, their commitment and their service:
CUO Christopher Armstrong, SGT Finn Backlund, WO1 Angus Birrell, CUO Tom Brenchley, CUO Mitchell Cahill, CPL Priscilla Chia, WO2 Bert Cottell, SGT Olivia Finn, CUP Catherine Fitzpatrick, CUP Thomas Gleeson, CUO Darius Hall, CUO Kayla Heng, CPL James Iatrou, CUO Alistair Isaac, SGT Kai Jones, CUO Lenny Jospeh, SGT Alice Lee, CUO Hugh McDonald, CUO Paul Muir, CUP Matteo Paolella, CUO Ruben Stock, SGT Declan Strong, CUO Sarah Teitler, SGT Caleb Urquhart, CUO Max Van Buuren.
Our attention now turns to developing our next leaders at the Promotions Courses from Monday, 26 June – Saturday, 1 July at Winbourne Conference Centre, Mulgoa. Registrations are now closed and we look forward to welcoming our largest ever contingent of future leaders on Course.
A preparation afternoon will be held from 3:30pm – 5pm on Friday, 16 June. All promotions candidates are required to attend this afternoon and form up will be on the Centenary Quad. During the afternoon, we are also conducting the X Platoon Barrier Testing for all Year 10 and 11 cadets interested in this special platoon.
For the rest of the Unit, I thank you for your commitment to Cadets over the past busy year and look forward to seeing you, along with our new recruits, at the Commanding Officer’s Welcome Parade on Friday, 21 July 2023.
On Thursday, 15 June, the Waverley College Cadet Unit is hosting a special Commemorative Parade to recognise the outstanding service and dedication to the Australian Army Cadets and Waverley College of LTCOL(AAC) Peter Frost and MAJ(AAC) Anthony Evans.
The parade will take place at 5:30pm in the Centenary Quadrangle, Waverley College and will be reviewed by General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK AC (Mil) CVO MC (Retd). Following the Parade, cadets are released from their commitment, while light refreshments will be available for Old Boys and the adult Waverley Community.
Last week at Cadets, we had our first rehearsal for the Passing Out Parade and Annual Cadet Award Ceremony. This special event gives us the opportunity to recognise the amazing contribution our Year 12 cadets have made to the Unit over the past five years. With the whole Unit parading in ceremonial dress, we also recognise our cadets who have excelled in their service to their platoons, companies and the Unit, with the presentation of the Annual Cadet Awards.
All members of the Unit are required to attend Passing Out Parade from 11am – 12:30pm on Sunday, 4 June in Ceremonial Dress Code 4Z.
As a special treat, we also have some G Wagons and members of the ADF coming to the Parade to demonstrate these Army vehicles. You will be able to see them on the Kenny Quad when you form up, and then have a special guided tour with our friends from the ADF, following the Parade.
All members of the Waverley community are welcome to attend the Passing Out Parade. For further information, please see the invitation below.
On Thursday, 15 June, the Waverley College Cadet Unit is hosting a special Commemorative Parade to recognise the outstanding service and dedication to the Australian Army Cadets and Waverley College of LTCOL(AAC) Peter Frost and MAJ(AAC) Anthony Evans.
The Parade will take place at 5:30pm in the Centenary Quadrangle, Waverley College and will be reviewed by General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK AC (Mil) CVO MC (Retd). Following the Parade, there will be light refreshments and a chance to connect with Old Boys and other members of the Waverley Community. All are welcome to attend this event and, for catering purposes, please click the button below to RSVP.
In farewelling the Year 12 senior rank this Term, we turn our attention to developing the next leaders of the Cadet Unit at the annual Promotions Courses. This is always an important week in the Cadet Calendar, as our dedicated and motivated young men and women come together to learn the skills they need to lead the Cadet Unit for the coming Cadet Year. It also provides the opportunity to re-establish the high standards and expectations required of our new recruits starting in Term 3.
The Junior Leadership Course (JLC – to become a Corporal), the Senior Leadership Course (SLC – to become a Sergeant or Warrant Officer Class 2), and the Cadet Under Officers’ Course are run concurrently from Monday, 26 June – Saturday, 1 July 2023, at Winbourne Conference Centre, Mulgoa. Attendance at these courses is a requirement of promotion within the Unit. Parents/carers are asked to please keep these dates free.
For those already making plans for 2024, the Promotions Courses next year will be held from Monday, 15 July – Saturday, 20 July 2024. This is to allow our members to attend any Immersions or the European Music Tour.
Attendance at Promotions Courses is compulsory for all aiming to be promoted, but particularly in becoming a Sergeant, Warrant Officer or Cadet Under Officer. Please note these dates if your child is wanting to progress to these important leadership roles.
Term 3 will be upon us before we know it, and in preparing our Year 8 cohort for the start of their Cadet journey, we are holding a Parent Information Evening on Monday, 29 May at 6:30pm in the Performing Arts Centre. Further information will be emailed to the respective parents/carers.
Our St Catherine’s cadets have been busy promoting Cadets as a co-curricular activity to the Year 8 girls this past week. Cadets is still a relatively new phenomenon at the school, and explaining what it is about and the benefits it affords was so well displayed during an activity afternoon on Wednesday.
Planned and executed completely by the cadets, the girls were involved in lessons in Camouflage and Concealment, Cooking Ration Packs, Ratel Battleship and the Obstacle Course and Mine Sweep activities. Each session was run by the rank and their professionalism, confidence and expertise made them excellent ambassadors for the Cadet Unit.
The afternoon was followed up with a Parent Information Evening on Monday with many parents/carers and girls attending, excited to be involved in such a different activity.
Today, we are conducting the first of our Passing Out Parade rehearsals as we prepare to farewell our Year 12 cadets on Sunday, 4 June. The next rehearsal will be on Friday, 2 June.
All parents/carers are welcome to come and view the Annual Parade and Cadet Awards Ceremony. Please view the invitation below.
A reminder that the Promotions Courses for JLC, SLC and CUO candidates will be held from Monday, 26 June – Saturday, 1 July at Winbourne Conference Centre, Mulgoa. Further information will be sent out next week.
Our Catafalque Party and Flag Party provided such great service to the St Catherine’s School ANZAC Assembly yesterday, and I was so proud of the professionalism and reverence each and every member brought to the occasion, as they conducted their perfect drill.
Commanded by the SUO, CUO Kayla Heng, and supported by the cadets from St Catherine’s, proudly wearing their DPCU uniform, the service is becoming an impressive annual inclusion to the St Catherine’s calendar and one very much appreciated by the school’s executive.
Flag Party: CUO Mitchell Cahill, CUO Kitty Fitzpatrick, SGT Anika Bradford, SGT Remy Frampton, SGT Caleb Urquhart,
Catafalque Party: CUO Matteo Paolella, WO2 James Birbas, WO2 Emma Hartwig, WO2 Meg O’Connor, WO2 Oliver Malzard
Drum Major: CUO Hugh McDonald
Drums: CPL Ariana Fermanis
Command: CUO Kayla Heng
It has been a busy few weeks for the Cadet Unit!
Hot on the heels of a very successful AFX at Holsworthy Army Base, four of our finest young cadets flew to Tasmania to compete for the Adventure Training Award (ATA 2023). This National award is the highest individual award a cadet can achieve and, after a week of canyoning, kayaking, camping, mountain biking, climbing and being physically and mentally challenged in freezing conditions, we were so proud when all four cadets were presented with the Golden Boomerang.
Congratulations to WO2 Luca Patrick-Watkins, SGT Jett O’Halloran, SGT Jack Ryan and SGT Charles Thompson Owens.
Our ANZAC team of cadets was also busy in the holidays rehearsing for the annual ANZAC Commemorative Parade on the Centenary Quad on Monday. Details of this event are included elsewhere in this Newsletter, but a heartfelt thank you to our cadets and staff who presented a professional and reverent parade on this important occasion.
These cadets also represented the Cadet Unit at the Coogee Dawn Service and the Bondi RSL Waverley Council community services very early on Tuesday morning. Thank you to our parents/carers for their commitment to attend at 4:30am!
This Term will be a busy one as we prepare for the following events:
Any cadet wishing to be promoted to Corporal (Junior Leadership Course), Warrant Officer or Sergeant (Senior Leadership Course) or Cadet Under Officer must attend the promotions camp. Further information will follow shortly.
For last minute uniform and equipment list requirements for AFX, please note that the Q Store will be open next week on:
*Q Store will then be closed for the rest of the Term. There will be no provision to issue gear after Wednesday, 22 March 2023.
Our Senior Rank have been busy with their planning and logistics for camp, and are looking forward to making this an exhilarating and engaging activity for all in the Unit. In alphabetical order, I want to thank our leadership team for their dedication and enthusiasm as they prepare for their culminating leadership activity after four years of Cadet training.
Our recruits are in most excellent hands:
CUO Kit Armstrong – Bravo Company Commander; WO1 Angus Birrell – Regimental Sergeant Major; CUO Thomas Brenchley – Charlie Company Commander; CUO Mitch Cahill – Support Company Commander; CUO Kitty Fitzpatrick – Training Officer; CUO Tom Gleeson – Delta Company Commander; CUO Darius Hall – Pioneer Platoon Commander; CUO Kayla Heng – Senior Cadet Under Officer; CUO Alistair Isaac – Adjutant; CUO Lenny Joseph and WO2 Bert Cottell – Logistics; CUO Hugh McDonald – Command Post Officer; CUO Paul Muir – Regimental Signals Officer; CUO Matteo Paolella – Alpha Company Commander; CUO Ruben Stock – Regimental Medical Officer; CUO Sarah Teitler – Operations Officer; CUO Max Van Buuren – X Platoon Commander.
They are ably supported by their compatriots in Years 11 and 12 who are working together as a team to ensure the success of AFX.
Just two weeks to go!
We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional Custodians of the land on which Waverley College is located. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual connections to the land, waters, seas and sky and their rich contribution to society.
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