It has been a year of firsts for the Timaru navy cadets.
Despite only being officially recognised as a sea cadet unit in early June, the unit has already made its mark.
The cadets attended the Southern Area Regatta skills competition in March this year and placed first.
Lieutenant Simon Liddy said the group had not expected it, and were simply happy to just be able to attend.
He said it was a ‘‘remarkable achievement’’.
‘‘This meant we went on to the National Regatta Skills Competition in April and we managed second place overall.’’
It was an amazing result for the newly-formed cadet unit, he said.
As a sea cadet unit of the New Zealand Cadet Forces their annual focus would be the regional and national regatta competitions, he said.
However, during the training year the cadets were taught everything from how to iron and care for their uniform through to how to plot a course on a chart.
‘‘There is so much in between: training in marksmanship, drill and parade formats, personal care and responsibility, history and operational capabilities of the Royal New Zealand Navy and naval history in general.
‘‘As well as seamanship and how to work as the member of a crew, knots, bends and hitches, the list goes on.’’
The unit planned to attend various weekend activities to help educate the cadets, the ethics and values cadets were taught set them up for life, he said.
The idea of forming the navy unit was floated seven years ago.
Having 15 Squadron Air Training Corps acting as a sponsor meant those who selected navy could have access to cadet uniforms and apply for courses.
‘‘They did something similar when Timaru army cadets was established.’’
The process for a potential unit to be recognised was not a fast one.
He said formal paperwork to begin the process was filed towards the end of 2023.
It had passed through a number of hands and review processes saw it reach the desk of the minister of defence for final sign-off, which was granted on June 3 this year.
‘‘We now have a training ship name, TS Royalist.’’
He said, like any organisation, a cadet unit needed an efficient support committee.
‘‘The current support committee has made notable advances in sourcing funding opportunities to help the officers of the unit run parade nights and activities that will grow and benefit the cadets.
‘‘Anyone can be on the committee, you don’t need to have a child in the unit. ’’
All adults, officers and staff were police vetted.
