The 10 (Kent) Cadet Regiment, Royal Artillery, South East London Sector Army Cadet Force is the full title of one of the longest lived and proudest Army Cadet Force contingents in Britain. Several factors make the Regiment unique compared with other ACF contingents.

The Regiment's history is tied to the history of National Army Youth Organisations in Britain. The ACF can trace its roots back to 1859 when in response to threats of French invasion; there was a call for volunteers. With that call was the realisation that some way needed to be found to encourage young men to volunteer when they became old enough. Several schools formed small companies of Cadets. These units were only open to young men from that school, but the idea had created interest.

The famous reformer Miss Octavia Hill saw that cadet training was excellent for character building and that membership of a disciplined organisation was a valuable instrument in the general upbringing of boys. She set up the Southwark Cadet Company to introduce the boys from the slums of South London "to the virtues of order, cleanliness, team work and self-reliance". That unit still exists today as 72 Detachment, which like us, is part of South East London ACF. The Southwark Company (or East London Cadet Corps) was the first open cadet detachment that accepted boys from any background. It is the forerunner of the modern ACF unit. By 1880, there were over fifty detachments scattered across the country.

In 1908, Lord Haldane formalised the formation of the cadet forces. There was an Officer Training Corps for Universities, "Closed" units for boys attending Public Schools and "Open" units for boys from any background. The title "Cadet Force" was introduced and the administration was taken over by the newly formed Territorial Association.

Our Regimental history really starts in Lewisham on 12 August 1913. Earlier that year, a meeting of the Officers of the Lewisham Battalion of the National Reserve, decided that something ought to be done to prevent so many young lads running 'wild' before they were old enough to join the Regular Army. A war with Germany was imminent and these Officers felt that some form of preparation would be useful. So the first cadets were enrolled and the Regiment was formally recognised by the War Office on 12 August. With this recognition came the official sanction to wear the uniform, badges and titles of The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment. The title of the Regiment was then "The 1st Cadet Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment". Lieutenant Colonel J.F.C. Boyles TD was appointed the first Commanding Officer.

The Battalion was affiliated to the 5th Battalion of The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment. The boundaries of Kent were different then and the North West Kent area proved to be an excellent recruiting base for this new Battalion. Soon there were 16 cadet detachments stretching from Deptford to Orpington and Keston to Crayford across the area now known as South East London Sector.

On the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, many Officers, Adult staff and Cadets enlisted into the army. Large groups of them signed up to form Territorial Battalions at Bromley, Penge, Bexleyheath, and Dartford. Some of these Volunteer Battalions eventually formed the 1/5 Volunteer Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent. The 1/5 Battalion was the only Territorial Battalion that saw active service when it embarked for India in December 1914. Two years later, after supplying drafts for the 2nd Regular Battalion, it was sent to Mesopotamia, where it went into action against the Turkish Army.

The remaining Volunteer Battalions were primarily holding Battalions and used to enlist, train and supply drafts of troops for the QORWK Battalions serving on the Western Front, Gallipoli, Palestine and Mesopotamia. In total over 75% of the Cadet Battalion volunteered to fight for their King and Country. Many members of the Battalion gave their lives in the fields of France and Belgium and the deserts of Palestine and Mesopotamia.

In 1918 the surviving Officers Adults and Cadets returned home and re-organised the Battalion with the aim of bring it back to strength. On the 1st November 1919 a parade was held and the Battalion paraded over 500 cadets that day; one of the most important days in our history.

In recognition and in memory of the members of the Battalion who served in the First World War, Lady Waring, wife of Lt Colonel H Waring DSO, presented the Battalion with a Regimental Colour which was then blessed by the Bishop of Southwark over the Regimental drums. As far as is known, we are the only Cadet Contingent in Britain to have ever been presented with a Colour. While the design has not been recorded by the Royal Serjeant at Arms as being a Queens Colour, the Colour is definitely a Regimental Colour and has never been paraded without the correct honour being accorded. The Colour is only ever paraded if it is lifted and carried by the junior Subaltern of the Regiment with an armed Escort to the Colour composed of cadets under an adult Warrant Officer as Escort Commander. To do otherwise would be the grossest insult we could pay the Regiment.

During the Twenties, the Battalion maintained a steady existence, parading up to 800 cadets, but the mounting political apathy towards the Cadet movement was starting to cause concern. At that time, the Battalion was formed into six Companies with Company Headquarters at Erith, Sidcup, Orpington, West Wickham, Grove Park and Catford. Battalion Headquarters was at Sidcup.

In 1930 the Government withdrew all recognition and funding of the Cadet movement. Many contingents were forced to close. For those that survived, everything had to be provided by privately raised money and even the wearing of Regimental badges was forbidden. The Officers and Adult instructors of the Battalion refused to allow this, and raised the money to fund its activities themselves. Realising the worth of the Army Cadets, the Officers and Adult staff of the Battalion and their galvanised local public support and began to pile pressure on the Government to reconsider. Other Officers and adults across the country were doing the same and it was decided to form a voluntary body known as the British National Cadet Association. This led the way to forcing the Government to reconsider and funding was eventually reinstated

The Second World War came and as before, many of the Officers, Adults and Cadets enlisted into the Armed Services. Many gave their lives. The Battalion became affiliated to the Home Guard and many worked evening hours for the Civil Defence as air observers, messengers, A.R.P, the National Fire Service and all manner of work for the war effort. Heavy anti aircraft guns were sited at several ACF locations, notably Hayes, Dartford and Chislehurst. The cadets assisted by carrying messages, bringing supplies and cleaning equipment. On occasion, senior cadets and adult staff of the Battalion from Erith, Dartford and Belvedere helped in manning the anti aircraft guns and Coastal Defence guns at Tlbury and other coastal defences on both sides of the Thames.

After the War, the Battalion regrouped and its numbers swelled to over 1000 cadets. The first national re-organisation was held in 1949. The Battalion lost some of its Detachments and was grouped, under the command of Kent County Army Cadet Force.

During the sixties, the Battalion was declining. The ACF was not as popular as it had been. Many of the detachments were in decline as the modern youth felt there was less relevance for them. Luckily for the Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Philip Jones TD was appointed Officer Commanding. He set about making the changes that were to shape 10 Regiment. During yet another reorganisation in 1968, the Army Cadet Force in South East England changed again due to the formation of the Greater London Authorities. The Battalion was taken out of Kent and became part of the South East London Sector. Lt Col Jones and his officers worked hard to keep the Battalion together. He recognised the importance of unity and arranged for the Battalion to rebadge in entirety to the Royal Artillery. On the 1st April 1968, after 55 years, The 1st Battalion Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment then became 10 (Kent) Cadet Regiment Royal Artillery. Lt Col Jones having previously obtained permission to keep the title 'KENT' in our name.

Our Colours were by now showing their age and the Union was in need of repair. The Union was partly replaced and Lt Col Jones himself embroidered the new badges onto the Colour. In a similar tradition to the original presentation, the Colour was re-presented by his wife to the Regiment.

At that time, we were reduced in size to nine detachments, all badged Royal Artillery. They were: 101 (Penge), 102 (Bromley), 103 (Orpington), 104 (Hayes), 105 (Chislehurst), 106 (Sidcup), 107 (Bexleyheath), 108 (Erith) and 109 (Belvedere). In 1973, the Chislehurst detachment, 105 was closed as the lease had expired on its site. The decision was taken to amalgamate with 106 at Sidcup. South East London Sector had four contingents. 7, 8, 9 and 10, (8 Group was amalgamated into 7 Regiment and 9 Regiment in 1980). Each of the Cadet Regiments in the Sector were issued a coloured flash to distinguish the Cadets, 10 Regiment adopted an emerald green, which has been the Regiment's identifying mark ever since.

At the time of formation the Regiment was issued with nine 25 pounder guns for gun drill practice and Ceremonial Parades, but these were slowly withdrawn to the Royal Artillery Depot at Woolwich with the last being taken away in 1990. We know the whereabouts of only two of our guns. One is outside the Officers Mess at the Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich. The other is believed to be in the possession of the Royal Artillery Museum, also at Woolwich. The Guns still belong to the Regiment, but the security risk of having live Artillery pieces was deemed too much to have them located at detachments.

In 1978, there was another momentous change. Two girls joined the Orpington detachment. Prior to this there was no establishment for girls and the two could not be formally enrolled. They proved to be excellent cadets and it was the following year when girls were formally accepted into the Army Cadet Force. Today, the amount of female cadets is usually at least 25% of the total.

Originally all detachments were badged to the Royal Artillery. In 1982, 107 (Bexleyheath) and 102 (Bromley) changed their affiliation to the Royal Signals to remain common to the Territorial Army units quartered at their location., 102 (Bromley) rebadged again several years later as the affiliation at Bromley TA centre changed to the London Scottish. In the nineties there were four changes. 104 (Hayes) was badged to the Irish Guards, 103 (Orpington) rebadged to The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and 101 (Penge) changed to the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment. The last change was when 108 became badged to the Royal Engineers. Only 106 (Sidcup) and 109 (Belvedere) remain badged Royal Artillery.

1993 saw the 80th Anniversary of the Regiment and some 200 Cadets and a contingent of war veterans who had served with the Regiment were formed up at the Main Square of Woolwich Barracks, and the Colour was marched on Parade with an armed escort. A representative then read out a letter of congratulation from H R H, The Duke of Edinburgh, celebrating the achievements and successes of the Regiment and its long & unique history.

In 2000 the command structure was changed and for the first time, there was no formal Regimental Commander. The natural geographic divide between Bexley and Bromley allowed the formation of A and B Company and therefore two Company Commanders. This moved worked reasonably well and did little to sever the ties of the 10 Regiment Officers, Adults and Cadets who in the main, carried on as before. The Company system was never ratified by London District RFCA and with the change of Commandant two years later, 10 Regiment was reformed. This was not a momentous change. For many; the Regiment had never been apart.

The Regiment is still expanding. A new detachment has opened. Biggin Hill of RAF fame has never had an ACF presence. Until that is in 2004, when 105 (Biggin Hill) Squadron, Army Air Corps opened in April. Another location we are looking at is in Thamesmead. Work is still in the discussion stage. If a new detachment is sited in Thamesmead, it will probably be titled 1010. Establishing new units is a difficult business - a far cry from 1913, when land was cheap and youth organisations were more valued by the community at large.

On the 10 July 2004, to celebrate its 90th year, the Regiment paraded again on Woolwich barracks. Over a hundred Officers, Adults and Cadets, wearing eight different cap badges marched onto the square and stood while the Colour was trooped. It was another proud day for the Regiment.

Times have changed, but the pride of today's adults and cadets in being a member of 10 Regiment, is as strong today as it was for the young men who turned out one warm evening in 1913.

Officer Commanding 10 (Kent) Cadet Regiment.

1968	Major (latterly Lieutenant Colonel) Philip Jones TD
1974	Major John Hutchinson
1978	Major Ronald Albon
1983	Major Edward Dawson
1985	Major (latterly Lieutenant Colonel) Derek Langford
1987	Major Richard Cast
1990	Major (latterly Lieutenant Colonel) Jeff Kingaby
1994	Major (latterly Lieutenant Colonel) David Philpott
1998	Major (latterly Colonel) Charles Philpin
2000	Major Brian Daniels
	A Coy	2000	Capt Keith Goddard
		2001	Lieutenant (latterly Captain) Lyn Hennell
	B Coy	2000	Lieutenant (now Major) Peter Thomas
2003	Major (laterly Colonel) Charles Philpin
2004	Major Peter Thomas