The Wykehamist The Wykehamist Cloister Time 2017 | Page 10

do the reverse; hopefully our experience there
shall be as interesting as theirs was here.
This term Shaun Rooney came from Timaru
Boys High School in New Zealand on the
Mark Parker Memorial Scholarship. He
starred for both Lords and the 2 nd XI as a
stellar batsman and bowler. He managed to get
a top score of 143 not out for the 2 nd XI and 72
for Lords whilst also taking 13 wickets
throughout the course of the season. When not
starring on the cricket pitch Shaun was staying
in Toye’s and became immediately very
popular with all the boys. He thrived in his
classes and particularly enjoyed Div with Mr
Sparkes. Even in his short stay he managed to
complete the Three Peaks Challenge for child
cancer with a group of Toyeites in under 22
hours. He has been a fantastic guest who
everyone in Toye’s, in his cricket team or in
his classes shall miss when he returns to New
Zealand at the end of the term.
CCF
Edward McMillan (Coll)
Whereas the beginning of Long Half saw the
Royal Navy Section enjoying all the benefits
of the Adventurous Training programme,
Cloister Time mainly involved preparation for
Field Gun and the Biennial Corps Inspection
on 1 June. Following in a proud naval
tradition, the RN Section began training to
demonstrate the use of both the gun and the
limber – a task more difficult than might have
been anticipated. Nonetheless, under the
expert guidance of Lt Cdr John Snoddon MBE
RNR, the Section rose to the challenge and
performed well for the Inspecting Officer.
In Cloister Time the RAF Section focused on
leadership training. Cadet NCOs have laid on a
variety of activities for the Junior Men and
these have proved not only popular, but have
also allowed the men to learn new skills which
they will be able to take forward to the coming
year as they assume leadership roles. The RAF
Section has also been lucky enough to make
use of the Corps’ new Riot Shields. These
have allowed the cadets to put their Green
Training and paintballing skills to practice
against moving targets for the first time.
The Royal Marines were split into three
groups: the MP recruits under WO2 Robinson,
the third and fourth year cadre under WO2
Wythe, and the ‘Pringle’ squad under CSgt
Nottingham, so called because of the
competition in the autumn for which they are
doing specific training. The recruits carried on
with learning basic infantry skills before
Leave-out, whilst the third and fourth years
focused on more advanced techniques such as
building clearance and rope climbing. In the
second half of term, both groups combined to
complete adventure training consisting of
canoeing, mountain biking and rock climbing.
The Pringle squad, meanwhile, has started by
revising essential skills such as map reading
and camouflage and concealment, alongside
tough physical pool and running sessions. The
training culminated in the final few weeks of
term with the 18 cadets left in the process
being tested under realistic battle scenarios
where command and control is essential, and
individual drills come under scrutiny. Many of
the cadets across the section came on weekend
Exercise Copenhagen, which saw the CCF as a
whole deploy to Hawley Lake exercise area
and operate in unfamiliar territory, in
preparation for the longer Easter Camp
heading to Bramley.
║AVE ATQUE VALE
Vale CJT
I have to run this story backwards, like
Benjamin Button. Christopher’s arrival in the
school precedes mine by 20 years, and while it
is vivid to me how much I shall miss him, the
kindness of former colleagues and Quiristers
has filled in the history.
Christopher has taught English with charm and
erudition, and a set of strong preferences. Rob
Wyke (CoRo 1985-2015) and Lachlan
Mackinnon (CoRo 1982– 2010) both recalled
the departmental plan to teach Wuthering
Heights that was squashed because
Christopher declared that ‘there were too many
dogs in it’, a prejudice that I share, though it
takes his sense of conviction to say it aloud.
When sharing a VI Book set we would
wrangle enjoyably over which of us would get
to teach his favourites – Emma, Vanity Fair,
Paradise Lost, Don Juan – though I never had
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