Sea Cadets (United Kingdom)

History

In 1854, a vicar in Whitstable, Kent returned from the Crimean War and founded an orphanage where sailors taught nautical skills to prepare orphans for future careers. Multiple similar orphanages were founded across the country, and the organisation became known as the Naval Lads' Brigade. In 1899 Queen Victoria presented £10 (around £1,000 today) to the Windsor Unit to purchase uniforms.

In 1910, the Navy League sponsored a small number of units as the Navy League Boys' Naval Brigade, and in 1919 the organisation adopted the name Navy League Sea Cadet Corps. Lord Nuffield donated £50,000 in 1937 to fund an expansion of the Corps.

King George VI became the Admiral of the Corps in 1942 and the name was changed to the Sea Cadet Corps. The Sea Cadets had approximately 400 units and 50,000 Cadets. The Girls Naval Training Corps was also formed (later renamed Girls Nautical Training Corps in 1950). Queen Elizabeth II became the Patron of the Sea Cadets in 1952. In 1955 the Sea Cadet Council agreed to the formation of the Marine Cadet Section. The Girls Nautical Training Corps became affiliated with the Sea Cadet Corps in 1963. The Royal Naval Association began planning the first British colonial unit in Bermuda in 1964, with TS Bermuda formed on 12 January 1966.{{bulleted list| | | | | | | |

On 31 March 1980 the Ministry of Defence approved the admission of girls into the Sea Cadet Corps. The successful integration of girls into the Sea Cadet Corps led to the dissolution of the Girls Nautical Training Corps in 1992.

Ethos

The Sea Cadets' ethos is made up of three parts: its values, its mindset, and the customs and traditions of the Royal Navy. The promise made by every cadet who joins the Sea Cadet Corps is as follows:

The Sea Cadet Promise: I promise to serve my God, my King, my country, and, the Sea Cadet Corps and to obey the orders of my superior officers. I will be proud of my uniform and be smart and seamanlike in wearing it, and, always do my duty.

The ethos is underpinned by the Sea Cadet Values which are: Courage, Commitment, Discipline, Respect, Loyalty, Honesty, and Integrity. These are taught by staff throughout the time cadets are with a unit; chaplains will also take a lead in such delivery.

Cadets

Junior Sea Cadets

For 9 to 12-year-olds, Junior Cadets have their own training programme and uniform, based on a more practical version of the Sea Cadets training programme.

Sea Cadets

For 12 to 18-year-olds, young people can join as a Sea Cadet and work their way up through the training programme.

Royal Marines Cadets

Main article: Royal Marines Cadets

For 13 to 18-year-olds, the Sea Cadets has detachments of Royal Marines Cadets.

Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps

Structure and organisation

The headquarters of Sea Cadets are in Lambeth, South London. The country is divided into six areas:

• Eastern (including Malta)
• Northern (including Northern Ireland and Bermuda)
• Southern (including the Channel Islands & Falkland Islands)
• North West (including the Isle of Man)
• London
• South West

Volunteers fulfil roles such as water sports instructors, fundraisers, administrative staff, etc. Sea Cadets has both uniformed adult volunteers and non-uniformed adult volunteers.

Training regime

Skills learned in a cadet's time in the Sea Cadets fall into four groups: (i) unit section, (ii) waterborne section, (iii) community and citizenship section, and (iv) outdoor and recreation section.

Ranks and rates

From new entry through to able cadet, Sea Cadets are promoted based on their completion of various task-based modules. The ranks to progress through are: new entry, cadet, cadet 1st class, ordinary cadet, and able cadet. The non-commissioned officer ranks are leading cadet and petty officer cadet.

Officers are commissioned under the Cadet Forces Commission.

Another rank is Chaplain, they also commission under the Cadet Forces Commission.

Uniform

Cadets are issued two uniforms. Some units ask for a deposit for uniforms that is returned after the uniform is given back. The primary uniforms that cadets receive are:

• No. 1s (Formal Dress) - Seaman's cap, blue class II jumper, blue Class II trousers, shirt uniform class II (white front), seaman's blue collar, black scarf assembly, lanyard, and black boots/shoes

• Royal Navy Personal Clothing System (RNPCS) No. 4 Dress (General Duty Rig) – Replacing the No. 8 Action Work Dress, this involves Navy blue beret, blue PCS jacket, black t-shirt, blue belt, blue PCS trousers, black working boots, navy jersey, and an RN foul weather jacket

Ships

Current offshore fleet

TS ''Royalist''

TS Royalist, the Sea Cadet flagship, is a tall ship owned by the MSSC. She is used to providing week-long training courses for Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets. The ship was launched in 2014 to replace the previous TS Royalist, which was over 40 years old when decommissioned. In 2013 there had been an appeal to replace the ageing flagship: £250,000 was needed this target was achieved in April 2013.

She is rigged as a 34m brig, with a sail area of 536 m2. Her draught is 3.25 m. The ship's hull is of high tensile steel, with her superstructure of glass reinforced plastic. She has a crew of eight, plus up to twenty-four Cadets and two adult trainees. Twelve passengers can also be carried.

TS ''City of London'' and TS ''Sir Stelios''

TS City of London and TS Sir Stelios is the Sea Cadets' new (2017 and 2018 respectively) Rustler 42 yachts which have replaced the Tradewinds 35s TS Vigilant and TS City Liveryman. They are both Rustler 42 yachts and provide nationally-recognised RYA training for those wishing to gain qualifications and experience in yacht sailing.

TS ''John Jerwood'' and TS ''Jack Petchey''

These two vessels are the cadets' offshore powered training-ship. They are 24 m long and each cost about £2.6m. TS Jack Petchey is so named because the Jack Petchey Foundation donated £1m in order for it to be built. The Jerwood Foundation donated £1,216,700 for the construction of TS John Jerwood. The training ships can hold between 12-16 cadets, four permanent staff, and two CFAVs and provides an experience at sea focussing on deck work, navigation, bridge watchkeeping, cook/steward, and marine engineering. Each vessel is fitted with twin Perkins Sabre Type M215C Turbo Diesel main engines, each giving 200 shp at 2,500 rpm.

Current Inshore Fleet

Trinity 500 rowing boats

The Trinity 500 is a stable fixed-seat rowing boat, purpose-built for the Sea Cadets to deliver the full SCC Rowing Scheme. The boat has also been approved by British Rowing, to allow for the delivery of their Explore Rowing Scheme.

Investigation into sexual abuse

In 2012 payouts made to victims of sexual abuse across all Cadet Forces totalled £1,475,844. In 2013 payouts totalled £64,782, and in 2014 payouts totalled £544,213.

In 2017, a Panorama episode entitled "Cadet Abuse Cover-Up" highlighted sexual abuse cases in the British Cadet Forces. In a 1979 case of sexual abuse of a 14-year-old cadet in Hertfordshire, the boy's parents were dissuaded from reporting the offender to police by Sea Cadet officers in full uniform, who had visited their home. The offender was neither dismissed or suspended but instead promoted to oversee 10 cadet units in London. Further historical cases have been investigated with settlements being made. In the years 2012 to 2017 there were 28 allegations of sexual abuse made against SCC volunteers, including historical allegations. All 28 offenders were dismissed and referred to the police.

Notes

References

References

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23. Godfrey Dykes. (). "The Navy at work and when at Action Stations: No.4 IAWD and No.5 Work Dress". Royal Navy Communications Branch Museum Library.
24. Sékou Hendrickson. (2025-09-04). "Sea Cadets get new uniforms in line with Royal Navy standard". The Royal Gazette.
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26. Durham, Nick. (9 August 2013). "New Royalist to be built". Yachting Monthly.
27. "New Ship Appeal". Sea Cadets.
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30. (30 July 2009). "New training ship for sea cadets".
31. "Fixed Seat Rowing". British Rowing.
32. Quinn, Ben. (28 December 2014). "Ministry of Defence pays out £2m to settle cadets' sexual abuse claims". [[The Guardian]].
33. (4 July 2017). "Sex abuse was covered up at cadet forces, Panorama finds". [[BBC News]].
34. Quinn, Ben. (9 November 2020). "Sea Cadets charity settles out of court in sexual abuse cases". [[The Guardian]].