Hong Kong Adventure Corps

Hong Kong Adventure Corps
Active 1995 – Present
Type Volunteer Youth Organisation
Role JLW – Cadet Training
Adventure Training Team – Adventurous Training to Unit(s) and Organization(s)
Size 1 wing (12 sabre squadrons, 1 training squadron) and one independent squadron
Headquarters High Island Training Camp, Sai Kung Man Yee Road, High Island Reservoir, Sai Kung, Hong Kong
Motto(s) Nulli Secundus in Oriente (Second to None in the Orient)
Colours Red, Yellow, Blue
March Quick – Leather Bottel
Commanders
Commandant Colonel Matthew WONG, ED
Chairman of the Council Honorary Brigadier Enoch Lam
Patrons Anson Chan(Cessation of Patronage in July 2015), Tsang Yam Pui(Cessation of Patronage in July 2015)

The Hong Kong Adventure Corps is a voluntary uniformed group subsidised by the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club. It was created in 1995 with ties to the British Army's Army Cadet Force and Combined Cadet Force. Like the Hong Kong Sea Cadet Corps and Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps, the HKAC exists to serve the Hong Kong community. The HKAC's values are based in those of the British Army, providing a tough and challenging training with a distinctive military tone of discipline and esprit de corps.[1]

History

Founded in 4 September, the HKAC succeeded the Royal Hong Kong Regiment's Junior Leader Corps (J Corps) in 1995 after the disbandment of the RHKR(V) and its J Corps in the same year. The RHKR(V) J Corps was created in 1971 by then colonial government and had the same mission as the current HKAC. The J Corps had a maximum strength of 300 members and was divided into two units: J1 Squadron and J2 Squadron. Unlike the HKAC, which trains both boys and girls, the RHKR J Corps accepted boys only.

"The Ninety Nine" and "The Nine"

The Hong Kong Volunteers in 1854 had its first establishment of 99 Europeans to defence Hong Kong, while the HKAC has its owned cadets of 9 in the first batch of recruitment in 1995. This become the Corps' tradition to toast for the Ninety Nine and the Nine after the toast to HM and the people in its Foundation Day Dinner.

Training

The HKAC is an army-orientated and disciplined youth organisation that aims to promote qualities of responsibility, self-reliance, resourcefulness, endurance, perseverance and a sense of service to the community, as well as developing its cadets' leadership and social awareness.[2] The Corps is now an Operating Authority of the Hong Kong Award for Young People (Duke of Edinburgh Award in Hong Kong) (DEA).

The Corps Headquarters is in High Island, Sai Kung, and was given to the Corps by the Hong Kong Government. The facility was formerly a British army camp. Another training camp, also located in High Island, was formerly a correctional facility and detention centre for Vietnamese refugees.

Among its members, the HKAC aims to provide:

Training activities at the camp include:

Field Training activities like tactics, night walk and camp craft are always conducted in the countryside nearby. Chong Hing (High Island) and Tai Mei Tuk (Tai Po) Water Sports Centre are often used by sabre unit for water sports activities.

Unit training also proceeded in those schools with an affiliation to the Corps.

In the period from 1995 to 2009, former British Forces Camp, the Burma Lines Camp (Queen's Hill, Faniling) were used for training also.

Organisation

The organisation chart of the Corps.

CHQ/ Council

Junior Leader Wing

Independent units

Ranks

The Rank table of the Corps.

Officers

Type Officers
Rank Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Officer Cadet
Abbv Col Lt Col Maj Capt Lt 2Lt OCdt

Other Ranks (Adult members)

Type Instructors and WOs
Rank Warrant Officer Class 1 Warrant Officer Class 2 Staff Sergeant Sergeant Corporal Instructor/ Potential Instructor
Abbv WO1 WO2 SSgt Sgt Cpl Instr/ PI

Other Ranks (Cadets)

Type Cadet SNCOs and JNCOs/Recruit
Rank Cadet Warrant Officer Class 2 Cadet Staff Sergeant Cadet Sergeant Cadet Corporal Cadet Lance Corporal Recruit/ Cadet/ Senior Cadet
Abbv CWO2 C/SSgt C/Sgt C/Cpl C/LCpl Rect/ Cdt/ Cdt

Qualifications

The age range for joining the HKAC is between 11 and 21, and new members are given the rank of Recruit. Recruits who attain sufficient training are qualified to the rank of Cadet after Passing Out Parade. Cadets may be promoted to the following ranks:

Besides the rank system, the Corps also has a skill qualification system that recognizes the skills of its members, and awards badges regardless of rank. These badges can be worn on a brassard while in uniform. The available badges are:

Uniform

The HKAC dress uniform is similar to the British Army dress uniform. Inheriting the tradition from its parent regiment, the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, there are some slight differences between uniforms worn by the Army and Corps members.

The HKAC badge is similar to the badge of the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, with two dragons facing each other. The crown in the badge was replaced by a bauhinia after the 1997 handover.

HKAC members cannot wear uniform when:

Cadet must wear the beret/headgear at anytime, except:

Ceremonial Dress

By tradition, cadet members wear dark blue berets as their headgear, while adult members wear No.1 Cap when this dress is worn. Scarlet Red Sash is worn by all Senior Non-commissioned Officers (Sergeant or above). WO1s and Officers will wear Sam Browne belt and carry infantry pattern (1897)sword if necessary; the Corps Sergeant Major and Senior Warrant Officer will also carry a regulation pattern Pace Stick as part of uniform. Other ranks will not carry bayonet frogs and will not mount bayonets onto their arms.

Some Non-commissioned officers will choose to wear Ammo Boots while Officers will wear Oxford-style parade shoes.

Band issues their own kilt with tartan to the Pipeband members. Drum Major carry mace on parade.

Warm Weather Service Dress (Officers only)

Field Dress

Since the Corps was a sub-unit of Royal Hong Kong Regiment, DPM is adopted as field dress by the Corps. Dark blue berets with red flash (for cadet members) and green flash (for adult members) are worn as headdress. Jungle hats can be worn in field with authorisations from the unit commander.

Adult members who had military force service experiences might own sets of No.9 uniform, issued by both RHKR(V) and HKMSC. Others may buy DPM field dress themselves. Cadet members wear a pair of Olive Green lightweight trousers instead of DPM lightweight trousers. Combat Soldier 95 (CS95) shirts were restricted by the Corps as the system adopt rank slides instead of epaulettes. However, some members modified the shirts, putting epaulettes tapes onto the uniform to meet the standard of the Corps. Also, olive-green brassards used by Regular Army in early-80's are adopted by the Corps, instead of rank patches used in late-80's and early-90's.

Mess Dress

Mess Dress is only available for adult members. Female members wear black mess jackets and black evening dresses, which is specially designed, unlike the "cavalry style" jacket adopted by the Regular Army.

General Service (GS)/Barrack Dress

Khaki long-sleeved shirt is worn by all members when they are in GS/ Barrack Dress. In summer time, sleeves are rolled up above elbow level. In winter time, olive-green pullovers or Combat Smock jackets can be worn, based on the orders from the commanders.

For GS Dress, olive green lightweight trousers are worn with high-leg boots. For Barrack dress, bottle-green barrack trousers (for male members) and skirt (for female members) are worn with Oxford-style parade shoes or ankle boots.

Stable belts or olive green working belts can be worn, based on the orders from the commanders. Cadet members are unauthorised to wear Barrack dress.

Service Dress

The Corps adopted the Service Dress in FAD (Future Army Dress of British Army) style to the adult members in both officer and other ranks in early 2012 and is now replacing the olive green barrack trousers.

Equipment

The Corps uses equipment handed down after the disbanding of the Royal Hong Kong Regiment in 1995:

In addition, a number of M16A3 and L85A1 replica weapons are in the armoury of the Corps, which are used as aids for teaching field-crafts and skill-at-arms.

Two Russian BTR-70 APCs confiscated by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department in an illegal shipment in 2000 are on display at the High Island Training Camp.

Fleet

The Corps has 11 vehicles in service, with most of them donated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The Home Affairs Bureau has also provided subsidies to replace two rubber boats used for water activities.

Types of vehicles:

Awards

The Hong Kong Adventure Corps issues its own awards to its members that are not a part of the government issued orders, decorations, and medals of Hong Kong.[3] The medals and clasps are modelled after those awarded by the British Army, and a lanyard with the Corps' colours are awarded to members receiving the following commandant commendations:

To encourage members who served the Corps, the Corps provides scholarships to members who received years of training upon being admitted to local universities as full-time students.

Exchange Trips

The HKAC cadets are often visited by fellow army cadet corps from other countries and they in turn visit corps in other countries from time to time.

Recruitment

Every year, from March to May, the Corps inducts teenagers aged between 11 and 21 (inclusive). Selections are conducted before the start of recruit training. The annual Passing Out Parade is held in the following year's April for recruits who pass the Recruit Basic Training Course.

See also

Cadet corps Type Country
Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps aviation Hong Kong
Hong Kong Sea Cadet Corps naval Hong Kong
Sea Cadet Corps (United Kingdom) naval United Kingdom
Army Cadet Force army United Kingdom
Royal Canadian Sea Cadets naval Canada
Royal Canadian Air Cadets aviation Canada
Royal Canadian Army Cadets army Canada

References

  1. ↑ Our Vision
  2. ↑ Mission, Vision, Values
  3. ↑ http://www.hkac.org/Orders/2010/20100421.pdf
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