The Lord Wandsworth College Combined Cadet Force was officially formed on 28 February 1950 with Army and RAF
sections. The independent Air Training Corps detachment was discontinued. James Orr, a maths master, rugby coach
and ATC instructor, became the CCF commanding officer with the RAF rank of squadron leader.
CCF membership was compulsory for all boys from the age of 15. The new recruit entered the Basic Army Section,
where he was uniformed in khaki battledress, and when he had passed Certificate 'A', Part
1, he could continue in the Army Section or move to the Royal Air Force Section. Transfer to the RAF Section involved
a change of uniform, khaki battledress being exchanged for RAF blue battledress.
Unlike some schools which gave boys the option of leaving the CCF in the sixth form, Lord Wandsworth pupils of
this era had to remain in the cadets until they left school.
In 1964 the Ministry of Defence (the renamed War Office) promulgated a scheme for the reorganisation of Combined Cadet Forces in schools. The main effect at Lord Wandsworth's College and other public schools was to reduce the bloated size of the contingents, which in some establishments numbered several hundred cadets. The Basic Section was abolished and service in the CCF limited to three years.
Lord Wandsworth College cadets pictured in the early 1950s. Several variations of uniform may be noted: three
of the army cadets wear wartime pattern battledress blouses, in contrast to the 1949 pattern with a stepped lapel
collar worn by the other boys. The younger army cadets are outfitted in khaki general service caps, a precursor
to the more familiar navy blue beret worn by the NCOs in the front row. There are also three distinct variations
of style in the battledress blouses worn by the RAF section cadets.
By the end of the 1950s there was much greater uniformity in the battledress issued to CCF recruits, as can be seen in these photographs of army section and RAF section cadets taken in 1959 and 1960 respectively. Marksmanship badges in the form of a rifle surmounted by a star are worn on the left sleeve and some of the senior army cadets are wearing white-blancoed webbing, indicating that they are members of the CCF Drill Squad.
1950s-60s period CCF shoulder title plus attainment badges and insignia of rank for the army section (left) and RAF section
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