MEMBERS of the Merchant Taylors’ School and St Helen’s, Northwood, Combined Cadet Force visited HMS Collingwood in Hampshire to experience a taste of naval life.

Students stayed in typical Naval accommodation on board HMS Collingwood and the following morning saw the cadets enjoying ceremonial divisions in the presence of the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Philip Jones, with music from the Band of the Royal Marines.

The cadets visited the close range training simulator where they tried their hands at firing a gun from the deck of a ship and were tested in a series of leadership and teamwork challenges like crossing “open water” on islands to retrieve essential supplies using just planks, pallets and tyres.