St Boniface's Catholic College - The Corps (OTC/ACF/CCF)

The Corps (OTC/ACF/CCF)

The College operated an Army Cadet unit, or The Corps as it was more familiarly known, from an early date until becoming a voluntary-aided school in 1981. In 1908, when the Territorial Army was formed, the College unit became part of the Officer Training Corps, and in 1914, when all independent Cadet units were taken under control by the War Office, it became part of the Army Cadet Force.

In 1923 all Governmental and Military support for the ACF was withdrawn as a result of Defence cutbacks (Geddes Axe), and this led to the forming of the British National Cadet Association (BNCA) by notable figures such as Lord Allenby who were keen to maintain the ACF and lobby for Government funding.

In 1942 the ACF was re-formed as a support to the Home Guard and in 1948 the College Corps, along with other independent school units, became part of the newly formed Combined Cadet Force (CCF). The Corps, which had its own building including a rifle range, had a long association with The Devonshire Regiment, which became The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment in 1958, and wore its regimental cap badge as part of the Cadet uniform. The College provided a steady stream of officers to both regiments from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century.