ARMY cadets and their instructors from every part of Cambridgeshire are wearing a new badge from Sunday 10th June in honour of their long association with the former Cambridgeshire Regiment. The annual commemoration service of the Cambridgeshire Regiment

ARMY cadets and their instructors from every part of Cambridgeshire are wearing a new badge from Sunday 10th June in honour of their long association with the former Cambridgeshire Regiment.

The annual commemoration service of the Cambridgeshire Regiment Association held at Ely Cathedral in the presence of the Lord Lieutenant, Hugh Duberly CBE, saw the introduction of the new commemorative emblem witnessed by veterans from several conflicts - and a strong bond which has existed for many years was strengthened even further.

Originally formed in 1860 as the Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, the regiment saw distinguished service as a Territorial Army formation during the first world war and subsequently in the far east during the second world war, a conflict in which Lt Col (retd) Wally Badcock MBE, a future executive officer of Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force served. The Cambridgeshires were amalgamated with the Suffolk Regiment in 1961, and were eventually absorbed into the Royal Anglian Regiment in 1971, now the parent regiment to local army cadets.

A former officer of D (Cambridgeshire) Company of the Royal Anglians and now current Deputy Cadet Commandant Lt Col Roger Herriot said, "The history of the Cambridgeshire Regiment and the county cadet force is inextricably linked. Prior to wearing the badge of the Royal Anglian Regiment cadets proudly wore the castle badge of the Cambridgeshires for example. We feel it is important that the new badge retains that link"

Cadets actively support the old comrades association, taking part last year in a joint homage to the Somme battlefields in September 2006 to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the storming of the Schwaben Redoubt in 1916 where 32 men gave their lives, 218 were wounded and 42 won medals for bravery in just one day.

The badge will be worn on the upper left arm of adult working uniform and on the brassard for cadets. It comes in two sizes, each showing the Army Cadet Force crest imposed upon the striking blue regimental colours of the former Cambridgeshires.

Colonel Roger Burgess, OBE, Cadet Commandant, said, " It is absolutely fitting that we should honour the Cambridgeshire Regiment in this way as the very roots of the county cadet force lay with the regiment. Whilst we wear a uniform based on that of the Royal Anglians we felt it special to include something of our history prior to that in honour of those who have served so loyally in the name of the county