A cadet from the school’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF) spent his Easter break undertaking a 15-day skiing expedition to Norway. Tom skied across the icy Hardangervidda plateau in exceptionally tough weather conditions to complete Exercise TELEMARK CHALLENGER 23.
Organised by the Army, the expedition recreated the journey taken by the so-called Telemark Heroes – a force of British and Norwegian commandos who conducted a daring raid against a Nazi heavy water plant in 1944.
The first few days were spent learning how to Nordic ski before embarking on the expedition. The trek ended with a fascinating battlefield tour of the site that was the raid’s target. Tom had little time for rest over the Easter Holiday, also spending a week with other cadets from the school completing his Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in an expedition to Anglesey.
Major Goddard, CCF Contingent Commander, commented: “Congratulations to Tom for overcoming the significant mental and physical challenges of crossing the Hardangervidda plateau. To do so only two days after completing his DofE expedition is particularly remarkable. Adventures such as these are powerful ways for young people to develop a range of skills that cannot be taught in the classroom.”