We are delighted to announce this year’s Royal Air Force Air Cadets awards winners. After an extremely close competition, the winners of the Dacre Sword, ATC 75 Sword, Sir John Thompson Memorial Sword and unit awards have been announced.
The 2024 winners are as follows:
- The Sir John Thomson Memorial Sword is awarded to the top cadet in the Combined Cadet Force (RAF). The winner is Cadet Warrant Officer Jerome Fernando, Wilson’s School CCF (RAF), London & South East Region.
- The Dacre Sword is awarded to the top all-round Cadet in the Air Training Corps. The winner is Cadet Warrant Officer Charlotte Perry, 309 (Sawbridgeworth) Squadron, Central & East Region.
- The Air Training Corps 75th Anniversary Sword is awarded to the runner-up in the top all-round Air Training Corps Cadet competition. The recipient is Cadet Warrant Officer Alex McCormick, 1016 (Berwick) Squadron, North Region.
- The Marshall Trophy is awarded to the Air Training Corps Squadron that has been most successful in achieving consistent and sustained improvement over a three-year period. The winner is 306 (Runcorn) Squadron, North Region.
- The John Cunningham Trophy is awarded to the Combined Cadet Force (RAF) Section that has been most successful in achieving consistent and sustained improvement over a three-year period. The winner is Astor School CCF(RAF), London & South East Region.
- The Lees Trophy is awarded to the best performing Air Training Corp Squadron: The winner is 308 (City of Colchester) Squadron, Central & East Region.
- The Morris Trophy is awarded to the runner-up in the best performing Air Training Corps Squadron competition: The recipient is 2175 (Rolls Royce) Squadron, West Scotland Wing and Scotland and Northern Ireland Region.
- The Royal Air Squadron Trophy is awarded to the best performing CCF(RAF) Section as determined by competition. The winner is Loughborough Grammar School, Central & East Region.
- Air League Challenge Cup is awarded to the best performing Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS): The winner is 661 VGS based at Kirknewton airfield in Scotland.
Sir John Thomson Memorial
CWO Jerome Fernando – Wilson’s School CCF (RAF) LaSER Region
CWO Jerome Fernando has achieved a lot in his four-year career as an air cadet at Wilson’s CCF (RAF) unit. He gives his all to everything he takes part in and with his strong leadership and intellect, it is no surprise that he is highly thought of by the St John’s ambulance cadets and his school where he is head-boy away from his air cadet duties.
He graduated the Qualified Aerospace Instructors Course last year and was just one of the forty people who were chosen to take part and he was named the Best Overall Student and the Best Air Traffic Control Student on the South Division. He’s also taken part in the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Programme and has a very solid brassard.
CWO Fernando said: “After QAIC, I have been using my knowledge to teach, giving the cadets access to a variety of lessons, ranging from Aerodynamics to ATC. Recently, I have been running an Aerospace module in our training programme, which has been a particular success with cadets looking to study engineering in higher education. Personally, I have used my knowledge from QAIC to obtain a 12-hour flying scholarship with the Air League, which I have been completing with the aim of obtaining my PPL.
If I were successful in obtaining the Sir John Thomson Memorial sword, I would represent the RAFAC to the best of my abilities and be present at every event possible. I would be an ambassador for the RAFAC in the way I dress and act, consistently holding myself to a high standard throughout the course of the year.”
Flight Lieutenant Andre Luck from Wilson’s school said:
“What can I say...! It is not often that a person of Jerome’s character comes into our lives here at Wilson’s School. From the very start with the cadets, he has proved himself more than capable; he was the first cadet to be promoted to Flight Sergeant in his year group. He is a key member of the Cadet Leadership team, ensuring that trainings delivered to the cadets as well as actively managing his own squad within the section.
He commands respect from his peers in what he does without imposing authority – a rare ability and one which will stand him in good stead in his adult life. As well as his direct contribution to the section he finds time to serve his community. Not only a leader but a follower – not something often seen.
I could say a lot more…he is an incredible young adult.”
Group Captain Al Lewis said: I have met Jerome a few times and he’s an outstanding, lovely cadet who has a promising future ahead. He exuded presence, and inner confidence from the moment we met. He was the regions winner and now the overall winner for the whole organisation which is a fantastic achievement. This is the first time Regional Commandants have conducted SJTM interviews, and absolutely fitting to do so along wider DACRE candidates. The quality is humbling across them all. I really enjoyed our interview chat, and commend him as a superb CCF ambassador. A standout memory for me is that his QAIC call name is “Super Trouper” because of his Surname and Abba reference. It makes me smile every time – he has humour and all the outstanding traits to be the RAF Air Cadets top CCF Cadet. His maturity and clarity of thought, often deep analysis, belies his years, but are key indicators of the natural leadership he displays and the prestigious roles for which he’s been selected.”
DACRE SWORD
CWO Charlotte Perry, 309 (Sawbridgeworth) Squadron from Essex Wing and Central and East Region
CWO Perry has beaten off fierce competition to be named the top all-round ATC cadet across the whole country. After being selected as the top cadet in Essex Wing, CWO Perry was nominated for the regional competition and underwent an interview process with her Regional Commandant.
She was then put forward for the national competition against a small selection of other top cadets from around the UK before she was named this year’s winner.
The Cadet Forces Adult Volunteers at her squadron said that CWO Perry has excelled in every facet of her cadet career. She has consistently demonstrated exemplary leadership skills, dedication, and a profound commitment to personal and professional growth. Since joining the organisation in early 2019, CWO Perry has proactively sought and taken every opportunity to enhance her skillset and broaden her horizons. Her participation in courses and camps such as ACLC, QAIC, National Air & Space Camp, and her achievement of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award reflects her determination, resilience, and capability. Moreover, her willingness to share the knowledge and experience that she gained with fellow cadets, both within our Squadron and at Wing and even national levels, exemplifies her commitment to the principle of service.
CWO Perry has proven herself an excellent ambassador for the RAFAC having participated in numerous high-profile events on behalf of the organisation – the King’s Coronation, the International Air Cadet Exchange, and the Ypres Remembrance Service.
Flight Lieutenant Fuller said: These achievements have been made more impressive when taken in the context of the mental health struggles that CWO Perry has been very open about in her role as a Mental Health Ambassador. To overcome those challenges and go on to consistently find new ways of moving outside her comfort zone, even achieving the award for Best Cadet on the Air Cadet Leadership Course, is a testament to her strength of character and resilience.”
Her exceptional achievements, leadership qualities, and commitment to service make her an outstanding representative of the RAFAC and a source of inspiration to her peers.
CWO Perry said:
“ Being nominated for this award is an honour and I would hope to not only continue representing the RAFAC and the opportunities it creates to its highest standards at events, but also to show other young people coming from places of low confidence, that by taking opportunities and giving yourself a chance, a new level of achievement is possible.”
ATC 75 Sword
CWO Alex McCormick – 1016 (Berwick) Squadron, North Region
CWO Alexander McCormick joined the ATC at 12 years old and has consistently developed through the ranks at speed. He began to show signs of excellence during the pandemic, when he assisted with planning and delivery of the Squadrons virtual training programme, ensuring that his fellow cadets stayed engaged during one of the most challenging periods of their lives.
He has taken every opportunity that the Corps has to offer, including DofE and Cyber where he earned gold level awards, radio, sports, shooting, first aid and music. In addition to attending annual camps in the UK he participated in a camp in Belgium with SNI Wing who praised the way he conducted himself. CWO McCormick has also represented RAFAC as Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet for Berwickshire.
A self-proclaimed aviation enthusiast, CWO McCormick has an impressive training record as a Flight Cadet on 661 VGS. Here he combines his passion for aviation with developing others, and now instructs cadets as a qualified G1 Pilot. With an ambition to become a civilian rotary wing pilot, he has completed the Air Cadet Pilot Scheme, Air League Flying Scholarship and is applying to the BA Speed bird Pilot Academy.
A well-rounded individual, his impressive academic achievements from school are but one part of his personality. He enjoys participating in team cycling, running and rugby whilst also being active in his local community through the local Rotary Club.
CWO McCormack said: I believe the most important attribute that both previous Dacre Sword winners and I display is the drive to inspire the next generation of young leaders to strive for excellence in all they do. I have applied myself to attend as many courses as I can in order to gain qualifications which I can use to improve the experience and skills of my fellow cadets. I particularly apply myself to inspiring the next generation of aviation professionals and am privileged to be the only cadet in RAFAC who is currently qualified to take other cadets gliding. If I were to be selected for the DACRE sword, my cadet experience would be seen as a living testament to an organisation which shapes young people into tomorrow’s citizens. I would be honoured to tell my story to other organisations and individuals with the aim of inspiring others to join the organisation either as adult volunteers or cadets.
Air Commodore Tony Keeling said:
“I was extremely impressed by the strength of the nominations for our top units and Air Cadet squadrons and Units. I have covered a lot of miles in recent weeks and spoken with some remarkable young people and met some amazing teams of motivated and inspiring CFAV’s and cadets. The calibre was so high which made our jobs very hard, but I am inspired and enthused by the next generation.”
Air Commodore Keeling Commandant
RAF Air Cadets
The award winners will be presented with their awards by the Commandant at the official honours and Awards ceremony at RAF College Cranwell in September. It will be Air Commodore Keeling's last official event as the head of the organisation.