A SQUAD of 27 pupils from St Brigid’s school, Denbigh spent 24 hours in the country learning fieldcraft techniques.

They were taking part in Exercise Cold Feet an annual expedition for the school’s combined cadet force, held on a training area near Bodelwyddan. The exercise started with building improvised shelters in a small wood, cooking evening meals on field cookers.

A great deal of incredulity was expressed about the quality and variety of the rations issued in the food packs, which contained three meals with many variations, and lots of snacks to keep the youngsters going throughout the 24 hours.

A night march and starlight navigation was undertaken with the objective of sneaking up on an enemy before snatching some shuteye in the shelters. The wood where the shelters were located was quiet after 10.30pm, and little was heard until reveille from the pupils at 7am: perhaps a sign of the tired bodies after the night walk.

Bleary eyed the youngsters climbed out of their sleeping bags to prepare breakfast, again on field cookers. Instruction on basic first aid followed before they were taught map reading and undertook an orienteering navigation exercises.

The range of skills learned and practised on Exercise Cold Feet will help prepare the pupils for challenges they may face in later life.