48 years service with the ACF

Colonel Mike Bennett OBE retires

A full Banner Parade at the end of Gloucestershire Army Cadets' Annual Summer Camp at St Martin's Plain, Folkestone, marked the imminent retirement of the Commandant, Colonel Mike Bennett OBE. This comes at the end of 49 years service in the ACF and seven years as commandant. At the end of the parade, the Deputy Commanant, Lieutenant Colonel Martin James, presented the Commandant with a silver salver on behalf of all ranks of the battalion to commemorate his retirement.

At a moving ceremony, the Commandant then presented the battalion with a new banner which displayed Gloucestershire ACF affiliation with the Rifles. The banner was blessed by the chaplain Rev (Capt) Steve Ward before being paraded through the ranks