Unusual units: Jersey

We have around 400 units, each with their own personality and quirks that make them unique! In this issue, we take a closer look at Jersey

Vital statistics

TS name: TS Jersey

Area: Southern

Year founded: 1947

No. of cadets: 155 (including royal marines cadets and junior cadets)

No. of volunteers: 63

CO: Lt (SCC) David Thompson RNR.
Lt Thompson joined as a volunteer in 1991, moving to Jersey in 2018, and taking command of Jersey Unit in 2021. “Being such a large unit means that constant oversight is needed in terms of logistics and training,” he says. “We have no Sea Cadets ‘neighbours’ we can call upon to help us out, so sometimes we need to really think outside the box!”

Boating location: The unit delivers powerboating, sailing, paddleboarding and rowing at Jersey Sea Cadets RYA & British Canoeing School. It’s been converted into a fantastic training facility with accommodation.

What makes the unit unusual?

Jersey is the largest unit, in terms of cadet and volunteer numbers. The cadets do their training and boating in a fort that was initially built by King Henry VIII in 1540! The fort was occupied by German forces during WWII.

A cadet’s take:

Victoria (17) says: “Being part of the largest Sea Cadets unit in the UK is amazing! It offers us a wide range of boating, camps and many other activities.”

Something the unit is working on at the moment:

Jersey Unit is launching a fully equipped engineering lab and a Merlin flight simulator to provide cadets with a hands-on, 3D learning experience in aerospace.