The Dominica Grammar School Cadet Corps

 1910 – 1980
by
Captain Francis. E .Richards

The  Dominica Grammar School Cadet Corps was first organized in 1910 during the tenure of Headmaster Skinner.  The total strength then was 20 boys, including one (1) platoon Sergeant, and one (1) Corporal.  For the next forty (40) years the instructors were drawn from the local Police Force.  During that period, the Corps was never legally constituted until a later date.

Mr. J.C. Bruney remembers the school population in 1931 to be 64 boys, spread through 2nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th forms.  The Cadet Corps comprised 4 sections of 8 cadets, including one Sergeant.  Mr. Bruney notes; that the low school population was directly related to the inability of most parents to meet the required school fees, the equivalent of $15.00 per term.  The Headmaster’s salary was the equivalent of $960.00 (200 pounds sterling) per annum, plus a furnished residence.

During the 1936 to 1945 era as a Cadet, Mr. Eric Watty recalls that recruits were required to be of sizeable stature and were selected from forms 3, 4, and 5.  The uniform of the day was Australian bush hats, white shirts, black belts with brass buckles, white trousers, and black shoes.  33 obsolete Boer War rifles were issued for arms drill on ceremonial occasions.  The “outstanding boy” at school led the march at Kings Birthday Parades, and Empire Day, under the watchful eyes of Police Parade Commander, Major Hill.

The existence of the 4^th D/ca Scout Troop and the D.G.S. Cadets were among the few organizations available to youth at that time.  Extra curricular activities were limited to cricket football, and athletics.  There was great anticipation and competition among pupils awaiting their opportunity to be selected as Cadets.  The tremendous pride in the uniformed ranks to maintain the “esprit de corps” was matched by their pride of place to be among the best of the best.

Tuesday afternoon basic drills, with rifles for uniformed ranks, and “staves” for recruits, and Wednesday afternoon musketry sessions were as important to Cadets as formal classroom studies.  The discipline and coordination required for a group of people to be mobilized towards one objective was highlighted when the Cadets staged and were victorious in a stimulated capture of Morne Bruce, defended by the Police under the command of Major Branch.

Traditionally, the Dominica Grammar School was the only school permitted to have a half-day holiday in the middle of every term.  On 4^th Nov.1932 the then unblemished record of the Cadet Corps was tarnished when ostensibly, a number of junior students misbehaved in the presence of senior students who failed to take corrective action.

The Headmaster Mr. H.W. Stokes decided the punishment was to be the cancellation of half-term holiday.  At that period, Drill was the first lesson on Friday morning.  All Cadets assembled at the Botanical Gardens for regular practice under Drill Instructor, Police Sgt. Dyer.  At the end of the session, all present spontaneously agreed to defy the rules and reclaim the half-day holiday. Subsequently, much to the disbelief and consternation of the Headmaster, each of the so called ringleaders from the 5^th form “respectively” refused to accept punishment on the grounds that they were not solely responsible.  Notwithstanding the dismissals and reacceptances which followed, that singular event proved to be of major significance to the pupils of that era and to following generations.

With the advent of World War 2, the previous semi-military training as Cadets proved to be invaluable to graduated students who wished to serve in the West India Regiment.  Even today a number of the surviving Ex-Servicemen can proudly trace their formative years as Dominica Grammar School Cadets.

On the assembly square of the present Dominica Grammar School on Valley Road, rests a memorial stone inscribed with the names of fallen cadets who served.  World War II ended in 1945, and on his return Mr. J.C. Bruney was appointed Commanding Officer of the D.G.S Cadet Corps, ably assisted by Mr. A.V. Grell.  By the end of 1950 the Corps had grown to fifty (50) including 1Sgt. 2Clps, and 3lance-corporals.  The receipt of 2 B.S.A Martini type rifles with enough ammunition to last the year was very welcome.

1951 and 1952 are especially significant milestones.  Due to the successful negotiations of Headmaster Mr. V.A.A. Archer, Lieutenant A.V.Grell became the first Commissioned Officer to lead the D.G.S Cadet Corps on King’s Birthday Parade.  Gazetted on the 12^th of May 1952, the Cadet Corps Ordinance (No.4 of 1952) established the seventy (70) strong Dominica Grammar School Cadet Corps as a legal body.  That same year saw the arrival of the Fife and Drum band instruments.  The fourteen (14) member band was under the able direction of Mr. Cecil Bellot who had kindly consented to assist, followed in subsequent years by A. W. Grantham, Henderson, and Cpl. Dowe.

By January 1953, the Corps had grown to three (3) platoons, with Lt. W.R.L Friday as the Commanding Officer.  The usual Queen’s Birthday Parade, Remembrance Day Parade, and intermittent official occasions required the presence of the Cadets along with official occasions required the presence of the Cadets along with Corps of Drums.  By that time the Official uniform was upgraded to reflect more military swank.  Standard dress included the Australian Bush Hat, engraved hat badge, hat-band khaki skirt, webb belt with  brass buckles and fittings, khaki shorts, knee –length hose, garters, anklets, or putties, and black boots.

The established school system of continuous arrival and subsequent graduation of students, necessitated a turnover of Cadets and Officers.  The chain of command passed from 2^nd. Lt. Cecil .A. C.E. Layne, followed by C.S.M Raglan Riviere, and Lt. Cecil .A. Goodridge.  His innovative new training strategies from 1956 to 1960 made the D.G.S Cadet Corps a significant challenge to the adventurous and ambitious student.  Also in 1956, the Corps of Drums rose to prominence with the appointment of 2/Lt Bandmaster L.A. Ward.

Part1. Certificate A instruction and exams, Route Marches, 22 Martini Rifles and one 303 P. 14 for Drill, and two B.S.A. 22 Target Rifles for Musketry were the major components of the training programme.  Four-cornered shooting competitions developed a keen sense of competition between the Cadets and the local Police.  In 1959 the coveted Caribbean Cadets National Hundred Roll Esso Shield was won by the D.G.S Cadets, with much of the credit going to C.Q.M.S. L. Earle. Johnson wining the Bronze Medal.

L.E. Johnson continued on to play a major role in the development of the Cadet Corps.  The records for 1958 show C.Q.M.S Johnson receiving a special prize on Speech Day, awarded by Lt. C. A. Goodridge  “To the most deserving Cadet who was not awarded a prize” on the schools official prize listing.  The significance of the Goodridge gesture was to be manifest at a later date.

Four years later, with the departure of Lt. S. P. Richards who had succeeded Capt. C. A. Goodridge, the Corps was at a loss for leadership.  A group of senior Cadets prevailed on Headmaster V. A. Crick to recommend the appointment of Johnson as Commanding Officer.  Thus for the following three years, Lt. L. E. Johnson became the first non-member of the D.G.S teaching staff to be O/C Cadets.  On his return from study leave in 1964 Capt. S. P. Richards resumed his Command, and for the first time in the history of the Corps three were three (3) Commissioned Officers on role: - Capt. Richards, Lt. Johnson, and 2/Lt. Arthur James.

The Corps thrived and with the passing of each academic year a refreshing cadre of new young leaders passed out of the ranks into their various communities.  Some became Police Officers, others sought careers in the various Military Services elsewhere, rising to ranks of significant authority and responsibility.  Members of the Corps of Drums made their mark in the field of music, many through the medium of the Music Lovers Government Band.  It was an era produced a new line of leadership for the Corps from within.  A final role call of Commanding Officers lists Capt. Arthur James, Lt. L.A Roberts, and Lt. Lester. A. Dorsett.

Special mention must be made of the Canadian/Caribbean Cadet Exchange camps, to which selected delegates were sent to Canada in 1971 and Trinidad and Tobago in 1972.  Musketry continued to play a major role in the training programme, with frequent competitions against the Police, Dominica Defense Force, and the Dominica Rifle Club.

The next ten (10) years witnessed unprecedented changes in the Cadet movement in Dominica.  On November 15, 1971 a Local Cadet Committee was appointed to review all Cadet affairs in the State.  The main item on the agenda was the idea of forming a Dominica Cadet Corps.  The Dominica Grammar School, St Mary’s Academy and the Londonderry regional Youth Camp units were to maintain their separate items of ceremonial insignia, but management would be by Central Command under Cadet Commandant Major L. Earle Johnson.  During that era regional camps were held in Barbados, St Lucia, St. Vincent and Dominica.  Training Officers from the Guyana and Dominica Defense Forces ably augmented ongoing para-military programme.

With the introduction of girls into the all-boys Dominica Grammar School, sixty six (66) years of tradition came to an end.  The D.G.S unit experiments with the integration of Girl Cadets.  In the Summer of 1977, Major Johnson initiated the revolutionary idea of Project T.E.T (Triangular Education Tour).  The idea was to take a party of Cadets on an Educational tour of three neighboring islands over a period of three weeks.

The result was a testing step with twenty eight (28) Cadets; twenty (20) boys including an Officer and eight (8) girls to Guadeloupe and the Saints.  For those who participated, the experiment proved to be extremely worthwhile and very practical, given the reality of D.G.S being co-ed.  The advent of Girl Cadets in the Dominica Cadet Corps had arrived.

On major ceremonial parades, the twenty (20) strong Drum Corps under Lt. F. Richards would merge with the Dominica Defense Force Drum Corps and the Dominica Government Band.  The novelty of Girls in uniform was quickly accepted and plans to further explore a more practical and useful training programme was carded for investigation.

Then came Hurricane David in 1979.  The Cadet Headquarters at Elmshall was not spared it’s wrath.  All items of uniform and other supplies were either destroyed or stolen.  Subsequent efforts were made to revive the Corps, but apparently the state of the economy and other factors mitigated against an institution that had forged for itself such a healthy and respectful history.  Regrettably, the continued upkeep of a Cadet Corps, nationally or as individual school units quickly became a feature of the past.

From the comments of those persons interviewed for this historical extract, the general consensus was that, the Dominica Grammar School in particular, and indeed the Commonwealth of Dominica has lost much from the demise of the Cadet Corps.  This was an institution honored and respected by the school and community alike.

Walk through the leading institutions at home and abroad, in the Professional Arena, take a peek down the corridors of Political Power, in Religious Institutions, on World Committees, you will find them there:-- ex D.G.S. Cadets.  Not one will doubt that in their formative years, this was an institution which not only provided an opportunity for adventure but as well stamped an indelible sense of direction, honor and pride in their Alma Mater.