News

Tonight, Poole Sea Cadets happily took delivery of their 2025 Royal British Legion flag in advance of Remembrance Sunday on 9th November.

The 60 cadets, aged between 10 and 18 years of age, are annually proud to remember those who have gone before them.

Between now and November the cadets, who have a particular affinity to the Royal Navy, will be reminded of the history surrounding both Remembrance Sunday and the associated and much-loved Poppies.

This year Poole Sea Cadet’s award-winning marching band will again lead a number of parades of veterans including that in Poole Park on Remembrance Sunday.

On behalf of Corfe Mullen Town Council, Chair and Mayor of Corfe Mullen Town Council Duncan Sowry-House recently signed the Armed Services Covenant saying:

CORFE MULLEN TOWN COUNCIL

“We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.”

By signing the covenant, the Council committed to honour and support the Armed Forces Community and to recognise the value that serving personnel, including reservists, veterans and their families contribute to the country as a whole.

Poole Sea Cadets were honoured to be asked to be present in the form of LC McKenzi, AC Freddie and Cadet 1st Elliot.

Also, in support of Poole Sea Cadets and Corfe Mullen Town Council Lee Hardy, Chair of Poole Sea Cadets and also a Councillor of Corfe Mullen Town Council was pleased to sign too [pictured].

Poole Sea Cadets were pleased to host the Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, Michael Dooley, for an evening where he informally met our volunteers and cadets at TS Drax.
As Lord Lieutenant Mr Dooley is the King’s representative in the County of Dorset and the Boroughs of Poole and Bournemouth.
Having firstly received a detailed briefing on the proposals for, and progress of our new headquarters building, he keenly entered into many of the activities being undertaken by the cadets on that particular evening.
For example, he was shown the intricacies of buoyage and navigation, was introduced to some naval history surrounding D-Day, and saw the intricacies of a forthcoming Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition, in an area of the country he actually knew very well.

An emotional crowd proudly surrounded Poole’s historic lifeboat station museum to commemorate the contribution made by the town in 1940 to operation Dynamo – the rescuing of thousands of British Expeditionary Force troops from the bombed and blasted beaches of Dunkirk in Belgium.
At the exact time that the hastily gathered fleet set sail 85 years ago, bugler Kevin Steele of Poole Sea Cadets appropriately sounded the “Last Post”.
Flowers were then laid in Fisherman’s Dock in silent tribute to Poole’s seafarers of the time.
Within the RNLI Museum at the end of Poole Quay the then Poole Lifeboat “Thomas Kirk Wright” is preserved to the present day. A Dunkirk “Little Ship” herself she was prominent in the mass evacuation from Belgium, making several return voyages, and carrying hundreds of escaping soldiers.
On a fine sunny evening the crowd of onlookers, which included the crews of both of today's Poole lifeboats, was welcomed by the new Mayor of Poole, Councillor Mark Howell, before the Reverend Canon Lucy Hall led prayers and hymns. Poole Borough Band played on the dockside before thanks were given by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, Admiral Sir George Zambellas.

Poole Sea Cadets are proud to support the 80th Anniversary Victory in Europe (VE) Day in Poole on May 8th.

Bruce Grant-Braham, a Trustee of Poole Sea Cadets, said, “Poole and the surrounding area is home to a huge number of veterans and their families who personally contributed to Victory in Europe over Nazi Germany in 1945.”

“Often our cadets parade alongside veterans at Remembrance events and are very honoured to be invited to do so.”

“It is fitting that our younger generation go out of their way to say a big thank you to those - including in their own families - who, both at home and abroad, contributed to a peace we have benefitted from in this country for 80 years. Neither at this time should we fail to pay tribute to the fallen.”

AC Sandra said, “it is time to remember those lost. There is a significant impact on us, many of whom may join the forces soon. OC Freddie agreed and said, “there is a large impact on our generation.”

It is hoped that the 8th of May will be a celebratory day in Poole as indeed it was back in 1945. Then the celebrations were spontaneous and broke out in Poole and across the nation. Again in 2025 it should be a time for neighbourhood parties and family get-togethers.

In the accompanying photo Poole Sea Cadets AC Sandra and OC Freddie are seen with and then erecting a commemorative British Legion VE Day 80 Sign near their Poole Headquarters, as a timely reminder to passers-by.