230 members of the Combined Cadet Force and Pipe Band assembled in the main Quadrangle of Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen on 9 November to mark Remembrance.
The moving service was conducted by Rev Louis Kinsey, who is well known to the College through involvement in previous services. Prior to becoming minister at St Columbia’s Church of Scotland, Bridge of Don, Rev Kinsey served in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Military involvement as a padre has included Op Telic and Op Herrick. He spent six months with BATUK, the British Army Training Unit Kenya. Other periods of service have taken him to Italy, the USA and Germany. Rev Kinsey’s wife Sally is also known to the College through her work with RGC Junior School and Nursery. Their sons Louis and Harry are Gordonians and were RGC CCF Army cadets.
The Inspecting Officer was Flt Lt Thomas Raeburn (Class of ‘09). Flt Lt Raeburn is a Typhoon Pilot serving on 6 Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth. He has recently returned from a four-month deployment on Op SHADER flying a variety of missions in Iraq and Syria. Leaving Robert Gordon’s College in 2009 he studied Economics & Management at Worcester College, Oxford and worked briefly in the London Banking sector. Joining the RAF in 2014 he completed Fast Jet training at RAF Linton on Ouse and RAF Valley. In 2017 he was awarded an 18-month Chief of the Air Staff’s Academic Fellowship at King’s College London specialising in contemporary conflict strategy and the military response to ‘hybrid’ warfare. He is now training to deploy to the South Atlantic as part of 1435 Flight based in the Falkland Islands. Following the parade, Flt Lt Raeburn laid a wreath at the College War Memorial.
The College was delighted that a limited number of guests could be invited this year. These included Lord Provost and Lord-Lieutenant for the City of Aberdeen Barney Crockett, former Lord-Lieutenant for Kincardineshire Carol Kinghorn and husband Roddy, who are former RGC parents, Hon Lt Menbahadur Gurung, Gurkha Rifles (Retd) and Flt Lt Raeburn’s parents.
Numbers on parade reflect the tremendous interest in the CCF and in Piping and Drumming at this time. All cadets and CCF staff were very fine representatives of the CCF and the College and must be thanked for the part they played in this impressive annual event.
