The Late Peter Billyard
Pete Billyard drove through Harworth one day in 1974/75 and saw the large wooden Cadet hut was boarded up and not in use he approached the ACF in Nottinghamshire and asked if he could open it up and see if he could get a detachment formed ? They gave him a month or it would be shut down again, Peter was joined by Peter Cox the other adult instructor Sergeant, myself, Phil Beighton Sean and Steven Bennet Neil Pendlebury Steve Edwards, Keith mead David Storey RIP Kevin Thomas Paul Cunningham, Morris Booth Kev Aspinall Mick Rogerson Andy Andrew Baker and his Brother Stuart, Glyn Lewis, Paul Longden and a few cadet NCO’s from Retford Nigel Cuckson Garry Cuckson Sugar Sherburn Paul Ritchie Rich RIP and Pete’s son Mark Billyard formed the first Harworth ACF detachment, others followed later Michael Moreton Gary Hancock Steve Taylor and within 6 months we were the biggest detachment in the company B Company Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters (The Woofers) 80 cadets our first weekend camp at Beckingham, we filled four billets with our detachment later we took over Band duties from Retford ACF and had drums and Bugles and performed at fetes in the summer and used to march to the cenotaph on Remembrance Sundays all round the village from the pit yard. We had Band practice on Monday night. Cadet nights on Wednesday and we used to do Star training down the Top wood, field cooking, section attacks on Sundays and once had an exercise with the TA. Pete Billyard was the adult Sergeant Major who gave up a lot of his spare time along with adult instructor Sergeant Peter Cox… RIP sir you influenced and shaped a lot of young Harworth and Bircotes men’s early lives and gave them some direction. Many went on to serve in the forces and the biggest success was Glyn Lewis who went through the ranks and made Lt Colonel in the Army Air Corps … God bless you sir, a true gentleman.
Mick Howarth former Cadet and HM Forces Veteran…
Michael Howarth
17/09/2024
