| Unit Name: | Cleveland Army Cadet Force |
| Dates: | October 1974[1] – present |
| Country: |  United Kingdom |
| Branch: | |
| Type: | Registered Volunteer Youth Organisation |
| Role: | To provide pre-training and experience of life in the British Army |
| Size: | County |
| Command Structure: | Headquarters North East |
| Garrison: | Middlesbrough |
| Garrison Label: | Headquarters |
| Website: | Cleveland ACF |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Headquarters North East Badge |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Army Cadet Force Badge |
The Cleveland Army Cadet Force (Cleveland ACF) is the county cadet force for Cleveland that operates as part of the Army Cadet Force. Although the county of Cleveland was disestablished in 1996, the unit still maintains the name and recruits from its former area, which is now part of the North Riding of Yorkshire and Durham.
In 1863, along with the formation of the Volunteer Force, the first government sanctioned cadet groups were allowed to be formed. These groups would mostly be formed in connection with existing volunteer companies and battalions. Following the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 which organised the former Volunteer Force into a coherent organisation, known as the Territorial Force (TF), the cadets were expanded. Each company consisted of no less than 30 cadets, and four of these companies formed a "Cadet Battalion", the predecessors to the modern "Cadet County".[2]
Unlike their modern successors, the first cadet battalions were administered by their local County Territorial Force Associations, and rarely ever came under an "army command". However, following changes to the organisation of the Cadets, in 1923 all cadet forces were taken under complete control of the County Associations.
Following the Local Government Act 1974, the non-metropolitan county of Cleveland was formed from the Stockton Rural District (Hartlepool) of Durham and the unitary authority area of Redcar and Cleveland of the North Riding of Yorkshire.
The first mention of the 'Cleveland Army Cadet Force' appears in a supplement to the London Gazette dated 22 October 1974 with the first appointment of an officer.
Under the Army 2020 programme, the 4th Mechanised Brigade was merged with 15th (North East) Brigade to form the new 4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East on 1 April 2014. Following these changes, the county left the control of the 15th (North East) Brigade and joined 4th Infantry Brigade as part of Headquarters North East.[3]
As of December 2021, each Army Cadet Force county reports to their local brigade deputy commander, or in the case of independent regional headquarters the commander. However, for administrative duties each cadet county reports to Commander Cadets, who is a senior 1* Brigadier part of Headquarters, Regional Command.[4] [5] [6]
Each Army Cadet Force 'county' is in-fact a battalion, and each 'detachment' equivalent to that of a platoon.[4] The Cleveland ACF is currently divided into three companies, with multiple detachments spread throughout the Cleveland area:[7] [8]
| Detachment | Affiliation | Location | County | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Company[11] | |||||
| A Company Headquarters | Note: encompassing area from Norton-on-Tees to Hartlepool | Norton Army Reserve Centre, Norton-on-Tees, Stockton-on-Tees | Cleveland | TS20 2QW | |
| Billingham Detachment | The Rifles[12] | Beamish Road, Billingham | Cleveland | TS23 3DY | |
| Hardwick Detachment | Ketton Road, Hardwick, Stockton-on-Tees | Cleveland | TS19 8BU | ||
| Hartburn Detachment | Harrowgate Lane, Stockton-on-Tees | Cleveland | TS19 8TF | ||
| No. 1 Hartlepool Detachment | Corps of Royal Engineers | Easington Road, Hartlepool | Teesside | TS24 8JY | |
| No. 2 Hartlepool Detachment | The Rifles | Easington Road, Hartlepool | Teesside | TS24 8JY | |
| High Tunstall Detachment | The Rifles[13] | Elwick Road, Hartlepool | Cleveland | TS26 0LQ | |
| No. 1 Norton Detachment | Royal Military Police (Adjutant General's Corps) | Norton Road, Stockton-on-Tees | Cleveland | TS20 2QW | |
| No. 2 Norton Detachment | Corps of Royal Engineers | Norton Road, Stockton-on-Tees | Cleveland | TS20 2QW | |
| Yarm Detachment | Yorkshire Regiment[14] | Kirklevington, Yarm | Cleveland | TS15 9LW | |
| B Company | |||||
| B Company Headquarters | Note: encompassing the Middlesbrough area | Coulby Newham Army Reserve Centre, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough | Cleveland | TS8 0TQ | |
| Saint Peter's School Detachment | Royal Corps of Signals[15] | Normanby Road, Middlesbrough | Cleveland | TS6 6SP | |
| Brambles Farm Detachment | Yorkshire Regiment | Sotherby Road, Brambles Farm, Middlesbrough | Cleveland | TS3 8BT | |
| Burlam Road Detachment | Royal Logistic Corps[16] | Burlam Road, Middlesbrough | Cleveland | TS5 5AF | |
| Coulby Newham Detachment | Yorkshire Regiment | Ridgeway Road, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough | Cleveland | TS8 0TQ | |
| Ingleby Barwick Detachment | Corps of Royal Engineers[17] | Haresfield Way, Ingleby Barwick, Stockton-on-Tees | Cleveland | TS17 5BL | |
| Thornaby Detachment | Yorkshire Regiment | Martinet Road, Thonaby-on-Tees, Stockton-on-Tees | Cleveland | TS17 0AS | |
| Trinity Detachment | Royal Army Medical Corps | Lacy Road, Middlesbrough | Cleveland | TS4 3JW | |
| C Company | |||||
| B Company Headquarters | Note: encompassing the area from Redcar across to Loftus and Guisborough | Loftus Army Reserve Centre, West Road, Loftus | Cleveland | TS13 4RW | |
| Freebrough Academy Detachment | Yorkshire Regiment | Linden Road, Brotton, Saltburn-by-the-Sea | Teesside | TS12 2SJ | |
| Guisborough Town Detachment | Yorkshire Regiment | Park Lane, Guisborough | Cleveland | TS14 6EU | |
| Loftus Detachment | Yorkshire Regiment | Loftus Army Reserve Centre, West Road, Loftus | Cleveland | TS13 4RW | |
| Normanby Detachment | Yorkshire Regiment | Woodcock Close, Banksfield Road, Normanby | Cleveland | TS3 0TT | |
| Redcar Detachment | Yorkshire Regiment | Wheatlands, Redcar Lane, Redcar | Cleveland | TS10 2PA | |
| Redcar Academy Detachment | Yorkshire Regiment | Redcar Community College, Kirkleatham Lane, Redcar | Cleveland | TS10 4AB | |
| Saltburn Detachment | Yorkshire Regiment | Caravan Centre, Saltburn-by-the-Sea | Cleveland | TS12 1DE | |
In July 2018, more than 70 personnel from the Cleveland ACF went to Northern Ireland for a chance to win the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, but eight had to be evacuated after being isolated and exposed to the elements. The army later issued a formal apology and stated
The Army Cadet Force is a national, voluntary, uniformed youth organisation. It is sponsored by the British Army but not part of it and neither the cadets nor the adult volunteer leaders are subject to military call-up. They offer a broad range of challenging adventurous and educational activities, some of them on a military theme. Their aim is to inspire young people to achieve success in life and develop in them the qualities of a good citizen.
The ACF can be compared to their counterparts in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (USA), Hong Kong Adventure Corps, and Canadian Army Cadets, amongst others.
The Cleveland Army Cadet Force has over 650 cadets and adult volunteers in detachments all across Cleveland.
Prior to 2006, the county was affiliated with the North Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards). From 2006, following the formation of that regiment, the county was affiliated with the Yorkshire Regiment, except for 4 detachments which are affiliated with the Royal Engineers, The Rifles, and Royal Military Police.[19] [20]
Honorary Colonels of the county have included: