| Unit Name: | Durham Army Cadet Force Durham & South Tyne Army Cadet Force |
| Dates: | before May 1982–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: | Gilesgate |
| Garrison Label: | County HQ |
| Website: | Durham Army Cadets |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Headquarters North East Badge |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Army Cadet Force Badge |
The Durham Army Cadet Force (Durham ACF) is the county cadet force for Durham, which operates as part of the Army Cadet Force. Since 2014, the county has been part of Headquarters North East and comprises approximately 850 cadets and 200 adult volunteers in 41 detachments and four companies, including a band and bugle corps.[1]
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 reorganisation of the cadets and Territorial Force in 1908, the following cadet battalions were formed in Durham (almost all affiliated with the Durham Light Infantry):[3]
The first official mention of the 'Durham Army Cadet Force' appears in 25 May 1982 edition of the London Gazette though the county is referred to as the 'Durham and South Tyne Army Cadet Force'.
Each Army Cadet Force 'county' is in-fact a battalion, and each 'detachment' equivalent to that of a platoon.[4]
| Detachment | Affiliation | Location | Postal Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Company[5] | |||
| A Company Headquarters | |||
| Alamein Detachment | 34 Dexter Way, Gateshead | NE10 9JJ | |
| Inkerman Detachment | 34 Dexter Way, Gateshead | NE10 9JJ | |
| Blaydon Detachment | Blaydon Bank, Blaydon-on-Tyne | NE21 4AU | |
| Felling Detachment | 34 Dexter Way, Gateshead | NE10 9JJ | |
| Gateshead Detachment | Elmgrove Terrace, Gateshead | NE8 4HX | |
| Hebburn Detachment | Victoria Road West, Hebburn | NE31 1BX | |
| Jarrow Detachment | Beech Street, Jarrow | NE32 5LD | |
| Seaburn (Martin Leake) Detachment | Dykelands Road, Seaburn | SR6 8DP | |
| Northfield Gardens Detachment | Northfield Gardens, South Shields | NE34 6HH | |
| B Company | |||
| B Company Headquarters | |||
| Alanbrooke Detachment | Sunderland Road Army Reserve Centre, Horden | SR8 4NL | |
| Annfield Plain Detachment | Church Street Cadet Centre, Chatchgate, Stanley | DH9 8HE | |
| Barnard Castle Detachment | Stainton Camp, Barnard Castle | DH!2 8UJ | |
| Birtley Detachment | Birtley Land Cadet Centre, Birtley | DH2 LP | |
| Boldon Detachment | New Road, Boldon Colliery | NE35 9DZ | |
| Chester-le-Street Detachment | Picktree Lane Army Reserve Centre, Chester-le-Street | DH3 3SR | |
| Frenchmans Fort Detachment | Londonderry Hall, Dean Road, Westoe | NE33 4EF | |
| Horden Detachment | Sunderland Road Army Reserve Centre, Horden | SR8 4NL | |
| Joseph Swan Academy Detachment | Joseph Swan Academy, Saltwell Road South, Gateshead | NE9 6LE | |
| Redhouse Detachment | Rutherglen Road, Red House Estate, Sunderland | SR5 5LN | |
| Shiney Road Detachment | Herrington Burn YMCA, Herrington Burn, Houghton-le-Spring | DH4 4JW | |
| Shotton Hall Detachment | Shotton Hall Army Reserve Centre, Sunderland Road, Horden | SR8 4NL | |
| Stanley Detachment | Stanley Cadet Centre, High Street, Stanley | DH9 0PW | |
| Sulgrave Detachment | Stephenson Industrial Estate, Washington | NE37 9HR | |
| Sunderland South Detachment | Sunderland South Cadet Centre, Railway Row, Sunderland | SR1 3HE | |
| Washington Detachment | Washington Cadet Centre, Sulgrave Centre, Washington | NE37 3BJ | |
| C Company[6] | |||
| C Company Headquarters | Gilesgate Army Reserve Centre, Durham | DH1 1JR | |
| Durham Detachment | Gilesgate Armoury, Durham | DH1 1JR | |
| Houghton le Spring Detachment | 96 Newbottle Street, Houghton le Spring | DH4 4AJ | |
| Ryhope Detachment | Ryhope | DH4 4AJ | |
| Seaham Detachment | Tempest Place, Seaham | SR7 7BY | |
| Ushaw Moor Detachment | Station Road, Ushaw Moor | RH7 7PY | |
| D Company[7] | |||
| D Company Headquarters | |||
| Bishop Auckland Detachment | Rifles Regiment | Saint Andrews Road, Bishop Auckland | DL14 6RX |
| Churchill Detachment | Royal Corps of Signals[8] | Neasham Road, Darlington | DL1 4DF |
| Hummersknott Detachment | Royal Artillery | Edinburgh Drive, Darlington | DL3 8AR |
| Newton Aycliffe Detachment | Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers | Greenwell Road, Newton Aycliffe | DL5 4EW |
| Spennymoor Detachment | Rifles Regiment | Villiers Street, Spennymoor | DL16 6AL |
| Willington Detachment | Royal Army Medical Corps | Willington | DL15 0QF |
| CTC Stainton Detachment | Royal Dragoon Guards | ||
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.