08/10/2026
I WAS A SEA CADET NOW I'M A ...
As part of Sea Cadet Week I thought we should look at one particular ex-cadet in his own words,
My Reflections on Tenby Sea Cadets (2004-2012)
Maxwell Randles-Hall
I still remember where I was when I found out I had a place at Tenby Sea Cadets. I was sat in the car at Penlan Leisure Centre during a swimming gala when my parents told me that a space had become available.
Some of my earliest memories are of learning knots during the winter. There was something hugely satisfying about mastering such a measurable new skill. In the summer, those skills were put into practice aboard the unit's Cheverton Champ. One memory that has stayed with me was successfully carrying out a man overboard drill for the first time. Looking back, the Champ was a relatively small boat, but as a young boy standing on the tiller it felt enormous. Being trusted with that responsibility and getting it right gave me a huge sense of achievement.
One of the first opportunities that really opened my eyes to the wider navy was spending two days at sea aboard HMS Monmouth, sailing from Plymouth to Cardiff. Monmouth was a ‘stag ship’ and the atmosphere was exactly what you would expect, although undoubtedly toned down for the benefit of the cadets on board. Even so, the Royal Navy sense of humour still shone through, and the ship's company made us feel incredibly welcome.
I remember standing on the upper deck watching a Merlin helicopter arrive. At the time it looked impossibly large and I genuinely couldn't work out how it was going to fit on the flight deck. Watching it land was a moment that sticks firmly in my mind. Looking back now, there is something extremely fitting about that memory given that I would eventually find myself in the Fleet Air Arm landing on similar decks across the world.
Another highlight was spending a week aboard TS Royalist sailing up the Bristol Channel. For a young cadet, climbing the rigging to set the sails felt like a huge adventure. It was one of many occasions where Sea Cadets gave me experiences that simply wouldn't have been available elsewhere. The sheer variety of opportunities was extraordinary. Alongside boating, I represented the Area in swimming, attended shooting camps and had the privilege of meeting the then Prince of Wales, now King, during his visits to Tenby and Ffos Las Racecourse. The shooting camps were always among the highlights of my year. There are not many opportunities for a teenager to safely learn to shoot full bore ri**es!
As I progressed through the ranks and eventually became a Cadet Petty Officer, I particularly enjoyed helping to teach younger cadets. Seamanship was a favourite subject. Having spent years learning those skills myself, there was a real satisfaction in helping junior cadets develop. Looking back, I can see a direct connection between those experiences and the way I approach leadership today.
The friendships formed through Sea Cadets were equally important. One of my close friends is someone I met through the organisation. He grew up in Bristol, more than a hundred miles from Tenby, but courses and camps brought us together. We have remained friends ever since and both ended up joining the Royal Navy where he now serves as an Air Engineering Officer.
I also remember the immense pride I felt in wearing the Sea Cadet uniform. My parents always made sure that I was smartly turned out. Remembrance Sunday was particularly important to me.
Marching through Tenby alongside fellow cadets, veterans and serving personnel gave me a real sense of pride and belonging.
As I've grown older, I have come to appreciate just how much of my Sea Cadet experience experience depended on my parents. My mum took me to cadets twice a week without fail, and my dad would be at the wheel, driving me all over the country for camps and competitions. At the time I took much of that support for granted. Looking back, I realise just how much commitment it involved and how many opportunities they made possible.
The same is true of the volunteers who gave up their evenings, weekends and holidays to support me and the other youngsters in the Tenby unit. Roy Broxham was always incredibly welcoming and a brilliant mentor. Carina, his wife, always showed such warmth and friendliness, which helped make the unit feel like a community. Jon Blair had a particularly lasting impact on me. As a young cadet, he was exactly what I imagined a sailor should be. I always enjoyed spending time with him and respected him enormously. The influence all the adult volunteers had on me, and countless other cadets, cannot be overstated.
I left the Sea Cadets in 2012 and joined the Royal Navy a few months later as a Warfare Officer, attending Britannia Royal Naval College in 2013. My time in the cadets gave me an advantage. Wearing uniform, understanding service life, and working as part of a team all felt familiar from day one.
Since then, I have been fortunate to serve as a Warfare Officer on Type 45 destroyers, work at the British Embassy in Beirut and the Ministry of Defence in London, specialise as a Wildcat Observer in the Fleet Air Arm and become a Flight Commander. I am currently seconded to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
There is absolutely no way that the ten-year-old sat in a car at Penlan Leisure Centre would have believed any of this.
As Tenby Sea Cadets marks the 75th anniversary of the affiliation with the Navy League, I hope that a child joining today gets the same sense of adventure and opportunity that I did in 2004. If I had the opportunity to offer any advice, it would be simple: “Just say yes!” Say yes to the camp or course. Say yes to the offshore adventure. Say yes to the opportunity that feels slightly daunting.
Looking back, I am hugely grateful to the volunteers who gave their time so selflessly, opening doors that I never even knew existed. The experiences I gained have helped shape the course of my life, and for that I will always be grateful.
Yours aye,
M E S Randles-Hall
Lieutenant Commander Royal Navy.
We thank Max for taking the time to share his thoughts and memories of his time with Tenby Sea Cadets. Whilst he chose to follow a career in the Royal Navy not all Cadets do but, all receive the same benefits of the Sea Cadet Experience. A start in life and friends for life.
If you are interested in joining Tenby Sea Cadets either as a Cadet, Adult Instructor or as a Supporter through the Management Team or the Parent and Supporters Association then contact [email protected]
