The Annual Pathfinder March
The Pathfinder March was inaugurated by Squadron Leader Gavin Sugden, in 1997, to commemorate the Pathfinder Force which operated out of RAF Wyton, RAF Gravely, RAF Oakington, RAF Warboys and their satellite bases from 1942 to 1945. Flying Halifaxes, Lancasters, Mosquitoes, Stirlings and Wellingtons (the latter two replaced by Lancasters and Mosquitos), the Force had twenty squadrons and flights in the three years of its existence. Of the Force, only two squadrons are still flying in operational service, 7 Squadron, Royal Air Force (one of the original five squadrons) and 405 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force.
A Team of eleven Cadets and Staff from Kent Wing Air Training Corps, with three support staff successfully took part in the Annual Pathfinder March. The March, an annual 46-mile long-distance walk around the four main Airbases took place on Saturday 16th June, the weather was not kind it rained, it thundered and the sun shone all in one very long day. The team set off from RAF Wyton at 4am and completed the 46 miles in just over 16 hours returning to RAF Wyton just after 8pm. The day was a gruelling test of the teams’ strength, stamina and map reading skills.