HUNDREDS of smartly-dressed cadets turned heads at the weekend as they marched through the streets of Oxford city centre in celebration of Trafalgar Day.
The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Sea Cadet Corps gathered in Catte Street on Sunday, drawing in crowds of curious onlookers.
They then marched through the city centre to St Michael at the North Gate Church, where they enjoyed a service before marching through Cornmarket Street and along High Street.
The cadets were then taken back to their base in Meadow Lane where they had refreshments.
Celebrated on October 21, Trafalgar Day marks the day on which Britain triumphed in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
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The sea cadets celebrate the day each year, by parading at a town in Oxfordshire or Buckinghamshire.
Commodore the Honourable Michael Cochrane walked around to greet each cadet before the parade started.
He said afterwards: “It was an immense privilege to march with the cadets. To be part of Trafalgar Day, I feel very lucky.
“The cadets have worked very hard for this, and I am immensely proud of them – it was really great.”
CEO of Oxford sea cadets chief petty officer Denise Driver added: “We do this every year and do it somewhere different every time.
“This is the first time in 10 years that we have paraded in Oxford – it was a good turnout from all units.”
Sub-Lieutenant Matt Goodchild, led the parade, and said: “It was lovely weather for it. The cadets looked very smart and I think it all went very well.
“We had a great reaction from the crowd too.”
The sea cadets is a voluntary youth organisation, open to young people aged 12 to 18, with junior sections open to those aged 10 to 12.
Children are offered a range of activities such as sailing, rowing, canoeing and power boating, as well as activities that do not include water such as rock climbing, cookery and music.
The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire district group is made up of units from both counties, including Abingdon, Banbury, Chiltern, High Wycombe, Marlow and Milton Keynes.
Each unit has made strong links with each other throughout the years and all of them come together to form a team for area and national competitions.
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