The Hong Kong Adventure Corps is a voluntary uniformed group subsidised by the

Hong Kong government The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, commonly known as the Hong Kong Government or HKSAR Government, refers to the executive authorities of Hong Kong SAR. It was formed on 1 July 1997 in accordance with the Sino- ...

and the

Hong Kong Jockey Club The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) is one of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong, having been founded in 1884. In 1959, it was granted a Royal Charter and renamed The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (). The institution reverted to its original name ...

. It was created in 1995 with ties to the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

Army Cadet Force The Army Cadet Force (ACF), generally shortened to Army Cadets, is a national youth organisation sponsored by the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence and the British Army. Along with the Sea Cadet Corps and the Air Training Corps, the ACF mak ...

and

Combined Cadet Force The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a youth organisation in the United Kingdom, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), which operates in schools, and normally includes Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force sections. Its aim is to "provide a ...

. Like the Hong Kong Sea Cadet Corps and Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps, the HKAC exists to serve the Hong Kong community. The HKAC's values are based in those of the

, providing a tough and challenging training with a distinctive military tone of discipline and esprit de corps.

History

Founded in 4 September, the HKAC succeeded the

Royal Hong Kong Regiment The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) (RHKR(V)) ()), formed in May 1854, was a local auxiliary militia force funded and administered by the colonial Government of Hong Kong. Its powers and duties were mandated by the Royal Hong Kong R ...

's Junior Leader Corps (J Corps) in 1995 after the disbandment of the RHKR(V) and its J Corps in the same year. The RHKR(V) J Corps was created in 1971 by then colonial government and had the same mission as the current HKAC. The J Corps had a maximum strength of 300 members and was divided into two units: J1 Squadron and J2 Squadron. Unlike the HKAC, which trains both boys and girls, the RHKR J Corps accepted boys only. "The Ninety Nine" and "The Nine" The Hong Kong Volunteers in 1854 had its first establishment of 99 Europeans to defend Hong Kong, while the HKAC has its owned cadets of 9 in the first intake of recruits in 1995. This become the Corps' tradition to toast for the Ninety Nine and the Nine after the toast to HM and the people in its Foundation Day Dinner.

Training

The HKAC is an army-orientated and disciplined youth organisation that aims to promote qualities of responsibility, self-reliance, resourcefulness, endurance, perseverance and a sense of service to the community, as well as developing its cadets' leadership and social awareness. The Corps is now an Operating Authority of the Hong Kong Award for Young People (Duke of Edinburgh Award in Hong Kong) (DEA). The Corps Headquarters is in High Island,

Sai Kung District Sai Kung District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China. The district comprises the southern half of the Sai Kung Peninsula, the Clear Water Bay Peninsula in the New Territories and a strip of ...

, and was given to the Corps by the Hong Kong Government. The facility was formerly a British army camp. Another training camp, also located in High Island, was formerly a correctional facility and detention centre for Vietnamese refugees. Among its members, the HKAC aims to provide: * Challenges to stimulate potential * Discipline to cultivate autonomy * Demand to initiate growth Training activities at the camp include: * General/Basic training * Drill & Parade * Fitness & Adventure training * Field-crafts * Indoor Air Rifles Shooting Programme Field Training activities like tactics, night walk and camp craft are always conducted in the countryside nearby. Chong Hing (High Island) and Tai Mei Tuk (Tai Po) Water Sports Centre are often used by sabre unit for water sports activities. Unit training also proceeded in those schools with an affiliation to the Corps. In the period from 1995 to 2009, former British Forces Camp, the Burma Lines Camp (Queen's Hill, Faniling) were used for training also.

Organisation

CHQ/Council *Chairman of Council and

Honorary Commandant An honorary position is one given as an honor, with no duties attached, and without payment. Other uses include: * Honorary Academy Award, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, United States * Honorary Aryan, a status in Nazi Germa ...

– Mr Norman Yeung *

Commandant Commandant ( or ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ran ...

–

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

Matthew Wong ED * Deputy Commandant (Operations & Training) –

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colon ...

CK Kwong *

Deputy Commandant (Support & Development) Deputy commandant is a Group-A gazetted officer rank in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Indian Coast Guard. This rank is equivalent to the rank of Superintendent of police (India) and In the Indian Armed Forces it is a title given ...

–

KK Chung * Chief staff Officer –

Kent Cheuk *

Adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...

–

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

- KO Au * Corps Liaison Officer –

Charlie Lee * Corps Sergeant Major – WO1 CC Lee * Senior Warrant Officer – WO1 YH Chan * Cadet Sergeant Major –

CWO2 CWO may refer to: * Cadet Warrant Officer, a cadet rank in the British Air Training Corps and the RAF Section of the Combined Cadet Force * Cadmium tungstate, a scintillator * Cash With Order, a standard UK commercial term *Chief Warrant Officer, a ...

Junior Leader Wing (Under DC(O&T)) * OC A Squadron – Major HW Tam * OC B Squadron – Major KL Ma * OC C Squadron – Major KL Chiu * OC D Squadron – Major YH Ng * OC E Squadron – Major MW Fung * OC F Squadron – Major SW Lau * OC H Squadron – Major Patrick Chan * OC S Squadron – Major Tom Lai * OC Trg Squadron – Major WK Mak * OC SL Squadron – Dissolved * OC MKP Squadron – Major PY Cheng * OC HD Squadron –

SM Leung Headquarter Units (Under DC(S&D)) * OC Adventure Training Team – Major WY Lam * OC Central Training Team – Major Stephen Yiu * OC Corporate Communications Team – Major TC Mak * OC Medical Troop – Major Danny Wong * OC Signal Troop – Capt Sunny Chan * OC Guard Troop – Dissolved * DMus Band – *

Band Band or BAND may refer to: Places *Bánd, a village in Hungary *Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania *Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, I ...

Ranks

Officers

Other Ranks (Adult members)

Other Ranks (Cadets)

Qualifications

The age range for joining the HKAC is between 11 and 21, and new members are given the rank of Recruit. Recruits who attain sufficient training are qualified to the rank of Cadet after Passing Out Parade. Cadets may be promoted to the following ranks: * Cadet Lance Corporal * Cadet Corporal * Cadet Sergeant * Cadet Staff Sergeant * Cadet Warrant Officer Class Two Junior Dragon Squadron (JDS) were established on 2014 which recruits children aged 9 or above, training strength were lowered for them. When the members of JDS reached 11, they can become recruit and received further training from sabre unit. Besides the rank system, the Corps also has a skill qualification system that recognizes the skills of its members, and awards badges regardless of rank. These badges can be worn on a

brassard A brassard or armlet is an armband or piece of cloth or other material worn around the upper arm; the term typically refers to an item of uniform worn as part of military uniform or by police or other uniformed persons. Unit, role, rank b ...

while in uniform. The available badges are: *First Aider Badge (Badge holder must be the 'trained person' stated in the HK Laws Cap. 509 Occupational and Safety Ordinance) *Guard of Honour Badge *Marksman Badge (Air rifles) *Marksman Badge (Full-bore) *Bandsman Badge

Uniform

The HKAC dress uniform is similar to the

dress uniform. Inheriting the tradition from its parent regiment, the

, there are some slight differences between uniforms worn by the Army and Corps members. The HKAC badge is similar to the badge of the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, with two dragons facing each other. The crown in the badge was replaced by a

bauhinia ''Bauhinia'' () is a large genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Cercidoideae and tribe Bauhinieae, in the large flowering plant family Fabaceae, with a pantropical distribution. The genus was named after the Bauhin brothers Gaspard and J ...

after the 1997 handover. HKAC members cannot wear uniform when: *Engaging in a paid employment not associated with HKAC. *Engaging in political activities. *Participating in sports events (unless authorised by HKAC). Cadet must wear the beret/headgear at any time, except: *Sitting *Eating or Drinking *At work and on board public transport *In a hangar

Ceremonial Dress

By tradition, cadet members wear dark blue berets as their headgear, while adult members wear No.1 Cap when this dress is worn. Scarlet Red Sash is worn by all Senior Non-commissioned Officers (

Sergeant Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other ...

or above). WO1s and Officers will wear

Sam Browne belt The Sam Browne is a leather belt with a supporting strap that passes over the right shoulder, worn by military and police officers. It is named after Sir Samuel J. Browne (1824–1901), the British Indian Army general who invented it. Origi ...

and carry infantry pattern (1897)sword if necessary; the Corps Sergeant Major and Senior Warrant Officer will also carry a regulation pattern Pace Stick as part of uniform. Other ranks will not carry bayonet frogs and will not mount

bayonet A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustr ...

s onto their arms. Some Non-commissioned officers will choose to wear Ammo Boots while Officers will wear Oxford-style parade shoes. Band issues their own kilt with tartan to the Pipeband members. Drum Major carry mace on parade.

Warm Weather Service Dress (Officers only)

Field Dress

Since the Corps was a sub-unit of

, DPM is adopted as field dress by the Corps. Dark blue berets with red flash (for cadet members) and green flash (for adult members) are worn as headdress. Jungle hats can be worn in field with authorisations from the unit commander. Adult members who had military force service experiences might own sets of No.9 uniform, issued by both RHKR(V) and HKMSC. Others may buy DPM field dress themselves. Cadet members wear a pair of Olive Green lightweight trousers instead of DPM lightweight trousers. Combat Soldier 95 (CS95) shirts were restricted by the Corps as the system adopt rank slides instead of epaulettes. However, some members modified the shirts, putting epaulettes tapes onto the uniform to meet the standard of the Corps. Also, olive-green brassards used by Regular Army in early-1980s are adopted by the Corps, instead of rank patches used in late-1980s and early-1990s.

Mess Dress

Mess Dress is only available for adult members. Female members wear black mess jackets and black evening dresses, which is specially designed, unlike the "cavalry style" jacket adopted by the Regular Army.

General Service (GS)/Barrack Dress

Khaki The color khaki (, ) is a light shade of tan with a slight yellowish tinge. Khaki has been used by many armies around the world for uniforms and equipment, particularly in arid or desert regions, where it provides camouflage relative to sandy ...

long-sleeved shirt is worn by all members when they are in GS/ Barrack Dress. In summer time, sleeves are rolled up above elbow level. In winter time, olive-green pullovers or Combat Smock jackets can be worn, based on the orders from the commanders. For GS Dress, olive green lightweight trousers are worn with high-leg boots. For Barrack dress, bottle-green barrack trousers (for male members) and skirt (for female members) are worn with Oxford-style parade shoes or ankle boots. Stable belts or olive green working belts can be worn, based on the orders from the commanders. Cadet members are unauthorised to wear Barrack dress.

Service Dress

The Corps adopted the Service Dress in FAD (Future Army Dress of British Army) style to the adult members in both officer and other ranks in early 2012 and is now replacing the olive green barrack trousers.

Equipment

The Corps uses equipment handed down after the disbanding of the

in 1995: * Deactivated

L1A1 SLR The L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle, officially "Rifle, 7.62mm, L1A1", also known just as the SLR (Self-Loading Rifle), by the Canadian Army designation C1A1 (C1) or in the US as the "inch pattern" FAL,Especially on the American surplus market. is a Br ...

* PLCE Webbing System In addition, a number of M16A3 and

L85A1 The SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) is a British family of 5.56×45mm NATO service weapons used by the British Army. The L85 Rifle variant has been the standard issue service rifle of the British Armed Forces since 1987, replacing the L1A1 S ...

replica weapons are in the armoury of the Corps, which are used as aids for teaching field-crafts and skill-at-arms. Two Russian

BTR-70 The BTR-70 is an eight-wheeled armored personnel carrier (russian: бронетранспортер/ ''Bronetransporter'', or literally "Armoured Transporter") originally developed by the Soviet Union during the late 1960s under the manufacturing ...

APCs confiscated by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department in an illegal shipment in 2000 are on display at the High Island Training Camp.

Fleet

The Corps has 11 vehicles in service, with most of them donated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The Home Affairs Bureau has also provided subsidies to replace two rubber boats used for water activities. Types of vehicles: * MPV * Light Tender * 28 seater Coach * Rubber boat

Awards

The Hong Kong Adventure Corps issues its own awards to its members that are not a part of the government issued orders, decorations, and medals of Hong Kong. The medals and clasps are modelled after those awarded by the

, and a lanyard with the Corps' colours are awarded to members receiving the following commandant commendations: * Hong Kong Cadet Forces Medal for Distinguished Service * Hong Kong Cadet Forces Medal for Meritorious Service * First Clasp to the Hong Kong Cadet Forces Medal * Hong Kong Cadet Forces Medal (for 10 Year Long Service) * Hong Kong Adventure Corps Commandant Commendation To encourage members who served the Corps, the Corps provides scholarships to members who received years of training upon being admitted to local universities as full-time students.

Exchange Trips

The HKAC cadets are often visited by fellow army cadet corps from other countries and they in turn visit corps in other countries from time to time.

Recruitment

Recruit all year round since late 2017. Before that, the Corps inducts teenagers aged between 11 and 21 (inclusive) from March to May every year. Selections are conducted before the start of recruit training. The annual Passing Out Parade is held in the following year's April for recruits who pass the Recruit Basic Training Course. The Corps begins receiving online application for cadets and instructor since 2017 and 2018 respectively to cope with society needs.

References

External links

RHKR The Volunteers Association

HKAC
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hong Kong Adventure Corps 1995 establishments in Hong Kong Army cadet organisations Youth organisations based in Hong Kong Youth organizations established in 1995