The Hong Kong Adventure Corps () is a voluntary uniformed group subsidised by the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club. It was created in 1995 by the approval of the then home affairs bureau of the government secretariat for establishment. 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 British Army, 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'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 taking reference from the British Army Cadet Force and Combined Cadet Force, 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 the people in its Foundation Day Dinner.
Guidon & Colour Reflecting the nature of light reconnaissance unit of the Corps' predecessor regiment, the Royal Hong Kong Regiment (the Volunteers) which adopted honours and traditions of yeomanry, the Corps received its own guidon presented by the then commissioner of police in 2005. The scarlet swallow tailed guidon is crested with the Corps' "twin dragon" coat of arms surrounded by tudor style rose and thisle in the middle with the motto and the year of establishment embraided down below like the battle honour awarded "Hong Kong" of the regiment's guidon. When paraded or being trooped, guidon is carried by an adult or cadet warrant officer being commanded by senior warrant officer of the Corps, 2 adult or cadet senior non-commissioned officer next to the guidon will be escorting the guidon. Guidon will also be uncased and exhibited at the occasion of foundation day dinner of the Corps.
Before receiving the guidon, colour were being recognized by Corps member as the symbolic rallying point, the colour is crested with the logo of the Corps at Centre with the colour of red on top, yellow in the middle and blue at the bottom.
Colour are often used for formal occasion nowadays while guidon is used during ceremonial occasion only.
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 (the then the Duke of Edinburgh's Award in Hong Kong) (DEA).
The training facilities and Corps Headquarters is located in High Island, Sai Kung District, 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 nearby, was formerly a staff quarters of correctional facility detaining 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, including abseiling tower and climbing wall, high event challenge course and obstacle course 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) Water Sports Centre are often used by sabre unit for water sports activities.
Band provides marching band training to its member.
Cadet may also take part in a wide range of ceremonial activities by joining the guard of honour.
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 in Queen's Hill, Faniling were also used for training.
Organisation
CHQ/Council Chairman of Council and Honorary Commandant – Mr Teddy Chung Commandant – Colonel Ricky Kwong Deputy Commandant (Operations & Training) – Lieutenant Colonel Simon Ma Deputy Commandant (Support & Development) – Lieutenant Colonel YH Ng Chief staff Officer – Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Chan Adjutant – Captain - KO Au Corps Liaison Officer – Major Charlie Lee Corps Sergeant Major – WO1 CC Lee Senior Warrant Officer – WO1 YH Chan Junior Leader Wing (Under DC(O&T)) In active service OC A Squadron – Major Bonny Tam OC B Squadron – Captain KF Lam OC C Squadron – Major Teddy Chiu OC D Squadron – Major YH Ng OC E Squadron – Captain CM Lee OC H Squadron – Captain Taurus Yip OC S Squadron – Captain SW Sin OC YC Squadron – Captain Mark Mooney
Dissolved/Agglomerated Unit
MKP Squadron, school unit Ma Ko Pan Memorial College
F Squadron, target youth of parents whom are disciplined service personnel
Training Squadron, provides centralized Recruit Training
SL Squadron, school unit Shun Lee Catholic Secondary School
Headquarter Units (Under DC(S&D)) OC Adventure Training Team – Captain SF Kwan OC Central Training Team – Major Banny Owen OC Corps Communications Team – Major Charlie Lee OC Medical Troop – Major Danny Wong OC Signal Troop – Captain LS Chan TA Corps Shooting Programme - Captain SK Fok BSM Band – WO2 CL Tong
Ranks Officers TypeOfficers Rank Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Officer Cadet Abbreviation Col Lt Col Maj Capt Lt 2Lt OCdt Insignia
Other Ranks (Adult members) TypeInstructors and WOs Rank Warrant Officer Class 1 Warrant Officer Class 2 Staff Sergeant Sergeant Corporal Instructor Abbreviation WO1 WO2 SSgt Sgt Cpl Instr Insignia
Other Ranks (Cadets) TypeCadet SNCOs and JNCOs/Recruit RankCadet Warrant Officer Class 2 Cadet Staff Sergeant Cadet Sergeant Cadet Corporal Cadet Lance Corporal CadetRecruit Abbreviation CWO2 C/SSgt C/Sgt C/Cpl C/LCpl CdtRect Insignia N/A
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 a 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
The Junior Dragon Squadron (JDS) was established in 2014, it recruits children aged 9 or above and has less physical requirements than normal army cadets. When members of the JDS reach 11, they have the choice to become recruits and received further training from the sabre unit.
Besides the rank system, the Corps also has a skill qualification system that recognises the skills of its members, and awards badges regardless of rank. These badges can be worn on a brassard 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 HKAYP Award Badge Level Achievement Badge
Uniform
The HKAC dress uniform is similar to the British Army dress uniform. Inheriting the tradition from its parent regiment, the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, 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 after the 1997 handover.
HKAC members cannot wear their 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 their beret/headgear at any time, except when: Sitting Eating or Drinking At work and on board public transport In a hangar
Ceremonial Dress
By tradition, cadet members wear this dress with dark blue berets as their headgear, while adult members wear the No.1 Cap. Scarlet Red Sash is worn by all Senior Non-commissioned Officers (Sergeant or above). WO1s and Officers will wear the Sam Browne belt and carry the pattern 1897 infantry officer's sword when necessary; the Corps Sergeant Major and Senior Warrant Officer will also carry a regulation pattern Pace Stick as part of thieir uniform. Other ranks will not carry bayonet frogs (a pouch at the back of the belt for holding the bayonet) and will not mount bayonets onto their arms.
Some Non-commissioned officers will choose to wear Ammo Boots while Officers will wear George boots with spurs mounted or Oxford-style parade shoes.
Warm Weather Service Dress (Officers only)
Field Dress
Since the Corps was a sub-unit of Royal Hong Kong Regiment, 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 shoulder straps 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 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 Royal Hong Kong Regiment in 1995: Deactivated L1A1 SLR PLCE Webbing System
In addition, a number of M16A3 and L85A1 replica weapons are in the armoury of the Corps, which are used as aids for teaching field-crafts and skill-at-arms.
More recent arms appearing during Remembrance Day activities include what appears to be a QBZ-95.
Two decommissioned Russian BTR-70 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