Ridley Hall, Cambridgeshire: Cadets Produce Satirical Magazines
Capturing the lives of cadets through song, word and image
The No. 2 Officer Cadet Battalion, known as βFβ company, trained in Cambridge, initially at Christβs College, then at Ridley Hall Theological College. The company had a mix of nationalities, including South Africans, Australians, Canadians and British.
Their creativity and satire emerged in two publications: βThe Blimpβ in 1917, and βA Medley in Fβ the following year. Printed by W Heffer and sons in Cambridge, the cadets sold advertisements to various businesses in the city.
Poems, articles, cartoons, and a musical composition called βThe Blimpβ (originally meaning a non-rigid floating airship) gave an insight to the spirit of the men during their time in Cambridge. Many of the items were just signed with an initial to protect the identity of any cadet who may have overstepped the mark.
Development Officer Elaine Thornton from Ridley Hall discovered the magazines during a search through the archives.
Location: Ridley Hall, Newnham Walk, Cambridge CB3 9HG
Image shows the front cover of βThe Blimpβ
Photograph courtesy of Elaine Thornton
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