THE recently-appointed commanding officer of Cornwall Army Cadet Force’s Inkerman Company, covering seven detachments in East Cornwall, has been honoured with the Certificate for Meritorious Service.

The presentation to Captain Mark Ambrose by the Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall, Colonel Edward Bolitho, took place during ceremonies at Truro’s Great Hall.

Mark, aged 32 and from Milton Abbot, works in Plymouth as a full-time sports and leisure team leader and was himself an army cadet in Lancashire prior to moving to the South West.

He was an RAF reservist before becoming a sergeant-instructor with the ACF’s Penryn detachment in 2004, followed by appointment as detachment commander at Saltash. He was promoted to captain in 2013 and was second in command, as well as training officer, of Inkerman Company before taking charge in June. Mark continues to train and lead cadets working for the Duke of Edinburgh’s silver and gold awards.

He added: ‘Some who come to us around the age of 12 experience a rocky start, but through caring leadership, rather than old-fashioned discipline, we see them develop into model young citizens well capable of looking after themselves.’