Sandhurst course

[Jock Bruce]

If a regular infantry officer was commissioned in Feb 15 when would he have entered Sandhurst ??

Jock

[CROONAERT]

Jock.

I don't think Sandhurst was an Officer Training Academy back then. I think it only began in this capacity in 1946, replacing (or joining) 2 or 3 other establishments (the names of which escape me at the moment).

Dave

[CROONAERT]

(the names of which escape me at the moment).

Eaton Hall in Cheshire, and "?" (don't know the wartime name - later became "Mons" college) at was became Mons Barracks in Aldershot, amongst others.

I know that Mons was still in existance in the 1960's.

Dave.

[Jock Bruce]

Dave,

S'ndh'st was churning out officers in our era and for some time before

See

http://www.atra.mod.uk/atra/rmas/history/index.htm

Jock

[Kate Wills]

The Royal Miltary College moved from Great Marlow to Sandhurst in 1812, and expanded with the completion of the New Building in 1911. The Chapel contains a number of ‘war panels’, commemorating RMC graduates who lost their lives on active service from the Crimean War onwards. The words “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori” had recently been inscribed over the arch at the east end of the chapel, prompting the Chaplain to take this as the text for his sermon on the last Sunday of term in early July 1914.

[charlesmessenger]

Jock

The answer to your question is that the Sandhurst course was reduced from 18 months to 6 months at the outbreak of war. Your man will therefore have entered in August 1914.

Charles M

[Muerrisch]

Charles, I don't think it is quite as simple as that. The Gentlemen Cadets who had completed two terms [the basic unit was the term, of six months] in August 1914 were commissioned forthwith and sent to their regiments. This was not immediately the case with those who had completed six months, I believe. My notes suggest that the course was "soon" shortened to 3 months but, by the end of the war, had grown to 12 months. Subject is that, shall we say, not open and shut.

I expect you can put me straight ........ you usually can!

David

[charlesmessenger]

David

You have a point. Looking at my own notes again, I realise that I was getting confused with Woolwich (my apologies to Jock). I note that the the existing Junior term was made to do a four weeks' tactics course before being commissioned and that, as you say, the emergency three month course were then instituted in September 1914. I have an Irish Guardsman who went to RMC then and was commissioned in January 1915. The course was then gradually extended, becoming nine months in 1917.

Thanks for putting me right.

Charles

[Jock Bruce]

Charles and David,

thank you very much.

Jock