Video: Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

I’m just going to throw this three video series up here. This brought back some memories, although the series was made  about two decades after I went to Sandhurst: “It’s not like it was back in my day.”

Comment:

1) Thompson, who commissions into The Parachute Regiment, is not actually in the Parachute Regiment despite the Maroon Beret at the end. The tradition is to wear the headdress of the Regiment that has accepted you (at interview) on the final day of the final exercise. After Sandhurst, the new officers have to go onto their special to arms courses. For The Parachute Regiment, that will entail going on to Pre Parachute Selection (‘P Company’) followed by jump school. He will then go to the infantry special to arm school, which is the Platoon Commanders Battle Course, three months. Then he joins battalion.

2) It is of course a BBC show. They follow, mostly, the weak students and many who don’t make it – that’s the human interest factor. Bear that in mind while you are watching the antics of the muppets. You will catch glimpses, particularly as the show goes on, of the strong students, i.e those who will make effective officers. There was  lot of weakness when I was at Sandhurst, and you have to remember that these officers are commissioning into all branches of the British Army – this is not an infantry school, but infantry tactics are a vehicle to develop leadership.

3) What’s with the duvet covers? Is that some sort of act of rebellion?