| Royal Military Academy Sandhurst | |
|---|---|
Cap Badge of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst |
|
| Active | 1802 (as Royal Military College) – Present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Training |
| Role | Officer Training |
| Size | Ten companies |
| Part of | Army Recruiting and Training Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Sandhurst, Berkshire |
| Motto | Serve to Lead |
| Colors | Red, Yellow & Blue |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel-in-Chief | HM The Queen |
| Commandant | Major General Patrick Marriott CBE |
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS), commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England. The Academy's stated aim is to be "the national centre of excellence for leadership." All British Army officers, including late entry officers who were previously Warrant Officers, as well as many from elsewhere in the world, are trained at Sandhurst. The Academy is the British Army equivalent of the Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, Royal Air Force College Cranwell and the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines.
Training at Sandhurst was the subject of a three part television series, first broadcast by the BBC in October, 2011.
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Sandhurst straddles the counties of Berkshire and Surrey; the county border marked by a small stream known as the Wish Stream, after which the Academy journal is named. Primarily, the Academy is situated in College Town, a suburb of Sandhurst, and partly in the outer region of Camberley town. The nearest railway station is Blackwater, Hampshire.
The Royal Military College (RMC) opened its doors at West Street in Marlow[1] in 1802.[2] Coincidentally this was the same year as both Saint-Cyr[3] and West Point started.[4] The College moved from Marlow into the present imposing buildings designed by James Wyatt at Sandhurst in 1813.[5]
On the outbreak of the Second World War, Sandhurst became the home of 161 Infantry Officer Cadet Training Unit (RMC), which moved to Mons Barracks, Aldershot in 1942; for the rest of the war Sandhurst was used as a Royal Armoured Corps Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU).[6]
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst was formed in 1947 on the site of the former Royal Military College at Sandhurst from a merger between the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich (which trained officers for the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers from 1741 to 1939) and the Royal Military College (1802 to 1939).[7] Following the ending of National Service in the UK and the closing of the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot in 1972, the RMAS became the sole establishment for male initial officer training in the British Army.[8]
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Collection shows the history of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, The Royal Military College and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. The collection includes the Royal Military Academy's Gentlemen Cadet registers, historic archive, uniforms, paintings, photographs and other artefacts.[9]
For the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, the Academy hosted the running part of the modern pentathlon competition.[10]
Potential officers are identified by the Army Officer Selection Board (formerly the Regular Commissions Board, or RCB) situated in Westbury in Wiltshire.[11] Nearly 10 percent of British cadets are female and nearly 10 percent of all cadets come from overseas. Eighty-five percent of entrants are university graduates although it is not required.[12] Some officer cadets are serving soldiers. Technically, all cadets have the rank of private, but all are formally addressed as "Mr" or "Miss".
Sandhurst develops leadership in cadets by expanding their character, intellect and professional competences to a level demanded of an Army Officer on first appointment through military training and education.[13] The course is accredited by various academic and professional institutions.[13]
The Commissioning Course lasts 44 weeks and must be successfully completed by all British regular army officers (with some exceptions) before they receive their commission. It is usually followed by a further training course specific to the Regiment or Corps the officer will serve in. A shorter commissioning course is run for professionally qualified officers (e.g., doctors, dentists, nurses, lawyers, vets and chaplains).[14]
Another short course is Module 4 of the Territorial Army (TA) Commissioning Course (TACC) which lasts three weeks. The TACC consists of four training modules; the first three are conducted under the supervision of RMAS at TA Regional Training Centres, with Module 4 of the Officers' training and assessment being conducted at Sandhurst. This training typically takes 2 years to complete. Upon completion, Officer Cadets become Second Lieutenants in the TA or Officer Training Corps (OTC).[15]
Sandhurst also runs a variety of other courses for officers including the Late Entry Officer Course (LEOC).[16]
RMAS has a renowned academic faculty staffed by civilian researchers with expertise in Communication and Applied Behavioural Science, Defence and International Affairs and War Studies.[17]
Unlike some other national military academies such as West Point in the United States and the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in France, Sandhurst is not a university.[18]
In overall command of the RMAS is the Commandant of the Academy, usually an officer of Major General rank. The commissioning course is split up into three terms, each lasting fourteen weeks. Basic army training is covered in the first five weeks which, by reputation, are the most gruelling. The main RMAS Commissioning Courses start in January, May and September of each year. Each intake numbers approximately 270 cadets, each of whom is assigned to a platoon within one of three companies. Platoons are commanded by captains, with a colour sergeant who takes the main burden of day-to-day training, especially during the first term (unlike West Point, RMAS entrusts the majority of officer training to Senior Non-Commissioned Officers). There can be as many as ten companies within the RMAS at any one time, each commanded by a Major and named after a famous battle or campaign in which the British Army has fought. The company names have changed over the years, and are currently :[19]
Dettingen Company is divided along the same lines as the regular intakes, though smaller courses may consist of only two platoons.
There is also a "rehabilitation" platoon — Lucknow Platoon. It looks after cadets who are injured during training, with a view to preparing them to re-enter the commissioning course or processing those who are medically discharged.
Cadets who fail to meet the required standard, or who have been injured, may be "back-termed", that is, "asked" to repeat the previous term and joining a later intake, or to repeat the whole course.
Cadets nominate two regiments or corps that they seek to join, although in practice this may be influenced by their instructors, if particular strengths or weaknesses or aptitudes are seen to be important. In the middle term, interviews are held and final selections are made by the recruiting regiments and corps; there is competition for strong cadets by the units and, conversely, by cadets for prestigious or specialised units. Exceptionally, some cadets may have confirmed places in regiments before the formal selections or even before starting at Sandhurst.
A small number of regular army units are based at the RMAS to provide support for the colleges and their training:
Each Commissioning Course has awards granted to outstanding cadets.[21]
The Sword of Honour is awarded to the British Army Officer Cadet considered by the Commandant to be, overall, the best of the course. The swords were formerly made by Wilkinson Sword but after the closure of their sword making division they are now presented by Pooley Sword who also present swords for the Royal Marines and Royal Air Force. During the Second World War, when abbreviated courses were run to increase the supply of new officers, a Belt of Honour was awarded instead.
The Overseas Sword is awarded to one of the many cadets sent by foreign armies. The Overseas Sword goes to the Overseas Cadet considered by the Commandant to be the best of the course. It was previously known as the Overseas Cane.
The Queen's Medal is awarded to the British Army Officer Cadet who achieved the highest scores in military, practical and academic studies.
The Duke of Westminster's Sword is awarded to the officer cadet considered by the Commandant to be, overall, the best of the TA Commissioning Course. This sword is also donated by Pooley Sword.
There are two Chapels within the Academy, The Roman Catholic Chapel and The Royal Memorial Chapel, dedicated as Christ Church, which also contains the South Africa Chapel, which was originally the sanctuary of the original Chapel before the it was enlarged. The Royal Engineers designed the original Chapel, which features red brick, terracotta moulding, interlocking pediment copies and corbels in 1879. On 2 May 1937, the chapel was dedicated after architect Captain Arthur C. Martin enlarged the building in a Byzantine style. The Memorial stained glass and Windows in the chapel honour the Brigade of Guards; Rifle Brigade; Royal Fusiliers, Hampshire Regiment etc. Some memorials, including one honouring alumni at the US Military Academy at West Point, are carved into the black marble flooring.[22]
Sandhurst has a unique partnering agreement with the 'Inspirational Development Group' (IDG), providing professional training for civilian organisations. IDG is based in Old College at Sandhurst. They offer a range of bespoke Leadership Development programmes focussing on the interlocking areas of Leadership, Followership and Partnership, to produce accomplished leaders who are also effective followers and highly skilled team players.[23]
| Lineage | ||
| Royal Military Academy Sandhurst | Royal Military Academy | Royal Military Academy |
| East India Company Military Seminary | ||
| Royal Military College | ||
| Mons Officer Cadet School | ||
| Women's Royal Army Corps College | ||
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