Livery Day at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
22nd June 2023The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
I was honoured to be invited by Master Fletcher, Andrew Trapnell, to be one of 34 Organisations, including Livery Companies, Companies without Livery and other organisations associated with the City of London together in fellowship to understand what goes on ‘beyond the gates’ at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst ( Sandhurst). Sandhurst trains the very best of both British and International young people into leaders of men and women in the British Army and in other nations around the world.
Sandhurst is the home of all Officer Training in the British Army. Regular, Reserve and Professionally Qualified Officers all pass through the gates and hope to “Pass Off” the Old College Square signifying the change from Officer Cadet to Commissioned Officer in His Majesty’s Army.
We were privileged to be able to hear from a former Commandant of the Academy Maj Gen Paul Nanson, who was pivotal in the current curriculum, and from Lt Will Kriehn, a young officer who has been both a Reservist and now a Regular Officer and who has just returned from operations in Cyprus with the United Nations. I had an opportunity to enquire about Artificial Intelligence and learned that it is a reality that is moving faster than anyone anticipated. Future officers may be leading a platoon of men and robots.
Profits from the sale of tickets and all of the proceeds of the sale of the raffle tickets will go directly to funds for the ABF – The Soldiers Charity - and our hosts, the Sandhurst Trust. Both charities work incredibly hard to support the British Army.
The ABF - The Soldiers’ Charity is the Army’s national charity, here for soldiers past and present, and their families, for life. The ABF stands at the forefront of support for the Army family, last year supporting 70,000 people in 45 countries around the world. The ABF awards grants to individuals and families, and funds leading organisations that support soldiers, former soldiers, and their families.
It was an incredible experience and my thanks once again to Andrew Trapnell for the opportunity to attend this insightful visit that was organised by the Worshipful Company of Fletchers and the Worshipful Company of Carmen.