In the film Four Weddings and a Funeral at Carrie’s wedding reception the conversation went as follows:
Fiona: Where’s Gareth?
Matthew: Torturing Americans.
Fiona: How thoughtful of him.
Well, that’s just what I did on Sunday at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst’s Heritage Open Day, only they were mostly Cadets not Americans being tortured. I joined many thousands of happy local residents wandering round the grounds of the RMA. The official programme provided information on all the memorials dotted around the grounds. One of which is a huge mortar, the Kurnool Mortar, technically classified as a howitzer [because it pivots nearer the centre rather than its base].
So my tease was to ask anyone in uniform?
“Is the Kurnool Mortar a mortar or a howitzer?”
The results were:
- Soldier standing next to the mortar blushingly said he didn’t know
- Colour Sergeant did know, but admitted to only recently knowing
- Couple of male Cadets hadn’t the foggiest idea
- Three female cadets knew and one knew its complete history
- Couple of senior officers didn’t know
The enthusiasm and enjoyment of all the cadets and their families was plain to see. Another great local day out.
Remind us not to invite you next year!
By: Capt DC Lord on June 19, 2007
at 2:57 pm
Capt Lord
I’m done torturing now and in the future. But, I try not to miss your Open Days, thye’re just so beautifully organised.
By: timdodds on June 19, 2007
at 4:16 pm
[...] be fun, no torturing cadets this time, just serious questions about the Army. It’s fantastic to have the Army in our [...]
By: Gold braid and uniforms tonight « Lightwater on October 15, 2008
at 4:42 pm