Rhubarb 2020

ST EDWARD’S r h u b a r b

The Officer Cadet

of its greatest merits is its ability to stick to its proven traditional roots, whilst adapting to the current environment. Time is spent being “beasted” around by a very angry PT instructor and doing seemingly never-ending hours of drill but also considerable amounts of time are spent in the classroom doing war, defence and behavioural studies. One thing I owe Teddies is that it taught me the value of being open- minded and maintaining an interest in a broad range of subjects and activities. When we deploy on exercise and the sleep deprivation starts to kick in, I do think back at my time at the Boat House and how training under Mr Wiggins and Mr Singfield ingrained in me the team spirit and ethos which you need in order

By Oscar Von Hannover (A, 2010-2015)

O S E I N T E R V I E W

Oscar Von Hannover left Teddies in 2015. He is currently at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He reflects on his time at Sandhurst and his journey over the past year. Having finished the intermediate term at Sandhurst and leaving the gates for the first time in 13 weeks of lockdown, I find myself reflecting on a busy, stressful, yet highly rewarding two thirds of the commissioning course. Sandhurst today is a very different entity to what it was in the past and one

One thing I owe Teddies is that it taught me the value of being open-minded and maintaining an interest in a broad range of subjects and activities

to get through the commissioning course (especially if you’re locked in with your platoon for 13 weeks). Being tough and resilient is only useful to others around you if you manage to add value and that I gained from a plethora of curricular and extra-curricular activities. I must add that the tone on the drill square for CCF did not prepare me for the bellowing grunt of the steely-eyed sergeant major. So far, I look back on a very challenging yet enjoyable experience and as the senior term looms ahead, I will need to continue developing as an individual to deal with ambiguity in a confident and inspiring manner. What Sandhurst teaches like no other academy is to be selfless and humble in order to lead some of the finest, professional soldiers. One thing I urge everyone to do, and something I have fallen short of, is to engage with the history of the School. OSE played an important role in liberating Europe and St Edward’s work preparing pupils to develop into effective officers (even if they were in the Navy and the RAF) was second to none and needs to be honoured and remembered.

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