Newsletter 111986 April 1986 year without a Fourth Class, and a decade or more when From the Editor there were no New Zealanders in the Corps. The three Elsewhere in the Newsletter you will see a suggestion for companies of my day, imaginatively called A, B and C a 'This, That and The Other' column for future issues. As I Companies, have expanded into the six you know which am always looking for copy I heartily endorse the idea, carry the honoured names of battles. particularly if the emphasis can be on who is doing what, From time to time there have been dramatic changes to where and how, together with other news members may the Corps' accommodation: first there was the old wooden have of those in their local area. R.S. Flint kindly wrote RMC, then Victoria Barracks in Sydney, and then a return recently to tell me of his activities and mentioned D.D. home to the new brick RMC. For 40 years past it has been Weir (1945), C.M. Townsend (1946) and P.G. Cole (1950) necessary for some cadets to live in temporary outstations who are doing things agricultural close by in the Gympie, like Siberia, the Country Club, Moonbase, and, most Queensland area. I happen to know that F.F. Albrecht recently, the Defence Force Academy. (1949) is also growing beef thereabouts. Like it or not, the customs and traditions of the Corps An injection of personal jottings into a publication like change. New ones come, old ones disappear, and it seems chis would be a good thing. With due respect to State that very few have endured from the early days of the branches I would prefer that contributions be sent direct to College. But there is something of great value that has me, as this helps when I am putting together articles for survived the course of 74 years, and that is the quality which publication. In the event that past Newsletters have been we know and our predecessors knew as Corps Spirit. It was lost, stolen or strayed my address is: kindled in the first intake in 191 1; it was strong then, as we have been told, and it has continued strong as each W.J. Slocombe succeedingclass has been touched by it. Corps Spirit - this RMB 2038 is the bond which links cadets of the past with you and you The Ridgeway with cadets of the future. r QUEANBEYAN NSW 2620 Let us consider what will happen to the Corps in 1986. First, there will be the injection of customs and traditions On another note, it is becoming increasingly difficult to and, indeed, the Corps Spirit of the Officer Cadet School keep track of each member's rank on retirement. The which your colleagues from Portsea will bring with them. Military Secretary's staff is always helpful, but their time is Their heritage is younger than yours, but we know it is limited and often more objection is taken to the publication justifiably strong. It will blend with yours, and the Corps of an incorrect rank than to none at all. In future, in most can only gain from the blend. cases ranks will not be included in the Newsletter unless Then there will be female cadets; and the Corps will members are opposed to the idea, in which case I should be reflect modem society and the Army at large. Perhaps it glad to hear from them. This Newsletter is deliberately a mshould have done so before. A short time ago I was mixture of the old and the proposed new. fortunate in meeting some of the senior class of the OCS, both menmd women. Clearly the class was a homogeneous group, and I am sure this will be true of future classes at Graduation Dinner 1985 Duntroon. [Reproduced below is the Toast to the Corps of Staff It will be necessary for the Corps to reorganize to suit the Cadets proposed by a 1948 graduate on the occasion of the remodetled RMC course. I understand that future intakes 1985 Graduation Dinner. Ed] will progress by terms, rather than by classes, and so the traditional names, First Class, Second Class, Third CIass It is my privilege to propose the toast to the Corps, and and Fourth Class - which have survived wars and the privilege is mine, I believe, because I am the oldest university affiliation - must disappear from Duntroon at ex-member of the Corps of Staff Cadets here present. I see last. And the Third Classmen and Fourth Classmen here by the board that there are five days to go. Since my own tonight will disappear with those names, to return to the Graduation Dinner, which was held-here in the Mess, there Corps in later days and with different status. are 13,505 days that have gone. Rere is the important point. The Corps of Staff Cadets is All those days make 37 year$. The Corps has been in going to continue, and it will advance into 1986 and beyond existence for twice that time, and now it is on the brink of without losing the step. some signf~cantchanges. I think I am right in saying that The best illustration of its continuity, I think, is that the many here are apprehensive about the future and what it CSC numbers will1 carry on from their 191 1 start, and the will do to the Corps of Staff Cadets as we have known it. first cadet enrolled in 1986will be No. 4930. So many of you Let me tell you that the Corps has been subjected to here will have sons and grandsons or, indeed, daughters changes of one kind or another throughout its history. and granddaughters in future intakes. -here have been, for instance, great variations in size and The Corps will continue to wear the same badge as I did as organization: on the Graduation Parade next Tuesday and you do, to use the same ranks, and to be organized in the Corps will be some 400 strong, but there was a year the same companies as at present (though five, sadly, and when there were only 27 on parade, and 1 1 of those were in not six). And the Corps of Staff Cadets will continue to First Class. There have been years without a First Class, a carry the Colours of the Royal Military College. It is almost time for most of the cadets here to leave the love the Corps, or you might hate it, but there will not be Corps - some to graduate, some to transfer to the one of you who has not known the Corps Spirit and been Academy, a few to go by choice, and a few through changed by it. And so it has always been. misfortune. Whether you are staying on, or leaving to Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and we shall drink the '- return later, or leaving for good, you will not recall your toast to the Corps. days in the Corps without some sort of emotion. You might Western Australian Branch Luncheon October 1985 From the left: I. D. Stock, L. G. Clark, R. E. Lawrence. 2 The Intermediate Term cadets had merely three days to -- Victorian Branch Report find their feet and get to know each other before the 159 The Victorian Branch has now settled down to a regular Junior Class cadets arrived. They comprised 79 civilians, 55 pattern of luncheons. They are held in the Robertson in-service soldiers, six overseas cadets, two RAAF cadets, Room of the Victoria Barracks Officers' Mess, Melbourne, and 17 cadets who transferred from the degree course. at 12.30 p.m. on the first Thursday of March and October There are 13 married cadets and 15 female cadets in this each year. Two have been held since the last Report, and class. Married cadets may live out after the first 11 weeks of both have been well attended. A very pleasant aspect of training, subject to satisfactory performance. The female these luncheons is the mix of recent graduates and 'old- cadets undergo the same training as their male colleagues timers' attending. and apart from a minor variance in standards for physical In addition to the luncheons, the Society is holding a training receive no concessions and are fully integrated into buffet dinner at the Victoria Barracks Officers' Mess on the class. They wear khaki trousers on parade and have the Friday 18 April 1986, at 7.00 pm for 7.30 pm, when the option of a khaki skirt for classroom and study periods. Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant-General Peter Ceremonial uniforms are identical for both male and Gration (1949), will be the honoured guest of the Society. female cadets. For the information of any members who may be in Induction training at the Majura Range, Scale A Camp, Melbourne, our next luncheon will be on Thursday 2 was conducted by Military Training Wing. The few October 1986. problems encountered paled in significance as all 159 members of the class proudly marched on to the College ACT Branch Report parade ground at the end of their fourth week of training. A week later, with the screed test behind them, the Com- The social calendar includes: mandant reviewed the first Lanyard Parade for 1986, formally accepting the class into the Corps. A cocktail party at Duntroon House on 22 November 1985. The average age of the Corps of Staff Cadets is now 22, The annual lunch at the RMC Golf Club on 4 April 1986.