Page 62 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021 (Crest)

of war, where many voices were lost cheering on respective platoons as well as the echoes of conversations around technique and a fighting spirit. Though Lucknow were the judges, it was not long before our own series of sporting events would happen. The Lucknow Invictus Games qualifiers, consisting of five teams and a panel of unbiased judges, participated in egg and spoon races, apple bobbing, welly tossing, bean bag slingshotting, and egg tossing; all for bragging rights and the coveted golden crutches. After an impressive showing from OCdt Feaver in the apple bobbing, and superb marksmanship from OCdt Kaliqui with the slingshot, the end results rested on a handful of bonus points given for good hydration techniques by OCdts Currie, Gwilym and Odendaal.
The Lucknow Dinner Night, featuring not only all the staff and OCdts from Lucknow, but also the Adjutant Capt. Gregory, Padre Amy, Maj. Patch- ing, Maj. Lyons, and Lt. Col. Crawford unfolded into a wonderful night, starting with pre-dinner drinks at the entrance to Old College, before moving into the Indian Army Memorial Room, a fantastic and fitting setting for Lucknow. With a poem from OCdt Farrow, a speech and a raf- fle, with prizes donated from Altberg, Barbour, Wessex Distillery among others and funds raised going to the Royal British Legion, a most ecstatic CSgt Waite won a new sleeping bag. The night came to a close with a few drinks and an excit- ing viewing of the end of the Euros semi-final in Johnson’s Bar, which produced a brilliant Eng- land win over Denmark, realising OCdt Cavazzi- ni’s fear of having an identity crisis over the com- ing England v Italy final.
Diplomacy and politics were on display for an intense wargaming session, run by OCdt Far- row, where OCdts battle through the struggles of diplomacy, self-interest and banking regu- lations in order to achieve each nation’s main aims. It quickly became a tale of East V West, resulting in a coalition of Russia, China, Syria, Serbia, and the Pope locked in the throes of war and dice rolling with the nations of Brazil, the USA, the UK and Israel. In the end, nuclear war had descended on Syria, South Africa liber- ated Israel, the UN was seen as corrupt by every nation, a statue of the Pope was erected in the Communist Republic of Australia and a massive battle was about to be fought over France when the die stopped rolling and the rounds were up. If there was something to take away from it all, it
is that the maintenance of peaceful diplomacy is a lot harder than it looks.
Some things have remained consistent this term. Weeks 1 to 5 saw little difference com- pared to the terms prior or to the terms that will come; plenty of late nights for the Juniors hur- rying along the corridors in a constant state of panic, a seemingly never-ending drill practice in the courtyard, and many a national anthem sung acting as an alarm clock for Lucknow, with this terms surprise addition of a set of bagpipes as a snooze alarm. Covid restrictions continued to burden Lucknow, OCdts remaining gated over weekends (bar week 5), where, in terms past, they would be out of the gates to visit family and friends every weekend, allowing access to that essential support network during a time of injury and career instability. The staff have remained consistent this term; CSgt Waite and Capt. Wat- son, the dynamic duo, remained for this term, a welcome relief for those who had become accustomed to the honesty and sincerity from them both, as well as the frequent requests for tea. Alongside them, the Canine Sergeant Major Douglas, forever patrolling the corridors in search of a back scratch and a “good boy”
All in all, Lucknow has made the most of what was on offer this term, in what has been an ardu- ous year for Sandhurst. Those who were here to experience it certainly will not forget it as it set the bar high for the term to come. A chang- ing of the guard is occurring, with hopes of not only more freedoms, but also a set of staff who will continue to provide support to OCdts and opportunities that help OCdts grow, a factor that remains vital to the positive running of Lucknow.
Carpe Potestatem.
60 SANDHURST