Page 17 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021

rooms This was an excellent opportunity for us all to to learn learn more about about the the regiments that we we aspire to to to join as as as well as as as learning about about the the significant and and wide-ranging experience of our our instructors We received our our ten and and and five minute warnings in in in in in traditional Sandhurst fashion with a a a a a a a trumpet OCdts were stunned to to walk into a a a a a dining room which had been transformed from the daily ‘scoff house’ to to a a a a a a a a a well lit and and decorated formal dining room OCdts took their their places standing behind their their chairs for for the the the the the arrival of the the the the the top table Equally impressive a a a a a a a a a a a a a transformation was the the the the the food which had changed greatly from the the normal menu required to to to sustain us us us in in in in training to to to elegant res- taurant quality food served to to to us us us by the silent heroes and heroines of RMAS – its Mess Staff Although very much still in in in in a a a a a a a a formal setting all OCdts thoroughly enjoyed being able to to to relax and talk to to to fellow members of of our platoons with no time pressure and dare I say it it a a a a a a a glass of of wine As the the the the dinner drew to to to a a a a a a a close and with the the the the bang of the the the the the gavel we we we were able to to to practice the the the the the toasts As well as as as a a a a a a a a a a a speech from the the the the Officer Command- ing Blenheim Coy the the the Company was also treated to to an an an excellent poem This ode to to the the the misfortunes of of OCdts across the the the the Company was undoubtedly the the the highlight of of the the the evening’s entertainment and an excellent way to conclude a a a a fine dinner Ex LONG REACH – Winter Term 21 October 2021 saw the the the Junior Term complete Ex LONG REACH – a a a a a gruel- ling patrol over the the Black Mountains in in in Wales The exercise is is is is the the second major exer- cise cise that takes place during Junior Term This year marked the the the return to the the the Black Moun- tains where the the the the exercise is is usually held how- ever due to to COVID-19 the the previous few itera- tions had been moved to to Dartmoor Exercise LONG REACH is is is an arduous exercise which involvesOCdtsnavigatingfor36hoursacross a a a a a a a a a a a 70km+ route completing command tasks at at various checkpoints along the way – all done whilst carrying weight upwards of 25kg For The Somme Company spirits were high prior to deployment on on the the exercise A nerv- ous anticipation for many as as as the the significance of of LONG REACH as as as a a a a a a a a a a a rite of of passage is well understood by all Undoubtably the the memo- ries and lessons learnt from the the exercise will be engrained on on all OCdts who took part The exercise was a a a a rollercoaster of of extreme extreme highs and extreme extreme lows Moments of of pure
OCdt Carvell
elation and and laughter and and others which saw many doing some pretty serious soul search- ing ing The Somme Company in in in particular had some notable highlights generally caused by a a a a a a a a series of of personal administration errors on on on the part of of some OCdts!
For most if not all OCdts the experience of LONG REACH taught invaluable lessons which they will take with them throughout their military careers and beyond Firstly those those who who are are are ‘up’ help those those who who are are are ‘down’ to to keep keep their spirits up up and to to keep keep moving because in in another few hours the the the the situation will no no doubt be be reversed Secondly the the the the extent to which individuals can push their body and mind beyond where they thought possible For many seeing two sun sets with- out sleep certainly was an an experience not previously endured Despite it it all Ex Long Reach was a a a a a huge milestone passed in in the the OCdts’ journeys on on on on on the the the road to to commissioning – and one one which they should be immensely proud of SANDHURST
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