Page 11 - The Cormorant Issue 24 Crest Publications

B Division: Battle of Taranto Virtual Dining-In Night Wg Cdr Mark Still
ACSC PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY for the sharing of military traditions with our sister services and international students. A key element of this is the formal dining-in nights that are based around significant historical events that have shaped our services. These functions provide valuable opportunities for reflection, learning and remembrance whilst celebrating our victories and the cultures, traditions and habits that imbue the British military.
In recognition of the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, B Division harnessed cutting edge technology (to the horror of some ... with a shock and awe element present) to take a novel, innovative approach to deliver a multi-Domain event. On the night, over 100 members of the student body, partners and staff of B Division took part in a virtual dining-in night that recalled the events of the 11th and 12th of November 1940 and the Fleet Air Arm’s first carrier-launched airstrike against an enemy fleet at anchor in Taranto harbour.
Attendees enthusiastically embraced the occasion with guests appearing with thematic backdrops
and tables adorned with resplendent silverware
up and down the country. However, levels of detail, forethought and menus were varied to say the least – from a full three-course menu to a large glass of red and a spoon of Nutella!
Vignettes of the events of the Battle of Taranto were delivered by several students – some including sound effects and significant personalities. In between the courses at the end of which the vignettes occurred,
the dining-in night attendees broke out into small rooms (virtually) to enable some of the normally available opportunities for banter and casual conversations to flow – enhancing the much needed and missed social aspects of such an event.
The evening culminated with the national anthems of the nations represented, followed by reflections
from our guest speaker, Capt ‘Rocky’ Salmon RN (Retd), and from the B Division director, Col Bates. They provided analysis and contemporary thoughts on the events of the battle which brought relevance to today’s ‘fight’ and allowed us, as Defence’s future commanders, to take away lessons for our careers going forward.
One thing that I took away, and a lesson re-learned, was that regardless of where or how a dining-in night is delivered, physically or virtually – the hangover is definitely not virtual!
PAGE 9