SANDHURST, a town in the Wokingham parliamentary di vision of Berkshire, England, 9m. N. of Aldershot. Pop. 3,799 Two miles south-east of the town, near the villages of Camberley Town and York Town, and the railway stations of Blackwater and Camberley on the Southern Railway, is the Sand hurst Royal Military College. The college, now at Sandhurst, was established by Royal warrant in March 1802 in a house at Great. Marlow. Near Sandhurst is Wellington college, one of the princi pal modern public schools of England, founded in memory of the great duke of Wellington, and incorporated in 1853.
Since 1877 the course at Sandhurst has varied from one year to two, except during the World War, when it was reduced for a short while to 4 months in order to increase the output. During the war 4,00o cadets were passed through the R.M.C. and at one time the numbers rose to s,000. After the war subjects of gen eral educational value were re-introduced into the curriculum and the length of the course became eighteen months. The college stands in beautiful grounds, with a large lake and ample space for games. The college is within so miles of Aldershot and is thus suitably placed for keeping in touch with military training. The roll of cadets includes Lord Roberts Lord Allenby (1881) and Lord Haig (1884). At the R.M.C. cadets are trained for com missions in the Cavalry, Infantry, Royal Tank Corps, Royal Army Service Corps of the British service and for the Indian army. Occasionally when vacancies are available, special candidates are admitted to the Royal Corps of Signals. Since 1922 a number of vacancies at the college have been specially reserved for selected N.C.Os. of the regular army recommended to be trained for com missions.
A few New Zealand cadets are trained for service in their own army. A limited number of Indians also undergo training for service in the Indian army and from time to time a few specially selected Egyptian, Siamese and Iraqi cadets are permitted to at tend the course of instruction. The course consists of three terms, of which there are two a year (Feb. 1 to mid-July, and from Sept. I to Christmas.) Cadets enter each half-year in batches of 150 to 200, at the age of 18-19 and after passing a competitive en trance examination. The army entrance examination is con
ducted by the Civil Service commission. With the exception of certain candidates nominated by the Army Council, candidates are required to possess a school certificate before being permitted to sit for the army entrance examination. The cadets are or ganised in four companies on the lines of an infantry battalion. The staff of the college includes a commandant, a company corn mander for each company, company officers for each platoon and officers of the Army Educational Corps. These latter are especially responsible for instruction in non-military subjects, viz. constitu tional history, European history, geography (obligatory), chemis try, mechanics, political and economic history, languages, elec tricity (alternative. I subject to be chosen by each cadet). The military and obligatory part of the course includes conduct of war, strategy, tactics and organization—illustrated from military his tory—map reading, military law, drill, riding and physical training.
At the end of the course commissions are allotted in various branches of the service according to existing vacancies, choice of regiment usually being given to those high up in the order of passing out. The normal fee is Lioo a term and in addition certain charges are made for uniform, books, etc. The sons of officers of H.M. forces are, subject to certain conditions, admitted at a re duced normal rate of 160 a term. A limited number of cadets are admitted at reduced rates on account of pecuniary need at the dis cretion of the Army Council. A certain number of scholarships are available for cadets on entering the college (awarded on re sults of army entrance examination) and other scholarships are available for cadets during their course, and for young officers during the first five years of their service. The conditions of ad mission and fees, etc., vary from time to time and information with regard to possible changes should be sought from the War Office. (See also OFFICERS.) In the vicinity of Wellington college is Broadmoor prison for criminal lunatics.