TRAINING CORPS, OFFICERS'. The creation of the Officers' Training Corps (Junior and Senior divisions) dates from 1908. Its aim was twofold: (I) to provide students at schools and universities with a standardized measure of elementary mili tary training to enable them eventually to become special reserve or territorial officers; (2) to create a potential reserve of junior officers to meet a national emergency.
The Junior Division is composed of boys of 13 years of age and upwards in public secondary schools and is officered by the masters in those schools. The former incur no military obliga tion when they leave school, but the latter as they are corn missioned officers of the Territorial Army are under the same obligations and enjoy the same privileges as other officers of that Army. Though equipment is supplied from army funds and training is supervised by the War Office, each contingent is defi nitely under the control of the school authorities by whom the training is highly valued as a means of character building. The cadets are prepared for the written and practical examination for "Certificate A," which qualifies for a commission in the territorial army or special reserve. In Nov. 1928 out of candidates, 2,803 obtained the certificate.
In 1909, the Junior Division comprised 123 contingents contain ing 311 officers and 13,814 cadets. By 1928 there were 171 con tingents with 618 officers and 34,805 cadets. (Two new ones just recognized are not included.) Grants are paid by the War Office in respect of efficient cadets and for holders of "Certificate A" taking commissions in the Ter ritorial Army, but parents bear 5o% to 90% of the total expenses. There are 173 contingents of the Junior Division and 176 contin gents on the waiting list, belonging largely to the schools which have Cadet Corps. The latter are under the control of the County
Territorial Associations and, except for a very small grant per head, have to find the whole cost of the training and equipment of both the cadets and the officers.
The Senior Division contains 20 university contingents con sisting of 177 officers and 4,469 cadets. The cadets are prepared for "Certificate A" and for "Certificate B," the latter certificate carrying certain privileges in connection with candidates for corn missions in the Regular and Territorial armies. In May 1928 III candidates entered for "Certificate B" and 105 were success ful. The contingents include cavalry, artillery, medical, surveying, sound ranging, engineers, signal, veterinary, infantry, air units, etc., whereas the Junior contingents are, with the exception of 3 engineering units, all infantry.
To qualify for grant a cadet in the Senior Division must do the requisite number of drills and the musketry course, and attend camp for 1 o days. Cadets are eligible by nomination for commissions in the Regular Army, Territorial Force, Reserve of Officers and for regular and short service commissions in the Royal Air Force. They thus furnish a valuable source of supply of officers for the Territorial Army—which needs 1,600 new officers each year—for the Special Reserve, and for the Regular Army, whose needs are not fully met by the Royal Military College and the Royal Military Academy. During the World War no less than 35,00o officers were supplied by the Officers' Training Corps. (F. R. H.-J.)