Mons Officer Cadet School

Mons Officer Cadet School was a former British military training establishment in Aldershot.

Mons Officer Cadet School
Active1927–1972
Country United Kingdom
AllegianceBritish Armed Forces
Branch British Army
TypeTraining
RoleOfficer cadet training
Garrison/HQAldershot

History

Mons Barracks was originally constructed from 1926 to 1927 for the Royal Signals.[1] In 1939, Royal Military College, Sandhurst became the home of 161 Infantry Officer Cadet Training Unit (RMC):[2] that unit moved to Mons Barracks at Aldershot in 1942, and subsequently became known as the "Mons Officer Cadet Training Unit (Aldershot)".[2] In 1947, the Mons Officer Cadet Training Unit (Aldershot) was re-organised as an OCTU for short service and National Service officer cadets of the technical arms,[3] i.e. officer cadets of the Royal Artillery and Royal Armoured Corps.[4]

Shortly before National Service was abolished in 1960, Mons OCTU and Eaton Hall OCTU were combined to form the Mons Officer Cadet School. Mons OCS was made responsible for training all Short Service Officer Cadets, and for those joining the Regular Army as graduates. Later, Mons became also responsible for final training of candidates for Territorial Army commissions. The intensive training that emphasised cadets' duties as subalterns, rather than as field officers and generals was fast and efficient, and attractive to potential officers since the course lasted just six months compared to two years at Sandhurst.[4]

The Mons OCS was closed in 1972, and its responsibilities transferred to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which was re-organised as an academy for student officers and officer cadets, including regulars, short servicemen, and Territorials.[3]

Notable graduates
  • George E. Mudenda, retired Zambian Army Brigadier-General, Former Adjutant-General, Zambia Army, Former Diplomat and Businessman.
  • Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigerian Army Colonel, Commander of the 5th Battalion Kano, Northern Nigeria, First Quarter-Master General of the Nigerian Army,Military Governor of the then Eastern Region, Leader of the secessionist State of Biafra, General in the Biafran Army and Biafran Head of State, Politician and businessman
  • Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia
  • Sani Abacha, former military President of Nigeria
  • Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain
  • Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Hakem of Fujairah
  • D.W. Hapuarachchi, Major General Sri Lanka Army
  • Nicholas Soames
  • Robin Rhoderick-Jones Brigadier and Author
  • Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa, Ghanaian Head of State
  • Joseph Nanven Garba, Nigerian Army general, diplomat, and politician
  • George Agbazika Innih. Nigerian Army general and politician
  • Miles Hunt-Davis, British Army brigadier
  • Emmanuel E Ikwue, Nigerian Air Force Chief of the Air Staff
  • Mohammed Sani Sami, Nigerian Army brigadier and Governor of Bauchi State, Nigeria
  • John Amadu Bangura, Sierra Leone Army brigadier and acting Governor-General of Sierra Leone
  • Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerian Army Major General, Former Nigerian Head of State and Current President of Nigeria.[5]
  • Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian President and Army General
  • Bashiru Jinadu, Nigerian Army Major-General and former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division Enugu, Nigeria
  • Kit Lambert, manager of The Who[6]
  • Slyvester Idakwo military officer Oil Trader
  • Robin Collier MC, commander of a platoon of the 2nd Battalion The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders[7]
  • Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emir of Dubai, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates[8]
  • Tony Hunter-Choat, British soldier who served in the French Foreign Legion
  • Derek Chanda Mutoni (Late) retired Zambian Army Brigadier-General, Zambia Army and Diplomat
  • David Grainger, Guyanese Army retired brigadier general, president of Guyana
  • Michael Heseltine, Deputy Prime Minister; later Baron Heseltine
  • Ranulph Fiennes, explorer
  • Hassan Usman Katsina, General Hassan Usman Katsina (31 March 1933 – 24 July 1995) was a Nigerian statesman, nobleman and military leader who was the Governor of Northern Nigeria following the 1966 Nigerian coup d'état. During the Nigerian Civil War he served as the Chief of Army Staff and later became the deputy Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters
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References
  1. "Branch History". The Royal Signals Association, Aldershot Branch. Archived from the original on 2003-02-13. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  2. "British Army Training: History". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  3. "Some key dates in the history of The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and its predecessors". The Churchill Society. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  4. "The History of RMA Sandhurst" (PDF). British Army. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  5. The Times, "US overtakes Britain at educating leaders" (September 5, 2019), pg. 19
  6. Andrew Motion, The Lamberts (1986), pg. 278
  7. "Major Robin Collier – obituary". Daily Telegraph. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  8. Gupte, Pranay (2010). Dubai: The Making of a Megapolis. Bombay: Viking. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-670-08517-0.

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