Photographer:
Corporal Rob Kane © MoD Crown Copyright 2020
213 Officer Cadets from Commissioning Course 193 have passed out as army officers at the Sovereign’s Parade held at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on Friday 14th August.
Guest of honour and the parade’s inspecting officer was the Secretary of State for Defence, The Right Honourable Ben Wallace MP who represented Her Majesty, The Queen. Following his duties as the Inspecting Officer and in tribute to the 75th anniversary of Victory in Japan, the minister laid a wreath in Chapel Square, toured the Indian Army Memorial Room and spoke with a number of the international cadets.
Like so many other Covid-19 related aspects affecting society, this sovereign’s parade has had to adapt to comply with the guidelines laid down by the government. The commissioning cadets have been restricted to inviting only two guests so as to ensure the strict social distancing policy is upheld, the cadets marched on and performed their drill movements in open order to maintain their distancing, then finally and unusually for the Sovereign’s Parade there was only two divisions on parade instead of the three – the junior division having started later in the year due to lockdown are not ready to take to the famous parade square in front of Old College.
Once the commissioning cadets made that symbolic march up the steps of Old College followed by the Academy’s Adjutant atop his horse, they will need to wait a little longer, the point at which they commission will be at the stroke of midnight.
Among the 213 Officer Cadets commissioning will be 37 international cadets from 24 countries as far afield as Paraguay, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan.
