Badges and bullets – but no Charlie G – as Sandhurst lake gives up its secrets
The lake at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst has been drained so some essential repairs can be made – yielding some unusual discoveries.
The lake – that may looks tranquil, but is often used to test the officer cadets' ability to cross a body of water in full uniform and kit – is being worked on by volunteers from the Sandhurst Trust.
While some careless cadets have been losing items in the lake, it seems others may have been using it as a dumping ground.
The Sandhurst Trust, which supports officer cadets, serving and retired officers, explained how the lake is now at its lowest level in 200 years, so the station commander allowed a team onto the lakebed – armed not with SA80s but metal detectors.
The team managed to uncover a rich cache of items, including cap badges, coins, an antique iron – and a "great number" of bullets.
It is unclear what calibre these are – which could help date their loss – and whether or not they ended up there by accident or went "missing" on purpose.
When personnel leave a range or exercise area, they have to make a declaration that they have no ammunition or other munitions on them.
In the past, if people found out they did have some rogue ammo on them after all – and not wanting to get in trouble – they would dispose of it quietly and sometimes creatively.
To stop that happening nowadays, there is an amnesty box, usually found at every guardroom, where people can safely – and anonymously – dispose of such contraband after the fact.
The trust had previously asked members to suggest what the team might find in the lake – with some hilarious suggestions being made.
But the volunteers were adamant they had not found any gnomes, Lord Lucan or Shergar.
Nor did they find Winston Churchill's fob watch – or a Carl-Gustaf 84mm recoilless rifle – affectionately known as the Charlie G.
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