Cadets complete Royal Military Academy Sandhurst officer training with special parade
More than 100 cadets have completed their officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Their achievement was marked with a special parade in front of proud family and friends.
The parade is the culmination of a year-long course, taking the officer cadets from Army novices to what they will be from midnight – commissioned officers and graduates of one of the finest military institutions on the planet.
Under Officer Adam Leonard, who was commissioned into the Royal Artillery, spoke to BFBS Forces News about having enjoyed the "excitement of it all".
"It's been 44 weeks of getting up to this point and here we are, it's all finished now, it's all ready and it's all good to go," he said.
The Sword of Honour, which is awarded to the Officer Cadet considered by the Commandant to be the best cadet in the Intake, was presented to Senior Under Officer Fergus Flory (Irish Guards).
"It was ultimately a bit of a surprise in the end. But it's a big moment," he said.
He added: "Being given the recognition for a hard year, is always going to be really nice to receive that. The completion was really high, and there were a lot of talented people it could have gone to.
"I feel very fortunate they selected me. You've got to be proud."
Maddy Brown, who is now a junior officer in the REME, spoke about the difficulties of the training.
"The way you get through is by the people around you, the other cadets, all your friends, kind of keeping you going," she said.
"It's like a moving train, you've got to keep on and not fall off and the challenges are what makes the course, it's all part and parcel."
The King was represented on the parade by General Patrick Sanders, the recently retired head of the British Army.
The commissioned officers now embark on some well-earned Christmas leave before joining their new regiments in the new year.
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