Page 22 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 59

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
absolute ball. After 4 months it was off to RCB Success at the Regular
again where I was much better prepared and was Commissions Board,
second time lucky!
accepted for entry to the Royal Military Academy
November 1976
Sandhurst (RMAS). (pictured back row left) haps before?), I returned to Sandhurst for another
Sandhurst was amazing. In those days only
around 5% of the entry were graduates so I was made
an Officer Cadet with men (most lady officer cadets
were destined for the Women’s Royal Army Corps
(WRAC) and went to Camberley in those days)
from all walks of life including Royalty and overseas
delegates from around the world. Commencing
in January 1977, the Standard Military Course
(SMC) was for potential officers being granted
Short Service Commissions and just over 6 months
in duration. Suffice to say that I found the first
term reasonably comfortable and was promoted to
Cadet Corporal, although I remember being given
a bit of a warning to ‘try harder’ in the second term.
Perhaps I did and was promoted to Cadet Sergeant, During a visit to Belize in
missing out as Junior Under Officer which went to 1983 by Col Bill Morris not to be.
a fellow cadet who was a capable leader, destined for
a Guards Regiment. I well remember being ‘blue
lighted’ in a very fast BMW with a fellow cadet
who was a member of a European Royal Family,
from Sandhurst to Luton airport when the coach
failed to turn up at 4am. A group of about 10 of
us had been lucky enough to be selected to attend
the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Parade at Sennelager on
7th July 1977. A great and very memorable day out.
I passed out of Sandhurst in August 1977, Mum
and Dad couldn’t be more proud, and we were
privileged to be invited to the Sergeants’ Mess for
a drink afterwards as Mum used to work with the
brother of the College RSM! I met this gentleman
once more many, many years later during one of my
visits as Secretary to the Royal Hospital Chelsea,
I remembered him well.
Despite the kind offer to join an Infantry
Regiment I decided that I was probably better
placed with the ACC, so 2nd Lieutenant Vincent
became a Platoon Commander in the Army
Apprentice’s College ACC, a huge privilege, and
great fun. Although it wasn’t long before I received
PAGE 22
some very welcome back-
so
dated seniority due to my
t
time in the ranks and I was
promoted to Lieutenant and
p
then, for reasons that escape
th
me, acting Captain soon after-
me
war
wards. For a while I became
Ass
Assistant Adjutant to a great
mentor and friend before my first
men
posting as a Specialist Catering Officer (SCO)
at the Junior Leaders’ Regiment Royal Artillery at
Bramcote, near Nuneaton. Once again, a great unit
where I had the good fortune to have an excep-
tionally capable catering team and made some
lifelong Gunner friends. The nature of this unit
meant that I surprisingly found time to ski, canoe,
go adventure training and generally do what we
could as young officers in those days. I also became
married to Janice so moved from the mess to married
quarters. I think, either after this posting (or per-
6 months on the ‘Returning Officers’ course as by
this time I had applied for a Regular Commission,
intending to remain in the ACC for a full career.
If I remember correctly, I then was posted to
Belize for a 6-month tour, another great job, fabu-
lous part of the world with its second largest barrier
reef just off the coast, tiny sandy islands to visit,
absolute heaven. Midway through my tour in 1982
the Falklands War took place and I recall listening
to the Prime Minister of the day make announce-
ments on a crackly radio. We only had BFBS
pre-recorded video TV programmes for a couple
hours a week, delivered on the weekly RAF flight
from UK. We thought that we might be deployed
as we were halfway to the Falklands but that was
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