John Le Marchant (British Army Cavalry Officer) - Founder of The First British Military College

Founder of The First British Military College

With the exception of the specialist instruction school for artillery officers at Woolwich no institution for the education of military officers existed in Britain. In 1801, after overcoming considerable opposition on the grounds of cost, Le Marchant's scheme for establishing at High Wycombe and Great Marlow schools for the military instruction of officers was sanctioned by Parliament, and a grant of £30,000 was voted for the Royal Military College, the two original departments being afterwards combined and removed to Sandhurst. The military schools had two functions; first was in the instruction of serving officers in the functions of the efficient staff-officer, and second was the schooling of youngsters before they gained an officer's commission. Le Marchant was the first lieutenant-governor, and during the nine years that he held this appointment he trained many officers who served with distinction under Wellington in the Peninsula War. It is notable that a number of quite senior officers, such as General Robert Ballard Long, attended courses at the college in order to improve their military knowledge. This college was one of the forerunners of the current Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In 1804 Le Marchant received the personal thanks of King George who said "The country is greatly indebted to you."

Read more about this topic:  John Le Marchant (British Army Cavalry Officer)

Famous quotes containing the words founder of the, founder of, founder, british, military and/or college:

    Women ... are completely alone, though they were born and bred upon this soil, as if they belonged to another class in creation.
    “Jennie June” Croly 1829–1901, U.S. founder of the woman’s club movement, journalist, author, editor. F, Demorest’s Illustrated Monthly Mirror of Fashions, pp. 363-4 (December 1870)

    But the house of the prudent countryman will be, of course, a place of honest manners; and Demeter Thesmophoros is the guardian of married life, the deity of the discretion of wives. She is therefore the founder of civilised order.
    Walter Pater (1839–1894)

    At first, it must be remembered, that [women] can never accomplish anything until they put womanhood ahead of wifehood, and make motherhood the highest office on the social scale.
    “Jennie June” Croly 1829–1901, U.S. founder of the woman’s club movement, journalist, author, editor. Demorest’s Illustrated Monthly and Mirror of Fashions, pp. 24-5 (January 1870)

    A girl? Hey, that’s better in a way. A boy needs more from a father.
    Margaret Forster, British screenwriter, Peter Nichols, and Silvio Narizzano. Jos (Alan Bates)

    Weapons are an important factor in war, but not the decisive factor; it is people, not things, that are decisive. The contest of strength is not only a contest of military and economic power, but also a contest of human power and morale. Military and economic power is necessarily wielded by people.
    Mao Zedong (1893–1976)

    I do not think that a Physician should be admitted into the College till he could bring proofs of his having cured, in his own person, at least four incurable distempers.
    Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)