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College. On that occasion Wellington parent
Tim Spicer presented the ‘Aegis Trophy’ to
the winning team — on points, so close was
the aggregate result. Many ows, parents and
staff were amongst what must be one of the
most enthusiastic, traditional and nostalgic
crowds in Britain to assemble — all pleased at
the re-incarnation of the ‘Tournament’. Will
it be repeated ? Emphatically yes, and whisper
has it that the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force
will be back too.
The British Military Tournament also
had many other spectacular and ear-filling
moments. The military bands and mounted
troops performed in tremendous style as they
always do, presenting the story of the British
Army through the career of Tommy Atkins,
our own Arthur Duke of Wellington’s choice
as the archetypal British soldier. The Duke
was on parade too, masterminding an episode
during Waterloo when the Eagle standard
was captured from the French of the 105th
Regiment. (There is a College connection
with that episode, see Obiter Dicta, page 118.)
The whirling guns with squealing wheels of
the Royal Horse Artillery were as popular
as ever, followed by a most poignant extract
from ‘Warhorse’, currently running on the
West End stage, and a most realistic reenactment of a Household Cavalry Regiment
patrol in Afghanistan. How did they get that
raf Chinook helicopter to fly into the Earl’s
Court Arena 1 ?
Then with all the performers assembled
for the finale, including our Gun Crews, we
witnessed a gallop past by five lone horsemen,
not of the Apocalypse, but of the British
Army, one by one. The first carried the flag
of St George of England; the second bore the
fluttering St Andrew’s Cross, white on blue.
Then came the fierce Dragon of the Principality
of Wales. The crowd were mightily pleased
and cheered as each horseman dashed though.
The Red Hand of Ulster was carried by the
fourth rider, with vigorous response from
the crowd. After a pause the final horseman
galloped through Earl’s Court on the wings of
the wind to the most tumultuous cheers of
the whole evening, carrying aloft the Union
Flag. Moments proudly shared by Wellington
College, it was triumphal British ending to a
very British event.
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We learnt to trust each other,
covered for each other’s mistakes
— that’s true camaraderie.