Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities Officer Training Corps
Encyclopedia
Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities Officer Training Corps (GSUOTC) is one of nineteen University Officer Training Corps in the United Kingdom
and one of four in Scotland, drawing recruits from higher education institutions in and around the city of Glasgow
and the wider Strathclyde
region in west-central
Scotland
. Officer Training Corps were originally established at the four ancient universities
of Scotland, but have continued to expand their catchment in line with the expansion of higher education institutions during the latter half of the 20th century. As part of the Territorial Army, the OTC's mission is to develop the leadership potential of selected university students through enjoyable and challenging training in order to communicate the values, ethos and career opportunities of the wider British Army
.
Part of 51st (Scottish) Brigade
, GSUOTC currently recruits its members from student volunteers attending the four Universities in the Greater Glasgow
area: The University of Glasgow
, The University of Strathclyde
, Glasgow Caledonian University
and the University of the West of Scotland. Students from these institutions can also join the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron
or the Glasgow University Royal Naval Unit
.
s of 1715 and 1745, when companies of Militia were raised by the University of Glasgow
to defend the pro-Hanoverian
University and the City of Glasgow
against the absolutist Highland Jacobites.
The current unit is however the direct descendent of the reserve Rifle Volunteer units that were originally raised in the Scottish Lowlands
as part of the Victorian Volunteer Force
by Lord Lieutenant
s in every county
. In the 1880s, professors such as William John Macquorn Rankine
and students formed two infantry companies as part of the local 1st Lanarkshire
(Glasgow 1st Western) Rifle Volunteers. This unit later became the 5th Battalion of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), based at West Princes Street Drill hall
in the Woodlands
area of Glasgow.
The emergence of Glasgow University OTC as a distinct unit began in 1906 when the Secretary of State for War
, Lord Haldane, first appointed a committee to consider the problem of the shortage of officers in the Militia
, the Volunteer Force, the Yeomanry
and the Reserve of Officers. The committee recommended that an Officers' Training Corps be formed. The Corps was to be in two divisions, a junior division in public schools (now the Combined Cadet Force
) and a senior division in the universities.
In October 1908 therefore, authorised by Army Order 160 of July 1908, as part the Haldane Reforms
of the Reserve forces, the contingent was formally established as the Glasgow University Officer Training Corps and incorporated in the new Territorial Force
, which was created by the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907
.
The new unit was located in its own Drill hall
at University Place on the Glasgow University campus. In those Edwardian days, the Corps numbered some 400 Officer Cadet
s organised into 3 infantry companies and an engineer company.
During the First World War, OTC members were amongst the first to volunteer, and Glasgow University OTC trained many potential officers for Kitchener's New Armies
. By the summer of 1916, some 2,800 officers had been raised by the University, with over 300 other students working in munitions factories. The War Office
also requisitioned lecture theatres to train officers from all parts of the UK. During the 1920s, the Corps added medical, artillery, and signals detachments to its strength.
In the Second World War, conscription was introduced immediately, and every student was regarded as a potential officer. The OTC's role was to train officers from those University students conscripted into the Army and to provide basic training for those who remained behind as a Home Guard unit. At its height the Corps rose to 1,500 members. Officers from the Polish Free Army
were also educated at the University. The names of those sons of the University who fell in both World Wars were commemorated in the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel
, which was originally completed in 1929.
Glasgow University OTC continued to train university students as officers during the post-war period of National Service
, between 1949 and 1960. In 1955 women were first allowed to join the OTC and a WRAC
sub-unit was formed; eventually becoming fully amalgamated into the other sub-units in 1992.
The OTC expanded its title to its current form upon the creation of the University of Strathclyde
in 1964, and later expanded recruitment to Glasgow Caledonian University
and the University of Paisley
, with the passing of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992
. There are currently approximately 160 members in GSUOTC.
within GSUOTC, according to seniority:
OTC members are classed as Officer Cadet
s (OCdt) and are "Group B" members of the Territorial Army, paid when on duty. As part of "Group B" however they are neither trained for nor liable for mobilised (active) service overseas and do not receive the same annual bounty payment as members of mainstream "Group A" TA units.
OCdts employed under the Territorial Army Sponsored Officer (TASO) scheme are nominally members of Group A TA units and remain attached to GSUOTC while they study at university and are subject to the same terms, conditions and larger annual bounty as other Group A TA soldiers and officers, however as they are in full time education, they are not liable for mobilisation until after they graduate, under the terms of the Reserve Forces Act 1996. They wear the uniform of their parent unit while serving with the UOTC. GSUOTC members have attached to local Type A TA units such as 6 SCOTS
, 4 PARA
, 32 (Scottish) Signal Regiment
, 105 Regiment Royal Artillery
, The Scottish Transport Regiment
and the Queen's Own Yeomanry
.
Senior OCdts in Rhine Company can gain appointments to: Cadet Sergeant, Junior Under Officer (JUO), Company Junior Under Officer (CJUO), and Senior Under Officer (SUO) and can also apply to the Army Officer Selection Board (AOSB) which, if they pass, leads to the opportunity to attempt the TA Commissioning Course (TACC) at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
, with the goal of a commission as a Second Lieutenant
.
Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities Officers Training Corps has three specialist Troop
s: the Infantry
& Signals
Troop, the Artillery
Troop, and Engineers
Troop, as well as a fully established Pipes and Drums, which regularly represents the unit at national events such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo
. The Artillery Troop has also fired 21-gun salute
s, using the L118 Light Gun
, from Stirling Castle
on several occasions.
Training is structured around the academic year. It consists mainly of training weekends held at military training areas around Scotland, such as at Barry Buddon and Garelochhead
. A 2-week annual camp is also held in the summer. This gives the Officer Cadets a chance to put into practice all the military skills they have learnt in the last year. The three specialist sub-units also hold specific training camps, and an annual Military Aid to the Civil Community
project is also undertaken. Regular Adventure Training
expeditions are also conducted, which includes activities such as Hiking
, Parachuting
, Sailing
and Alpine skiing
, with the opportunity to gain instructor qualifications, such as the Mountain Leader Award
.
Unless in receipt of an Army Scholarship
, Cadets have no obligation to join the regular British Army or mainstream TA when they leave university, and can resign from the OTC at any time. The officers and non-commissioned officers, who function as instructors and administrative support staff, are a mixture of Regular Army Permanent Staff Instructor
s and TA Non Regular Permanent Staff
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and one of four in Scotland, drawing recruits from higher education institutions in and around the city of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and the wider Strathclyde
Strathclyde
right|thumb|the former Strathclyde regionStrathclyde was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created by the Local Government Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc Act 1994...
region in west-central
Central Belt
The Central Belt of Scotland is a common term used to describe the area of highest population density within Scotland. Despite the name, it is not geographically central but is nevertheless situated at the 'waist' of Scotland on a conventional map and the term 'central' is used in many local...
Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Officer Training Corps were originally established at the four ancient universities
Ancient university
Ancient university is a term used to describe seven medieval and renaissance universities of the United Kingdom and Ireland that exist today. Six of those universities are currently located in the United Kingdom and one in the Republic of Ireland...
of Scotland, but have continued to expand their catchment in line with the expansion of higher education institutions during the latter half of the 20th century. As part of the Territorial Army, the OTC's mission is to develop the leadership potential of selected university students through enjoyable and challenging training in order to communicate the values, ethos and career opportunities of the wider British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
Part of 51st (Scottish) Brigade
British 51st Infantry Brigade
The British 51st Infantry Brigade is currently known as 51 Brigade, part of the 2nd Division. It is currently the regional administrative formation responsible for all the units of the Territorial Army based in Scotland. It is the largest Regional Brigade in the United Kingdom in terms of...
, GSUOTC currently recruits its members from student volunteers attending the four Universities in the Greater Glasgow
Greater Glasgow
Greater Glasgow is an urban settlement in Scotland consisting of all localities which are physically attached to the city of Glasgow, forming with it a single contiguous urban area...
area: The University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, The University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
, Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow Caledonian University is a public university in Glasgow, Scotland.The university was constituted by an Act of Parliament on 1 April 1993 as a result of a merger between Glasgow Polytechnic and The Queen's College, Glasgow....
and the University of the West of Scotland. Students from these institutions can also join the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron
Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron
Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron is a Royal Air Force University Air Squadron drawing its members from six higher education establishments within Glasgow and its surrounding areas....
or the Glasgow University Royal Naval Unit
HMS Smiter (P272)
HMS Smiter is an Archer-class patrol and training vessel of the British Royal Navy.On being accepted into service, she initially served with the Clyde Division of the Royal Naval Reserve until 11 October 1990. She then transferred to the University Royal Naval Unit of Glasgow and Strathclyde...
.
History
The origins of the University's links with the military can be traced back to the Jacobite risingJacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
s of 1715 and 1745, when companies of Militia were raised by the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
to defend the pro-Hanoverian
House of Hanover
The House of Hanover is a deposed German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
University and the City of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
against the absolutist Highland Jacobites.
The current unit is however the direct descendent of the reserve Rifle Volunteer units that were originally raised in the Scottish Lowlands
Scottish Lowlands
The Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
as part of the Victorian Volunteer Force
Volunteer Force (Great Britain)
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the...
by Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
s in every county
Lieutenancy area
Lieutenancy areas are the separate areas of the United Kingdom appointed a Lord Lieutenant - the representative of the British monarch. In many cases they have similar demarcation and naming to, but are not necessarily conterminate with, the counties of the United Kingdom.-Origin:In England,...
. In the 1880s, professors such as William John Macquorn Rankine
William John Macquorn Rankine
William John Macquorn Rankine was a Scottish civil engineer, physicist and mathematician. He was a founding contributor, with Rudolf Clausius and William Thomson , to the science of thermodynamics....
and students formed two infantry companies as part of the local 1st Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
(Glasgow 1st Western) Rifle Volunteers. This unit later became the 5th Battalion of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), based at West Princes Street Drill hall
Drill hall
A drill hall is a place such as a building or a hangar where soldiers practice and perform military drill. In the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, the term was also used for the whole headquarters building of a military reserve unit, which usually incorporated such a hall...
in the Woodlands
Woodlands, Glasgow
Woodlands is a residential area in the west-end of Glasgow, Scotland. It is to the east of Hillhead, the south of Maryhill and Woodside, and north of the city's Park District...
area of Glasgow.
The emergence of Glasgow University OTC as a distinct unit began in 1906 when the Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
, Lord Haldane, first appointed a committee to consider the problem of the shortage of officers in the Militia
Militia (United Kingdom)
The Militia of the United Kingdom were the military reserve forces of the United Kingdom after the Union in 1801 of the former Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Ireland....
, the Volunteer Force, the Yeomanry
Yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
and the Reserve of Officers. The committee recommended that an Officers' Training Corps be formed. The Corps was to be in two divisions, a junior division in public schools (now the Combined Cadet Force
Combined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...
) and a senior division in the universities.
In October 1908 therefore, authorised by Army Order 160 of July 1908, as part the Haldane Reforms
Haldane Reforms
The Haldane Reforms were a series of far-ranging reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, and named after the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane...
of the Reserve forces, the contingent was formally established as the Glasgow University Officer Training Corps and incorporated in the new Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
, which was created by the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907
Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907
The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the auxiliary forces of the British Army by transferring existing Volunteer and Yeomanry units into a new Territorial Force ; and disbanding the Militia to form a new Special Reserve of the...
.
The new unit was located in its own Drill hall
Drill hall
A drill hall is a place such as a building or a hangar where soldiers practice and perform military drill. In the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, the term was also used for the whole headquarters building of a military reserve unit, which usually incorporated such a hall...
at University Place on the Glasgow University campus. In those Edwardian days, the Corps numbered some 400 Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
s organised into 3 infantry companies and an engineer company.
During the First World War, OTC members were amongst the first to volunteer, and Glasgow University OTC trained many potential officers for Kitchener's New Armies
Kitchener's Army
The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, Kitchener's Mob, was an all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in the First World War...
. By the summer of 1916, some 2,800 officers had been raised by the University, with over 300 other students working in munitions factories. The War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
also requisitioned lecture theatres to train officers from all parts of the UK. During the 1920s, the Corps added medical, artillery, and signals detachments to its strength.
In the Second World War, conscription was introduced immediately, and every student was regarded as a potential officer. The OTC's role was to train officers from those University students conscripted into the Army and to provide basic training for those who remained behind as a Home Guard unit. At its height the Corps rose to 1,500 members. Officers from the Polish Free Army
Polish Armed Forces in the West
Polish Armed Forces in the West refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its allies...
were also educated at the University. The names of those sons of the University who fell in both World Wars were commemorated in the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel
University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel
The Memorial Chapel at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, was consecrated on 4 October 1929, and is dedicated to the memory of the former students and staff of the University who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. It is located in the West Quadrangle of the Main Building of the...
, which was originally completed in 1929.
Glasgow University OTC continued to train university students as officers during the post-war period of National Service
Conscription in the United Kingdom
Conscription in the United Kingdom has existed for two periods in modern times. The first was from 1916 to 1919, the second was from 1939 to 1960, with the last conscripted soldiers leaving the service in 1963...
, between 1949 and 1960. In 1955 women were first allowed to join the OTC and a WRAC
Women's Royal Army Corps
The Women's Royal Army Corps was the corps to which all women in the British Army except medical, dental and veterinary officers and chaplains and nurses belonged from 1949 to 1992.-History:The...
sub-unit was formed; eventually becoming fully amalgamated into the other sub-units in 1992.
The OTC expanded its title to its current form upon the creation of the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
in 1964, and later expanded recruitment to Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow Caledonian University is a public university in Glasgow, Scotland.The university was constituted by an Act of Parliament on 1 April 1993 as a result of a merger between Glasgow Polytechnic and The Queen's College, Glasgow....
and the University of Paisley
University of Paisley
The University of the West of Scotland is a university operating from four campuses in south-western Scotland, in the towns of Paisley, Hamilton, Ayr and Dumfries. The present institution dates from August 2007, following the merger of the University of Paisley with Bell College, Hamilton...
, with the passing of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992
Further and Higher Education Act 1992
The Further and Higher Education Acts 1992 made changes in the funding and administration of further education and higher education within the United Kingdom. The most visible result was to allow thirty-five polytechnics to become universities. In addition the Act created bodies to fund higher...
. There are currently approximately 160 members in GSUOTC.
Current organisation
Members are currently organised into three CompaniesCompany (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
within GSUOTC, according to seniority:
- Waterloo Company First year Officer Cadets. The Military Leadership Development Programme (MLDP) 1 syllabus introduces new recruits into the UOTC. Students should be able to function in field exercises as a trained soldierSoldierA soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
upon completion of the year. First year recruits will study various military skills, such as; mapMapA map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
reading, navigationOrienteeringOrienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
, handling the SA80SA80The SA80 is a British family of 5.56mm small arms. It is a selective fire, gas-operated assault rifle. SA80 prototypes were trialled in 1976 and production was completed in 1994....
weapons system, marksmanMarksmanA marksman is a person who is skilled in precision, or a sharpshooter shooting, using projectile weapons, such as with a rifle but most commonly with a sniper rifle, to shoot at long range targets...
ship, battlefield first aidFirst aidFirst aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
, fieldcraftFieldcraftFieldcraft is a term used especially in American, Canadian and British military circles to describe the basic military skills required to operate stealthily and the methods used to do so, which can differ during day or night and due to weather or terrain...
and drillDrill commandsDrill commands are generally used with a group that is marching, most often in military foot drill or marching band. All branches of the military use drill commands.-Command voice:Drill commands are best given when the person has an excellent command voice...
.
- Ypres Company Second year Officer Cadets. Having learned the basic series of military skills, MLDP 2 focuses more on leadership development. Students will study how to process information about a battlefield, turn that information systematically into a set of orders and deliver them in a confident manner, using the principles of Mission CommandMission CommandMission Command is a style of military command, derived from the Prussian-pioneered Mission-type tactics doctrine, promoting relatively decentralised subsidiarity of command, freedom and speed of action, and initiative, within certain constraints...
. They will also cover in more depth map reading, signals and work on personal skills such as public speaking, team work and confidence under testing conditions. Upon completion of MLDP 2 students may be awarded a NVQ Level 3 award in leadership and management.
- Rhine Company Senior Officer Cadets. Most are placed in command appointments, training junior officer cadets, others will go on to study Infanteering, Signals, Engineering or Artillery in more detail.
OTC members are classed as Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
s (OCdt) and are "Group B" members of the Territorial Army, paid when on duty. As part of "Group B" however they are neither trained for nor liable for mobilised (active) service overseas and do not receive the same annual bounty payment as members of mainstream "Group A" TA units.
OCdts employed under the Territorial Army Sponsored Officer (TASO) scheme are nominally members of Group A TA units and remain attached to GSUOTC while they study at university and are subject to the same terms, conditions and larger annual bounty as other Group A TA soldiers and officers, however as they are in full time education, they are not liable for mobilisation until after they graduate, under the terms of the Reserve Forces Act 1996. They wear the uniform of their parent unit while serving with the UOTC. GSUOTC members have attached to local Type A TA units such as 6 SCOTS
52nd Lowland Regiment
The 52nd Lowland Regiment now forms the 6th Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, also known as 6 SCOTS. Due to its erstwhile association with the 1st Regiment of Foot, it is the senior Territorial line infantry battalion in the British Army...
, 4 PARA
4th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The 4th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a Territorial Army unit of the British Army. It is based across the U.K. Originally the Battalion covered the North of England with its Headquarters located in Pudsey, West Yorkshire...
, 32 (Scottish) Signal Regiment
32 (Scottish) Signal Regiment
The 32nd Signal Regiment is a British Territorial Army regiment of the Royal Corps of Signals.- Regimental heritage :The 1st Lanarkshire Engineer Regiment were raised in Glasgow on 5 December 1859 as part of the Volunteer Force. The regiment was formally registered with the War Office on 27...
, 105 Regiment Royal Artillery
105th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers)
105th Regiment Royal Artillery The Scottish & Ulster Gunners is a British Territorial Army Regiment of the Royal Artillery. The regiment is part of 51st Brigade...
, The Scottish Transport Regiment
The Scottish Transport Regiment
The Scottish Transport Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps , is a regiment of the Territorial Army in the United Kingdom. The Scottish Transport Regiment is the only regiment of the RLC based in Scotland. It role is to provide general transport support at 'third line' for the British Army...
and the Queen's Own Yeomanry
Queen's Own Yeomanry
The Queen's Own Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the British Territorial Army. The Queen's Own Yeomanry is the only Yeomanry regiment that serves in the formation reconnaissance role, equipped with the CVR family of armoured reconnaissance vehicles, including Scimitar and Spartan.On...
.
Senior OCdts in Rhine Company can gain appointments to: Cadet Sergeant, Junior Under Officer (JUO), Company Junior Under Officer (CJUO), and Senior Under Officer (SUO) and can also apply to the Army Officer Selection Board (AOSB) which, if they pass, leads to the opportunity to attempt the TA Commissioning Course (TACC) at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, with the goal of a commission as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
.
Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities Officers Training Corps has three specialist Troop
Troop
A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. In many armies a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry section or platoon...
s: the Infantry
British Army Infantry
The British Army's Infantry, part of the Structure of the British Army, comprises 51 battalions of Infantry, from 19 Regiments. Of these 37 battalions are part of the 'Regular' army and the remaining 14 a part of the 'Territorial' force...
& Signals
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...
Troop, the Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
Troop, and Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
Troop, as well as a fully established Pipes and Drums, which regularly represents the unit at national events such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Edinburgh Military Tattoo
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an annual series of Military tattoos performed by British Armed Forces, Commonwealth and International military bands and display teams in the Scottish capital Edinburgh...
. The Artillery Troop has also fired 21-gun salute
21-gun salute
Gun salutes are the firing of cannons or firearms as a military or naval honor.The custom stems from naval tradition, where a warship would fire its cannons harmlessly out to sea, until all ammunition was spent, to show that it was disarmed, signifying the lack of hostile intent...
s, using the L118 Light Gun
L118 Light Gun
The L118 Light Gun is a 105 mm towed howitzer, originally produced for the British Army in the 1970s and widely exported since, including to the United States, where a modified version is known as the M119A1...
, from Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
on several occasions.
Training is structured around the academic year. It consists mainly of training weekends held at military training areas around Scotland, such as at Barry Buddon and Garelochhead
Garelochhead
Garelochhead is a small village on the Gare Loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is the nearest village to the HMNB Clyde naval base.Garelochhead lies at the head of the Gare Loch, 7 miles northwest of Helensburgh. Loch Lomond is a few miles to the east, and Loch Long to the west...
. A 2-week annual camp is also held in the summer. This gives the Officer Cadets a chance to put into practice all the military skills they have learnt in the last year. The three specialist sub-units also hold specific training camps, and an annual Military Aid to the Civil Community
Military Aid to the Civil Community
Military Aid to the Civil Community is a phrase referring to the armed forces providing a service to the civilian community. It is used in many countries, particularly the United Kingdom.-United Kingdom:...
project is also undertaken. Regular Adventure Training
Outdoor education
Outdoor education usually refers to organized learning that takes place in the outdoors. Outdoor education programs sometimes involve residential or journey-based experiences in which students participate in a variety of adventurous challenges in the form of outdoor activities such as hiking,...
expeditions are also conducted, which includes activities such as Hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, Parachuting
Parachuting
Parachuting, also known as skydiving, is the action of exiting an aircraft and returning to earth with the aid of a parachute. It may or may not involve a certain amount of free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body gradually accelerates to terminal...
, Sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
and Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, with the opportunity to gain instructor qualifications, such as the Mountain Leader Award
Mountain Leader Award
The Mountain Leader Award is a qualification for those who want to lead groups hillwalking, map reading and navigating in the uplands, mountains, hills and moorlands of the United Kingdom and Ireland....
.
Unless in receipt of an Army Scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
, Cadets have no obligation to join the regular British Army or mainstream TA when they leave university, and can resign from the OTC at any time. The officers and non-commissioned officers, who function as instructors and administrative support staff, are a mixture of Regular Army Permanent Staff Instructor
Permanent Staff Instructor
A permanent staff instructor is a warrant officer class 2 , or senior non-commissioned officer , of the Regular British Army who has been selected to instruct Territorial Army soldiers...
s and TA Non Regular Permanent Staff
Non Regular Permanent Staff
In the British Army, Non Regular Permanent Staff are members of the Territorial Army who are employed on a full-time basis. They usually fill vital unit administration or quartermaster roles and are most often long-service TA veterans or retired regulars. They hold military rank and wear uniform...
.
External links
- GSUOTC - official page on the British Army website.
- GSMEC - Military Education Committee of the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde .
- COMEC - Council of Military Education Committees, who liaise between universities and the British Armed Forces.
- Lowland Reserve Forces and Cadets Association