ROYAL COLLEGE OF DEFENCE STUDIES VISIT: 19 NOVEMBER



The Royal College of Defence Studies is located in Seaford House on the south-east corner of Belgrave Square. 

The Royal College of Defence Studies has, since 1922, provided training for senior officers and officials both from United Kingdom and other countries and future leaders from the private and public sectors for high responsibilities in their respective organisations.  Its mission statement promises to develop analytical powers as well as widening  knowledge of defence and international security.  More details are at www.mod.uk/rcds

Meeting up before lunch in the Drawing Room

I am not entirely sure I measured up to these very high aspirations.  Nevertheless, I attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in Belgrave Square in 1995.   Alastair Ross, the Clerk, also attended as a naval officer a few years earlier.

Most years my course meets up for a reunion and, because each course includes representatives from at least twenty-five countries, they are held world-wide including Australia, South Africa and the Czech Republic. This year, the fifteenth anniversary of our course, the reunion was back in London.

As part of the series of events in this year's programme we met at the Hall on Friday.  A good number turned up and after a buffet lunch we toured the Hall.  As usual Penny Fussell gave her excellent talk that she seems to to tailor effortlessly to each group of visitors.

The Master's jewel about half size.

I began the visit by wearing my Master's badge which is an impressive jewel containing 365 diamonds, one for each day of the Master's year.  One of the less respectable members of my course suggested on a leap year the 366th should be worn as a nose stud.  I think this idea has little chance of adoption by what I have absolutely no doubt, as far as the male members are concerned, is an unpierced Court.

In the Company's strong room.

Planning now starts for the sixteenth reunion.