Marching forward: First women to pass out at Sandhurst back on parade square
In a heartfelt reunion at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, pioneering women veterans came together to mark a historic milestone – four decades since their ground-breaking commissioning.
In 1984, 30 women etched their names in history as the first female officers to pass out at Sandhurst.
Now, some of them have returned to the same parade square where they once stood, witnessing the legacy they helped create as they watched a new generation of female cadets march in their footsteps.
"It was very different then. I can't believe it's 40 years, but it has changed out of all recognition," said veteran Rosalind Cameron-Mowat.
Jane Wicks, another veteran, reminisced about the challenges they faced, saying: "We were thought to be very, very odd, and now, of course, it's quite normal, which is great."
"We weren't allowed to march on the parade, weren't allowed to march around the parade square. So, we only came on right, sort of, towards the end, I think.
"And it would have been lovely to have done the whole parade. We could have done it."
Royal intervention
It took a Royal intervention to allow the female officers onto the parade square.
"Sandhurst did not want us to be on the parade square. Something about female feet, I don't know. They said 'they can't march! They can't march!'" remembers Rosalind.
That was when the late Queen insisted that they can – and should march – because when she was in the Auxiliary Territorial Service women could march perfectly well.
Even though in 1984 the commissioning women officers were only allowed to be on parade square for a brief moment towards the end of the ceremony, it was a history-defining moment, nonetheless.
They were inspected by the Duchess of Kent.
A time to reflect
Despite the barriers they faced, these pioneering women paved the way for future generations. Officer Cadet Kira Dent expressed her admiration, saying: "They are absolutely fantastic women. And hats off to anyone who came here with the battle of being a woman when you're frowned on."
The Sandhurst reunion provided an opportunity for veterans and current officer cadets to connect and compare, sharing stories and experiences.
As the veterans witnessed the cadets on the parade square, their hearts swelled with pride.
Jane Wicks captured the sentiment, saying: "I was so proud. It's just wonderful what women can do now that people believed we couldn't do then, and we proved them wrong."
Taking legacy into the future
Sandhurst's Commandant Major General Zac Stennings expressed his gratitude to the 'trailblazers'.
"Thank you for the journey that you embarked our Army upon. I hope that they're proud of what we're now achieving and delivering, both in terms of their legacy, but perhaps more importantly, about what we are producing for the next generation of leaders and what that means for our Army in the future," the major general said.
In a world where women continue to break barriers and defy expectations, the pass out at Sandhurst quietly speaks volumes about the indomitable spirit of women in uniform.
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