Wednesday 8 June 2016

Bedford School Officer Training Corps



Bedford School OTC exercise, July 1914 [Z1306/94/22]

Thursday 8th June 1916: The Officer Training Corps (OTC) of Bedford School have had the honour today of marching past Field Marshal Lord French, the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Forces. The march past took place along Bromham Road, with the OTC in front of the 68th Division. Afterwards the boys stood at the side of the road to watch the Division go by. They were then allowed to make use of the trenches in Queen’s Park where an Old Bedfordian, Lieutenant Litton, gave them instruction in bombing attacks. This was followed by a very realistic and exciting fight in the trenches, using sand bag bombs and blank ammunition. The exercise finished with Lt. Litton showing the boys how to blow up a barricade across a trench.

This has been a busy week for the OTC, who were given their Annual Inspection on Tuesday by Major Stevens, the Second in Command of the Duke of Bedford’s Training Camp at Ampthill. The Corps was inspected in company drill, rifle exercises, and extended order drill; and advanced and rear guards were put out. Major Stevens gave the boys some very useful advice, and made some complimentary remarks about the Corps.

Source: The Ouzel 9th June 1916 [Z447/23]

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