Firestorm Tom - 2. FST Chapter 2

With the remaining 24 weeks of training, I trained and studied hard, and as expected a number of cadets pulled out, because they could not cope with the stresses of the training, and we were pushed to our limits every day, not knowing how well we were going, only that we were passing everything we were tasked with to do.

As graduation day, known as the Sovereign’s Parade, fast approached, I was getting nervous, not sure how well I did, on the morning parade before graduation, the remaining cadets were informed that we would all graduate the following morning, which we were all very pleased about, and we were asked to make sure that our families have been invited to attend the sovereigns parade, and that their names are submitted by close of business today, so they can be admitted through the front gate.

We spent all morning going through the procedures of what will happen at the Sovereigns parade, before we went to lunch, and had the afternoon free to get out dress uniforms ready for tomorrow, making sure that our boots are extra shiny. The following morning, with just an hour left before passing out parade, most of us in B Platoon of Waterloo Company had packed up their belongings, and we were making final adjustments to our uniforms, when I heard the main door open but I didn’t bother to look up.

“B Platoon, VIP Officer in the barracks, attention” a shout came from near the door, and we all stood up and snapped to attention, that is when I glanced over towards the door to see who it was, and I was surprised to see the Prince standing there, smiling and looking straight at me. ‘Stand at ease men, Cadet Benning, if I can have a moment with you please” the Prince said to us, and a little surprised, I followed the Prince outside of the barracks.

“Good morning sir, I wasn’t expecting to see you again” I said as I approached and snapped to attention, “Easy there Thomas, it is just us, and this is just and informal chat” the Prince said to me, “Very good sir” I replied, uncertain about this informal chat. “I spoke to the commandant a few weeks ago, enquiring about your progress with the training, and he expressed a problem that he had, with one outstanding cadet, who happens to be the best overall cadet out of all eight companies.

The commandant said that because he isn’t a British citizen, he is not entitled to the Sword of Honour award, but after I had done some checking with the Home Office, it appears that your grandfather on your mother’s side was a British citizen, so by descent, you still qualify as a British citizen, so I am happy to inform you that you will be the recipient of the Sword of Honour for this Sovereigns Parade” the Prince informed me.

“Well sir, this is indeed a surprise, all I knew was that I had qualified to graduate, Sir Dad and lady Mum, will be very pleased when they learn this at the parade” I replied, forgetting that I was saying my pet names for my parents to the Prince. “Sir Dad and Lady Mum eh, is this to do with your dad being knighted earlier this year?” the Prince commented with a big smile, and I blushed a little when he said this.

“Err, yes sir, it is my pet name for them, which I started calling them soon after we had left the palace that day” I explained, and the Prince roared with laughter. “Oh, I love it, just wait till I tell Grannie at the end of the day” the Prince said, “You don’t mean her Majesty, the Queen, do you? I am sure she will not be amused sir” I said a little shocked.

“We will see young Thomas, we will see, now go and join your class mates, and we will see you on parade” the Prince said and after I snapped to attention and saluted, he headed off, while I returned inside, with a bit of a frown on my face, from the last bit the Prince said to me. “Well Benning, what did the Prince want to talk to you about?” one of my fellow cadets asked me and I smiled broadly. “That is privileged information, sorry you will just have to wait” I replied.

Less than an hour later we marched onto the parade ground, in front of the Queen, her husband and her grandson, I had spotted my family amongst the crowd, and I was pleased to see for once that my siblings were well behaved, and I wondered what bribe my parents had given them to make them be so good, which made me smile, thinking about it, as the awards were being announced, starting with the Mac-Robert Sword, which is awarded to the officer cadet considered by the Commandant to be, overall, the best of the Army Reserve Commissioning Course.

Next is the Overseas Award, which is the equivalent of the Queen's Medal, and is awarded to the Overseas Officer Cadet who achieved the best overall results in military, academic and practical studies, and my name was called out as the winner of this award, which surprised me a little, as I stepped forward to receive the award. “Have we met somewhere before recently?” the Queen asked me as I bowed and accepted the award.

“Grannie, this is Thomas Benning, stepson of Sir Mitchell Warrant Officer Benning, from ITS Catterick, who you knighted earlier this year” I heard the Prince whisper to his Grandmother, who nodded her head when she vaguely remembered.

Suddenly the Queen smiled broadly, and leaned a little closer to me, “where are they?” she asked me softly so no one else could hear her, “If you mean my parents, they are in the center, second row from the front Ma’am” I replied, without looking or pointing in that direction, but the Queen looked towards them, and nodded her head.

“Yes, I remember now, my grandson informs me, that you call them, Sir Dad and Lady Mum, I will have to remember that, when I am at a boring formal state dinner next time” the Queen said to me with a smile, which made me chuckle and I bowed, before returning to my place in the parade.

The next award was the Overseas Sword, which is awarded to one of the many cadets from other Commonwealth countries and from foreign armies. The Overseas Sword goes to the Overseas Cadet considered by the Commandant to be the best on each course. This was the one I would have expected to receive instead of the once that will be announced shortly. Next was the Queen's Medal is awarded to the British Army Officer Cadet who achieved the highest scores in military, practical and academic studies, followed by the final award, the Sword of Honour, which is awarded to the British Army Officer Cadet considered by the Commandant to be, overall, the best of the course.

“It is my understanding, that although this cadet is from Australia, he is also legally a British Citizen, and I am pleased to announce the winner of the Sword of Honour for this Sovereign’s Parade, goes to Officer Cadet Thomas Benning” the Queen announced to everyone, and I smiled as I stepped forward, glancing over to my parents, who looked shocked and thrilled with the announcement.

I snapped to attention before the Queen and bowed, before receiving the sword from Her Majesty, “Thankyou Ma’am this is the happiest day in my life” I said after receiving the sword and bowing again. “Hold fast cadet” I heard the Prince whisper to me, and I backed to one side of the Royal party, as the Queen approached the microphone. “I learnt earlier today, that Officer Cadet Benning has a humorous pet name for his parents, which I won’t say right now, but I will call Sir Mitchell and Lady Benning to the stage please” the Queen announced, which had me and my parents looking confused, as they stood up and made their way forward.

After bowing and curtsying to the Queen, my parents stepped over towards me where dad shook my hand in congratulations, “Earlier in the year, I knighted this young man, Sir Mitchell, for serviced performed in the Army and Fire Service at home in Australia, and here in the UK, where he is the lead weapons instructor at Infantry Training School, at Catterick, North Yorkshire.

I am pleased to learn that Sir Mitchell will be taking on an instructor’s position here at RMA Sandhurst, early next year, and I wish to personally congratulate you on receiving this position, here, and wish you all the best for the future” the Queen said to dad, and he approached her, bowed and shook her hand gently, as everyone in the crowd and on parade applauded.

Once the official duties had been completed, the Royal family departed, and all of us graduating cadets cheered with joy, having completed our officer training, it was while this was happening that something suddenly entered my mind. That being, that I now outranked my father in the Army, now he has to call me sir, and I laughed at this thought.