T H E C O V E N A N T E R
The Regiment’s Links with Oman
The first six weeks were said to be like basic
training. We were chased from parade
The article in the last issue of The
ground (there were two to chose from)
Covenanter contained much of interest
to gymnasium, to the rifle ranges, to the
and adds much to the historical record.
training areas, back to parade ground - but
in a different uniform - and back to the
The author, Lt Col Jim Orr, is to be
gym. Much of this was done ‘at the double’
congratulated on it. Our thanks are due
and much at a marching pace which made
also to Major General John Graham (a
the riflemans’ 140 paces to the minute look
former Commander of the Sultan’s Armed
like a pleasant stroll.
Forces) for his inspiration in marking the
Mr Bin Said’s reaction to this
Sultan of Oman’s recent birthday and the
introduction to military life was wide-
30th National/Renaissance Day with the
eyed. Never more so than when we were
presentation of the splendidly illuminated first introduced to communal showers after
scroll from The Cameronians. sessions in the gym!
All readers will have been particularly The term marched on. By Christmas
interested to read of the link between we had taken part in our first Sovereign’s
General Graham and his illustrious forebear
Parade and by January we were no longer
- Thomas Graham of Balgowan (see below)
in the Junior intake: another lot were being
- who raised the 90th, later to form the
shouted at. We had also endured our first
2nd Battalion The Cameronians (Scottish
round of training exercises. One, a Defence
Rifles).
Exercise, was in weather I still recall with
It might interest readers if I add to Jim
a shudder. It was bad enough for someone
Orr’s article by filling in some of the detail
like me who had cut his teeth on CCF
regarding service in the Regiment by the
Adventure Training exercises in Perthshire.
present Sultan, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos
What it was like for the overseas cadets and
Bin Said.
for Mr Bin Said in particular can only be
imagined.
I first met the Sultan on 7 September
Come 3 August 1962 and it was our
1960. On that day we both became Officer
turn at last to be marching up the steps
Cadets at the Royal Military Academy
of the Grand Entrance. Representing the
Sandhurst in Intake 29. I had travelled
Sovereign was that great old soldier and
alone (of course) on the overnight train
leader Field Marshal Viscount Slim. Sitting
from my home in Edinburgh. He arrived
in the audience was Sultan Said, Mr Bin
by chauffeur-driven limousine and was
Said’s father.
accompanied by someone described at the There were four overseas cadets in
time as his tutor/guardian. Rumour had it our platoon of 21 in Marne Company.
that the limousine was a Rolls Royce (all I The others were a Ghanain, a Kenyan
recall was that it was large and black) and and an Iraqi. The British cadets were a
that the doors were locked. Rumour also
fairly good mix being commissioned into
had it that the security precautions were
almost every branch of the army from
not to prevent someone from getting into
Coldstream Guards to Ordinance Corps.
the car!
We were a not unsuccessful lot. Of the
We were greeted by our Company
17 British we mustered one four star (an
Commander, Major Mike Tingey RA, and
Adjutant General) one two star (RE), two
by the Company Sergeant Major, WOII
one stars (one RE and one infantry) and a
Graham, Scots Guards. They ran Marne
commander SAS with a DSO. And of course
Company in New College. Our immediate
one Sultan.
hierarchy were Captain Mike Barclay (then
But long before be became that Mr Bin
Said and I had our service together with
Royal Leicesters, later Brigadier and a
1 Cameronians in Minden. After leave
highly-placed advisor to the ruler of Dubai)
Michael Sixsmith (Intake 29 in Old College)
and Sergeant Hayes, Irish Guards, whose
and I reported to the Depot at Lanark
voice we got to know well. Known then as
for our first initiation to the Regiment.
Mr Bin Said he took his place with the rest
Commanding the Depot were Major (later
of us on parade.
Lt Col Sir) John Baynes and to welcome
We were embarking on what was then
us to the mess were Alan Campbell, David
a two year course together. The first and Christie, Peter Gordon Smith and George
last terms (which ran roughly as academic Stephen. We waited about a week until the
terms) were principally military training. next draft of recruits was ready to leave for
The other four were more academic - for the 1st Battalion and went with them.
those inclined towards that sort of thing.
36
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