Royal visit for Portsmouth school's 'troops' | Nostalgia

What a proud day it must have been for these lads, members of Portsmouth Grammar School’s Combined Cadet Force.
King George VI inspecting part of the Signal Platoon at Bourly Camp in 1948.  Picture: Portsmouth Grammar School archive.King George VI inspecting part of the Signal Platoon at Bourly Camp in 1948.  Picture: Portsmouth Grammar School archive.
King George VI inspecting part of the Signal Platoon at Bourly Camp in 1948. Picture: Portsmouth Grammar School archive.

For it was the day the King came to call – King George VI inspecting the school’s Signals Platoon at Bourly Camp in 1948.

What a moment for these boys to be able to talk to the King at such close quarters.

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General Bernard Montgomery inspecting part of the naval contingent of the grammar school's cadet force, June 1, 1963. Picture: The News archive.General Bernard Montgomery inspecting part of the naval contingent of the grammar school's cadet force, June 1, 1963. Picture: The News archive.
General Bernard Montgomery inspecting part of the naval contingent of the grammar school's cadet force, June 1, 1963. Picture: The News archive.
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The second photographshows just part of the cadet force (CCF) on the day – June 1, 1963 – it celebrated the centenary of its foundation.

And the guest of honour inspecting the troops that day? None other than General Bernard Montgomery of Alamein.

The soldier cadets are lying on the grass under the general’s instruction as it was such a hot day.

And the third picture shows some of the modern recruits training at Hilsea in 2019.

Modern members of the CCF training at Hilsea, 2019. Picture: Portsmouth Grammar School archive.Modern members of the CCF training at Hilsea, 2019. Picture: Portsmouth Grammar School archive.
Modern members of the CCF training at Hilsea, 2019. Picture: Portsmouth Grammar School archive.
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John Sadden, author, historian and archivist at the school, tells me: ‘Portsmouth Grammar School has one of the oldest cadet forces in the country, having its roots in the Hampshire Volunteer Brigade in 1863. The photo you have, with Monty doing the inspection, was the centenary year of its formation.

‘The cadet force was given the status of an Officers Training Corps in 1908, renamed as the Junior Training Corps and Air Training Corps in 1941 and then it became the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) in 1948.

‘The CCF remains a popular co-curricular activity at the school attracting boys and girls with a wide range of opportunities to develop leadership skills and enjoy outdoor pursuits, adds John.

The school has a proud military history, with many alumni going on to reach the highest ranks. Three PGS alumni having been awarded the Victoria Cross.

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In the Boer War, more than half of the 50 Old Portmuthians who had served as officers received awards for gallantry, including Lieutenant William Harry Nickerson, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, who won the Victoria Cross for his bravery in treating an injured man under fire.

Another was Lieutenant Norman Holbrook who was the first submariner to receive the highest award for bravery, and Major Francis Harvey, of the RMLI, who saved his ship while mortally wounded.

Other well-known ex- pupils are James Clavell, who wrote the screenplay to the film The Great Escape; Fred Dinenage, television presenter; Paul Jones, the former lead singer of Manfred Mann and the Manfreds, the 1960s pop group, and Roger Black, Olympic silver medalist.

Please let me know if you have any memories of the 1963 Hilsea parade.

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