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SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 1980
THREE VOLUNTEERS RETURN FROM UK TRAINING
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LOCAL YOUNG MEN FOND OF SOLDIERING AND WITH LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT POTENTIAL MAY NOW HAVE THE CHANCE TO GO TO THE ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY IN SANDHURST, AFTER JOINING THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT (THE VOLUNTEERS).
THREE CADET OFFICERS OF THE REGIMENT, DR ALVIN YEUNG, IN HIS OWN TIME AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON- PAUL YUEN, AN ENGINEER, AND MICHAEL LEUNG, AN INSURANCE COMPANY MANAGER, HAVE RECENTLY RETURNED FROM A TWO-WEEK OFFICER CADET TRAINING COURSE DEVISED FOR UK'S TERRITORIAL ARMY OFFICERS. THEY HAVE SINCE RECEIVED THEIR COMMISSION AS SECOND LIEUTENANTS,
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN THE REGIMENT'S HISTORY THAT LOCAL VOLUNTEERS WERE SENT TO SANDHURST,
THERE, THEY WERE FURTHER DRILLED IN THE ESSENTIALS OF A GOOD ARMY OFFICER -- LEADERSHIP, MANAGERIAL SKILLS, INITIATIVE, PHYSICAL FITNESS AND GENERAL MILITARY TECHNIQUES.
+IT WAS ALSO A VERY USEFUL COURSE FOR THE OFFICERS THEMSELVES AS IT FURTHER DEVELOPED THEIR SELF-CONFIDENCE AND COMMONSENSE AND BROADENED THEIR OUTLOOK, THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER, LT COL EDWARD PEPPER SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
HE WAS GLAD THAT HIS MEN HAVE HAD THE BENEFIT OF GOING THROUGH ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST ESTEEMED TRAINING ESTABLISHMENTS FOR ARMY OFFICERS AND THAT IT HAS MADE A MARKED DIFFERENCE TO THEIR OVERALL MILITARY ABILITY.
+THE REGIMENT WILL PROFIT BY THE MODERN MILITARY KNOWLEDGE THEY GLEANED FROM THE COURSE AND WILL IMPART TO THEIR FELLOW SOLDIERS DURING THE REST OF THEIR ACTIVE SERVICE. THEIR EMPLOYERS TOO WILL INDIRECTLY GAIN BY HAVING ON THEIR STAFF A MUCH MORE MATURE AND EFFICIENT EMPLOYEE.
+FOUR MORE MEMBERS OF THE VOLUNTEERS ARE LIKELY TO BE SENT TO THE SANDHURST OFFICER CADET TRAINING COURSE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, HE ADDED,
IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A HIGHER MILITARY STANDARD, THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT IS SENDING MORE OF ITS PART-TIME SOLDIERS FROM ALL RANKS TO OTHER COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES INCLUDING FIJI, MALAYSIA, BRUNEI, AND AUSTRALIA, FOR DIFFERENT TRAINING COURSES AND FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE REGULAR ARMIES IN EXERCISES.
A LANCE CORPORAL IS NOW TAKING PART IN A SEVEN-WEEK EXERCISE WITH GURKHA SOLDIERS IN AUSTRALIA. TWO LOCAL VOLUNTEERS HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM A TWO-WEEK EXERCISE WITH THE 7TH GURKHA RIFLES IN BRUNEJ. LAST YEAR TWO OTHERS ATTENDED A SMALL ARMS COURSE AND A SIGNAL OFFICER'S COURSE IN BRITAIN.
LOCALLY, ANOTHER SIX WILL ATTEND THE TOUGH OUTWARD BOUND COURSE THIS YEAR.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING HONG KONG'S OWN VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS, THE REGIMENT WILL LAUNCH A RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN THIS AUGUST, TO BE FOLLOWED BY A TRAINING CAMP IN DECEMBER.