The Army officer selection board at Leighton House in Warminster Road may be Westbury’s best kept secret but last week local dignitaries were invited to celebrate its 60th anniversary and take a tour of the grounds.
MP Andrew Murrison, Mayor of Westbury cllr Sue Ezra, Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire John Bush, Under Sheriff Robert Hiscox, Westbury chamber of commerce president cllr David Jenkins and Richard Saunders of Wiltshire Police were shown around the site on Thursday 18th June.
The visitors watched new recruits as they took part in training exercises designed to test their mental and physical abilities.
The high security site lies on the 120 acre Laverton estate, with grounds either side of the Warminster Road.
The mouth – if not the heart – of the British army’s officer corps, the Army Officer Selection Board sees over 3,500 hopeful candidates attend initial interviews each year; roughly 1,000 of which will get the chance to complete the intensive three and a half day selection process. Some 700 of these will be successful and pass on to train at Sandhurst military college.
Every British army officer to receive a commission since 1949 went through their selection process at Westbury, including in recent years Prince Harry.
MP for Westbury, Andrew Murrison, spent time working at the Board as a doctor before being elected in 2001.
He was recently instrumental in convincing the army to retain the Westbury site after plans were announced to consolidate the selection process into Sandhurst.
He said, “It does an amazing job because its products are the best in the game.
“What we’ve seen today has given a good deal of insight. Our military leaders are the best they can be and what happens here is hugely successful.”
Mayor of Westbury cllr Sue Ezra said, “I was so pleased to hear them say they are going to stay here now. I’m hoping that we can work together for the town. Perhaps we can help the Army, and the Army can help us, which will be a good thing.
“It is a benefit for our businesses because when the candidates come down for their three and a half days, most come down the night before and stay in our B&Bs so it does have an effect in our town.
“Westbury should be proud that they decided to stay in the town because we’ve had a long connection.”
The 30 or so new recruits who visit the site each week may already be soldiers or completely new to the forces but all undergo the same, rigorous three and a half day course. Territorial and regular soldiers work side by side in mixed gender groups.
“It takes three and a half days to get under the skin of people,”said Brigadier Philip Mostyn. The brigadier is effectively the base boss and led the tour on what happened to be the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.
He said, “Although 194 years ago at Waterloo the equipment, ground and tactics might have been different; people are people and we are still looking for the same qualities now as we were then.”
On arrival, candidates are allocated a number (used instead of one’s name – Prince Harry was number 13) and placed into teams. They remain in these teams for the duration of the board, making it common for strong friendships to develop during the process. The board recently celebrated a “Westbury wedding”after two candidates who had met during the selection process tied the knot.
The first manifestation of the Army Officer Selection Board was set up in the wake of the Dunkirk retreat when the army was faced with the task of filling out a severely depleted force.
“Dunkirk left us ragged and there was a great need to get more officers quickly and select them accurately,”said Brigadier Mostyn.
Since then, officers have employed sophisticated psychometric methods to test candidates for mental aptitude and teamworking skills, alongside a series of elaborate assault courses to gauge their physical fitness.
The site employs a military staff of 49 and a civilian staff of 42. It costs £4million a year to run.
“We’ve survived all the major budget pressures because the army is only as good as its officers,” Brigadier Mostyn. He added, “I think we give good value for money: It’s better for them to decide they are in the wrong job after three days here; rather than three months at Sandhurst or, worse still, three hours into an operation.”
