Well, gentlemen, this has been a most illuminating thread. It most definitely has shone a light into the corner where the cross and medals attitude has been lurking for quite a few years contradicting the right-on credentials of the modern British Army.
A few of the gentlemen here have made plain their displeasure at the thought that these 50 officer cadets are going to be allowed to soldier on to be commissioned and to be permitted to carry a sword. Thank you, gentlemen, for still possessing the honour that a sword is meant to symbolise.
As for those who have deflected, obfuscated,and unbelievably rationalised their defence of these officer cadets I'm not sure if I'm surprised that you've closed ranks around your own. Many false trails have been laid in this thread, all attempting to lead away from the original charge that should be laid against them: that they disobeyed a written direct order (for it will have been published in Orders); the second charge that cannot be publicly laid against them is that they have been caught, and the evidence against them is even more damning for they unwittingly dobbed themselves in -- truly, to an old Cold War warrior, I cannot begin to describe how flabbered my gast is. (I might add in passing that
@wetsmonkey and I rarely share a common thought on Arrse but on this thread, I stand right alongside him.)
It would be a fool's bet to place money on all of these 50 being sacked, leaders and followers all together, because it would definitely be a major scandal that RMAS would rue as it would call into question who are ultimately responsible in the CoC for how and why these future officers were selected -- the proverbial effluent sprayed around would stick to some fairly well-braided tunics. I wouldn't even venture a token fiver that one of these 50 is [no] longer destined for the WGs; I would sincerely hope that the Army wouldn't be foolish enough to carry on to award him his leek but this is the British Army and it does have previous for such...
I'll leave you with the words of Arrse's very own mighty smiter:
Forgive them, Lord, for they should know what they do --- but that's what Corporals and Sergeants are for, init.