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The Story of RSM JC Lord

Found on Facebook, I thought fellow ARRSE members might enjoy it (and the article, which also includes a link to one of JC Lord’s speeches)

RSM JC Lord: The story of a legendary RSM, paratrooper, leader, POW and Sandhurst Sergeant Major. The Lord Down Here: Discipline Lessons from RSM Lord MVO MBE

#OnThisDay, 16 April 1945, at around 0950 Stalagluft 11B was liberated by the 8th Hussars. As a Corporal of the 8th Hussars stepped out of his tank at the front gate he saw a smart sentry snap to attention. Smartly dressed, armed and wearing his maroon beret, the Corporal assumed the 6th Airborne Division had beat them to liberate the camp. In fact, five days previously the German guards had handed over control of the camp to the senior Warrant Officer in Stalgluft 11B: WO1 RSM John C Lord, RSM 3 PARA.

In 1941 JC Lord became the first RSM of 3 PARA. He fought in North Africa and then jumped into Sicily as part of the 1 Parachute Brigade assault on the Primasole bridge. On 17 September 1944 he jumped into Arnhem with 3 PARA on Operation Market Garden. By the 25 September he, and the survivors of the Brigade, had been captured and moved to Stalagluft 11B.

On arrival RSM Lord found the prisoners were demoralised, dejected and had given up on the idea of surviving the war. The changes he brought about in the camp over next the seven months were credited with saving thousands of lives. The stories of him are legendary: He instituted the routine of saluting German officers whilst saying in your head ‘You bastards!’ He changed the burial routine in the camp into a formal parade so smart that the German officers were embarrassed at their own turn out and smartness. He marched into the officers block and reprimanded them for not shaving. When the German guards attempted to march him to another camp for being a trouble-maker he hid under the floorboards for five days. Upon liberation of the camp he refused to leave until the final British soldier had left.

After the war he became the first Academy Sergeant Major of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He held the job for a decade. In his memory WO1s at the Academy are known as Lords. The bar in the WOs’ and Sgts’ Mess is named after him and he is the only non-officer to have one of the prestige rooms in the Academy named in his honour.

He would tell new Officer Cadets ‘Gentlemen, my name is JC Lord. JC does not stand for Jesus Christ! He is Lord up there (pointing up to the sky with his pace stick) and I am Lord down here (pointing to the parade ground)!’ He was the Sergeant Major who first uttered the famous line to Officer Cadets ‘I will address you as "Sir". But I won't mean it. And you too will address me as "Sir". But make sure that you do mean it!’

These days RSM JC Lord MVO MBE isn’t as well remembered as he should be. An inspiring soldier and leader with iron-hard discipline, JC Lord deserves to be a role model for every soldier and officer. Share this to make sure another generation of soldiers can understand the man and the legend.

You can find out more about about RSM JC Lord in ‘The Lord Down Here: Lessons on Discipline from RSM JC Lord', where you can also read his famous speech to the Staff College on the subject and find the book about his life.
The Lord Down Here: Discipline Lessons from RSM Lord MVO MBE
 
Do we still have that calibre of Soldier in todays Army, or are they all still pandering to the PC, diversity, transgender, snowflake vomit that is spewing out from Whitehall and parliament in regular buckets full?
You utter tool. From your scribblings, on this site, it's obvious you are everything this man was not.
 
A great man.. as distinct to that utter buffoon Ron Brittain who many confuse with the Grenadier/Para RSM Lord..

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Ron was a Cold Creamer of doubtful lineage...
 
There certainly were some characters about in the Army of old(!). Does the Army of today have anyone with such charisma, I wonder?
 
I saw this thread earlier and was pottering about Old College and thought a piccie of the water-colour would be useful. Sadly, OC is in recess and everything is closed down. Here's the door, though:

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Someone has posted on Arrse previously a picture of the episode of "This Is Your Life" which featured RSM Lord as its subject and one of his more famous students at RMAS - King Hussein of Jordan. The King therefore became the first royal to appear on a UK light entertainment programme. (I'm a bit of a techno muppet and can't find the clip, sadly.)
 
Someone has posted on Arrse previously a picture of the episode of "This Is Your Life" which featured RSM Lord as its subject and one of his more famous students at RMAS - King Hussein of Jordan. The King therefore became the first royal to appear on a UK light entertainment programme. (I'm a bit of a techno muppet and can't find the clip, sadly.)

I learnt yesterday at lunch that King Hussein was the first Head of State to invite the Pope to the Middle East in 1964. Both his son and his grandson have been commissioned at Sandhurst.




There is an apocryphal (ie almost certainly fake news) story that King Hussein as an officer cadet was berated as 'the most idle King ever on parade' and was ordered to double down to the statue of Queen Victoria and apologise. Having done this he is said to have been discovered on his bed and explained that Queen Victoria had said he looked tired and should take a rest.
 
Someone has posted on Arrse previously a picture of the episode of "This Is Your Life" which featured RSM Lord as its subject and one of his more famous students at RMAS - King Hussein of Jordan. The King therefore became the first royal to appear on a UK light entertainment programme. (I'm a bit of a techno muppet and can't find the clip, sadly.)


I'm looking, but try this as an appetizer:

Big Red Book article
 
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