SCIENCE COLLEGE FOR SOLDIERS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26409, 1 May 1951, Page 7

SCIENCE COLLEGE FOR SOLDIERS

Special Training In Britain

(Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, April 30. Not far from England’s famous railway centre of SwUidon, is a military establishment whose fame, although always respected in Army circles, is only now filtering to the public through the lifting of the security curtain. It is Britain’s Military College of Science at Shrivehham, where hundreds of young officers with a scientific bent are taught to deal with wartime problems they can only visualise now, but may encounter Within 20 years. The emphasis throughout the three courses at the college—weapons, fighting vehicles, fire direction (which embraces radar and telecommunications) —ji on principles. The college does not teach student* how to use weapon*, vehicles, and radar; but it does teach them the background of these subjects, their science and technology, so that they can more easily appreciate and advise on scientific and engineering problems in war. It does not, for Instance, teach nuclear physics; but it explains what happens when fission take* place; it does not teach the use of atomic weapons; but it explains such things as the dangers of contaminated ground—the emphasis all the time is on theory rather than practice. Its value in this aspect was well Illustrated last war when men to whom radar was a comparatively unknown science, were able to adapt the knowledge gained at the college to the new medium because many years earlier they had trained in the principles underlying it. Most officers come from the Royal Engineers, the Royal Signals, and the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and specialise in one of the three courses. The whole establishment, which in general follow* university Unes, can accommodate 400 student officers, who attend lecture* by a staff of 56. and carry out laboratory experiments and drawing office work in the same way as any other university, but on a military estate—and without parades. Students from Dominions All are volunteers, though they must be recommended by their commanding officers and pass an entrance examination. Dominions Government* can nominate officer* for the college course, and according to the teaching staff there is no difficulty in acceptance. There are no New Zealanders in residence at the moment, but the Dominions representation include* Canadians, Australians, South Africans, and Pakistanis.

Welsh Dentist’s Earnings.—A Welsh dentist earned £21.000 last year—£4oo a week—according to the local executive which handles the National Health Scheme accounts.—London, April *>