The presentation will be live and online.
This talk by Charles Fair looks at the formation of the Officer Cadet Battalion (OCB) system in 1916 and how it developed out of the OTCs and precursor Schools of Instruction. It argues that by mid-1917 a highly professionalised system of OCBs had evolved, and that this sat within a broader framework for developing officers. This system produced officers of sufficient quality and quantity that it helped enable the BEF's success in 1918.
The talk is the subject of chapters in Spencer Jones' edited collections 1917: The Darkest Year (Helion, 2022) and Turning the Tide: The British Army on the Western Front 1918 (Helion, 2025).
Members wishing to participate will need to register: details of how to register will be circulated via The Western Front Association's newsletter 'Trench Lines'. If you are not a subscriber to 'Trench Lines' please subscribe now.
To subscribe to Trench Lines, go to the home page of The Western Front Association web site and complete your details in the 'Newsletter sign up' box.
It is also possible to register by clicking this link: From OTC to OCB
The talk will be undertaken using the 'Zoom' software which is freely available. It may not be necessary to load the software to your PC / iPad etc: but we would recommend doing so if you wish to participate in this event.