We were delighted to hear recently from a parent of a former pupil Catherine Hughes, who has recently passed out of Sandhurst and is now in the Royal Artillery.  What we didn’t realise was that at least three other students from the same year group were also pursuing exciting careers with the British Army.  We have received an update from Catherine and also Ceci who is a member of the Household Cavalry Regiment (please see below).

Eleanor Bedford is now Musician (Musn) Eleanor Bedford and joined The Band of the Household Cavalry in April 2023 and has become a valued member of the trumpet section, as well as a fully trained mounted musician and State Trumpeter.  Eleanor was a regular member of SHS ensembles, picking up the trumpet for the first time aged just 5 years old. She went on to study Music at the University of Birmingham, followed by a Postgraduate in Instrumental Performance at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Lieutenant C Whittingham – Household Cavalry RHG/D

In April 2023 I commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst into the Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry (HCR). The Household Cavalry consists of two distinct elements; the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment which encompasses the ceremonial aspect, known for its iconic role in state occasions such as the Trooping of the Colour and the Household Cavalry Regiment which primarily functions as an armoured reconnaissance unit on Ajax, an armoured fighting vehicle. I am currently a member of the Household Cavalry Regiment.

Following three months of technical and tactical training on Salisbury Plain I entered the Regiment in January 2024 as a Troop Leader in A Squadron.

As a Troop Leader I am responsible for the training and career development of eleven soldiers. Since starting this role in January 2024 I have deployed on various dismounted exercises, lead an expedition through the Dolomites in Italy, competed on the Cresta Run in St Moritz, represented the Army at Women’s Cricket and completed my conversion onto the Ajax platform.

This winter I will be captaining the Household Cavalry Regiment Ski Team in Solden, Austria as part of a month-long competition. It has been a rewarding and busy year and I look forward to continuing to lead my Troop next year as part of the first Squadron in the British Army to deploy on Ajax.

2nd Lieutenant C Hughes – The Royal Artillery

After completing her A Levels, Catherine went on to study Bio Medical Science at Oxford Brookes (2:1) and upon her graduation in 2020 she got a job straight away at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford where she continued her studies to become fully certified Bio Medical Scientist.

After two years working in the laboratories at the hospital, Catherine then decided on a complete career change and entered Sandhurst (one of around 35 women in a total cohort of around 220) and began the 11 month officers commissioning course in September 2023.

Catherine passed out successfully in August this year as a 2nd Lieutenant in the British Army and is now in 47 Regiment, The Royal Artillery ahead of her posting in Texas, USA.