Sandhurst

Tuesday

Allan Mallinson

They don’t make men like Erroll Prior-Palmer any more

From our UK edition

Erroll Prior-Palmer had one decision to make on D-Day. It wasn’t as momentous as Eisenhower’s to launch the invasion, having postponed it for 24 hours due to bad weather, but, for the 40 or so tanks that were meant to swim ashore and give covering fire to the infantry as they stormed Sword Beach, it was life and death. Sword Beach, the easternmost of the Allied landing sectors, guarding the vulnerable left flank of the entire Allied landings, was entrusted to the 3rd (British) Infantry Division. Their task was to reinforce the overnight airborne landings and take Caen, the route centre that would open up Normandy to rapid advance inland.

Tuesday

James Jeffrey

What Sandhurst teaches you about self-care

From our UK edition

Anyone who attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst will never look at a shaving razor in the same way. Ever since my officer training days, when you had to shave on exercise at 4 a.m. in a cold, wet forest, unable to feel your fingers, shaving has been an important topic. Having escaped those dank woods, I’ve tried to embrace shaving at its most comfortable and alluring: using a stylish cut-throat razor, aided by rose-scented shaving cream whipped into a lather by a badger-hair brush. That doesn’t cut it in airport security, where even a lone razor blade could get you pinned down on the floor. So I have tried to find a happy medium, reverting to the type of Gillette razor I used at Sandhurst. But good luck trying to find a two-bladed Gillette Excel blade.