The Elite Leadership Course: Life at Sandhurst Hardcover – 13 April 2021

This book has been a long time coming and takes you inside arguably the most unusual and punishing 'Leadership Development Courses' ever devised by UK armed forces. Written from the perspective of Gary McCarthy, a Platoon Colour Sergeant on the course, it follow's the course and its Cadets from Day 1 to its conclusion approx 11 weeks later during a bleak winter.The ethos of 'reward success and punish failure' and never ever knowing what was coming next shines through in this account, as does the unrelenting physical brutality, pressure and scrutiny that formed the backdrop of Row-Co. The highs and lows are captured with unnerving accuracy as do the bonds that formed between Cadets and the Directing Staff in the 'pressure cooker' environment induced by the curriculum. At times very funny and at times simply jaw dropping, it's a unique perspective on the art / science of Leadership Development using methods that would simply not be countenanced / allowed today anywhere outside the Special Forces community. Some of the detail has been adjusted to 'tone down' some of the physical nature of the course (Bergen weights being one) and to obscure the identification of individuals, but all in all its 95% accurate.Only a small percentage of Cadets and Sandhurst (Circa 5%) got to experience Row-Co for a variety of reasons, so this book is pretty niche . But for those who took part (myself included) or watched from the relative Safety of the Commissioning Course it's a fascinating peek behind the curtain of a secretive and unorthodox course that no longer exists.In addition, for anyone interested in leadership theory it is a stark and intellectually honest account of what 'old fashioned' leadership looks like in a world we we increasing judge people by the words that they use, rather than their actions or by their character.Row-Co was the best and the worst thing I ever experienced as a young man. It shaped me profoundly, but it damn nearly killed me in the process.In all, a fascinating and well written book about a unique course from an insiders perspective. That alone makes it a good read if you are interested in leadership theory, military history are simply an armchair sadist or were unfortunate enough to have been there.Feed the machine and bash on regardless.....indeed!

So I'm currently half way through the book, at the end of Plain Jane! I didn't do the course written about , but 95% of the experiences I could relate to. The course for me was a 12 week blur and this book aroused many memories. Lots of shuddering when I read it, and lots of laughter too. I did Rowallan 963 (3rd intake in 1996), and as a complete civvy thinking I'd be doing 3 months of adventure training it was certainly a shock to the system.Reading the book I'm amazed that anyone stayed the course, and even more amazed that I did!I'm going to buy a few copies and give them to family and friends who remember me doing it. A university friend who I saw on leave, who couldn't get over my swollen ankles, and a school friend who along with his wife found me on the steps of their London flat at 2am fast asleep in the snow at the end of exercise Red Light, trying to get back from Manchester to Camberley with no money.A wonderfully written book, weaving both the experience of the students, the thoughts of the instructors along with a few dits on how Gary applied lessons he'd learnt in RoCo to future life.As I used to say about RoCo: 1. It's like doing a 12 week log race and occasionally having stop and do the Times crossword', and 'I'd recommend it for everybody, but I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.'And to Gary McCarthy, thank you for writing this book.

Really unusual to read a book from the Instructors perspective- especially when it is to do with an arduous course at RMA Sandhurst. Invariably, these books are written by those poor souls that were on the receiving end!! This is an excellent and very honestly written diary note, from the primary NCO Instructor of 2 Platoon. Having attended Sandhurst myself, I was well aware of Rowallan Company and, like many other Officer Cadets, was relieved not to have been on it! This book is painful, harsh, hilarious, brutal, unforgiving (but in many ways exactly the opposite), caring, encouraging and, ultimately, about getting these ‘borderline’ leaders over the line and subsequently on to the Sandhurst Commissioning Course for real. For whatever reason, these young men were considered ‘not quite good enough yet’, to go straight on to the Regular Commissioning Course at Sandhurst; but what these dedicated instructors do, to get them over the line, is truly inspiring. You really MUST read this book. It is a fantastic window into the world of leadership. What it takes and what it costs. This book is a gripping read. You will not be able to put it down - from page one, until the very end! It is an excellent, honest and highly insightful read. Outstanding.

As an ex serving soldier, I found this book so fascinating. Reading the book was like reliving my life in the Army, I felt like I was there on this course as I turned every page a memory popped up from my past, I could feel the shiver of the cold rain seeping through my clothes, the pain in my feet as they become freezing cold, the tiredness after being pushed to the limit, even contemplating jacking the whole thing in, I too was a normal lad from Liverpool, and it was a massive culture shock to me when I first joined the army, streetwise, yes but it was still a shock and I can honestly say with my hand on my heart that it shaped me to who i am today, I read this book and it brought bad some good memories and some not so good, reading this book was like watching a film, characters became real people with faces, I truly thank the author for opening so many forgotten memories in my life and giving us a true complete look into life on the other side of the coin. A truly fantastic account of hardship and fun and the moulding of potential leaders. I thank you. C et A

As a slightly unwitting attendant of RoCo 911, I was one of six RN entrants who battled to stay afloat. This lifts the lid of the lengths the army go to to carefully choreograph the exercises and develop the young officers. I really was oblivious to the work going on in the background and I wished I could have enjoyed those 3 months as much as I enjoyed this book. Everything else in life post Rowallan has been far more maneagable and it's a shame it didn't survive.