Corps of Army Schoolmasters

The Royal Army Educational Corps (RAEC) was a corps of the British Army tasked with educating and instructing personnel in a diverse range of skills. On 6 April 1992 it became the Educational and Training Services Branch (ETS) of the Adjutant General's Corps.

On 2 July 1845 the Corps of Army Schoolmasters was formed, staffed by warrant officers and senior non-commissioned officers, as well as a few commissioned officers who served as inspectors and headmasters.

In 1859 its duties were extended from simple schooling within the Army to assume responsibility for the Army schools and libraries and in 1903 the Army schoolmasters fell under the jurisdiction of the Adjutant-General. By the early 1900s, soldiers began to be admitted to evening classes, and some garrisons opened vocational classes. In 1914, a committee was set up for the "industrial training of soldiers", underlining the Army's intent to properly equip soldiers for civilian life. This committee recommended that soldiers should be struck off duty during their last three months of service, in order to allow them to attend vocational training.

Despite the strains of the First World War on the British Army, education of soldiers did not stop. Unlike the German Army, the British Army was circulated in and out of the front line, reserve line, and rest areas. This allowed education to continue, albeit in a disrupted fashion. Even whilst in the trenches, boredom meant the soldiery desired news and information, and in accordance, a staff officer would organise lectures to satisfy these needs. The issue of resettlement was also raised by the war, and so a scheme was established to prepare men for civilian life.

A Royal Warrant established the Army Educational Corps on 15 June 1920. The wartime task of its members was to "assist by all means in their power the maintenance of a high spirit of devotion and well being in their units". Peacetime duties were more clearly defined, and AEC personnel were expected to do specialise and advisory work, the bulk of the teaching which was to be done by regimental officers.

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