Founder of Sandhurst by Paul Le Messurier

Maj-Gen John Le Marchant

I grew up on the island of Guernsey, and like many boys back then, I was fascinated with everything military – soldiers, tanks, fighter jets. Our house was full of military models. So, when I started writing a few years ago, it felt natural to focus on military history.

About three years ago, I was browsing online when I came across a list of famous military individuals from Guernsey. I'd already heard about Admiral James de Saumarez, who was Lord Nelson's second-in-command at the Battle of the Nile, and Sir Isaac Brock, the hero of Upper Canada. But then I came across a name I didn’t know - Major-General John Gaspard Le Marchant, the founder of the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.

Incidentally, in my first book, Surrey’s Military Heritage (published by Amberley), I had included a paragraph about Sandhurst, since it sits right on the Surrey-Berkshire border. But at the time, I had no idea about its history or its founder.

Le Marchant came from a prominent Guernsey family and Sandhurst is just half an hour from where I live now. I also felt that Le Marchant wasn’t as well-known as he deserved to be, especially considering his impact on military education. Luckily, he was an avid letter writer and kept extensive records, so there was plenty of material to research. By this time, I was in no doubt that he should be the subject of my next book.

The more I discovered about him, the more absorbed I became in his life and achievements. Le Marchant rose through the ranks to become one of the finest cavalry officers of his time. But what really stood out was his vision for reform. He completely overhauled cavalry training and even designed a new sword.

What truly set him apart, though, was his determination to create a national military academy for army officers. Previous attempts had failed, but Le Marchant’s persistence paid off. In 1801, he established the Royal Military College, becoming its first Lieutenant-Governor. The college eventually moved to Sandhurst and became the world-renowned academy we know today.

In 1811, Le Marchant joined the Duke of Wellington’s forces in Portugal and Spain. Tragically, he was killed leading a cavalry charge at the Battle of Salamanca, at just 46 years old.

The Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, which still plays a crucial role in shaping the British Army, is his lasting legacy. While we can only imagine what more he could have accomplished had he survived the Peninsular War, his influence on the British Army continues to resonate to this day.

Founder of Sandhurst, Maj-Gen John Le Marchant by Paul Le Messurier is available for purchase now.