White Horse News Your local family run community newspaper

The Army officer selection board at Leighton House in Warminster Road may be Westbury’s best kept secret but last week local dignitaries were invited to celebrate its 60th anniversary and take a tour of the grounds.

MP Andrew Murrison, Mayor of Westbury cllr Sue Ezra, Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire John Bush, Under Sheriff Robert Hiscox, Westbury chamber of commerce president cllr David Jenkins and Richard Saunders of Wiltshire Police were shown around the site on Thursday 18th June.

The visitors watched new recruits as they took part in training exercises designed to test their mental and physical abilities.

The high security site lies on the 120 acre Laverton estate, with grounds either side of the Warminster Road.

The mouth - if not the heart - of the British army’s officer corps, the Army Officer Selection Board sees over 3,500 hopeful candidates attend initial interviews each year; roughly 1,000 of which will get the chance to complete the intensive three and a half day selection process. Some 700 of these will be successful and pass on to train at Sandhurst military college.