Royal Army Physical Training Corps
The Royal Army Physical Training Corps (RAPTC) is the British Army corps responsible for physical fitness and physical education and is headquartered in Aldershot. Its members are all Royal Army Physical Training Corps Instructors (RAPTCIs).
| Royal Army Physical Training Corps | |
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 Badge of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps | |
| Active | 1860–present |
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| Branch |  |
| HQ | Trenchard Lines, Wiltshire |
| Motto(s) | Mens sana in corpore sano (A healthy mind in a healthy body) |
| March | Be Fit |
| Insignia | |
| Tactical Recognition Flash |  |
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| Arms of the British Army |
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| Combat Arms |
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| Combat Support Arms |
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| Combat Services |
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History
The RAPTC was formed in 1860 as the Army Gymnastic Staff. It was renamed the Army Physical Training Staff in 1918 and was given corps status as the Army Physical Training Corps by Army Order 165 in 1940.[1]
Notable former Army Physical Training Instructors include Nik Stuart, a former National Gymnastic Coach,[2] and Olympic medallists Kriss Akabusi[3] and Kelly Holmes.[4]
At the Festival of Remembrance on 13 November 2010, Huw Edwards announced that the Army Physical Training Corps had been granted the title Royal Army Physical Training Corps by Her Majesty the Queen. This became effective immediately.[1]
Characteristics
The corps cap badge, which is also worn on the front of its vests, t-shirts and tracksuits, consists of crossed swords surmounted by a crown. The corps motto is Mens sana in corpore sano which means 'a healthy mind in a healthy body'. Its quick march is Be Fit, with words taken from Land and Sea Tales by Rudyard Kipling.[5]
It is not possible to join the RAPTC directly from civilian life. Prospective PTIs must first join another regiment or corps and then qualify as Regimental All Arms Physical Training Instructor (AAPTI) after a nine-week course at the ASPT. They then return to their own unit and only after further experience can they attend selection for the RAPTC. If they pass the selection course they follow a 30-week training course before qualifying as Advanced PTIs and transferring to the RAPTC as an RAPTCI.[6][7]
References
- "History". Royal Army Physical Training Corps Association. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
- "Nik Stuart". The Telegraph. 29 June 2002. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
- "Kriss Akabusi MBE". Retrieved 10 May 2014.
- "Royal Army Physical Training Corps". army.mod.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- "Quick Marches of the British Armed Forces". Retrieved 10 May 2014.
- "Royal Army Physical Training Corps: Recruiting". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
- "British Army Physical Training Instructor Course Overview". Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute. 2013-03-31. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
Further reading
- Bogdanovic, Nikolai (2017-12-19). Fit to Fight: A History of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps 1860-2015. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781472824219.
- Campbell, James D. (2016-03-16). 'The Army Isn't All Work': Physical Culture and the Evolution of the British Army, 1860–1920. Routledge. ISBN 9781317044536.
- Mason, Tony; Riedi, Eliza (2010-11-04). Sport and the Military: The British Armed Forces 1880–1960. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139788977.
| Preceded by Intelligence Corps |
Order of Precedence | Succeeded by General Service Corps |
External links
- Royal Army Physical Training Corps – on British Army official website
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