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United Services College
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The United Services College was an English private boys' public boarding school for the sons of military officers, located at Westward Ho! near Bideford in North Devon. It was founded to prepare pupils for military service, many of them going on to Sandhurst and Dartmouth.
The college was founded in 1874 and was absorbed by the Imperial Service College in 1906, which in turn merged with Haileybury College in 1942.
As at virtually all boys' schools of its era, corporal punishment (strokes of the cane) was used, but USC was very unusual in that the cane was applied to the student's upper back (as described by Kipling) rather than the buttocks.
Notable former pupils
Rudyard Kipling, writer. His collection of stories, Stalky & Co, is based on his experiences at the College. He dedicated the book to Cormell Price, headmaster of the school for its first twenty years. Price is portrayed as someone Stalky & Co respect.
Major-General Lionel Dunsterville CB, CSI. A contemporary of Kipling, he was the inspiration for the character of Stalky, in the Stalky & Co. stories.
George Charles Beresford, photographer, "M'Turk" in Stalky & Co,
Bruce Bairnsfather, cartoonist and author
Colonel Edward Douglas Browne-Synge-Hutchinson, VC, CB (attended United Services College Day Boy 1875). He was a Major when he earned his VC.
Brigadier General George William St. George Grogan, VC, CB, CMG, DSO & Bar (attended United Services College 1890 – 1893)
Brigadier General The Honourable Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven, VC, GCMG, CB, DSO & Bar, PC, Croix de Guerre (France and Belgium). He was a Captain when he earned his VC.
Brigadier General Francis Aylmer Maxwell, VC, CSI, DSO & Bar, (attended United Services College 1883 – 1890)
Captain Anketell Moutray Read, VC, (attended United Services College 1898 – 1902)
Major General Cyril Wagstaff, Commandant of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
Archibald Ritchie (1869–1955), British Army Major-General of World War I
Colonel Bernard Underwood Nicolay (attended 1887 – 1892)
