Council of Military Education Committees of the Universities of the United Kingdom
The Council of Military Education Committees of the Universities of the United Kingdom represents the interests of Military Education Committees in negotiations with Defence and the Armed Forces over policy development in officer training, the University Service Units and the Reserve Forces. COMEC organizes an Annual Conference, publishes Occasional Papers and awards a Prize to the Officer Cadet who demonstrates outstanding achievement in leadership through military expertise, public service commitment and Service Unit activities.
History
COMEC as such came into being in 1919, though its origins lie in the formation of the Officers Training Corps in 1908.Widespread myth surrounds the formation of the OTC, occasioned by a history of the Victorian Volunteers which suggested, in an appendix, that all university Volunteer units transferred to the OTC on 1 September 1908. In fact, only eight universities formed OTCs in that year, although others would soon follow.
Army Order 297 issued on 10 November, officially recognised the first OTC Contingents as Edinburgh with Infantry, Artillery and Medical Units, Birmingham, Cambridge, Durham, Manchester, Oxford and Wales with Infantry Units, and newly- formed Belfast. Edinburgh’s Medical Unit had attended annual camp in August wearing OTC insignia and this gives rise to their optimistic claim to have been the founding OTC Contingent.
The role of the OTC was primarily to prepare undergraduates for commissioned service and to maintain a supply of well-educated officers to the Territorial Force.
No one could have foreseen how vital this was to become when, in the early months of WW1, OTCs bore the brunt of training the large number of additional officers urgently required for the New Army.
From 1908, it was a statutory requirement that a host university had a 'Military Education Committee' comprising a mix of university and service representatives to oversee the operation of the OTC with particular regard to the balance between cadets' military and academic activities. Most universities that had Volunteer Companies or Batteries, already had a 'Military Committee' for that very purpose and merely had to adopt the new title.
During World War I, several aspects of the mobilisation, notably the treatment of OTC officers and cadets who enlisted for active service, had caused widespread dissatisfaction within OTCs: officers were treated as substantive 2nd Lieutenants regardless of their Territorial Force rank and cadets arriving at an Officer Cadet Battalion were treated as fresh recruits even if they held Certificate B.
To address this, and other issues, a meeting was held in Durham on 22-23 September 1919, attended by twenty-eight representatives from fifteen MECs and a representative from the War Office. At this meeting, it was resolved to form a ‘Central Organization of Military Education Committees’. COMEC was born.
Its functions were to be:
- To assist in the co-ordination of the work of the Universities and University Colleges in the study of National Defence.
- To secure for Military Science its due place among University studies and to promote the systematic instruction and training of candidates for commissions and, so far as may be desired by the Army Council and other authorities concerned, of Officers in the National Forces.
- For these purposes the Central Organization shall assist in the co-operation of the Universities and University Colleges with the Departments of State which administer the National Forces.
A significant change came in 1970 when the name was changed to ‘Council of Military Education Committees of the Universities of the United Kingdom’ in an effort to underline the fact that it was an advisory and co-ordinating body, rather than having an executive role.
By the end of the century, COMEC’s ‘Terms of Reference’ had evolved to:
- To co-ordinate and represent the views of MECs to the Ministry of Defence through the directorates for university service units of the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force.
- To consider and deliberate upon matters of policy emanating from the directors of university service units and to advise the MOD DRFC and universities thereon.
- To assist in the co-ordination of the work of universities through their MECs and in particular to facilitate systematic instruction and training of candidates for commissions in the armed services as may be required by the MOD and to promote for these purposes the co-operation of the universities with the Ministry of Defence.
- To maintain liaison with the appropriate bodies concerned with Defence Studies and other relevant issues.
Members
President
2017 on General Sir Peter Wall GCB CBE DL, former Chief of the General Staff2011 - 2017 General Sir Mike Jackson GCB CBE DSO DL, former Chief of the General Staff
2006 - 2011 Sir Graeme Davies FRSE FREng, Vice-Chancellor of the University of London
1999 - 2006 Field Marshal The Lord Vincent of Coleshill GBE KCB DSO, former Chief of the Defence Staff
Military Education Committees (MECs)http://www.comec.org.uk/members/military-education-committees/ COMEC website members
The University Service Units have their origins in the Army reforms of Richard Haldane, Secretary of State for War, from 1905 to 1908. In the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act of 1907, the Universities were invited to establish Officers’ Training Corps on the stipulation that they must have a Committee responsible for Military Education.| Military Education Committee | Member Universities |
| Aberdeen MEC | Aberdeen and Robert Gordon |
| Bristol MEC | Bristol, Bath and West of England |
| Cambridge MEC | Cambridge, East Anglia, Essex and Anglia Ruskin |
| East Midlands Combined MEC | Nottingham, De Montfort, Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Loughborough and Nottingham Trent |
| City of Edinburgh Joint MEC | Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh Napier and Queen Margaret |
| Exeter MEC | Exeter and Plymouth |
| Glasgow and Strathclyde MEC | Glasgow, Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian and West of Scotland |
| Leeds’ Military, Air Force and Naval Education Committee | Leeds |
| Liverpool MEC | Liverpool, Lancaster, Liverpool John Moores and Central Lancashire |
| London MEC | King's College, UCL, Imperial, SOAS, Brunel, South Bank and Kent |
| Manchester and Salford MEC | Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan and Salford |
| Northumbrian MEC | Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside |
| Oxford Delegacy for Military Instruction | Oxford, Oxford Brookes, Reading, Royal Agricultural and Gloucestershire |
| Queen's Belfast MEC | Queen's Belfast and Ulster |
| Sheffield MEC | Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam |
| Sussex MEC | Sussex and Brighton |
| Tayforth MEC | St. Andrews, Dundee and Abertay |
| MEC for Wales | Cardiff, Aberystwyth, Bangor, Swansea, Cardiff Metropolitan, South Wales, Wrexham Glyndwr, Trinity Saint David and Chester |
| West Midlands MEC | Birmingham and Aston |
[University Service Units] (USUs)
[University Royal Naval Units] (URNUs)http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/operations/uk-home-waters/university-traininghttp://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/operations/uk-home-waters/university-training Royal Navy website university training
MECs facilitated the establishment during the Second World War of the University Naval Division, which vanished with the end of war, not to be resurrected for another quarter of a century as the Royal Naval Unit in 1971.| University Royal Naval Unit | Ship | Universities |
| Birmingham | HMS Exploit | Birmingham, Aston, Loughborough, Warwick, Birmingham City |
| Bristol URNU | HMS Dasher | Bristol, Bath, West of England |
| Cambridge URNU | HMS Trumpeter | Cambridge, East Anglia, Anglia Ruskin |
| Devon URNU | - | Exeter, Plymouth, UC St Mark & St John |
| Edinburgh URNU | HMS Archer | Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh Napier |
| Glasgow & Strathclyde URNU | HMS Pursuer | Glasgow, Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian |
| Liverpool | HMS Charger | Liverpool, Lancaster |
| London URNU | HMS Puncher | London, Imperial College, University College, King's College, Queen Mary |
| Manchester & Salford URNU | HMS Biter | Manchester, Salford, Manchester Metropolitan |
| Northumbrian URNU | HMS Example | Newcastle, Durham, Northumbria |
| Oxford URNU | HMS Smiter | Oxford, Reading, Oxford Brookes |
| Sussex | HMS Ranger | Sussex, Brighton |
| Wales URNU | HMS Express | Cardiff, Swansea, South Wales, Wales Institute Cardiff |
| Yorkshire | HMS Explorer | Leeds, Sheffield, Hull |
University [Officers' Training Corps] (UOTCs)http://www.army.mod.uk/UOTC/28464.aspxhttp://www.army.mod.uk/UOTC/28464.aspx Army website UOTCs
UOTCs were inaugurated from 1908 onwards.| University Officers' Training Corps | Universities |
| Aberdeen UOTC | Aberdeen, Robert Gordon |
| Birmingham UOTC | Birmingham, Aston, Keele, Warwick, Birmingham City, Coventry, Harper Adams, Staffordshire, Stoke, UC Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Worcester |
| Bristol UOTC | Bristol, Bath, West of England |
| Cambridge UOTC | Cambridge, East Anglia, Anglia Ruskin |
| East Midlands UOTC | Nottingham, Leicester, Loughborough, De Montfort, Derby, Lincoln, Northampton, Nottingham Trent |
| City of Edinburgh UOTC | Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh Napier, Queen Margaret |
| Exeter UOTC | Exeter, Plymouth |
| Glasgow and Strathclyde UOTC | Glasgow, Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian, West of Scotland |
| Leeds UOTC | Leeds, Bradford, Hull, York, Huddersfield, Leeds Beckett, York St John |
| Liverpool UOTC | Liverpool, Lancaster, Central Lancashire, Chester, Cumbria, Edge Hill, Liverpool Hope, Liverpool John Moores |
| London UOTC | London, King's College, University College, LSE, Goldsmiths, City, St George's, Royal Veterinary College, Royal Holloway, Brunel, Essex, Imperial College, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, East London, Greenwich, Hertfordshire, Canterbury, Kingston, London Metropolitan, Luton, Middlesex, St Mary's, South Bank, West London, Westminster |
| Manchester and Salford UOTC | Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Manchester Metropolitan |
| Northumbrian UOTC | Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, Teesside |
| Oxford UOTC | Oxford, Reading, Oxford Brookes, Royal Agricultural Cirencester, Gloucestershire |
| Queen's UOTC | Queen's Belfast, Ulster |
| Sheffield UOTC | Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam |
| Tayforth UOTC | St. Andrews, Dundee, Stirling, Abertay |
| Wales UOTC | Wales, Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Cardiff School of Medicine, Swansea, Cardiff Metropolitan, South Wales, Trinity St David, Wrexham Glyndwr |
[University Air Squadrons] (UASs)http://www.raf.mod.uk/universityairsquadrons/findasquadron/index.cfmhttp://www.raf.mod.uk/universityairsquadrons/findasquadron/index.cfm Royal Air Force website UASs
were created at Cambridge and Oxford in 1925 and at London in 1935, but all were closed down with the outbreak of war in 1939. MECs sponsored in 1941 the inauguration of the national scheme for establishing Air Squadrons in Universities.| University Air Squadron | Universities |
| Birmingham UAS | Birmingham, Aston, Birmingham City, Coventry, Keele, Staffordshire, Warwick, Wolverhampton |
| Bristol UAS | Bristol, Bath, West of England, Exeter, Plymouth |
| Cambridge UAS | Cambridge, East Anglia, Essex, Anglia Ruskin |
| East Midlands UAS | Nottingham, Leicester, Loughborough, De Montfort, Lincoln, Nottingham Trent |
| East of Scotland UAS | Aberdeen, St. Andrews, Edinburgh, Dundee, Heriot-Watt, Abertay, Edinburgh Napier, Queen Margaret, Robert Gordon |
| Glasgow and Strathclyde UAS | Glasgow, Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian, West of Scotland, Stirling, Glasgow School of Art |
| Liverpool UAS | Liverpool, Lancaster, Bangor, Edge Hill, Central Lancashire, Liverpool John Moores |
| London UAS | London, Imperial College, Kings College, London School of Economics & Political Science, Queen Mary, Royal Holloway, University College, Brunel, City, Kent, Hertfordshire |
| Manchester and Salford UAS | Manchester, Salford, Manchester Metropolitan |
| Northern Ireland UAS | Queen's Belfast, Ulster |
| Northumbrian UAS | Newcastle, Durham, Northumbria, Sunderland, Teesside |
| Oxford UAS | Oxford, Reading, Oxford Brookes |
| Wales UAS | Wales, Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Swansea, Lampeter, College of Medicine, Glamorgan, Cardiff Metropolitan, Newport, Trinity St. David |
| Yorkshire UAS | Leeds, Bradford, Hull, Sheffield, York, Huddersfield, Leeds Beckett, Leeds Trinity, Sheffield Hallam, York St. John |
[Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme] (DTUS)
The Defence Technical Officer Engineering Entry Scheme provides education and support to students preparing for a career as an engineer or technical officer in the Armed Forces or MOD Civil Service. Students attend Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College and, on completion of their A levels, go on to study for an engineering, technical, business or logistics degree at one of the DTUS partner universities.Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme universities have separate partnership agreements with the Ministry of Defence to educate and support students from Welbeck attending selected degree courses in a range of subjects preparing for a career as a technical officer or engineer in the Armed Forces or Ministry of Defence. Students belong to a support Squadron which is responsible for their leadership development, mentorship, administration and monitoring their academic progress.
| DTUS Squadron | Partner Universities |
| Taurus | Birmingham, Aston, Oxford |
| Trojan | Newcastle, Northumbria, Strathclyde |
| Typhoon | Loughborough, Cambridge |
Chairmanhttp://www.comec.org.uk/publications/ COMEC Constitution 2008 p15
2016 on Mr. Roderick G Livingston2012 - 2016 Prof. Dick R Clements MBE
2004 - 2012 Prof. Donald A Ritchie CBE DL
2000 - 2004 Mr. Shane Guy AE
1996 - 2000 Prof. Michael P Furmston TD
1989 - 1996 Col. Alan C Roberts MBE TD DL
1982 - 1989 Prof. Malcolm N Naylor RD DL
1968 - 1982 Prof. Cecil Howard Tonge TD
1963 - 1968 Brig. Thomas Rice Henn CBE
1959 - 1963 Prof. John Thomas Whetton DSO OBE MC TD
1953 - 1959 Brig. Sir Alick Buchanan-Smith CBE TD JP DL
1946 - 1953 Col. S J Worsley DSO MC TD
1936 - 1946 Prof. J A Nixon CMG
1926 - 1936 Prof. Dudley J Medley
1921 - 1926 Prof. Thomas Hudson Beare DL
1919 - 1921 Prof. Thomas Frederick Tout
Occasional Papershttp://www.comec.org.uk/publications/ COMEC website publications
No. 11: Trustworthiness in Public Life by Onora O’Neill, and National Resilience and the Developing Civil-Military Relationship by David Omand, 2018No. 10: COMEC Rejoinder. The Value of the University Armed Service Units by Dr. Patrick Mileham, 2017
No. 9: War in Peacetime. Ambiguous Warfare and the Resurgence of the Russian Military by Christopher Donnelly, 2017
No. 8: Air Power by Michael Graydon and Andrew Lambert, 2018
No. 7: The University Air Squadrons. Early Years 1920-39 by Clive Richards, 2016
No. 6: Britain's Maritime Future by Jeremy Blackham and Andrew Lambert, 2016
No. 5: Reshaping the British Nuclear Deterrent by Lord David Owen, 2015
No. 4: University Officers’ Training Corps and the First World War by Edward M. Spiers, 2014
No. 3: Leadership in Future Force 2020 by General Sir Richard Barrons, 2014
No. 2: The Conundrum of Leadership - Leadership in Government, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Society by Lord Owen, 2013
No. 1: University Service Units. What are they really for? by Dr. Patrick Mileham, 2012