The Carton de Wiart Society is named after the most highly decorated Old OratorianThe Carton De Wiart Society Dinner was held at the school on Friday 22 April after a four-year absence., Lieutenant-General Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart VC (OS 1891-8) KBE, CB, CMG, DSO - alongside his Polish, Belgian and French honours. Described in a BBC article in 2015 as 'the unkillable soldier', Carton de Wiart fought in the Boer War and in WWI, and was awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for bravery in battle, for his actions at the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

Churchill was a firm admirer of Carton de Wiart, describing him as "a model of chivalry and honour" and writing the foreword to his autobiography. De Wiart was known for his derring-do, leadership and the numerous injuries sustained in battle.  His highly entertaining memoirs of his career, Happy Odyssey, is a riveting read.

The Oratory School was honoured to host Major General Paul Nanson CB CBE as the guest speaker. General Paul has retired as the Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the Army in 2020. He is the author of the best-selling book: Stand Up Straight: 10 Life Lessons from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. The General gave an insightful and inspiring talk about debunking leadership myths. You can view the video here: https://vimeo.com/704273506/06a8e8655b

We were delighted to welcome back Old Oratorians, friends of the Oratory School, current pupils and parents, and former parents with a military connection to celebrate Carton de Wiart.  If any reader falls into one of these categories and has never received a personal invitation to the Dinner, please do let the school know.