Regimental Cuts & mergers.

Kipling's 1888 short story The Drums of the Fore and Aft is instructive. Kipling was convinced that short-service enlistment (which had just been introduced) would, at least in the short term, render the British Army unable to function:


[The short-service soldier] has, let us say, been in the service of the Empress for, perhaps, four years. He will leave in another two years. He has no inherited morals, and four years are not sufficient to drive toughness into his fibre, or to teach him how holy a thing is his Regiment. He wants to drink, he wants to enjoy himself—in India he wants to save money—and he does not in the least like getting hurt. He has received just sufficient education to make him understand half the purport of the orders he receives, and to speculate on the nature of clean, incised, and shattering wounds. Thus, if he is told to deploy under fire preparatory to an attack, he knows that he runs a very great risk of being killed while he is deploying, and suspects that he is being thrown away to gain ten minutes’ time. He may either deploy with desperate swiftness, or he may shuffle, or bunch, or break, according to the discipline under which he has lain for four years.

Armed with imperfect knowledge, cursed with the rudiments of an imagination, hampered by the intense selfishness of the lower classes, and unsupported by any regimental associations, this young man is suddenly introduced to an enemy who in eastern lands is always ugly, generally tall and hairy, and frequently noisy. If he looks to the right and the left and sees old soldiers—men of twelve years’ service, who, he knows, know what they are about—taking a charge, rush, or demonstration without embarrassment, he is consoled and applies his shoulder to the butt of his rifle with a stout heart. His peace is the greater if he hears a senior, who has taught him his soldiering and broken his head on occasion, whispering: “They’ll shout and carry on like this for five minutes. Then they’ll rush in, and then we’ve got ’em by the short hairs!”

But, on the other hand, if he sees only men of his own term of service, turning white and playing with their triggers and saying: “What the Hell’s up now?” while the Company Commanders are sweating into their sword-hilts and shouting: “Front rank, fix bayonets. Steady there—steady! Sight for three hundred—no, for five! Lie down, all! Steady! Front rank kneel!” and so forth, he becomes unhappy, and grows acutely miserable when he hears a comrade turn over with the rattle of fire-irons falling into the fender, and the grunt of a pole-axed ox. If he can be moved about a little and allowed to watch the effect of his own fire on the enemy he feels merrier, and may be then worked up to the blind passion of fighting, which is, contrary to general belief, controlled by a chilly Devil and shakes men like ague. If he is not moved about, and begins to feel cold at the pit of the stomach, and in that crisis is badly mauled and hears orders that were never given, he will break, and he will break badly, and of all things under the light of the Sun there is nothing more terrible than a broken British regiment.



Yet, in the event, the short-service Army of 1914 performed well enough.

Best, Alan

 

Army redundancies to roll on for many years
Renowned Army units including The Parachute Regiment and The Black Watch are under threat as defence chiefs prepare to make deep cuts.

The Black Watch has its origins more than 300 years ago in the Highlands of Scotland Photo: REUTERS
By Sean Rayment, Defence Correspondent7:30AM GMT 15 Jan 2012 176 Comments
An announcement of job losses this week will be followed by annual rounds of morale-sapping redundancies for the next eight years.
Between five and eight of the Army's 36 infantry battalions could be abolished.
Among areas where the axe could fall, a question mark is hanging over the future of The Parachute Regiment – which consists of three regular battalions, one of which operates solely with the special forces, as well as a territorial unit.
In the past the regiment has managed to escape cuts because Paras makes up more than 50 per cent of the SAS. But the fact that the regiment has not parachuted on operations since the Suez Crisis in 1956 has made it vulnerable.
Large infantry regiments like The Rifles and the Royal Regiment of Scotland, which have sustained very heavy casualties in both Iraq and Afghanistan, are likely to face cuts.
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The Royal Regiment of Scotland, which is composed of five individual battalions – each formerly a Scottish regiment – could lose The Black Watch, the regiment's 3rd battalion, and one of the best-known in the British Army.
All the Scottish regiments have struggled to recruit in recent years and many have been forced to look to the Commonwealth to make up numbers.
The Brigade of Guards, composed of the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards, is also believed to be vulnerable.
The Green Howards, now part of the Yorkshire Regiment, is being named as another possible casualty. Many tank and artillery units, now regarded as a legacy of the Cold War, are set to be scrapped or mothballed.
The Parachute Regiment was formed during the Second World War, when its men played a key role in operations including the D-Day landings.
Since then the Paras have seen extensive action in conflict zones around the world including Northern Ireland, the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Black Watch, possibly named for its dark tartan, has its origins more than 300 years ago in the Highlands of Scotland.
On the First World War battlefields of northern France, its kilted soldiers were nicknamed “Ladies from Hell” by their German opponents; recently its soldiers have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Another key target is the 3,500-strong Brigade of Gurkhas, which is 800 men over strength. Last year it was reduced by 140 men but sources have confirmed that as many as 400 could go this week.
Defence chiefs opted for annual headcount reductions of 1,000 to 3,000 out of concern that faster cuts would be too damaging to the Army's operational effectiveness
Generals, brigadiers and colonels will lose their jobs, as well as lower ranks. Only highly specialist "trades" such as bomb disposal experts, intelligence personnel, signal specialists and the special forces will be spared.
On Tuesday, up to 6,000 servicemen and women will discover if their field of employment has been targeted for redundancy – comprising around 3,500 from the Army, 1,200 from the Royal Navy and 1,200 from the RAF.
Compulsory redundancies are likely. Those on operations in Afghanistan or preparing for them will be unaffected.
The cuts, part of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, will ultimately reduce the size of the Army by around 18,000 to 82,000, the Royal Navy by 5,000 to 31,640, and the RAF by 5,000 to 36,340.
The streamlining is part of a push to reduce a £35 billion budget deficit in the Ministry of Defence.
One senior Army officer said: "Morale within the Army in the United Kingdom is at rock bottom. It's a very significant worry.
"There are soldiers on operations today, risking their lives, who know they may well be made redundant in the future."
Col Richard Kemp, a former British commander in Afghanistan said: "There is an atmosphere of gloom the extent of which I have not seen before. There are people who joined the Army with expectations that simply will not be fulfilled."
But insiders fear even deeper cuts could be on the way. Earlier this month Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, told the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank, that defence spending was falling across the Nato countries.
He said the answer lay in "prioritising ruthlessly, specialising aggressively and collaborating unsentimentally".
An MoD spokesperson said: "Difficult decisions had to be taken in the SDSR to deal with the vast black hole in the MoD budget.
"Reducing numbers through redundancy is essential if we are to have smaller Armed Forces that deliver the best possible operational capability."

Army redundancies to roll on for many years - Telegraph

 

But the fact that the regiment has not parachuted on operations since the Suez Crisis in 1956 has made it vulnerable.

Not 100% true but I agree they could well be for "the chop" along with a lot of other personnel.

Paras Jump Into Action In Afghanistan

 

Is it only the Telegraph running this?

About ten years ago I Remember reading basically the same article but it was reported more widely.

Scottish regiment mentioned in a right wing paper this week with all the referendum talk never.

 

I think the only unit that article doesn't mention is the 5th Knife Fork and Spoon Regiment.

 

I think the only unit that article doesn't mention is the 5th Knife Fork and Spoon Regiment.

Yer, but they prominently mention The Rifles and the Royal Regiment of Scotland to get people on the troll.

 

Merge Paras with Bootnecks........

Speaking to some ex-Paras I know, I think they would rather be disbanded!!

 

It was at the Battle of Copenhagen that Nelson held his telescope to his blind eye, saying, "I see no ships” Well that what I felt last week, I went up the Spinnaker Tower to view the wonderful sights of the Isle of Wight and the Solent, I looked north towards HM Dockyard Portsmouth and what did I see ?
Yes, you guessed it a couple of Destroyers and the rusting Aircraft carrier that used to be part of the Royal Navy, I felt so disgusted at what I did not see, In my younger days Pompey Harbour was full of great ships the pride of the United Kingdom.
The only thing that was being made ready was the old HMS Victory.

 

On another thread we considered the various acts of incompetence in war with some most erudite posting - and i trust that we NEVER have another war as the incompetence has surely started already.

A report albeit not official claims that the Scottish regiment - note the singular - will be virtually untouched but many famous English regiments will be sacrificed -

but the most laughable is the thought that the cavalry regiments
will be massacred as shades of 1922 decisions return to haunt with the
16/5/17/21 st lancers to be merged with the 9th/12th lancers - and 1stRTR
to be merged with 2ndRTR

Now the 1st RTR has been recognized as an experimental unit for Tank development - so what goes - Tank Development or the Fighting Unit of 2nd RTR.

These thinkers should be incarcerated IN A BOX as their thinking capabilities are obviously expired

Cheers

 

There seems to be no joined up thinking on these cuts - the expansion of the TA will be problematic as the technical arms find it difficult to recruit the necessary skills and today's employers are no longer committed to supporting TA membership - the loss of key technical personnel to operational deployments impinges on their operations - ie doctors, computer techs, engineers etc.

 

I, too, am very concerned at the run-down of our defence forces. In 1939-40 we were proclaiming 'never again should we be caught unprepared to have the means to defend our country'.

I don't understand the thinking that we do not require our own aircraft carriers but rely on a shared arrangement with 'allies'; we have to be ready to launch a strike force to protect our overseas interests and to command the seas around our country.

Observing recent conflicts I do readily appreciate the changed needs of the tactical battle. No longer the infantry battalion deployment sometime with tank support, but measured for the task there is now a need for varying-sized 'battle-groups' of infantry, tanks, engineers and self-propelled anti-tank weapons that are adept and ready to be quickly deployed. I see the need for a changed structure of command and the reorganisation of infantry and tanks units for this task.

Air-support of the helicopter type is essential for launching the battle and air-rocket missile-projector planes for close support during the assault. We need to equip and exploit pilotless plane technology for attacking specific objectives and for intelligence -gathering purposes.

A 91-year-old's view . . .

Joe Brown

 

JOE

an 88 year old supports your thoughts that battles have changed as was recognised
back in North Africa in '43 when the Blade and Hart forces of mixed arms were very successful - this was enlarged in Italy for quick penetration actions and later with th introduction of "Battle " Tanks in place of Infantry and pursuit Tanks etc - BUT having to depend on Terriers to carry the fight against a sophisticated enemy is absolute nonsense
and the dependence of an ally(sic) for Aircraft Carrier support is sheer madness....
and seems to go against just simple incompetence as I am reminded of the "Trojan Horse' of antiquity
Cheers

 

There seems to be no joined up thinking on these cuts - the expansion of the TA will be problematic as the technical arms find it difficult to recruit the necessary skills and today's employers are no longer committed to supporting TA membership - the loss of key technical personnel to operational deployments impinges on their operations - ie doctors, computer techs, engineers etc.

Not strictly so Steve, a few examples:

1. My old Regiment (Signals) was full of IT geeks - so much so they developed a secure IT Comms system that can be used on the battlefield anywhere in the world, in the early days it impressed the head sheds so much my regiment was given the lead on the project, given a massive budget and eventually it was spread out to all the Regts in 2 Sigs Bde. Various exercises led to it being trialled in America, Accension, numerous countries in Europe and I believe (after my time) it found its way into the Middle East.

2. The TA medical units (RAMC and QARANC) and field hospitals beat their regular counter parts hands down - Fairly obvious really when you consider Paramedics, Trauma Surgeons, A and E staff are dealing with major traumas day in and day out in the UK where as Regular Army medical staff have far less contact in this way. So much so the regular Army Field Hospital deployed first to Kuwait in 2002/03 and by the time the invasion took place in March they were replaced with a complete TA Field Hospital - The NHS give staff an extra two weeks paid annual leave for anyone serving in the reserves and do not stop staff deploying overseas.

The list goes on... That said there is a big divide between the Regs and TA on things like fitness and I always felt basic military skills were sometimes found wanting in some reservists.

 

Units cut as Hammond announces major defence review - ITV News

The 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh is based at Lucknow Barracks, Wiltshire

2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is based in Trenchard Barracks, Germany

2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment is based in Cyprus

3rd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment is based in Lumsden Barracks, Germany

5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland is based in Howe Barracks, Canterbury

39 Regiment Royal Artillery is based in Newcastle

24 Commando Engineer Regiment is based in Chivenor, North Devon

28 Engineer Regiment is based in Hameln, Germany

67 Works Group is based in Chetwynd Barracks, Nottinghamshire

1 Logistic Support Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corp and

2 Logistic Support Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corp are both based in Abingdon and Germany

23 Pioneer Regiment is based in Bicester, Oxford

101 Force Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is based in Germany, Wrexham, Prestatyn, Coventry and Manchester

5 Regiment Royal Military Police is based in Gutersloh, Germany

Army Air Corps' 1 Regiment based in Germany

Army Air Corps' 9 Regiment Dishforth North Yorkshire

1st Royal Tank Regiments is based at RAF Honington in Suffolk

2nd Royal Tank Regiments is based in Aliwal Barracks, Tidworth

The Queen's Royal Lancers based in Catterick, North Yorkshire

9th/12th Royal Lancers is based in Hohne, Germany

 

There's an interesting letter in the Telegraph from the Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers to the Chief of Defence Staff. As the RRF perform very well on the manning and recruiting front, Brig Paterson asks why they are losing their second battalion while understrength regiments are allowed to soldier on. There was a reference somewhere (it may have been the Arrse thread) that the Scottish battalions would be maintained at a lower establishment of c450 compared to the usual c 600.

Paterson also points out that the operational and career-path functionality of a two-battalion regiment (sold as a big plus in a previous review) would be lost. The arguments for disbanding or amalgamating underperforming units are logical, but he can't see how it applies to the RRF.

 

I suspect Question Time will be interesting tonight, especially with Johnny Lydon on it

 

Personally I find the disbanding of 2 Royal Welsh disgraceful. The QDG had a massive campaign to keep them going, despite being a 1 Battalion Regiment and were vulnerable. Newspapers in Wales cried keep the Welsh Cavalry, despite they'd only been based in Wales for the last 50 years.

The RWF were amalgamated into the Royal Welsh a few years ago BECAUSE they were a 1 Bn Regiment and deemed 'weak'. Now with the loss of 2 RW (marking the end of the Welsh Regiment, SWB et al) it returns the Royal Welsh to being a very, very exposed Regiment.

Recruitment from Wales into the Army's total numbers is a 9-10% mark, which punches above the total population, removing a traditional Welsh Battalion in this way is far worse than getting rid of the QDG who saw a remarkable public campaign to keep them going - despite they were far more suitable for the chop than 2 RW whose history goes back several hundred years.

Consequently we'll see recruitment from Wales adversely effected, despite being a far poorer part of the UK, wow that is a great idea! The army offered an escape and now will most likely risks replicating the stagnant career ladder that it was in the interwar period. Today I heard the Defence Secretary decry historical parallels, despite the massive over-reliance on technology. Fighting men hold ground and win wars, technology assists, but once again it appears that the myth of technological superiority will shine through as the Dragon's teeth are ripped out and its tail grows disturbingly longer, fat on the lamb of bloated defence contracts.