19,000 to go in British army axing.

[Lachlan09]

British regulars to be reduced by 19,000 in cuts.

But we get a shiny new aircraft carrier to sail the seven seas.

The Argylls likely to go.

More part-timer soldiers to be used instead of regulars.

Westminster a***holes !

[tig]

no planes to put on carriers and no pilots to fly the non planes

yet the gov still want to get involved in every oil grab going on in the world

[TheLastLazyGun]

Originally Posted by Lachlan09

The Argylls likely to go.

As per usual, the Scots are getting favourable treatment and it's the English who'll take the brunt of these military cuts. Surprise, surprise.

Beckenham MP and ex-colonel Bob Stewart called the English cuts ‘savage’ compared with those inflicted on Scottish battalions.

This is despite the fact that the English regiments that are being harder hit are better recruited than the Scottish regiments (modern Scots prefer to pick a fight with innocent English people in Scotland instead).

Against earlier expectations, the surviving Scottish infantry identities will all continue within the overall ambit of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, though in reduced form.

In particular, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, saved from abolition in the 1970s by a famous public campaign, will be reduced from 465 men to a ceremonials-only unit of around 150. Four other Scottish battalions stand to lose some 200 troops each.

Basildon & Billericay MP John Baron, a former serving soldier with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, claimed: ‘The decision to axe the better-recruited English battalions at the expense of the more poorly recruited Scottish battalions smacks of a grubby political fix given the advent of the Scottish referendum.’

Army cuts spark Scots row | Public Finance — official CIPFA magazine

[tig]

why o why o why would the torys want to cut something that is successful?



cutting the english regiments will save more money and thats the main thing the torys are after.

your one of their fan boys so surely you must support this

[TheLastLazyGun]

Originally Posted by tig

why o why o why would the torys want to cut something that is successful?



cutting the english regiments will save more money and thats the main thing the torys are after.

your one of their fan boys so surely you must support this

I support cutting, or getting rid of completely, the useless and under-recruited Scottish regiments, rather than the well-recruited English regiments.

[Lachlan09]

Originally Posted by TheLastLazyGun

I support cutting, or getting rid of completely, the useless and under-recruited Scottish regiments, rather than the well-recruited English regiments.

***

... and why are the Scottish regiments so under-recruited ?

mainly because the Scottish regiments which existed pre-1994 (before the boringly named "The Highlanders" was created from the Queen's Own Highlanders and Gordon Highlanders) still had their own distinct recruitment districts, traditions and clannish pride (yes even many Englishmen who served in the Scottish regiments captured that same fierce pride - I know some of them). Recruitment was healthy at that time.

However, come 2006, the regiments were dismembered, reduced and stuck together once too many times.

The Scottish public doesn't have real pride in the Royal Regiment of Scotland because it is a frankenstein creation. I certainly don't. I was a huge fan of the Argylls, I could quote much of their history chapter and verse and had immense pride in them. I could draw their uniforms and badges from heart. I still have a full No 1 dress Argylls uniform here in Oman, swinging six and all. I signed the Save The Argylls petition in 1968 as did my family - note not in the 1970's as you quoted above - The Argylls were reduced to a company in 1969 and stationed in Gibraltar but were brought back to full strength at Ritchie Camp, Kirknewton after the Tories won the 1970 election.

But now ? I see the "Argylls" parading in photos and they look nothing like Argylls. They look as smart as they can but it's not the same, the regiments of the RRS all look the same. Even the Argylls beloved unique glengarry is gone, replaced by the general pattern version previously used by the RS/RHF/KOSB/GH. You don't have to even join the Argylls specially anymore or go specifically to their recruitment offices and join them. You're as likely to get posted to any of the other battalions. The only difference between them now is a wee bunch of feathers which only have any significance for the RHF, Black Watch and QOH. The pride of regiment and rivalries between them has gone and the Scottish public knows it.

The tribal traditions and links of the Scottish - and especially Highland regiments, which were more intense than in other parts of the British army and were a draw to Scots and even some English are all but gone since 2006.

As far as I'm concerned, the bond of trust and sacrifice has been irrevocably broken. Let all the Scottish regiments be disbanded. I'm done with the concept of a British Army. All the generals want as an army now is paras and reservists.

Further, if all the British Army has to offer a potential recruit are TOD's and getting sniped or maimed in Afghanistan or Iraq, it's not exactly a popular people-puller. Sure, in the past there used to be TOD's in Northern Ireland, where getting sniped or maimed were a lesser possibility, but at least they had the pride of the regiment to fall back on. Now where's the pride ? Hell, the army doesn't have BAOR, HK or other decent postings to fall back on to make up for the risky stuff !

As you say, Last lazy Gun, let the English join and make it their army. We'll do our own thing in an indepedent Scotland.

*** Notwithstanding "useless" Scottish regiments as you put it, it seems the British forces in Afghanistan are verging on useless according to a recent criticism from an American general who found the British disappointing to say the least. A British Army spokesman in Afghanistan had to concur and put the blame on too few resources to meet the tasks demanded, resulting in a sharp decline in efficiency and morale.

[TheLastLazyGun]

Originally Posted by Lachlan09

*** Notwithstanding "useless" Scottish regiments as you put it, it seems the British forces in Afghanistan are verging on useless according to a recent criticism from an American general who found the British disappointing to say the least. A British Army spokesman in Afghanistan had to concur and put the blame on too few resources to meet the tasks demanded, resulting in a sharp decline in efficiency and morale.

The Americans complaining that British soldiers are hapless and inept is like Alex Salmond telling his fellow Scots to lay off the pies or the Irish complaining of drunken and violent foreign thugs on the streets of Dublin.

In the Yanks want to complain about other armies in Afghanistan then rather than having a pop at the world's finest soldiers they should start having a go at, for example, the Germans, whose soldiers are not allowed to leave their bases at night "because it's too dangerous" and whilst British (mainly English) soldiers are out there fighting the Taliban and having their arms and legs blown off by IEDs the Germans are sitting in their nice cosy bases drinking beer and playing table football.