Aquila Victrix

In Memoriam: Aaron McClure, Robert Foster & John Thrumble

2011-08-23T10:50:00.002+01:00

Private Aaron McClure, Private Robert Foster and Private John Thrumble all from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, were killed while on a fighting patrol near Kajaki, Afghanistan on Thursday 23rd August 2007.

Of Pte Aaron McClure his CO said: "At 19 years old, Private Aaron McClure was already a veteran of over forty engagements with the enemy. It is tragic that where the Taliban had failed, it was an accident that has taken him from us. Loyal, hard working and highly professional, he constantly surpassed the standards expected, and his loss is a bitter blow to the whole Battalion." His friend Pte Barker said: "McClure known to most of his mates as 'Troy' was a hard working and very determined member of 7 Platoon who would 'work his socks off' to achieve the best results he could. 'Troy' had a lot of ambition and would have gone far in the Army. He will be missed very much by all of us in 7 Platoon and the Company. Rest in peace mate and my thoughts are with your family."

Pte Robert Foster's CO said: "As a junior soldier, Private Robert Foster settled in remarkably quickly and was a highly respected Viking. Fiercely loyal to his friends, he had seemingly limitless reserves of courage and strength of character way beyond his years. He had a rare quality of always seeing the bright side of any situation and a mischievous sense of humour which made him hugely popular." His Section Commander said: "Fozzy as he was known by all will be remembered for never turning a dare down. He was up for anything and kept the comedy value of the section up when it was most needed. He was a model for the British Army. It was a privilege to serve with him and we will never forget him."

About Pte John Thrumble the Battalion Commander said: "Private John Thrumble was one of the mainstays and leading characters within the Battalion. An inspirational model to others and a caring and compassionate friend to many, he will be sorely missed. Proven in combat on countless occasions – his raw courage and ability to raise a smile were invaluable in these testing times. He joins the ranks of his fellow fallen Vikings but his reputation will live on and he will never be forgotten." And Private Barker said: "John was the joker of the platoon and even the Company, and always managed to make you laugh whatever the circumstances. Although he was hard as nails, he had a soft side to him which most people did not know. He had some ambition and wanted to stay in the Army and work his way up through the ranks."

"These people going out fighting giving their lives for us;
They do it selflessly and they never get thanked enough.
They give it all, put their heart and soul into what they do
To make this world a better, safer place for me and you. "

Never forgotten

MoD Defence News

Fallen Soldier [RIP AJM]
Robert Graham Foster
Why is this happening [song for John]

Smiles Across The Miles

2011-03-25T23:38:00.021Z

Although I haven't been writing much on my blog recently, I don't want you thinking I haven't been doing stuff to support the guys out in Afghan. So I think I'll tell you about a little side-line of mine.

I work with a group of people ("Smiles Across the Miles") out in Estuaryland who send welfare parcels out to the guys on the frontline in Afghanistan.

We're just a small team but we work hard and are very committed. We've been going for a couple of years and have sent out about 3,000 parcels so far. When I say a small team, there's really just three of us - though we do organise packing sessions with local groups, like the scouts, when we can. We're always on the look out for volunteers but, whilst people are very generous with donations (especially when it comes to "our boys"), they seem to lead such busy lives these days that they have little spare time to give.

Anyway, we three do alright. In fact we do so well that the MoD asked us to suspend our operations over the Christmas period so as not to overload "logistics". So we shut down between October and February.

The team is made up of:
The Company Sergeant Major: she's ex-WI, is the inspiration behind the organisation, set it up in 2008 and has been the driving force behind it ever since. Always out looking for ways of raising cash and drumming up support. Knows an awful lot of people. Formidable, I think you'd say.

The Lance-Corporal: that's me. I do the "heavy" work; solid and reliable. I joined up on St George's Day 2009 when I came across the Stall (more about that later) in Basildon Shopping Centre. I just said "hello" and before I knew it I was signed up for 22 years. Anyway, I love it.

The Squaddie: that's our young lad. He's been involved with the group since it started. Amazingly reliable and always ready to help if he can. Eats, lives and breathes the Army. Knows every unit out in Afghan... and probably everywhere else. From the minute he arrives to the minute he leaves, he's talking Army. You'd think it would drive you crazy but it doesn't somehow, in fact it helps the job along.

We also have a Quartermaster who looks after the money.

We're all very patriotic of course. The CSM is very much for "Great Britain", I'm a Little Englander and the Squaddie is of course for "Queen and Country". I've had to fight to ensure that our stall (see below) will be festooned with England flags on St George's Day, rather than the usual Union Flag.

I'll tell you a bit about how we operate. Take this week as an example. We first agreed that we would do packing on Thursday; we are very lucky because we have a local hall where we can do it.

So we're going to pack on Thursday. First thing Monday morning, I telephone a couple of local shoeshops who I know will very kindly save the day's old shoe boxes for us. At 1700 I drive into town with the Squaddie, park in Sainsbury's carpark and collect the shoeboxes from the shops. We normally get about 30 (if we're short I've always got Tuesday to fall back on - thinking ahead, see). Anyway, this Monday we pick up 32 boxes which we take back to Sainsbury's. We go into the shop and spend £5 so we can reclaim our parking fee.

On Wednesday afternoon we - the CSM, the Squaddie and me that is - go to the local cash-and-carry to buy the stuff to fill the 32 boxes. We know exactly what to buy though we are often tempted to pick up the occasional "special" item - this time it was Cadbury's cream eggs (we don't normally send chocolate but, it being Easter and all, we thought we would (we actually sent some out a few weeks ago and got a letter back saying the eggs had caused a riot - good eh?!))

Thursday 1100 we arrive at the hall, put up the tables and lay out the goodies we bought. We're also donated stuff, usually toiletries, and bring these out of the stores. We're very organised with everything placed in order of size and weight with empty boxes at one end and the scales at the other (we can send 2kg for free). It takes about half-an-hour to set up. We all have different roles. The CSM is "the packer" and fills the boxes, the L-Cpl, that's me, is "the wrapper" (brown paper and parcel tape) and the Squaddie mixes the sweets (having thoroughly washed his hands), bundles up teabags and puts the labels on the boxes. So the packer picks up an empty box, walks down the line filling it with goodies, weighs it, adds/subtracts to get the weight right and passes it to the rapper, sorry, wrapper. I put in a "bluey" and one of our greetings postcards, wrap the parcel in our unique SATM way and pass it over to be labelled. A slick operation I can hear you saying. All the time the CSM and the Squaddie are chattering away (on different subjects). Me? Well Im just trying to keep up with the conveyor belt and don't have time to chat.... until the tea break that is.

Thursday 1430 we've packed 32 parcels and it's time to start clearing up - we always aim to leave the hall spick and span. At 1500 we load up my car and we're off to the local post office. Fortunately they know us there and are always very helpful. People joining the queue after us look very depressed when they see our bags of parcels - they think we're eBayers and everything's got to be weighed. Their spirits lift when they hear that we're simply going to leave the stuff and they positively smile when we tell them it's all going to BFPO 758.

And that's it really ...... till the next time.

You might want to know what we put in the parcels - all quality stuff, only the best for our boys and girls! I'll run along the table.... a packet of jammie dodgers, fruit bars, a pack of playing cards, Colegate toothpaste & toothbrush, little tin of vaseline, baby wipes, individual packets of hot chocolate and coffee, cup-a-soups, instant noodles, Wriggleys chewing gum, crisps, mini-chedders, HP sauce sachets, Pot Noodles, individual marmalade, jam and honey potlets, fruit pastilles, Haribo mix, OXO cubes, tea, sherbert dips..... all good, healthy stuff and all with memories of home.

We send the parcels to welfare officers who, we hope, will distribute them to the guys who need them most, those who perhaps haven't got families back home to send them stuff. (We're always on the look out for more welfare officers, so if you know one, get 'em to send me their address!)

I said I'd mention the stall. We have a stall which we put up at local events to raise money to buy the stuff for the parcels. We have lucky dips for kids - one for boys (mini-model-cars, footballs, etc) and one for girls (mini-dolls, bangles, keyrings) - and we also sell things which we have been given but can't send in the parcels (aerosols, glass, big/heavy things). We raise quite a bit of cash. We also use the event for PR - telling people what we do, showing sample parcels - and we have a display board with photos and letters we've received back from Afghan.

So far this year we're booked for St George's Day in Basildon, the Southend Airshow and Armed Forces Day. We also put the stall up in local supermarkets and, really, wherever we can.

It's great to get letters back from Afghan. We don't want the thanks, it's just to know that the parcels are getting through and that we're sending the right stuff. By doing what we do we hope we're raising morale; when we get a letter back, it raises our morale too.

So there you have it, just a few of us doing our bit to let the guys know that the work they do for us is appreciated and that people back home are thinking of them and supporting them.

Oh, and I'll try to write some more on my blog.

RIP Aaron James McClure - Fallen Soldier

2011-02-03T13:24:00.000Z

Victory at Stalingrad - 12:00 February 2nd 1943

2011-02-02T12:00:00.000Z

"The sudden silence was overwhelming and some of our soldiers, habituated to the constant din of fighting, couldn't stand it. The only time there was silence was just before an enemy attack. Men were shooting rifles, letting off grenades, just to relieve the tension." (Lieutenant A. Mereshko, 62nd Army).
"Then all our soldiers began to sing. We sang the Russian songs which helped to sustain us when all seemed hopeless." (Mark Slavin, 45th Division)

The German surrender at Stalingrad in February 1943 was the strategic turning point of WW2. After Stalingrad, the Germans had no hope of winning on the eastern front and that meant inevitable defeat in the wider conflict for WW2 was primarily a Soviet-German war.

When Germany launched Operation Barbarossa on June 22nd 1941 and invaded the Soviet Union, they launched a war of annihilation, a war to destroy ’judeobolshevism’ by the mass murder of Soviet citizens. Over the next four years more than 26 million Soviet citizens were killed, almost 11 million from the Armed Forces - at Stalingrad alone a million Russian people lost their lives.

In remembering the battle of Stalingrad we pay homage to the immense heroism of the soldiers of the Red Army. Despite Antony Beevor's attempt to denigrate, contemporary evidence is overwhelming: it was the sheer valour and guts of the soldiers of the 62nd Army, particularly the 13th Guards, which turned what was a militarily hopeless position into final victory.

"For us, it was life and death which met on the Volga. And it was life which won the fight." (Marshal K. Rokossovsky)

The French military: they're there when they need you

2010-09-02T17:31:00.003+01:00

That an I'm feeling lucky Google search for 'french military victories' comes up with no matches and asks: Did you mean 'french military defeats', may be just an American joke. But when you think about it, it's hard to come up with a war in which La France has been notably victorious - no, hang on, there was their victory over Greenpeace in 1985 when their navy sneakily sank Rainbow Warrior when she was tied up in Auckland harbour.

That Britain's Armed Forces should be merged with any foreign military is bad enough, but that there should currently be talk of a merger with a country with such a dismal military track record is as alarming as it is ludicrous. Yes, there should be strong military alliances with foreign powers, there always have been. But Britain must never have to seek permission from such a bunch of losers and 'surrender monkeys' in order that she can carry out her foreign policy - because we know what their answer would be: "Non".

Some other comments on French military prowess:

The question for any country silly enough to count on the French should not be "Can we count on the French?" but rather "How long until France collapses?"

"Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without an accordion. All you do is leave behind a lot of noisy baggage."

Or, better still, the quote from the Wall Street Journal: "They're there when they need you."

Living memorial for L/Cpl Scott Hardy, fallen Viking

2010-09-02T16:03:00.002+01:00

Lance Corporal Scott Hardy, from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, was killed in action in Afghanistan on 16th March this year.

On Saturday last his family and friends dedicated a hornbeam tree to his memory in the cathedral grounds in Chelmsford, his home town.

The plaque at the foot of the tree, which reads "In memory of our hero, Lance Corporal Scott Hardy 06/06/83 - 16/03/2010", will serve as a reminder to all those who pass by of the sacrifice made by Lance Corporal Hardy for his country.

Chelmsford Weekly News: Living memorial to hero soldier Scott
MoD: Lance Corporal Scott Hardy and Private James Grigg killed in Afghanistan

Royal Anglian Regiment: Formation Day

2010-09-01T09:13:00.001+01:00

The Regiment was formed on 1st September 1964 from the three Regiments of the East Anglian Brigade (The Royal Norfolk & Suffolk, The Duchess of Gloucester's Own Royal Lincolnshire & Northamptonshire and The 16th/44th Foot) and The Royal Leicestershire Regiment.

Happy Formation Day!

The Royal Anglian Regiment Museum: Family Tree
The Royal Anglian Regiment: Formation and History

Latest figures show Army at full strength

2010-08-26T20:29:00.006+01:00

The latest figures published by the Defence Analytical Services and Advice (DASA) wing of the MoD show that the improvement in manning levels, which began in the late 2008, has been maintained and that the Army has actually been operating at full strength over the last quarter.

The MoD reports that the (markedly) reduced intake requirement reflects the fact that the Army is currently fully manned and can therefore cut back on new entrants.

The continued drop in the number of those leaving is also an encouraging sign as it implies that the Army is retaining more of its experienced personnel.

That the country is in the midst of the worst recession since the 1930s may also be influencing the situation.

The issue for the immediate future is of course whether the Army will be permitted to continue to operate at the 102,000 mark. Defence Secretary Liam Fox has already hinted that the Strategic Defence Review is going to hit military spending hard; he's quoted as saying that the Goverment will act "ruthlessly and without sentiment" in finding savings in the defence budget. Indeed it's already been rumoured that even Britain's elite 23 SAS Regiment is in line to be culled.

Liam Fox is hoping to play the magician: although he will be overseeing radical reductions (15% is the current consensus) in military expenditure, he also insists that eventually Britain's security would end up "stronger".

The UK is not alone in seeking significant cuts in defence expenditure: across Europe governments have started to slash their military procurement projects. One way that Dr Fox may seek to square the circle of delivering more with less is through closer co-operation within Europe. Integrated procurement programmes, shared hardware, split operational responsibilities - indeed European Military Union itself - may start to look like attractive options to a Coalition desparate to make ends meet. God help us.

MoD: Latest UK Armed Forces manning figures released

Civic Dinner at Havering in honour of the Royal Anglians

2010-08-26T16:01:00.002+01:00

The history and achievements of the Royal Anglian Regiment will be honoured and celebrated at a special Civic Dinner hosted by Councillor Pam Light, Mayor of Havering, and Councillor Michael White, Leader of the Council on Friday 24th September.

The dinner will be held at the Territorial Army Centre, 312 London Road, Romford starting at 7pm. The evening will include a Guard of Honour from the Royal Anglian Regiment Cadets; a champagne drinks reception and raffle; live entertainment from the Royal British Legion Band; and a three course dinner. The guest speaker will be Lt. Lenthall, Officer Commanding 10 Platoon C (Essex) Company, RAR.

Sounds alright.

Well done, Havering!

LB of Havering Council: Royal Anglian Regiment Civic Dinner

Exmoor 30:30 - the ultimate endurance challenge

2010-08-26T12:14:00.003+01:00

Hot on the heels of the PARA'S 10 UER (see below) comes The Royal British Legion's Exmoor 30:30 Ultimate Endurance Challenge. Now, Exmoor 30:30 is for the seriously fit: not a mere 10 miles for them, oh no, this is a 30 mile race across tough terrain carrying a 30lb rucksack.

The team race takes place on Saturday 9th October in Exmoor National Park, and with competitors each being asked to raise at least £1,000 for charity, it's a major fundraiser for The Legion and other service charities as well as a personal and a team challenge for those taking part.

The Legion, which provides financial, practical and emotional support to service people past and present and their dependants, is recruiting everyone from office workers to armed forces personnel to take part.

The Exmoor Explorers, who competed on behalf of The Legion, won the inaugural event last year. Team member Peter Govier described the nine hours it took them to complete the route as like “going to hell and back". "It was tough, mentally and physically. We were all fairly fit and knew the area, but the weather was atrocious. The race may be called Exmoor 30:30, but due to circumstances you inevitably end up going further. The Explorers ended up doing 36 miles.”

Russell Thompson OBE, Director of National Events and Fundraising says: “Exmoor 30:30 really is the ultimate challenge and will give civilian participants a taste for the sort of training armed services personnel go through before being sent off to Afghanistan and Iraq. ”

For those wanting to take part, details of the event can be found on their website:

Exmoor 30:30

Royal Anglian Neil Thomas: Simply The Best!

2010-08-25T17:14:00.004+01:00

Private Neil Thomas from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment won the Best Recruit award after successfully completing the 26 week Combat Infantryman's Course at Catterick.

Pte Thomas's platoon commander Colour Sergeant Michael Butcher said: "Private Thomas simply excelled on the course. He has been an enthusiastic trainee who is also very mature and this is shown when he helps others along or gets a grip of them. This is a really well-deserved award for someone who already has shown the basics of leadership."

Well done, Neil!

This is Lincolnshire: Town soldier proves it's not easy to be the best

Bring in stiffer penalties for those who desecrate Britain's war memorials

2010-08-25T16:21:00.003+01:00

Britain's war memorials - of which there are about 60,000 in total - are increasingly becoming the target of vandals, yobs and scrap metal thieves.

Some examples of this have received national press coverage:

Islamist slogans were painted over the memorial in Burton upon Trent;
The student, Philip Laing, was caught urinating over the poppy wreaths on Sheffield's city centre memorial;
bronze plaques have been stolen for their scrap value from the war memorials in Derby, Manchester and Enfield;
the eternal light stolen from the Hawarden Cenotaph.

Sadly these incidents are only the tip of the iceberg since at least one memorial a week is being defiled in some way. Sadly also the law as it stands affords little protection as the penalties for those actually arrested are derisory: nominal fines, cautions, a few hours community service and, as you would expect in the Muslim case, conditional discharge.

Now a group of MPs, lead by Tory MP David Burrowes, is calling on the Government to bring in stiffer penalties for those who desecrate the nation's war memorials and insult the memory of those who died in the service of their country fighting for our freedom. The MPs are urging the Government to create a separate crime of "desecrating the memories of this country" which will help to deter the yobs and punish the transgressors more appropriately.

The proposal has already received the backing of a number of prominent former military chiefs. The campaign should also have the backing of the Defence Secretary Liam Fox for it was he who last November compiled a list of desecrated memorials and said: "At a time when we are honouring those who have sacrificed themselves for our security, this sick and despicable trend is a miserable commentary on contemporary Britain. War memorials should be sacred places, respected by each and every person in every corner of the UK."

But it is not just the military who should be signing up for this campaign; protecting and honouring the memory of Britain's war dead is the duty of all her citizens. The general public need to be galvanised behind the campaign and public pressure brought to bear on David Cameron and Kenneth Clarke to bring in the necessary changes to the law.

The Telegraph: Military chiefs back call for law to protect war memorials
The Mail: Revealed: How one war memorial is desecrated in Britain every week
The Mail: 'Britain's most disgusting woman' who urinated on war memorial escapes jail

UK National Inventory of War Memorials

UK orders more Desert Hawks

2010-08-24T22:23:00.002+01:00

The MoD has today placed a $5.1million order with Lockheed Martin for additional Desert Hawk III UAVs. Having already supplied around 100 systems to UK forces as part of a UOR for Afghanistan in 2007, this additional tranche is scheduled for delivery by the end of the year.

Although operating Desert Hawk looks similar to playing Call of Duty, this is a mean piece of kit which, according to Staff Sergeant Dan Gardner from 47 Regiment Royal Artillery,"has become indispensable to troops on the ground in Afghanistan".

Used in a variety of roles, including reconnaissance and surveillance of troops and patrols, Desert Hawk provides situational awareness to commanders of troops in contact with the enemy. One particularly valuable use to which it has been put has been spotting the Taliban as they lay IEDs. Desert Hawk is one of several systems which make up ISTAR, the tri-service intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance infrastructure.

As well as providing improved surveillance capability and all-weather operation, the latest variant will also include a 'more refined target position' system olr as the MoD spokesman said: "Desert Hawk's latest enhancements allow it to operate more effectively in difficult conditions and provide our soldiers with greater situational awareness in a very timely manner."

MoD: Upgraded surveillance aircraft arrive in Afghanistan
Lockheed Martin: Desert Hawk III

Paras' 10 - Roger Micklethwaite takes up the challenge

2010-08-23T23:12:00.001+01:00

The annual PARA'S 10 event will be taking place this year on Sunday 12th September at Catterick.

Resurrected in 2008 after a 15 year hibernation, this 'ultimate endurance race' will once again be hosted by Pegasus Company, The Parachute Regiment's training and selection wing, and is open to anyone who's up for it and can cough up the £25 entrance fee (there is £250 for the fastest entrant).

Not only is the event a chance for those outside the Regiment to prove how fit they are and to find out what the Paras keep harping on about, it is also an ideal fundraising opportunity.

Last year 2,500 runners took part raising over £100,000 for service charities.

This year Roger Micklethwaite and associates will be taking up the challenge and raising money for The Royal Anglian Regiment Benevolent Charity Fund. The Fund helps serving and former members of the Regiment and their families who find themselves in need, hardship or distress.

If you would like to support Roger & Co. and help them raise some money for the Royal Anglians, visit his webpage at

JustGiving: Vikings4ever

Good luck, Roger (you'll need it)!

Operational Welfare Fund fails to capture the public's imagination

2010-08-23T20:53:00.002+01:00

It was back in the autumn of 2008 that the then Labour government started to clamp down on the public's wish to send parcels of goodies out to the guys fighting on the frontline.

The reason given for discouraging this very personal and direct show of support for Britain's Armed Forces was that 'unsolicited' parcels "clog up the supply chain and delay parcels from service families getting to their loved ones".

That there is an inadequate transport infrastructure supporting UK forces abroad is due to years of neglect and under-funding by government; it is not the fault of the general public.

The MoD should also bear in mind that a very large percentage (reportedly as high as 20%) of the troops out in Afghanistan do not have family to send them welfare parcels and these guys also need and deserve the morale boost that receiving a parcel from back home can bring. Many small community groups across the country send parcels (not at Christmas but throughout the year) to welfare officers who distribute them to those individuals they know would benefit most.

However, back in 2008 the government was caught in a bit of a dilemma: on the one hand it wanted to engage the public in support for the Armed Forces (cf National Recognition Study) but on the other hand it needed to dampen down any support that was proving inconvenient. The MoD came up with a solution: the Operational Welfare Fund.

Instead of sending parcels of goodies, the public would be instructed to donate money to a central fund. The Fund would be administered jointly by the MoD and SSAFA and the money raised would be used by 'commanders' to purchase items for the troops - solar-powered chargers, boxing kit, wind-up radios, etc. In this way the MoD would be able to manage and direct the flow of public goodwill and perhaps also use some of the money raised to buy equipment it would otherwise have to fund itself.

That the Operational Welfare Fund has failed to capture the public's imagination is clear: only a small number of online donations have made (less than 200) and only a relatively small amount of money has been raised (£37,050) since the Fund's launch in November 2008.

Cameron's Government should recognise that giving the people the right to express their regard, support and thanks to Britain's Armed Forces by making up a parcel and sending it out to someone serving their country abroad is perfectly consistent with the idea of the 'Big Society'.

Perhaps the MoD should consider laying on a couple of extra helicopters.

MoD: Operational Welfare Fund
SSAFA: Operational Welfare Fund
Bmycharity: SSAFA Operational Welfare Fund

Royal Anglian Regiment: The Poachers in Stalingrad

2010-08-23T00:30:00.001+01:00

This Is Grimsby: Poachers aim to drum up support for war zone victims with wristbands

This is Lincolnshire: Poachers wristbands go on sale to raise money and support for Lincolnshire troops

In Memoriam: Aaron McClure, Robert Foster & John Thrumble

2010-08-23T00:01:00.001+01:00

"These people going out fighting giving their lives for us;
They do it selflessly and they never get thanked enough.
They give it all, put their heart and soul into what they do
To make this world a better, safer place for me and you. "

Never forgotten

MoD Defence News
Harlow Star: Famlies united for anniversary of soldiers' deaths
Fallen Soldier [RIP AJM]
Robert Graham Foster
Why is this happening [song for John]

Vikings Cup Golf & Family Fun Day

2010-08-22T23:19:00.002+01:00

The Forest Hill Golf and Country Club will again be hosting the Vikings Cup and Family Fun Day on Saturday 25th September.

Special prizes will be awarded to the winners of three events: The Vikings Cup, The Chris Gray Memorial Trophy and the Gaz O'Donnell Trophy.

One of the organisers of the event is Mrs Helen Gray whose son, Pte Chris Gray, was killed in action in 2007 whilst serving with 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment ("The Vikings") in Afghanistan.

The event is open to the public and will include The Royal Anglian Regimental Drums, The Black Knights Parachute Display Team, Army climbing tower, military vehicles, rifle shooting range and many other attractions for the whole family.

All monies raised will go to The Royal Anglian Regiment Benevolent Fund.

Vikings Cup and Family Fun Day

Southend United's Camouflage Day

2010-08-22T21:54:00.001+01:00

Southend United Football Club is urging its supporters to turn up in camouflage kit at their match against Torquay United on 4th September to show their support for Britain's Armed Forces.

The Blues' new manager Paul Sturrock came up with the idea for "Camouflage Day" which will include a number of military-themed events - a combat display on the pitch, a special Blue Belles army dance and camouflage face-painting.

Local hero Sgt Billy Moore MC from The 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment will also meet the team and tell them about his exploits on the frontline in Afghanistan.

A collection in aid of Help for Heroes will also be held at the ground.

If the Gulls' supporters turn up in combats as well, then both sides will be united in showing their solidarity with the guys fighting in Afghan.

The Blues' boss said: "We all applaud the work that the armed services are doing at home and abroad. It is not just about them but also about the families and the communities they live in who are all affected. This is an opportunity for the football club and its fans to show its support."

Nice one, Paul!

Thurrock Gazette: Southend United fans urged to wear army clothing
Southend United: Salute your Southend

Royal Anglian Regiment: Blenheim Battle Honour

2010-08-13T14:53:00.000+01:00

Although the Battle of Blenheim took place on 2nd August, The Royal Anglian Regiment reserves August 13th to commemorate the battle, a battle for which the Regiment gained a battle honour. To be exact it was the 16th Foot, later the Bedfordshire Regiment, which won the honour but by amalgamation the honour has transferred to 2 R ANGLIAN.

Anyway, 2nd August 1704, War of the Spanish Succession, somewhere in Germany, Duke of Marlborough v Marshall Tallard.... Britain, Austria, Germany (north), Denmark and Hungary , v France, of course, and Germany (south) - a proper Euro-war, but strangely no Spanish. The battle was hard fought and bloody with 12,000 casualties on the allied side alone. The outcome was a total victory for the British and their allies. Interestingly, "a major contributing feature to the Duke of Marlborough’s success in the field was his concern that his soldiers be properly supplied and by his consummate ability in organising and administering that supply." - nothing new with regards the situation in Afghanistan , then.

Happy Blenheim Day!

British Battles: The Battle of Blenheim 1704

Southend salutes the Vikings

2010-06-17T23:49:00.008+01:00

Thousands of people lined the High Street in Southend today and gave a tremendous welcome to the soldiers of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment.

The Battalion was also granted the Freedom of the Borough and so, preceded by the Minden Band, the 180 soldiers marched with fixed bayonets and colours flying.

The Battalion has recently returned from a tough six-month tour of Afghanistan and their visit enabled the people of Southend to show their support for the guys and their appreciation for the work that they had done out there. During this latest deployment to Afghanistan, the Battalion sadly lost five soldiers killed fighting the Taliban: L/Cpl Scott Hardy, Pte James Grigg, Capt Martin Driver, Pte Robert Hayes and L/Cpl Adam Drane.

The parade through Southend was one of a series of similar events being held in towns across East Anglia to mark the return of the Battalion from the frontline in Afghanistan.

Well done, the Vikings!

Well done, Southend!

Click here to see more photos from the Southend parade.

The Echo: Thousands support Royal Anglian parade

Flickr: Royal Anglian Regiment - Southend

In Memoriam: Joseva Lewaicei and Adam Morris

2010-05-13T22:02:00.002+01:00

Private Joseva Lewaicei and Private Adam Morris, both of C Company The 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, were killed in action on 13th May 2006 in Basra, Iraq.

The two soldiers were killed when they were hit by a roadside bomb while on patrol in Basra city.

In paying tribute to Private Lewaicei his CO said: "Private Lewaicei was a valued and well-regarded member of C Company and was known as a fun loving and exuberant character. He was a keen sportsman and had represented the Battalion in both Rugby and Boxing. He was an exceptional rugby full back regularly impressing those who saw him play, and was once offered a professional contract. Immensely strong, his colleagues will remember with some glee the day he was finally beaten in an arm wrestle by their platoon sergeant, although he always maintained he let him win."

And in his tribute to Private Morris, Lieutenant Colonel Des O’Driscoll said: "Adam joined the battalion in Northern Ireland and rapidly made his mark as an energetic and thoroughly professional young soldier. He undoubtedly had a bright future ahead of him. Although Private Morris had only been with 'The Poachers' for just under two years, he was one of our most promising young soldiers and had a fine career ahead of him. Always one of the keenest and most attentive soldiers in the Company he stood out from many of his peers. At times teased for his military knowledge, he had an inquiring mind and a desire to learn. He was well-liked and respected by all the company for his resolve. He had suffered a leg injury late in 2005 but fought his way back to fitness, determined that he must deploy on operations in Iraq alongside his many friends. Always 'Army barmy' he even found a camouflage cover for the cast on his leg. Adam’s loss has touched and saddened all of us who had the honour to know him."

Never forgotten.

MoD: Private Joseva Lewaicei and Private Adam Morris killed in Iraq

Welsh Guards salute Victory Day in Moscow

2010-05-09T17:49:00.000+01:00

For the first time since the end of WW2 British soldiers have taken part in the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow's Red Square.

76 Guardsmen from 2 Company The 1st Battalion The Welsh Guards joined 10,500 Russian soldiers and contingents from the US, France and Poland in the parade to mark the 65th anniversary of the defeat of Germany in 1945.

The sacrifices made by the Soviet people in WW2 were staggering - almost 25 million citizens were killed (including 10 million military personnel). It is not surprising, then, that the annual Victory Day parade still has an immense emotional hold on the Russian people.

Guardsman Ian Mundy said: "There is a sense of pride to be in this massive parade on Red Square. It seems that everyone is interested in us as well and I'm proud to be a part of that.'

Major Dai Bevan, Company Commander, commented: “This (experience) typifies the polarity of our job as Guardsmen and as infantry soldiers – last year we were in Afghanistan and now we’re marching in Red Square as part of his incredible occasion.

The Guardsmen's presence in the parade not only recognised that Britain and the Soviet Union fought together to defeat Germany in 1945 but also reflected the current wish of the Russian leadership to improve relations with NATO.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said: “At this solemn parade, the soldiers of Russia, the states of the CIS and the anti-Hitler coalition march together. Only together can we counter present-day threats. Only as good neighbours can we resolve problems of global security in order that the ideals of justice and good triumph in all of the world and that the lives of future generations will be free and happy.”

WalesOnline: Welsh Guards march in Moscow parade
BBC: British troops mark VE Day with Red Square parade
MoD: British soldiers march on Red Square in historic parade

2 Royal Anglians return home

2010-03-26T22:59:00.001Z

Lance Corporal Scott Hardy and Private James Grigg from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment were killed by an IED in Helmand on March16th. Their bodies were brought home today.

Hundreds of people lined the high street of Wootton Bassett showing respect and grief as the flag-draped hearses carrying the two soldiers drove past.

Of L Cpl Hardy his CO said: "Always ready to see the bright side of life, always ready with banter when the situation allowed it. Mature and unflappable, he was one of those individuals who takes life in their stride He was earmarked to attend

the Section Commanders Battle Course later this year and we expected him to pass with flying colours. His performance leading men in the most demanding of circumstances in Afghanistan was notable - he was steadfast under fire and hugely brave. Blessed by a robust sense of humour, Scott was the first to laugh at life's challenges and keep soldiering on."

And of Pte Grigg, Lieutenant Colonel Woodham said: "He was passionate about soldiering too; he thought himself lucky to have found a job where he could combine the two things that he loved so much. In turn, we think ourselves lucky to have worked alongside him. Friendly, polite and endlessly helpful, he was a real team player that you would want to have on your team. He was reliable - a man you could trust."

Never forgotten

BBC: Bodies of Royal Anglians return home
MoD: Lance Corporal Scott Hardy and Private James Grigg killed in Afghanistan
Evening Star: Silent tribute as soldiers' bodies return home
PeterboroughToday: Mourners gather as soldiers return

National Trust - National Dishonour

2010-03-23T21:14:00.002Z

Visitors to the National Trust estate at Wightwick Maner near Wolverhampton have been rightly angered by the Trust's decision to place the war memorials in honour of 36 estate workers on the walls of the public toilets.

What went through the heads of the National Trust managers when they decided that the most fitting place for the two memorial plaques - one to 33 men who died in WW1 and the other to three who died in WW2 - was hanging on the walls of the toilets?

These managers are no better than Philip Laing who was photographed last October urinating on Sheffield's War Memorial. At least Laing had the excuse that he was drunk; what excuse does the National Trust have? ...er..."I'm sorry. I should have sorted this sooner rather than later".

The Mail: Memorial to the fallen... on the toilet wall: Anger at siting of plaque honouring men who died in two world wars

The Mail: Anger of WWI veteran's family after binge-drinking student is pictured urinating on war memorial

The Sun's Jobs For Heroes campaign launched

2010-03-22T21:10:00.000Z

In response to reports that there may be as many as 50,000 ex-Forces personnel without jobs, the Sun newspaper has today launched its "Jobs for Heroes" campaign.

The aims of the campaign are to make UK companies more aware of the value to them of employing ex-servicemen and women, to get recruitment agencies, major UK companies and political leaders working together to deliver jobs for veterans and to bring all this wasted talent into worthwhile employment.

The focus for this recruitment drive is recruitment consultants, ForceSelect which specialises in getting jobs for Service leavers and ex-Service personnel.

Well done, yet again, to The Sun!

The Sun: These heroes risked their lives for us... give them a job, not the dole

Scout goes to US company, General Dynamics

2010-03-22T21:02:00.001Z

The MoD has today confirmes that British arms manufacturer BAE Systems has lost out to the American company General Dynamics in the race to secure the $6billion contract for the next generation of light tank for the British Army.

The initial order will be for around 600 of the so-called Specialist Vehicles with oders for more likely at a later stage.

Although the contract is going to an American company the MoD has gone to great lengths to claim that the vehicles will be assembled in the UK. Yeah, well we've heard that before. General Dynamics will doubtless start repatriating jobs when the going gets tough back home.

This deal is another example of Britain losing expertise, particularly R&D, to foreign companies; once these skills and the manufacturing base are lost, they will never return. Every sell-out to a foreign country digs away at our ability to act independently. We've seen how hostile the current US administration is to the UK when Hilary Clinton joined forces with Argentina saying that the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is negotiable. With the extra control the US will now have over the Army's tank fleet, they may make negotiation the only option.

I wonder how much the lobbyists and their labour party stooges get for securing a $6billion contract. I image that would have been a very expensive cab.

MoD: New contract for more armoured fighting vehicles
BBC: General Dynamics beats BAE to win UK tank-making deal

The Mail: Government accused of 'cover-up' over 'cash for access' scandal after No 10 refuses to launch investigation

Gordon Brown admits to misleading Chilcot

2010-03-17T23:22:00.001Z

So, Gordon Brown has started to backtrack on the assertions he made at the Chilcot inquiry. No surprise there then.

He has today been forced to admit that he had misled the official inquiry into the Iraq War when insisting the defence budget had risen in real terms every year under Labour.

Since his appearance in front of Chilcot, his evidence at the inquiry had been repeated challenged by military chiefs and top MoD civil servants, not to mention defence pundits in the media (except the Daily Mirror, of course); they all seemed to have a different recollection of events from Gordon.

At PM Questions today, when confronted with Commons figures which proved that the defence budget had been cut 4 times during his chancellorship, he was forced to admit he had been economical with the truth.

Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said of Gordon's disclosure: 'This is a humiliating climbdown for Gordon Brown as his attempt to rewrite history has failed and his fantasy figures have been exposed. He has made repeated and fundamentally false claims, misleading Parliament, the public and, worst of all, the armed forces and their families."

I expect that this will be only the first of many confessions to be squeezed from Mr Brown. He may well be summonsed to appear before Chilcot again and this time he may not get away with it so easily.

Let's hope he comes up before the bench before the elections.

The Mail: Brown admits defence budget did NOT rise every year - as he claimed to Iraq inquiry

Sky News: PM Writes To Iraq Inquiry About Defence Cash

Captain Martin Driver - Fallen Viking

2010-03-17T20:15:00.001Z

Captain Martin Driver of 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment died at Selly Oak Hospital from wounds received from an IED when leading his men against the Taliban.

Captain Driver was Second-in-Command of A (Norfolk) Company and was serving as Acting Company Commander when he was tragically killed.

From the accolades he has received on the MoD website it is clear that Captain Driver was an amazing soldier, a remarkable man.

"Martin served as a 'Viking' officer, died commanding 'Viking' soldiers, and will never be forgotten."

MoD: Captain Martin Driver dies in Selly Oak from wounds sustained in Afghanistan

2 Mercian cheered through Newark

2010-03-17T19:49:00.001Z

Thousands of local people lined the streets of Newark, Nottinghamshire to cheer the proud members of 2nd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment when they marched through the town yesterday.

Yesterday's Freedom Parade followed on from equally popular marches on Friday in Glossop and Monday in Ripley.

Their CO Lieutenant Colonel Colin Marks, said: "Our links with Nottinghamshire go back for over 200 years and they are more important to us now than they have ever been. We continue to enjoy tremendous support from the local communities. These marches are an opportunity for us to say thank you to our families, friends and everyone back at home."

Today 2 Mercian are marching through Mansfield. The boys will be getting tired 'cos after that they still have four more parades to go:
March 18th - Ashbourne Parade
March 19th - Freedom of Matlock Parade
March 19th - Freedom of Chesterfield Parade
March 20th - Homecoming Parade through Redditch

Well done, 2 Mercian! Well done Newark!

The Sun: Thousands salute their heroes
BBC: Troops march through Ripley town centre in Derbyshire
Flickr: 12th March 2010 Parade through Glossop, Derbyshire, England

Royal Anglian Regiment: Viking Family Support Group

2010-03-17T18:48:00.001Z

It is a very difficult and worrying time for families and friends when their loved ones are away fighting on the frontline in Afghanistan. With the tragic news this week that three members of 1 R Anglian (the Vikings) have been killed, for the families of those Vikings serving out in Helmand the need for mutual support must be stronger than ever.

To help provide this help and support the Viking Family Support Group was set up two years ago by two Mums, Alison & Tracey, whose sons were serving with the Battalion.

The Group's website has a forum which is design to enable all Vikings and their family & friends to have an easy means of communication. The forum also serves to provide a reliable source of information relating to the current activities and deployments of the Vikings, up coming social events and a reliable method of support.

An example of the support the forum has been giving appeared in yesterday's Southend Standard newspaper. Mrs Hughes, whose son Mark is on his first tour with the Vikings’ D Company, explained how much she has been helped by her contacts on the Forum: “We have talked about whether it’s better not knowing about what’s going on, but at least now, we can know and deal with what comes along. You are almost more prepared. Otherwise, I think your imagination would work overtime. When people lose a loved one, the group is very supportive. There is nothing we can really do, but knowing there is this close-knit group which cares, helps a bit.”

Reading the comments in the Standard's article clearly shows the invaluable service that VikingFSG provides.

Southend Standard: Online support for troops’ families
The Viking Family Support Group

Two Royal Anglians killed in Helmand

2010-03-17T17:37:00.001Z

The MoD today announced yet more sad news from the Royal Anglian Regiment. Two soldiers from the 1st Battalion were killed yesterday afternoon when they were caught in the blast from an IED which exploded near them.

At the time the soldiers were serving as part of the Household Cavalry Regiment Battle Group tasked with clearing the Taliban from the area around Musa Qal'ah.

Their deaths bring to five the number of Vikings killed since their current tour started last October. A Battle Group commander spoke of the courage these guys have when every day they go out on patrol knowing the dangers they face from IEDs.

These losses are particularly tragic as they come at a time when the Battalion has been so successful in their mission to bring improved security and stability to the local people.

"Their determined courage in the face of the danger from IEDs and the sacrifice they have made will not be forgotten."

MoD: 2 soldiers from the Royal Anglian Regiment killed in Helmand
The Times: Afghanistan: trio from 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment die in three days

Daily Mirror tries to hide its antipathy to Afghan Heroes

2010-03-16T19:26:00.003Z

A typical labourite response to the bikers' tribute at Wootton Bassett last Sunday was posted on Chris Hughes' blog in the Daily Mirror, that erudite organ of the labour party.

In his article titled "Wootton Bassett Bikers - A Response" he smugly wrote: "Now we've seen it all - hundreds of bikers showing their "solidarity with frontline troops," by trundling their petrol guzzling and fume spewing steeds through Wootton Bassett. I think it's great that they raised more than £100,000 by going on their road trip jolly and that the money will go to our forces.

"But I wonder if someone - just for a change - could set a trend by doing something they hate doing to raise money for good causes. And something that isn't so public and... well.... so annoying?"

I suppose that's the sort of comment you'd expect from the Daily Mirror's "defence correspondent" (actually, he can't make up his mind 'cos he also claims to be the Mirror's "security correspondent"). It shows how the newspaper and those close to the labour party treat with distain those who show respect for, and give support to British soldiers fighting in Afghanistan

Interestingly the link to this article has now been cut; presumably the Mirror didn't want to further prejudice public support so close to an election.

I wonder whether Chris will next be posting an "apology"; I doubt it some how.

_________________________________________________________
19/03/10: I stand corrected; apparently he has now apologised though I haven't been able to find it on the Mirror's website.

The Independent: Forces of Facebook turn on Daily Mirror

Royal Anglian dies from wounds

2010-03-16T18:27:00.002Z

The MoD today announced the sad news that a soldier from 1 R Anglian died yesterday at Selly Oak Hospital from wounds received fighting the Taliban.

The soldier had been serving as part of the Household Cavalry Regiment Battle Group and had been seriously wounded in an explosion in the Musa Qal'ah district of Helmand province on 21st February 2010.

Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: " The blast happened while he was on a patrol to the north of Musa Qal'ah district centre, part of the ongoing successful operations in the Musa Qal'ah area to drive the insurgents away from the local people and away from the district centre."

"He was one of us, one of our own, who fell doing his duty. We will remember him."

He is the third Viking to have been killed during the Battalion's current deployment in Helmand.

Never forgotten.

MoD: Soldier dies of wounds at Selly Oak
The Sun: Blast hero loses his fight for

The lights go on again along Hadrian's Wall

2010-03-14T19:41:00.001Z

Hadrian's Wall has been lit along its entire length for the first time in 1,600 years.

More than a thousand volunteers lit the 500 gas-powered beacons one-by-one to create a line of light more than 84 miles long.

Designed as a symbol of Emperor Hadrian's contemporary-sounding policy of "peace through strength", the wall marked the northern frontier of the Roman empire. Appropriately, the modern military joined in the illumination, with some of the beacons lit by servicemen from the RAF's electronic warfare centre in Spadeadam forest.

Si vis pacem, para bellum - if you wish for peace, prepare for war.

BBC: 'Line of light' at Hadrian's Wall

Bomb disposal hero Olaf Schmid awarded George Cross

2010-03-14T19:20:00.004Z

Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid of 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, the Royal Logistic Corps was killed in Afghanistan on 31st October 2009 when the IED he was disarming exploded; it was the 65th IED he had had to deal with during his five months on the frontline. He died on his last mission just before he was due to return home.

S Sgt Schmid's exceptional courage and professionalism had saved the lives of many of his friends and comrades in 2 Rifles Battle Group.

Described by his CO simply as "the bravest and courageous man I have ever met" and by his friends as "a legend who stared death in the face", S Sgt Schmid is to be awarded the George Cross for his bravery.

The GC ranks alongside the VC as it is the highest military award for outstanding heroism not in the presence of the enemy.

Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid GC, hero

The Times: Bomb disposal hero to get George Cross
MoD: Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid killed in Afghanistan

also
The Independent: Gallantry awards to mark brutality of Afghan combat

Basra Memorial Wall rededicated at Arlewas

2010-03-12T22:07:00.003Z

The Basra Memorial Wall was rededicated yesterday in a service alongside the National Armed Forces Memorial at Arlewas.

The Memorial Wall, on which inscribed the names of the 178 British servicemen and women and one MoD civilian who died in Iraq during operation TELIC, had originally been set up outside the UK HQ in Basra by British soldiers in remembrance of their fallen comrades.

With the withdrawal of British forces from Iraq, the families and friends of those named on the Memorial Wall began what was to be come a three-year campaign to get the government to agree to bring the monument to their loved ones back to the UK.

It was a hard-fought campaign since labour ministers were reluctant to agree to the repatriation. However after much public and service pressure, an agreement was eventually dragged out of them and the Basra Memorial Wall now stands in its place of honour in the grounds of the National Arboretum at Arlewas.

What is particularly significant about this Memorial is that it was conceived, set up and maintained by British soldiers themselves who added a new plaque, bearing name and regiment, each time one their comrades was killed. At the service Stephen Robbins, Chaplain General to the Armed Forces recalled how members of 37 Armoured Engineer Squadron had built the Wall on their own initiative and in their own time, often in darkness after a day’s work.

It was fitting therefore that the dismantling, transportation and re-erecting of the Wall were all carried out by current members of 37 Armoured Engineer Squadron.

Almost 500 family and friends attended the re-dedication service along with leading members of the Armed Forces; political leaders were also present.

Carol Jones, whose son Sergeant John Jones from 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was killed in 2005 when a roadside bomb blow apart his Snatch Land Rover, said at the ceremony: “It’s the closing of a book for me. I’ve cried more today than I have in all the last four and a half years..... [John] was a good lad, a very good lad. .... They hadn’t even a medications box with them, they could do nothing.” Carol, who had been refused permission to visit the Wall when it was in Basra, played a leading role in the campaign to bring the Wall home.

Another leader of the campaign was Brian Tanswell who laid a wreath on behalf of all the familes. Brian, whose son Lieutenant Tom Tanswell was killed in Iraq in 2006, said: "I feel honoured to lay the wreath on their behalf and take comfort from knowing this memorial is here for us, in its rightful place in the UK, an everlasting tribute to our loved ones, where families, friends and comrades can come and remember them."

“There is the national memorial but this is the military one. This was the one made by the boys for the boys,” explained Roger Bacon, whose son Major Matthew Bacon, 34, of the Intelligence Corps was killed by a roadside bomb in 2005.

As Carol Jones pointed out, this is not the government’s wall. “It was put up by our sons’ friends, in honour of our sons. It belongs to us.”

MoD: Basra memorial wall rededicated in UK
The National Arboretum: Basra Memorial Wall rededication

Aquilavictrix: Basra Wall begins its journey home
Aquilavictrix: Basra Wall is coming home

Musa Qaleh: an all-round success story for British troops

2010-03-12T19:55:00.004Z

Until the recent arrival of additional US troops in Helmand, UK forces had been responsible for the security of 70% of the total Afghan population with only 30% of the coalition troops.

This statistic in itself underlines how heroic have been the achievements made by British forces so far in Helmand - not only in providing dramatically improved security to such a large proportion of the Afghan people but also in delivering the enhanced stability that enables reconstruction to take place.

The arrival of an additional 12,000 US marines has meant that UK forces can be released from protecting such places as Musa Qaleh and redeploy into deeper and more effective formations in central Helmand. This rebalancing will allow British troops to deliver yet more security as well as freeing up the time and resources necessary to extend their training and mentoring role with Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP).

UK forces first deployed to Musa Qaleh in summer 2006 since when dramatic progress has been made. Insurgent activity in the district centre has been contained and greater security has been brought to the area - a direct result of the developing partnership between UK and the ANA and the ANP. However, as Defence Secretary Ainsworth said when paying tribute to British troops: "We must never forget the 23 brave service personnel who gave their lives to make Musa Qaleh an area in which Afghans can go about their daily lives in security and under strong, stable governance".

Although responsibility for security in Musa Qaleh will pass to the Americans, reconstruction will remain a British responsibilty. Already healthcare, education (2,300 kids in school when two years ago there were none) and employment have all improved and there has been a tangible increase in commercial activity in the bazaar and markets. Work will soon be starting on a new local government centre and other civic infrastructure projects.

Speaking ahead of the handover to the US Marine Corps, Lt Col Harry Fullerton, CO the Household Cavalry Regiment said: "The important thing to stress is that what they are taking over is a British success story, British battle group's have been here over the past years and they have progressively expanded the area of governance, it hasn't been without its cost but it has been a cost worth making in order to deliver success for the British Army, the British Government and most importantly the people of Afghanistan."

Job well done!

MoD: Household Cavalry commander reports on challenging three months in Helmand

Police students raise £6,500 for Help for Heroes

2010-03-12T18:40:00.004Z

Students at the Metropolitan Police Academy at Hendon have raised over £25,000 for various charities.

Each intake year raised money for its preferred good cause and students from year 2009/10 chose to donate the money they raised to Help for Heroes - and they raised a massive £6,500!

The police students had organised a number of fundraising activities. One event was a sponsored cycle ride from London to "Kabul" though the students were able to cover the 3,500 miles without actually leaving war-torn Croydon.

The cheque was handed over to Help for Heroes at the passing-out ceremony on March 5th. Sergeant Graham Watson said: "I would like to thank all the students for their support and co-operation in raising this amount of money for this extremely worthwhile cause. It is always an honour to show support for the men and women of our armed forces."

Well done, the Met Cadets!

Metropolitan Police: Police students raise £25,100 for charity

Army boxing championship: 2 R Anglian through to the Finals!

2010-03-12T14:59:00.005Z

The boxing team of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment, the Poachers, last night beat 2 PARA in the Army Boxing Semi Finals in Celle, Germany.

After a exhilarating evening involving 4 knock-outs and 2 stopped fights the Poachers emerged victorious 5 bouts to 4.

Rumour has it, it was one hell of a night!

They now go on to meet 3 PARA in the Army Finals on April 15th at the Maida Gym, Aldershot.

Well done, again, Team Poachers!

Good luck in the Finals!

MoD: Boxing - British Army website

Plans for Sandhurst Mega Mosque turned down

2010-03-11T20:19:00.004Z

With 6,500 local residents lodging objections, Surrey Heath Borough Council had little choice but to reject the application to build a mosque in Camberley, Surrey.

The decision to reject the application was greeted with cheers from the hundreds of people who had attended the planning meeting.

To make way for the giant mosque, the local Muslim group were intending to bulldoze the cluster of listed Victorian school buildings which currently occupy the site and which are situated within the Royal Military Academy Conservation Area.

Local residents maintained not only that the existing school buildings formed an intrinsic part of the town's traditional English heritage and should be protected, but also that the size and scale of the proposal would mean that the mosque would dominate the town and tower over the surrounding buildings.

There was also a major concern both locally and nationally that the twin 100 foot high minarettes would give clear line of sight to the parade grounds of nearby Sandhurst.

The Muslim group are sure to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate to get the decision of the town overturned. It must be remembered that the Planning Inspectorate is just another arm of the central government and is indifferent to local opinion and local democracy. The Planning Inspectorate is only there to enforce the dictates of their political masters in the Department of Communities and Local Government, the fiefdom of Hazel Blairs MP. Bearing in mind how the labour party is constantly trying to appease the muslim community and "bring them on-side", the objectors to the proposed mosque may well still have a fight on their hands.

The Mail: Thousands of residents force council to reject plans for giant mosque next to Sandhurst military academy

AquilaVictrix: Mega Mosque designed to overlook Sandhurst

LPPV catfight (2): Ocelot or Supacat?

2010-03-10T21:43:00.002Z

It was at last year's DSE International Exhibition (see Aquilavictrix LPPV: Orcelot v SupaCat) that the mittens came off in the contest between Force Protection's Ocelot and Supacat's SPV400 to win the contract for the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle (LPPV) that will replace the Army's much criticised Snatch Land Rover. The two contenders have been undergoing engineering and operational trials at test facilities at Millbrook and Aldershot and a decision on the winner is expected by August with a military in-service date the following year. Funds will be provided through the Urgent Operational Requirements process.

Back in Spetember 2009 the MoD was saying that they were initially looking to place orders for 400 vehicles. Needless to say, Gordon Brown has now halved that. Continuing his 12 year jihad against the Armed Forces, the prime minister has taken another swipe of his axe to the Army's funding and announced that now only 200 would be ordered.

Funnily enough and with true labour spin, he tried to make his announcement sound as if he was promising 200 extra vehicles rather than what he was really doing which was to provide 200 fewer! The hypocrisy and duplicity of this man is unbelievable!

Brown's announcement comes in the wake of the barrage of criticism that he and his fellow ministers received at the inquiry into the deaths of the four soldiers killed when their poorly protected Snatch Land Rover was hit by an IED. This decision of Brown's to actually halve the number of Snatch vehicles being replaced, is therefore particularly callous and sinister coming as it does at this time.

DefenseNews: 2 Vehicles Vie for U.K. Army LPPV Award

Royal Anglian Regiment: Essex Boys dun good

2010-03-10T16:40:00.001Z

Lieutenant Colonel James Woodham MC, commanding officer of 1st Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment, has been paying tribute to the men under his command currently serving on the frontline in Afghanistan.

Lt Col Woodham explained how the Battalion has been playing a key role in turning the tide "very fast" against the Taliban in all four of the districts of Helmand - Lashkar Gah, Gereshk, Musa Qaleh and Nad Ali - in which the guys have been stationed.

He singled out C (Essex) Company (NB this story has been taken from an Essex newspaper) for their success in winning hearts and minds in Nad Ali district. Engaging with the local people, providing sustained security and working together with them to rebuild their communities is what Operation Moshtarak has been all about and 1 R Anglian has been making a big difference in this regard - or as Lt Col Woodham puts it: “It is changing the local dynamic, bringing an ungoverned area back in to government hands”.

Lt Col Woodham, however, also pointed out that all this success has come at a high cost: two soldiers from C Company, L Cpl Adam Drane and Pte Robert Hayes, were killed fighting the Taliban in Nad Ali earlier in the year.

In praising his men, their CO said: “It’s quite humbling to see the guys suffer the most exacting loss, get on and go back in to the same area to face the same threat. These young men are the heart of the British Army and the nation. At times, we are quick to have a go at the youth of today, but it is my experience that with a decent environment and training, they can do the most extraordinary things.”

Lt Col Woodham went on to say: “We want to say a really big thank-you to everyone back in Essex. You will see us marching through the county’s streets this summer to show our appreciation.”

And, James, the people of Essex will be turning out to show their appreciation and respect for the guys as well! [Parades are scheduled for June 15th in Barking & Dagenham and June17th in Southend.]

Chelmsford Weekly News: Commanding officer pays tribute to Essex soldiers’ Afghan effort

Rifleman James McKie returns Taliban's grenade

2010-03-10T15:22:00.003Z

Question: "What does it feel like to pick up a live grenade?"

Answer: "When I saw the grenade there and thought, aw, I just hope it doesn't hurt too much. I knew that I had to get it away from us and, as I picked it up I thought that, if this doesn't come off or I hadn't done this, the result's going to be exactly the same. My main thoughts were for the other guys, Captain Kerr and Rifleman Holcombe because we had lost Corporal Green the day before and I wasn't prepared to see another guy from my platoon get hurt, even if that meant that I got hurt myself."

These are the words of Rifleman James McKie of Reconnaissance Platoon, 3 Rifles when recounting how, in the middle of a fire-fight, he picked up a Taliban grenade which had landed amongst his patrol and hurled it off the roof where the guys had taken up position. The grenade exploded on its way down into the alley just a couple of feet away. This act most probably saved the lives of all three of them.

When asked whether he would be going back to Sangin straight away, Rfn Mckie replied: "I can't wait to get back there. I really miss the other guys and it would absolutely break me if another one of them got hurt while I was out here waiting to repatriate Greeny. I'm sure they understand but it doesn't make it any easier for me. If anything, if we can get a few more of them, it's worth it."

Talking to the media back home in New Zealand, James said: "I love soldiering. I love being here in Afghanistan. Obviously bad things happen and I can't go back and change it, but what I can do is try and stop things happening around me. As far as the military experience goes, this is the ultimate for a career soldier."

Rifleman McKie said of the incident, in Sangin on March 3rd: "People keep telling me how brave I am. I'd like to think that anyone in that situation would have done the same or something similar because you can't just sit there and let yourself or other people get hurt."

Whatever you may think, James, everyone else thinks that was a bloody brave thing to do! What a hero!

. . . . . .

Sadly Rifleman Jonathon Allott, another guy from Rfn McKie's battalion was killed a short time after this interview.

BBC: British soldier throws back a grenade to save lives
TVNZ: NZ hero back from Afghanistan in May

Army gagged during the election campaign

2010-03-08T22:54:00.003Z

While our old friend Gordon is making electioneering trips to Afghanistan, grabbing any photo opportunity he can with the troops and cynically using them as "political props" to divert attention away from the "disingenuous" comments he made at the Chilcot Inquiry, while all this is going on the MoD has ordered a "truth blackout" over the war in Afghanistan for the duration of the election campaign.

Although Britain's Armed Forces are engaged in a major war and Operation MOSHTARAK is about to enter a critical phase, the British public are apparently only going to be allowed to hear a sanitised, labour-spun version of events.

To manage the news to their own liking the government, through the MoD, has decreed that:

British journalists and TV crews will be banned from the Afghan frontline;
Senior officers will be prohibited from making public speeches and talking to reporters;
MoD websites will be “cleansed” of any “non-factual” material including anything containing troops’ opinions of the war;
The only information provided about operations will be through MoD briefings in Whitehall.

The labour government is clearly seeking to avoid any news that would cause further damage to their ratings. They certainly don't want the voting public to hear Army generals criticising policy, complaining of the lack of vital equipment and accusing labour ministers of neglecting the Service Community.

As far as Gordon and the labour party are concerned, our troops can spill their blood on the frontline but mustn't spill the beans back home.

The Telegraph: Army faces Afghan gag for election

Army homes fall into ruin so that Gordon's friends in the City can live in luxury

2010-03-08T20:53:00.001Z

An article in yesterday's Sunday Times exposed how wheeler-dealing by government ministers has allowed soldiers' homes to "fall into ruin".

When the government sold off the military housing stock - 56,000 properties - to the private sector back in 1996, the MoD remained responsible for repairs and maintenance.

When this sale of the century went through it was on the understanding that a significant part of the £1.67billion raised would be spent on refurbishing the dilapidated homes that soldiers and their families were having to live in.

So, guess how much of the £1.67billion has actually been spent on refurbishment and renovation: according to the Times, about £60million or 3.5% of the money raised.

And where has the remaining £1billion gone? To HM Treasury of course. And who has been in charge of HM Treasury since 1997? You guessed it, good old Gordon Brown.

So while our soldiers are being sent to the frontline knowing that back home their wives and children are having to endure damp, leaks and broken boilers, Gordon is happily giving away to his friends in the City the money that should have been spent on bringing their homes upto standard.

Nice one, Gordon.

Minister admits scale of cuts in training exercises

2010-03-05T22:36:00.008Z

A few days ago Liam Fox MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, tabled a written question asking the government how many training exercises originally planned for 2010 have already been cancelled.

In reply Armed Forces Minister, Bill Rammell, admitted that 55 exercises had so far been cut. However, he also said that: "Success in Afghanistan is our main effort, and will remain our principal commitment for as long as it takes. Our approach at this time must be - and is - Afghanistan first. All exercises that better prepare our forces for operations in Afghanistan will continue but those exercises that are considered not to directly support our effort have been examined critically and, where appropriate, cancelled."

The training exercises cut were:

I don't know how many training exercises are undertaken each year but 55 sounds like a lot. Snatching short-term savings by cutting the training budget is bound to have long-term implications for the future effectiveness of the Armed Forces especially as they should be prepared for combat in a variety of warzones.

[not sorry to see "French Connection", "Tricolour" and "Asterix" go, but great shame about "Roman Eagle"]

Lives on The Line - fairness for the wounded

2010-03-05T21:47:00.002Z

A campaign has been launched to put right yet another injustice in the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS).

As it stands, those injured during the first four years of the War on Terror, i.e between 2001 and 2005, receive considerably less compensation than that paid out to those injured later in the war.

At least 100 service personnel seriously injured at the start of the campaigns receive virtually nothing, £150 a week if they're lucky.

As the campaign says: "Fairness dictates that, given the sacrifices made by British troops in service of our country in Afghanistan and Iraq, each soldier seriously injured in these theatres should benefit from the same compensation arrangements, enabling them a decent on-going quality of life".

The campaign is being headed by Col. Richard Kemp, former Royal Anglian and former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, and supported by the Daily Telegraph newspaper which has for some time been running its own campaign "Justice for Wounded" seeking fairness in the AFCS.

Although the government has recently been forced to make improvements in the compensation awarded under the AFCS, it has failed to provide adequate compensation for all those injured in the war. As Col Kemp says: "The arbitrary date chosen by the MoD means that soldiers who have been left severely disabled while fighting for their country have been left far less able to rebuild their lives than comrades in the same battle zones".

The country has asked these brave men and women to put their lives on the line for us, it is morally indefensible not to pay them fair compensation for the injuries they received when doing so.

To bring pressure on the government to recognise the sacrifices made by all of those seriously injured in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, sign the petition at Number10: Lives on the Line

The Telegraph: Former Afghanistan commander accuses ministers over 'shameful' compensation for injured soldiers

Facebook: Lives on the Line

The Telegraph: Justice for Wounded

Welsh Guards come home again to Wales

2010-03-05T20:17:00.002Z

250 soldiers of 1st Battalion The Welsh Guards marched through the streets of Cardiff yesterday to a hero's welcome from hundreds of well-wishers lining the streets of the city.

The Battalion returned from a tough six month tour in Afghanistan in October. Seven of their number lost their lives in the fighting including their CO, Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe; the others to lose their lives were Major Sean Birchall, Pte John Brackpool, LCpl Dane Elson, Lt Mark Evison, LSgt Tobie Fasfous, Gdsm Christopher King.

During their tour the Welsh Guards were a key component of the major summer offensive known as Operation PANCHAI PALANG (PANTHER's CLAW) and captured the towns of Chah-e Anjir and Basaran, both of which were under Taliban control.

Now, back home in Wales, the guys are receiving due recognition for their valiant work fighting the Taliban. Guardsman Christopher Davis said: "To see all the support that we get is great and it's nice for our families to see us marching. It does bring back memories though, especially of the guys who didn't make it back. It would have been nice if they could have been marching with us."

The Freedom of the City of Cardiff Parade will be followed by other homecoming parades across Wales. Marches will be taking place:
March 8th - Swansea
March 11th - Merthyr Tydfil
March 12th - Newport
March 16th - Bridgend
March 24th - Caernarfon
March 26th - Rhyl

The Cardiff parade also marked the launch of Armed Forces Day 2010. Cardiff has be chosen to be the focus of the national celebration which this year will be taking place on June 26th. Brigadier Russ Wardle, Commander of the Army in Wales, said: “Armed Forces Day is designed to be an opportunity for the nation to express its gratitude to the men and women who have served in the armed forces for them and it is a chance for the armed forces to show themselves off a bit. I have no doubt Cardiff will put on a great show.”

Well done, the Welsh Guards! Well done, Cardiff!

Cymru am Byth!

BBC: Welsh Guards stage homecoming parade in Cardiff
MoD: Welsh Guards launch Armed Forces Day 2010 at parade
MoD: Welsh Guards return from Afghanistan
MoD: Welsh Guards in action in Operation Panther's Claw (video)

The Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal

The Princes of Denmark

2010-03-03T21:22:00.001Z

It sometimes seems that the only real military allies the UK has in Europe are the Danes and their fellow Balts, the Estonians.

750 Danes are serving in Afghanistan, proportionately one of the highest national contingents out there. 31 Danish soldiers have given their lives fighting to make Afghanistan a better, more secure place. A high price; in fact this casualty rate, 4.1%, is higher than both the UK's 2.6% and the US's 1.3%.

Unlike other European countries, the Danish people are honouring their commitments to NATO. We had thought that the Dutch could be relied on, but then, I suppose, so did the people of Srebrenica (the Danish Army's record in Bosnia on the other hand earned them great respect). It is most likely that the Dutch will soon be pulling out, leaving their NATO allies in the lurch. Other European contingents are reluctant to be posted to "restive" regions like Helmand or to take the fight to the Taliban; they'd rather leave that to the professionals.

The Danes, however, are in the thick of it and holding firm against the European flight to the Maginot line. Their forces in Afghanistan continue to have strong public support at home - their recent military resurgence has rightly been a source of great national pride.

As one Danish soldier said: "It is too easy to stay at home, and Denmark is doing its part"

There's no 'to be or not to be' for these Vikings.

Cuts on the Home Front undermining morale

2010-03-03T19:19:00.001Z

A 'leaked' memo from General Sir David Richards, Chief of the General Staff, has pointed out the blindingly obvious: that returning home from a hard-fought tour in Afghanistan to sub-standard living quarters back in the UK is not good for morale.

And it had all seemed to be going so well: Project Slam developments completed at Northwood, Catterick and Perham Down, upgraded family quarters at Blandford, funds even being brought forward from future years to speed up the refurbishment programme. However the latest cuts to the Armed Forces budget is putting paid to all that.

Gen. Richards' memo flagged up that reductions in the Armed Forces budget have caused the refurbishment programme to stall and and improvement plans to be postponed. Cuts are having "a cumulative and corrosive effect on our soldiers and their families. ...... As Chief of the General Staff, I register an early concern about the impact on morale, the potentially severe downstream impact on retention, and our ability to sustain the campaign in the long term."

The General's comments came after he'd seen the results of an internal survey carried out at 'home' bases in the UK, Germany, N. Ireland and Cyprus. This survey showed the effects that the recent £100m cuts, and the diversion of resources to fund the war in Afghanistan, were having on morale across the Service Community. The survey highlights that there is a real feeling that Service personnel consider themselves undervalued by the government.

And its not only the poor state of military accommodation that is fuelling this feeling of neglect. Shortages in training and IT equipment, the axing of events like the annual Aldershot Army Show, the undermining of the harmony guidelines, extended times away from home between deployments, the threatened 20% cut in numbers, shortages of medics, etc are all compounding the problem.

Another concern is that after two or three successive deployments to the warzone, coupled with the sheer intensity of the fighting and the relentless pace of operations, there is an increasing incidence of both physical and psychological injury for the guys serving out there.

General Richards is perhaps unexpectedly broadcasting exactly the concerns of his predecessor, General Dannatt: that you can't fight a war with the funding profile of a peace-time budget. Last August Gen. Richards was characterised as being a subtle, behind-the-scenes political animal. Today, however, he may be turning out to be the vociferous champion that the Army badly needs.

The Mail: Troops' morale is in crisis at defence cuts, says Army chief

British Forces Resettlement Services' Job Fair

2010-03-03T17:16:00.001Z

The high level of UK unemployment, coupled with the threatened 20% reduction in Service numbers, means that managing the transition between military and civilian life may well be a hot issue within the Armed Forces over the next few years.

Recognising this, the British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS) is going to be holding a "groundbreaking" job fair and networking event for ex-forces people tomorrow, 4th March, at the Garrison Sports Centre in Aldershot. The interactive event will help past, present and future service leavers – as well as their job-seeking family members – access a range of support organisations and find meaningful employment. For those not wishing to move directly into full-time employment the event will also have organisations presenting gap-year opportunities.

Not only will there be exhibits and free seminars and presentations running throughout the day; the organisers are also throwing in a free "curry supper".

Present at the fair will be BAE Systems, Boeing, The AA, BSM, Marstons, Security Networking Events, Airbus, EADS, Rushmoor Borough Council, Hampshire Police, Civvy Street and The British Legion.

The keynote speech will be provided by Colonel Richard Kemp CBE, former Royal Anglian, Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, best-selling novelist, Cabinet adviser and Essex boy. The focus of his speech will be on the importance of a positive CV. He says: "The CV is probably the single most important element in finding a new job, and far too often highly competent service people will miss out on opportunities because their CV does not properly reflect all that they can bring to an employer......In my experience since leaving the Army, most former service people tend to very much undersell themselves. It is really important that they recognise the impressive range of skills and experience they have acquired in their military service so that they can market themselves to employers.”

The Job Fair at Aldershot will be the first of a series of similar events which ex-military recruitment specialists Gemini Forces will be hosting across the country over the coming year.

Gemini Forces: Challenges of ex-Services personnel returning to ‘civvy street’ thrown into the spotlight

Army training at the touch of a screen

2010-03-03T16:21:00.001Z

LINE Communications, a leading supplier of Technology Based Training, has announced the imminent release of three major mobile learning solutions for the British Army.

The MoD has commissioned LINE to develop three highly innovative learning solutions to be delivered on mobile devices. Two of the projects will be delivered using Apple iTouch. The first covers training on vehicle service schedules and the second delivers restricted content quickly and securely to the target audience. The third project delivers complex procedural training using touchscreen tablets. All of the projects are due for release in early April 2010.

LINE prides itself on working "pragmatically to deliver the MoD’s modernisation and training transformation agenda across Defence to genuinely improve operational capability".

Let's hope LINE's touchscreen solution is significantly better than my new LG-POP which fails to respond however gently or firmly, casually or positively, I touch the screen.

L/Cpl Andrew Ferguson: the 'miracle of Helmand'

2010-03-03T12:17:00.004Z

A Taliban bullet passing through his neck a mere 3mm from his spine isn't going to stop Lance Corporal Andrew Ferguson from rejoining his mates in the thick of it in Afghanistan.

L/Cpl Ferguson, serving with 1 R Anglian out in Helmand, was on patrol and clearing a compound of insurgents when he was hit by a sniper's bullet. Despite the near fatal injury and also under heavy fire, he carried on giving directions to his men until he was medivac'd by US helicopter to the field hospital at Camp Bastion. After emergency treatment there he was flown to Selly Oak for surgery.

That was back in December. Now, instead of being so nearly paralysed, Andrew is well on the way to making a full recovery. Already on light duties back at his base in Pirbright, he says he is now looking forward to returning to the frontline.

He's now known as 'the miracle of Helmand'; his mates tell him he should have kept his head down!

Good news, Andrew!

The Mail: The 'miracle of Helmand' soldier who survived a sniper shot - which missed his spine by fraction of an inch

Friends of the Forces acknowledged

2010-02-24T21:44:00.000Z

The Royal British Legion has just launched a national awards scheme to recognise people and organisations who give exceptional support to the Armed Forces. The RBL asking the general public to send in nominations for their new Friends of the Armed Forces Awards and the winners will be chosen by category - individual, community group, young person, business.

Prince Harry, who kicked the scheme off, said: "These awards are an excellent idea, and I am very proud to be involved. I know how important support from home can be. For those serving in the British Armed Forces, the knowledge that others are thinking of them has a hugely positive effect that cannot be underestimated."

Nominations for the Awards close on 14th April. With so many individuals and groups now working to support our Armed Forces, the RBL is going to have a difficult time in deciding the winners.

The Royal British Legion: Prince Harry backs Friends of the Forces Awards

MoD: ArticleFriends of the Forces Awards launched

1 R Anglian go after a sniper

2010-02-22T14:38:00.001Z

Mega Mosque designed to overlook Sandhurst

2010-02-22T00:41:00.004Z

Muslims in Surrey Heath have had their plans to build a giant mosque just 400 yards from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst approved by the local council's planning committee.

Approval was given despite objections from over 1,000 local people - not to mention that a listed Victorian building will have to be demolished to make way for the new mosque. The height and scale of the massive mosque indicates that its design will dominate the surrounding buildings. But of more concern is that its two 100ft high minarets will give a clear view of the Academy's parade ground.

Military chiefs obviously consider this poses a major security threat to the cadets. "It is outrageous to even think that the officers of the future would have to watch their backs while they are still in training."

The Mail: Giant mosque's towers 'will loom over Sandhurst'

BAe's Terrier unleashed

2010-02-21T16:13:00.001Z

Production has started at BAe Systems' plant in Newcastle on the prototype Terrier engineer vehicle. 60 Terriers were ordered for the Army last March in a £300million contract which also secured 650 British jobs.

The Terriers will fulfil a variety of roles for the Army: obstacle and mine clearance, digging-in equipment and troops, route opening and maintenance, and general engineer tasks.

Lessons learnt from production of the Titan, Trojan and Panther, particularly with regards to blast protection, have been built into the design of this latest dog of war.

Reliability has been another key in-built feature of the Terrier. Earlier trials have convinced the MoD that the Terrier will meet the exacting reliability levels prescribed for the vehicle which are over and above those of Armoured Fighting Vehicles currently in service with the Army.

BAe Systems: TERRIER Engineer vehicle passes two key milestones

Wolf beer - a beer fit for heroes

2010-02-21T15:16:00.002Z

A Norfolk brewery has brought out a new beer to raise cash for the Royal Anglian Benevolent Fund.

The new beer, called appropriately "Hero", is being produced by the Wolf Brewery of Besthorpe, Norfolk and for every cask sold £7 will go to the Benevolent Fund.

The Wolf Brewery has 200 pubs on its books and from next month a bottled version of Hero will also be sold in local off-licences and Tesco branches with 10p-a-pint going towards the well-being of local troops and their families.

It was local pub licensee Dougie Clarke who persuaded the brewery to launch the beer after he was inspired by reading a book about his own grandfather, Sgt Frank Clarke, who fought with the 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment at the Battle of Mons in 1914.

The Norfolk Regiment was created in July 1881 as the county regiment for Norfolk. It became the Royal Norfolk Regiment in 1935 and was amalgamated with the Suffolk Regiment in 1959 to form 1st Battalion, the East Anglian Regiment. This in turn was further amalgamated in 1964 into the Royal Anglian Regiment. 'A' Company, 1st Battalion, R Anglian retains the name "Royal Norfolk" in honour of this proud regimental history.

Mr Clarke said: “The Norfolk Company of the Regiment returns from a tour of duty in Helmand Province in April and we'll be throwing a party for the boys at [his pub] the Duke of Wellington in early May to celebrate the launch of the beer and their return from the war zone.”

John Edwards, owner of Wolf Brewery, said: “We hope the beer will play its part in demonstrating to our soldiers that we are behind them in the difficult challenge they face in a very dangerous part of the world.”

Sounds like a good excuse for a pint - think I'll just nip round to the pub.

Nice one, Jedward!

Norwich Evening News 24: Pubs to serve new beer to boost Norfolk soldiers
www.wolfbrewery.com/

Royal Anglian Catterick Six - Soldiers walk for Veterans Aid

2010-02-19T22:17:00.003Z

Six soldiers from the Royal Anglian Regiment are going to walk the 230 miles from their base in Catterick, N Yorkshire to the Barnet TA Centre in London ...... in 12 days. And they're doing it all to raise funds for Veterans Aid.

The man behind the fundraiser is WOII Danny Morgan and the other five in the team are Cpl Lee Davison, Cpl Gav Watts, Cpl Michael Foster, L/Cpl Dave Murray and Sgt Michael Butcher.

Not content with simply walking the 230 miles, the guys are planning to give it an extra twist by overlaying it with the rigours of a Tactical Advance to Battle (TAB) - i.e. adding in weighted patrol packs and moving at a rapid pace.

They leave the Infantry Training Centre at Catterick on Monday 22nd February and will arrive at Barnet on Friday 5th March. 20 miles a day carrying 45lbs: piece of cake!

“At the end of the day these men and women, who we and Veterans Aid are trying to help, have given the best years of their lives ensuring that the country in which we live stays safe and free from enemies. And now they face the biggest fight of their lives. So I feel that it is only right to show that the bond and the brotherhood upon which the Forces thrives extends beyond the day on which you hand in your uniform.”

All the best, lads!

Man down – help now!

Visit Veterans Aid, click on "Donations" and select Soldiers Walk for Veterans Aid in the 'Additional details - I would like my donation to support' box.

Veterans Aid: Soldiers Walk

UK sleepwalks into European Military Union

2010-02-19T17:24:00.006Z

On the 6th February at the Munich Security Conference, Germany's Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle, expressed his country's determination that Europe should have its own permanent, fully integrated army. "The long-term goal is the establishment of a European army under full European parliamentary control (sic). The EU must live up to its political role as a global player. It must be able to manage crises independently. It must be able to respond quickly, flexibly and to take a united stand".

Where Germany leads France of course follows. These two countries are already pressing ahead with their plans to set up a "Synchronised Armed Forces Europe" or SAFE. Under this scheme the national armies of the EU countries will become increasingly synchronised until they will eventually, some say "naturally", merge into a single European Army. Military "interoperability" (in eurospeak) will be the inevitable outcome of this sychronisation process: sychronisation in equipment = sychronisation in training = sychronisation of command.

The labour government's collusion with this Anschluss was witnessed yesterday when Quentin Davies, minister for Defence Equipment and Support, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with France enabling closer co-operation on the procurement of military equipment.

This synchronisation of British and French military equipment is an example of labour's policy announced in the government's recent green paper: "the UK will in future need to co-operate more closely with allies such as France to provide the full range of military capabilities". Defence secretary Ainsworth said in the green paper: "In Europe, the return of France to Nato's integrated military structures offers an opportunity for even greater cooperation with a key partner across a range of defence activity."

The insidious incremental subordination of Britain's Armed Forces to the diktats of the EU will inevitably mean that Britain will soon lose the capability to act unilaterally to defend her national interest and national security. But, I suppose, in Grosse Europa there is no such thing as "national" interest only Franco-German interest.

MoD: MoU between UK and France on urgent operational requests

Python: the full monty - and the Taliban's gone for a burton

2010-02-18T14:54:00.002Z

The Army has brought in its latest weapon to counter the Taliban's IEDs. Used yesterday for the first time in Afghanistan, the explosives on the 230-metre long snake-like rocket-propelled device will clear a large area thought to contain mines and improvised explosive devices. Mounted on the back of a Trojan armoured engineer tank, the Python replaces the ageing Giant Viper, which dates back to the Fifties, and has the ability to clear a much longer 'safe lane' than its predecessor.

Staff Sergeant Mark Eastley, from 30 Armoured Engineer Squadron, said: “It takes your breath away. You see the flash, hear the bang and then feel the shock wave.” Or as Lieutenant Colonel Matt Bazeley, commanding officer of 28 Engineer Regiment, put it: "We are clearing this belt of death so that civilians and their families can begin to live without fear of being blown to pieces by a cowardly and dishonourable enemy that is happy to kill indiscriminately."

Python reminds me of those ingenious devices which inventors came up with during WW2 to combat German mines. I think it was in an episode of World at War that we saw film of giant rocket-powered cartwheels careering over beaches and tanks with revolving chains protruding from their fronts flaying the ground ahead for mines. The Germans themselves came up with their own minesweeping machines: the WunderWaffe 4, which rolled out of one of Krupp's factories in 1944, was a 130t vehicle, articulated in the centre, suspended on 12ft diameter steel wheels and designed to clear a wide path through a minefield.

As they say "necessity is the mother of invention" and, as the Taliban get ever more sophisticated in their use of the insidious IED, so too does NATO develop new technologies to counter them.

Forewarned about Operation Moshtarak, the Taliban had planted thousands of IEDs and booby traps ahead of advancing Allied soldiers. Python will help to clear these and make the area safe for British soldiers and for the local Afghan people alike.

The Times: 'Python' is British Army's winning weapon against Afghan roadside bombs

The Mail: Operation Moshtarak: British Army unleashes latest weapon in battle with 'dishonourable enemy'

Royal Anglians kick out the Taliban

2010-02-17T18:55:00.003Z

Soldiers from C (Essex) Company 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment are in the forefront of the current offensive against the Taliban, Operation Moshtarak.

Attached to the Grenadier Guards Battlegroup, the men from C Company are currently involved in fierce fighting in and around Check Point Paraang in the Nad-e-Ali District of Helmand Province.

In fact, according to their CO, Lt Col James Woodham MC, the guys have been engaged in fierce fighting on an almost daily basis ever since the Battalion returned to Afghanistan last October. Since then, in spite of the heavy insurgent activity, the Vikings have brought such a significant improvement in security that the area is already seeing a steady return of local people to their villages where they can begin to rebuild their lives.

The Battalion's achievements in Operation Moshtarak will mean that they will be able to consolidate these security gains by extending their control over a larger area. However, sustained improvement in security will only be fully achieved when responsibility for it is taken on by local forces. To bring this about C Company will soon begin embedded partnering with the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police. Just as the 2nd Battalion did so successfully in Iraq when they worked alongside Iraqi security forces in the Military Transition Teams, so too now will the 1st Battalion help local Afghan forces bring peace and stability to their country.

It should not be forgotten that all this success has sadly come at a high cost: the loss of Pte Robert Hayes and L/Cpl Adam Drane, killed fighting the Taliban in December and January. R.i.P.

EADT24: Anglian troops lead fight over Taliban
Norwich Evening News 24: Anglian troops seize Taliban village

Army Cadet Force seeks support from the Service Community

2010-02-16T20:50:00.002Z

The government may have done a (welcomed) U-turn and reinstated the TA budget; they have not done the same with the Army Cadet Force and the £4million

cuts made in this year's ACF budget remain in force. The Army Cadet Force Association is now very concerned that, with the inevitable squeeze on the Army budget, this year's cuts may be repeated again next year - or even worse. This would have a seriously damaging impact on the facilities and opportunities available to the UK's 47,000 Army cadets and, importantly, on the resolve of the 8,500 adult volunteers to continue, particularly with the reductiion in instructors' paid training days and annual and weekend camps.

The ACF is a valuable training ground not only for future Army intake but also for the country's young people as a whole. The ACF helps teenages develop personally, physically and socially by providing challenging and adventurous opportunities in a structured, disciplined environment. Through the ACF young people learn the core values of self discipline, respect for others and team work. In other words the ACF teaches our young people the personal and social skills which our schools are lamentably failing to do.

Indeed up until recently Brown, Balls, Ainsworth and Co. had been announcing that the government had plans to expand the ACF and had been extolling the benefits the ACF could bring to children from all backgrounds.

The Army Cadet Force Association rightly says that each year the Army's cadets put a great deal of effort into supporting the Service community and Service charities. It, in turn, is now seeking all the support that it can get to increase awareness of the dangers that a repeat of this year's cuts would have on the ACF movement.

Army Cadet Force Association

Army Cadets website

Royal Anglian Regiment: Harlow memorial to Pte Robert Foster

2010-02-16T15:01:00.002Z

Private Robert Foster was one of the nine soldiers of 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment who lost their lives in the service of their country during the Battalion's previous tour in Afghanistan in 2007.

Since then his family has been trying to have Robert's name engraved on the War Memorial in his home town of Harlow.

Both the local branch of The Royal British Legion and Harlow Council, however, have said that this cannot be done - that the Memorial Cross has to be restricted to those who died in WW1 & WW2. This is despite the fact that the War Memorials Act allows a council to add names to a war memorial whether it owns it or not. The name of Pte Aaron McClure, a fellow Viking who was killed alongside Pte Foster, has been inscribed on the War Memorial in his home town of Ipswich and many other towns have been proud to honour their boys in a similar way.

Harlow Council have come up with an alternative proposal and now intend to build a low curved wall to the back of the railed area around the Cross, as a memorial to all of those with a strong connection to Harlow, who have given their lives in service in conflicts since 1945. Brass plaques would be attached to the wall, setting out the name and regiment of the deceased, the date of death, and the conflict in which they were serving. This is an idea taken from the Basra Memorial Wall (see below) which has recently been repatriated from Iraq and re-erect in the grounds of the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Arboretum, Arlewas.

War memorials stand in every village, town and city across the country. They are the focus of the Nation's remembrance. It is absolutely right that the names of all those who have given their lives fighting for their country should be honoured and remembered on them.

As Robert's parents said: "I don't think we're asking for the world. We're just asking for a name to be put on a memorial." ....... "It's actually quite a simple thing, when you think about it. It doesn't take much at all."........."To finish the story his name should be on the War Memorial."

BBC: Parents fight for son's name on war memorial (video)
BBC: Family fight for memorial honour
Harlow Council: Memorial to Private Robert Foster

Aldershot Army Show 2010 axed

2010-02-16T12:25:00.000Z

The combination of the heavy fighting in Afghanistan and cuts to defence budgets has forced bosses at the MoD to cancel this year's Aldershot Army Show.

Attracting crowds of up to 60,000, the popular annual two-day event is the biggest Army show of its kind in the country tracing its roots back over 150 years to the time of the Crimean War.

Speaking after the last year's event, Major General Kirkland said the event was an important forum where the public could have an opportunity to meet soldiers and show their support for the Army. “Britain’s Army is the army of the people and it’s key that the people get to see who the Army is. This is an opportunity for the people to come here and support the Army when they are home from operations,” he said.

However, with so many of the local garrison currently away on operations in Afghanistan, the manpower isn't available to put on the show this year - the garrison has the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, the Queen's Own Gurkha Logistics Regiment, 4 Medical Regiment and elements of many other units deployed in Helmand.

This is also sadly another example of the MoD rolling back its National Recognition agenda.

BBC: Aldershot Army Show cancelled due to Afghanistan action

Wounded receive quality care but resources at their max

2010-02-16T00:12:00.003Z

Last Wednesday the National Audit Office published its report on its investigation into "Treating injury and illness arising on military operations".

The main findings were:

Clinical treatment and rehabilitation of seriously wounded personnel are highly effective and rated by the military.
The high quality of care for the seriously injured is demonstrated by the number of "unexpected survivors".
Medical capacity at military hospitals in the UK and in Afghan has been sufficient to deal with casualties to date but it is close to its limit.
Reported rates of disease and minor injury in Afghanistan have almost doubled from 4% to 7%.
Personnel at risk of developing mental health conditions on operations receive appropriate support but there are some weaknesses in follow-up procedures.

Some figures published in the report:

Between October 2001 and October 2009, 522 UK military personnel were seriously injured on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Since 2006 personnel on operations have attended medical facilities 125,000 times for minor injury and illness, with a further 1,700 times for mental health conditions.
Some 6,900 people have been evacuated back to the UK from Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003 for serious injuries and a range of other medical conditions.
The estimated the cost of medical care provided as a result of military operations stood at £71 million in 2008-09.

That the treatment for the seriously wounded is both highly effective and of a high quality is, as the head of the NAO himself said, really good news. The worrying thing is that military hospitals seem now to be full.

The current surge strategy with its large-scale offensives against the Taliban (of which Operation Moshtarak is the first) is regretfully going to lead to higher casualties.

The situation is exacerbated by the intense pressure under which UK troops are fighting. Figures released by the MoD show that 46 per cent of all Army units are now in breach of the "harmony guidelines" (leave between combat tours) with the number of soldiers thought to have been affected by the breach estimated at 10,000. The problem of overstretch is further worsened by troop shortages and soldiers who are unfit for front line duty. Virtually every infantry regiment is under-strength by as much as 10 per cent or 70 soldiers and there are around 10,000, servicemen and women who cannot serve in combat zones for medical reasons.

The prognosis is not good for a medical service already running at capacity.

What is even more worrying is that this comes at a time when the Armed Forces budget is about to be hammered yet again. The government cannot depend on Help For Heroes to bail it out; perhaps the bankers could be encouraged to donate some of their bonuses.

NAO: Ministry of Defence: Treating injury and illness arising on military operations
InThe News: MoD feels strain of Afghan wounded
The Telegraph: Overstretch pushes British troops to the brink

Royal British Legion Schools Postcards to the Armed Forces

2010-02-15T19:23:00.002Z

Back in November last year, The Royal British Legion sent out postcards to schools across the country so children could be given the chance to write a special message to members of the Armed Forces.

Well, over 10,000 cards were sent to wounded heroes at Selly Oak and Headley Court, Service personnel at different garrisons and fighting units and veterans who are residents of Legion care. Now the children of Shears Green Infants and Junior school have put together a video to say thank you to all of our brave troops and wish them well.

Be warned….it’s very heart-warming stuff! One boy reads from his message: “This postcard is to make you feel happy and joyful, and for you not to worry.” I’m sure it will do just that.

[It's been a bit of a Xenophon-ic day today. See "Afghan Heroes' ask companies to 'Thank a Soldier'" below. The Ten Thousand ]

Basra Memorial Wall rededication

2010-02-15T18:21:00.004Z

The service to rededicate the Basra Memorial Wall, the monument to the 178 UK Service personnel and one MoD civilian who lost their lives on Operation TELIC in Iraq, will take place at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on Thursday, 11th March 2010.

The Memorial Wall was built by soldiers for soldiers at their base in Basra during the war in Iraq. It took a hard-fought campaign by the families of the Fallen to bring the Memorial home. It is fitting that the Memorial has now been re-erected by soldiers in the Armed Forces Memorial grounds at Arlewas in the heart of the country.

Chief Executive of the National Memorial Arboretum, Charlie Bagot Jewitt, said: "Many of our memorials provide a way for the nation to acknowledge its fallen men and women. The Basra Memorial Wall is different, as it was conceived, built and maintained by the colleagues of those that died. As a result, it has assumed an even greater poignancy. The Arboretum will be a fitting home for the wall."

Never forgotten

MoD: Service to mark Basra Memorial Wall's rededication in the UK
The Sun: Homecoming for the fallen heroes

MoD to end secret research programmes

2010-02-15T17:44:00.002Z

This is a busy time of the year for companies wishing to get their hands on lucrative defence research funding.

Last week the Centre for Defence Enterprise at Harwell showcased several projects which have already received government funding. Incorporating a range of technologies, these projects aim to ensure that UK forces "will have the battle-winning edge in current and future conflicts".

They include

textiles that could be made into uniforms and used to power weapons, radios and charge batteries;
unmanned surveillance systems that could stay airborne for upto 3 months;
a portable solar-powered battery to increase power at FOBs;
turret-based camera to provide wide-angled surveillance images;
3D persistent surveillance systems;
I'm getting lost here so visit:-
NDS: The Appliance of Science to Benefit Frontline Troops

Next month the MoD will be hosting its annual Defence Research conference and exhibition at the ICC in Birmingham. The main partner in this enterprise is our old friend QinetiQ - they seem to have an influence over much of MoD spending these days.

The message behind Defence Research 2010 is that the MoD will for the first time be opening up its entire £400million annual research budget to private industry and universities. So, no more secret military research programmes.

Defence Research 2010 website
MoD: Defence Suppliers Research Information Portal

Colchester to host first Personnel Recovery Centre

2010-02-15T15:46:00.006Z

The first of the new Personnel Recovery Centres for injured servicemen and women is to be built at the Merville Barracks in Colchester, Essex. The building costs of the centre will be funded by Help for Heroes and it will be run jointly by The Royal British Legion and the Army.

The 20 residents and 40 day visitors that the centre will accommodate will benefit from a specialised treatment programme aimed at getting them fit enough to return to active service or alternatively preparing them for life outside the Armed Forces.

The centre will also have two family rooms, each catering for two adults and up to three children.

Marianne West, the Help for Heroes Volunteer County Co-ordinator for Essex, said: “I am overjoyed at hearing the announcement that the Personnel Recovery Centre project has at last been given the go-ahead. It will be just marvellous actually to see the proof of the public's generosity taking shape before our eyes in Colchester.”

The new centre will form part of the Army Recovery Capability (ARC) scheme announced last week. Key components of the ARC will be:

A Personnel Recovery Branch providing assurance, direction and guidance from within the Army’s 3* Personnel and Support Command;
Personnel Recovery Units one in each of the 10 regional Brigade areas as well as one in London and Germany, to provide support and guidance;
Individual recovery plans tailored to meet a soldier’s specific recovery needs; and
Purpose-built Personnel Recovery Centres (like the one in Colchester).

ARC marks a return to the time-honoured practice of treating injured Service personnel in a solely military environment and marks a U-turn in government policy which had up until now been looking to cut costs by merging military and civilian care within shared establishments and on mixed wards. As the MoD admits: "Experience shows that injured personnel find a military environment conducive to the best possible recovery, so we will provide purpose-built Personnel Recovery Centres around the UK".

Other Personnel Recovery Centres are likely to be based in Catterick, Tidworth/Bulford and Edinburgh. The facilities and support provided at the centres will also be open to personnel from the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.

Help For Heroes and the Royal British Legion have each put in £20million to the ARC scheme which will meet the bulk of the costs. Without their funding and their principles such a dedicated military care centre would not have got off the ground.

"There is a long history of charitable organisations contributing to the welfare of serving military personnel, veterans and their families; this relationship will be strengthened further through the introduction of the ARC, for the continued benefit of Armed Forces personnel."

A true ARC of the Covenant then.

EADT24: New centre to help injured soldiers
MoD: New plans to support sick and injured soldiers

Afghan Heroes ask companies to 'Thank a Soldier'

2010-02-15T13:37:00.007Z

Afghan Heroes, the charity set up last year by mothers of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan, has come up with a new way to let the guys serving in the Army know the Nation's behind them.

The idea behind this Thank a Soldier campaign is to get companies and supermarkets to each donate a job lot of 10,000 units of a particular product which will together make up boxes of comforts. The boxes are to include items such as socks, deodorant, toothpaste, puzzle books, sweets and lip balm.

70 volunteers are on stand-by to start packing the boxes so that they will be ready for distribution to 10,000 troops at the end of June to coincide with Armed Forces Day.

Let's hope Britain's business community can rise to this Xenophon-ic challenge.

Afghan Heroes: Afghan Charity Appeal to Help ‘Thank a Soldier’

Supporting the Armed Forces Community: consultation results

2010-02-12T23:52:00.003Z

The MoD has today published findings from the public consultation it undertook last year into how best to provide consistent and enduring support to the Armed Forces Community (AFC) , i.e. serving personnel, their families and veterans.

The consultation sprang out of the 2008 Service Command Paper which looked at ways in which the state's commitments in the Nation's Covenant with the Armed Forces could be repaired following years of neglect (NB. the Armed Forces' commitment to the Covenant has never weakened).

To re-establish the Nation's responsibilities - and indirectly to draw a veil over its own earlier failings - the government is seeking to engage the wider civil community in its endeavours. Local councils, the Third Sector (see *** below), the NHS, the Police and charities & voluntary organisations are all to play a role in supporting the AFC in future.

In terms of the number of responses it elicited, the consultation was not a success; indeed you could say that the response was pretty shameful. Of the 468 local councils in the UK, responses were received from just 16; only 3 government departments responded; Service charities and federations sent in 5 replies; 25 responses were received from the AFC itself; and one came in from the business community (Right Management UK). Not only that but "around a quarter of respondents did not answer the consultation questionnaire but took the opportunity to comment on wider Service Personnel issues".

Anyway, the findings of the consultation were summarised as:-

there was marginal support for an Armed Forces Charter (a kind of new Covenant);
existing problems would be resolved through increased awareness of Service issues and improved communication between the AFC and service providers;
the AFC should not be singled out as a minority/disadvantaged group;
for some reason local councils thought it was difficult to identify the AFC;
while the AFC thought legal obligations a good thing, local councils, as you would expect, didn't agree saying that additional resources would be needed to meet strict legal obligations;
again unsurprisingly, councils came out strongly in favour of local autonomy when it came to providing support to the AFC.

Although the 'single point of contact' approach for dealing with AFC issues was not generally popular with respondents, the government has already started to roll out its Armed Forces Welfare Pathway project involving the establishment of local service access points or "gateways". Pilot Pathways have been launched in Kent, Hampshire and in Wigan.

The MoD has also recently set up a National Point of Contact super-helpline for directing calls from Service personnel to the appropriate service-specific helpline.

Other recent developments include the Affordable Houses Scheme, improvements in the way school places are allocated for Service children and, of course, the Army Recovery Capability Scheme.

My experience with public consultations is that, more often than not, they're an expensive waste of time, serving only to line the pockets of the consultants themselves and providing little in terms of tangible benefit. However, this particular consultation exercise does seem genuine .... despite the poor response. A coherent (I hesitate to say 'holistic') approach for dealing with AFC issues is clearly required and it's good to see some joined-up thinking for a change.

MoD: Summary of responses to consultation on supporting Armed Forces Community published

MoD: The Consultation Paper (The Nation’s Commitment to the
A rmed Forces Community: Consistent and Enduring Support - A Consultation Paper)

MoD: A Summary of Consultation Responses - February 2010

MoD: Service Personnel Command Paper. The Nation's Commitment: Cross-Government Support to our Armed Forces, their Families and Veterans.

*** The Third Sector as described on the government's "Communities" website: "The Government defines the third sector as non-governmental organisations that are value driven and which principally reinvest their surpluses to further social, environmental or cultural objectives. It includes voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises, cooperatives and mutuals. We also include housing associations within the third sector. The Government recognises the value of the diversity of organisations in the sector providing voice for under represented groups, in campaigning for change, in creating strong, active and connected communities, in promoting enterprising solutions to social and environmental challenges and in transforming the design and delivery of public services." - ummm, well there you have it.

Royal Anglian Regiment: Poachers win British Forces Germany boxing title

2010-02-12T18:08:00.011Z

Having beaten 5 Rifles and 1PWRR in two previous rounds of the competition, the boxing team from 2 R Anglian have now gone on to beat 35 Engr Regt and become British Forces Germany champions!

Not only did the Poachers win a close, hard-fought competition (5-4) last night, they did so away from home at the Engineers' base at Paderborn.

Not satisfied with one title, the Poachers are now going to be taking on 2 Para in the semi-finals of the wider all-Army competition on 11th March at Celle, 2 R Anglian's home base in Germany.

Congratulations to the Poachers!

Good luck for 11th March!

SEE ALSO 12th March: Army boxing championship: 2 R Anglian through to the Finals!

MoD: Boxing - British Army Website

The parcel is the message

2010-02-10T15:14:00.004Z

The government's National Recognition Study was designed to inspire the public to show their support for our Armed Forces and to rebuild the fractured links between the people and the military.

In that aim the project has been very successful - thousands turning out to welcome the guys home, approval ratings for the military shooting up, public awareness raised and shoebox collections taking place across the country.

One successful outcome from the scheme (certainly not envisaged by the originators of the Study) has been that increased public awareness has brought greater pressure on the government to correct its lamentable failings and to start providing the troops with better equipment, care, housing, etc.

However, in one way the scheme has also been the victim of its own success. The outflowing of public support for the guys on the frontline manifested in the sending out of loads of morale parcels led to bottlenecks in the Forces' postal service over the Christmas period.

The MoD is therefore now seeking to dampen down this sponaneous public enthusiasm by institutionalising the whole thing. Instead of an individual citizen collecting together a few goodies to send out to a soldier in Afghanistan so that they can show their personal support and appreciation, perhaps also sending along a personal message to boost morale, the MoD is asking that people should in future just send money to its Operational Welfare Fund so that they can manage and control the giving process.

However, sending a parcel is not really about "welfare"; supplying the guys with the right food, drink, washing kit, etc is the Army's job. Sending out a parcel is about "connection" - it's a direct, personal link between someone back home with someone on the frontline. It can also serve to bond a local regiment with its local community. I think the Beatles had some lyrics along the lines of "what I say is meaningless, but I say it just to reach you" or to paraphrase Marshall McLuhan "the parcel is the message". Prince Harry said: “I can tell you first hand what a difference [receiving a parcel] makes. It’s not just what’s inside that counts, it’s also the knowledge people are thinking of you back home.”

By de-personalising things, by effectively getting the public to outsource their commitment to the troops, the MoD is taking away the point of it all. They need to come up with a better solution.

MoD: Operational Welfare Fund

Battle of Sobraon: Royal Anglian battle honour

2010-02-10T00:34:00.000Z

In 1845 the unrest which had begun in Afghanistan spread to the Punjab, to the north-west of the Indian empire.

This led to the two Sikh wars of 1845–46 and 1848–49 and the eventual British annexation of the North-West Frontier region.The Battle of Sobraon was fought between the British and the Khalsa, the Sikh army of the Punjab.

The British were victorious and this became the decisive battle of the 1st Sikh War. Battle Honours were subsequently awarded to the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment (10th Foot), now 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment (The Poachers).

Happy Sobraon Day!

The Royal Lincolnshire & Royal Anglian Regimental AssociationBritishBattles.com: Battle of Sobraon

MoD puts a contract out with QinetiQ

2010-02-09T23:37:00.002Z

The MoD and the British Armed Forces have grown used to the concept of outsourcing.

Since 1983, when the MoD introduced its competitive procurement policy, competitive tendering for equipment and the contracting-out of support services to the private sector have not only become accepted practice but have become the de facto rule. Contracted-out services provided by private companies soon came to include such areas as catering, security guarding, training, IT, property maintenance, engineering, laundry and cleaning.

Things moved up a notch in 1990s when the MoD embaced the Thatcherite Private Finance Initiative (PFI) doctrine which was then being promulgated across Whitehall. When Tony came to power in 1997, PFI was re-launched, in Alastair Campbell Newspeak, as Public Private Partnerships - which had a nice, nulabour sound to it. The idea behind this was that private capital and private sector companies would finance and operate infrastructure that previously had been publicly funded and managed. Private companies would claw back their investment over time on a kind of lease basis. For example, the Matrix consortium were to build, manage and run the new £12billion tri-Service Training Academy at St Athan and would then charge the MoD fees for each student sent there on a course.... simples.

Moving on quickly to 2010 and we find that things have taken a quantum leap forward in the privatization stakes. Qinetiq, one of the MoD's favourite private sector companies - sorry, partners - is now sending its employees out to Afghanistan to operate the British military's UAVs. As Qinetiq puts it: "Unmanned air systems (UAS) including unmanned air vehicles (UAVS) are becoming increasingly important enablers in the fields of surveillance, security and defence. QinetiQ provides a total service for both civil and military UAS operations.... QinetiQ delivers a true end-to-end UAS service".

While the use of mercenaries was not uncommon in the barbaric past, for a civilised country in the 21st century to be employing civilians to fight its wars for it, and to kill its enemies (directly or indirectedly), is unacceptable and must be challenged on ethical grounds.

In its panic to cut costs, the MoD has started to contract-out the waging of its wars to the cheapest bidder with the decision to pull a trigger becoming part of a commercial contract.

The use of contract killers belongs in the murky world of the Mafia and should stay there.

The Times: Outsourced QinetiQ staff operate drones in Afghanistan

Injured soldiers to become border guards?

2010-02-09T16:31:00.002Z

The government is now considering whether troops who have been injured in Iraq and Afghanistan could make up a "Border Defence Regiment". The BDR is the brainchild of Immigration Minister Phil Woolas; he has yet to publish any details about his proposal.

Whilst anything that would stop the number of illegal immigrants coming into the country would be welcomed, the idea of injured soldiers guarding the Kent and Sussex beaches seems more reminiscent of the dark days of the Second World War than of today's War on Terror.

Woolas and his labour party mates are just beginning to wake up to the disaster that their open door policy on immigration has been to this country and, with the election looming, are starting to come up with all sorts of "initiatives" to repair the damage they have caused.

508 wounded soldiers were treated in field hospitals in Afghanistan in 2009 (more than the combined total for 2007 and 2008). These guys should be treated honourably not just used as some political gimmick.

Remember Phil, Joanna is watching you!

The Mail: Shambolic and unfair: Watchdog's damning verdict on immigration service after 13 years of Labour government

CivvyStreet: helping the transition

2010-02-08T23:23:00.001Z

Stars of Dragons' Den and The Apprentice have voiced their support to a Royal British Legion website specialising in helping members of the Armed Forces readjust to life on Civvy Street. Dragons' Den Duncan Bannatyne and Lord Sugar's new right hand woman on the Apprentice, Karren Brady, have appeared in a new online video promoting resettlement website civvystreet.org.

Civvy Street is a website for serving and ex-Service personnel and their families. It helps

with a range of issues around resettlement including re-training, employment opportunities and also help around CV building and interview tips. As well as this practical help, in the twelve months from 01 October 2008 Civvy Street had awarded over £600,000 in training and employment grants.

Ken Parkinson, Civvy Street Manager said 'At a time where the resettlement of Service leavers is a key issue, it is great that high profile figures such as Duncan Bannatyne and Karren Brady have helped to highlight the services that Civvy Street can offer.'

Leigh Groombridge, who served with his TA regiment in Afghanistan, is just one of the many who has benefitted from Civvy Street's help. He commented 'After returning from Afghanistan I was having real problems finding work, I came across Civvy Street online and with their help I've retrained as an IT engineer and am doing a job love'.

CivvyStreet.org also works in close collaboration with Poppyscotland, providing resettlement support and training grants for ex-Servicemen and women throughout Scotland

Civvy Street

Armed Forces Community Welfare Pathway

2010-02-08T22:25:00.005Z

The Armed Forces Community Welfare Pathway is the latest MoD initiative aimed at helping serving personnel, their families and veterans receive the advice and support they need to meet a whole range of health, social and economic issues and to ensure they have consistent, easy and direct access to the services to which they are entitled.

The Welfare Pathway provides a 'one-stop-shop' that brings together the local council, community organisations, Citizen Advice Bureaux, the NHS, Service charities, etc to deliver a complete advice service that is tailored to the needs of the military community - for example:

advice about access to NHS services;
information about help for veterans with mental health problems;
help and advice about education, skills and careers;
help with affordable and social housing;
help with transport, including Blue Badges and concessionary transport;
advice about, and access to, affordable childcare.

The Pathway is a step along the road outlined by Bod Ainsworth in his proposal to introduce an Armed Forces Community Charter. This charter would set out the individual and specific rights of the Armed Forces community and the duty placed on public bodies to fulfil them. It has been suggested that such a charter could actually be made legally binding on public bodies. It al;so fits in with the commitments set out in the Service Personnel Command Paper, 'The Nation's Commitment: Cross-Government Support to our Armed Forces, their Families and Veterans'.

The project was launched last November in Kent and has since been rolled out in Hampshire and today in Wigan and it is expected that local "Gateways" will soon be opening up across the country. A dedicated national helpline (08000 22 33 66) has also been set up.

Despite the tired nulabour jargon which surrounds it, this scheme certainly has the promise of being able to cut through otherwise daunting bureaucracy and bring speedy solutions to the people who really deserve it.

NDS: Armed Forces Community Welfare Pathway for Wigan launches today
MoD: Armed Forces Welfare Pathway launched in Hampshire

MoD: Armed Forces Welfare Pathway launched

All the 4s: Fundraising target exceeded!

2010-02-08T16:19:00.000Z

Last year's walk through five English counties - 150 miles in 10 days - had aimed to raise £35,000 for The Royal Anglian Regiment Benevolent Charity.

As it's turned out the hikers have at the latest count raised over £44,000! This is an amazing achievement for chief organiser Christine Bonner and her team.

It's fitting that 44 thousand pounds has been raised for they called their walk "All the 4s: 4 the boys, 4 the families, 4 the fallen, 4 ever"

Christine said: "People were so kind and it showed us that they really do care about the boys in their County Infantry Regiment - The Royal Anglian Regiment. We all thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

The country's four square behind you, Christine! Well done!

Tickets For Troops: from front line to front row

2010-02-08T00:28:00.003Z

A new Armed Forces charity was launched last November. Its purpose is to provide free tickets for sporting and entertainment venues to serving members of the Armed Forces and those discharged for injury since 2001.

So far, nearly 40,000 serving and former members of the Armed Services have registered and over 50,000 free tickets have been donated.

Joanna Lumley, one star in the cahrity's galaxy of patrons, said: "This is a win-win arrangement: brave and deserving troops get to see shows, concerts, fights and games: and we in the world of entertainment and sport get a chance to show them that we think they are the best of the best, and support them with all our hearts. Fabulous!!"

Absolutely!

Tickets For Troops

Battle Back: Exploiting Adventurous Training to speed recovery

2010-02-07T21:55:00.002Z

Battle Back is a UK military initiative which uses Adventurous Training (AT) and sport in the aftercare of seriously injured Service personnel in order to aid their rehabilitation and return to an active life post rehab.and not a charity.
Launched on 28th July 2008, it is now well into its second year. The project is based on the work of Sir Ludwig Guttmann who back in 1948 created the first Stoke Mandeville Games specifically for WW II veterans with spinal cord injuries. Guttmann believed that sport was a vital part of therapy, a radical concept at the time, that helped individuals develop physical strength and self-respect.

The name "Battle Back" was coined in 2007 by a team looking at whether the British military could once more utilise existing sport programmes as an aid to rehabilitating the wounded. By incorporating the principles of Adventurous Training - the use of challenging outdoor activities and controlled exposure to risk to improve courage, leadership, fitness and team spirit - Battle Back provides a holistic view of rehabilitation through re-integration into a wider range of militarily relevant activities. It is a programme for all injured Service personnel, irrespective of how they were wounded, and complements the work done by the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) at Headley Court, Regional Rehab Units (RRUs) and Units with Platoon- or Company-level Recovery Teams.

Battle Back is important:

because it provides seriously injured Servicemen the same Adventurous Training and Sport opportunities as their able-bodied colleagues;
because the Armed Forces have a moral obligation to ensure that the aftercare of their wounded is of the highest possible standard; and
because when first coming to terms with a life-changing injury, it is essential to understand what can be achieved - by focussing on ability rather than disability - which is vitally important for physical, psychological and social rehabilitation.

MoD: Battle Back

Josh's Climb For Heroes

2010-02-07T20:27:00.002Z

An intrepid former Royal Anglian, Josh Butcher, will be setting off next month to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Help for Heroes.

Josh served in Op Telic 8 and knows full well the terrible injuries some of his comrades suffered in Iraq and how the work of Help for Heroes has helped their recovery.

As he says: "Having served in the Army in operational environments, I am in a privileged position that I have come back safe and well. Some are not so lucky, including some of my friends. They have suffered horrific injuries and that ultimately affected their futures. Help for Heroes is a charity that aims to help and support our wounded troops and their families. They believe, as I do "that anyone who volunteers to serve in time of war, knowing that they may risk all, is a hero".

Help Josh reach his target of £4,000 by making a donation at: www.justgiving.com/josh-butcher1

All the best, Josh!

Help for Heroes Kilimanjaro Trek - 5th - 14th March 2010
Josh's Blog

Scunthorpe Telegraph: Epic trek to boost Heroes appeal

RIP Aaron James McClure - Fallen Soldier

2010-02-03T01:01:00.000Z

Victory at Stalingrad - 12:00 February 2nd 1943

2010-02-02T18:52:00.004Z

Italians pay 'protection' to Taliban: You say pizzo and I say pizza

2009-10-16T17:24:00.004+01:00

Back in the 5th century the Romans regularly bought off their enemies by making hefty tribute payments in exchange for an agreement not to attack the Empire - a kind of early protection racket. In 447 alone they forked out 6,000lbs in gold to pay off the Huns and agreed to make annual instalments of 2,000lbs from then on. When the Romans missed the 451 payment, Attila lead his army across the border and devastated the cities of northern Gaul.

If a report in today's Times is correct, then it would seem that the Italians have been taking a lesson from their history books and have again been paying tribute to their adversaries - this time to the Taliban.

A local Taliban commander confirmed that a deal was struck last year so that Italian forces in the Sarobi area, east of Kabul, would not be attacked by local insurgents if the Italians paid over a load of cash.

Unfortunately when the Italians handed the area over to the French they omitted to tell them about the local protection racket - that or when the Italians said "pizzo" the French thought they had said "pizza".

Because the district had been so quiet prior to their arrival, the French had assumed that they had picked a nice peaceful area to look after. It was not until 10 of their soldiers were tragically killed last August that they realised all was not as it seemed.

Nato spokesman General Eric Tremblay said he was "not aware" of Italy having paid off Taliban militants. "If it does go on, it's the Afghan government (that does it) rather than international forces."

The Times: Italians bribed the Taleban all over Afghanistan, say officials

Philip Laing urinates on war memorial

2009-10-15T20:21:00.003+01:00

Philip Laing, a Sheffield college student, thought it would be funny to urinate on the city's war memorial and on the poppy wreaths placed there in honour of the servicemen and women who had given their lives in the service of their country.

This wonderful example of today's 'intelligentsia' and his friends no doubt thought it a great laugh to desecrate a war memorial and to piss on those who had died for our freedoms. They probably even congratulated themselves on the publicity that resulted from this disgusting behaviour. His parents more than likely think it all a laugh as well.

Of course the college authorities won't have the guts to do anything about it; the department of education won't kick him off his course; nor naturally will the police be bothered to do anything either - like giving him a criminal record.

No, this little prick will look forward to three years on his "sports technology" (no surprise there then) course as a celebrity amongst his fellow students.

The Mail: Shame of drunken student caught urinating on war memorial during 'Carnage' mass pub crawl

MoD wins its compensation appeal: 'a victory for bureaucracy over bravery'

2009-10-12T23:57:00.000+01:00

Defence Secretary Ainsworth and senior civil servants at the MoD must be feeling very smug and self-satisfied today because the Court of Appeal has upheld their claim against the awards made by the compensation tribunal to two injured British soldiers.

When the tribunal increased the basic compensation awarded to Corporal Anthony Duncan and Royal Marine Matthew McWilliams because both men had suffered further health problems as a result of their injuries, the MoD took the case to the High Court to get the increases revoked.

The High Court upheld the awards amde to the soldeirs but the MoD was determined to claw back the compensation and doggedly pursued the case to the Court of Appeal.

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Ministers and MPs continue to rip off the taxpayers by cynically manipulating their expenses (particularly those relating to 'second homes').

Civil servants at the MoD continue to get massive annual bonuses or receive hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation for a strained thumb or 'work-related stress'.

Meanwhile two soldiers may have to repay compensation awarded to them for their injuries.

The Mail: Injured servicemen face having compensation slashed after MoD wins court battle
BBC: Smith apology for expenses claims

Al Qaeda goes nuclear just as MoD cuts 900 guards

2009-10-12T22:08:00.002+01:00

Two articles appeared in today's newspapers which, when read together, make for uncomfortable reading.

In the article 'Big Bang scientist admits plotting Al Qaeda atrocity', the Daily Mail reports that French police have uncovered a terror plot by an eminent Algerian nuclear physicist currently working on the CERN nuclear research euro-project. The scientist

is alledged to have been planning to use his expertise to set off a nuclear explosion - possibly in the UK. A British security source said: "It appears that Al Qaeda are now deliberately recruiting extremely intelligent people who have both the knowledge and the resources to potentially create a nuclear bomb or identify nuclear targets".

Under the headline 'Skint MoD will axe 900 nuke base cops', today's Sun reports that the MoD is considering a "suicide" mission: slashing the military police force which guards the UK's nuclear installations. A defence source is reported to have said: ""These guys guard nuke depots and weapons silos round the clock as well as intelligence units, docks and training facilities - every sensitive military building in Britain. They also watch over barracks housing the loved ones of troops fighting on the front-line"

So there you have it: just as Al Qaeda is planning to use weapons of mass destruction, the MoD is planning to leave the doors to the UK's nuclear installations unlocked for them.

We can all sleep safely with labour!

The Mail: Big Bang scientist 'admits plotting Al Qaeda atrocity'
The Sun: Skint MoD will axe 900 nuke base cops

General Dannatt to advise Cameron's War Cabinet

2009-10-11T21:21:00.000+01:00

That General Dannatt will be the military advisor to the next government is welcome news. Having a former Chief of the General Staff working on their team will mean that the government will be able to call directly on a vast amount of experience.

David Cameron has already promised that, with Britain at war, one of the first things he'll do will be to set up a War Cabinet "from minute one, hour one, day one that I walk through the door of Downing Street".

The appointment of The General will mean that someone who speaks for the soldiers on the ground will be part of that War Cabinet and in a position to influence policy. It may also mean that resources will be redirected away from grandiose projects to where they are most needed: on the frontline in Afghanistan.

For months labour ministers and MoD mandarins have been conspiring to undermine General Dannatt. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that senior labour figures should now be threatening to impose a £40,000 fine on General Dannatt in revenge for his accepting a post with the Tories.

5,000 motorcyclists Ride To The Wall

2009-10-11T19:50:00.002+01:00

For the second year motorcyclists from across the UK converged on the National Arboretum yesterday to pay their respects to the servicemen and women who have been killed in the service of their country.

5,000 bikers made the Ride To The Wall 2 this year not only to honour the dead but also to raise funds for the maintenance of the memorial - organisers hope to exceed last year's total of £10,300.

Dozens of veterans with military medals pinned on to their riding leathers and a major general in uniform were among those at a service of remembrance.

The UK event is similar to the annual 'Rolling Thunder Ride For Freedom' motorcycle rally which takes place over the US Memorial Day weekend in Washington DC. This year as many as half a million veterans and bikers rolled down Pennsylvania Avenue in tribute to US war heroes.

In only its second year the number of bikers who took part in the UK event this year far exceeded the expectations of the organisers.

Well done, Bikers of Britain!

BBC: Bikers pay respects to the fallen
Ride To The Wall

TA closed down for six months

2009-10-10T22:32:00.000+01:00

The labour clique which at the moment runs the country has in its wisdom decided to save twenty million quid by closing down the Territorial Army.

Not satisfied with having slashed the numbers in the TA from 57,000 to 19,000, Brown and his cronies have now called a halt to all TA training for the next six months - that's drill-hall instruction, weekend exercises and all other raining associated with the TA.

This is bound to have an impact on operations in Afghanistan as hundreds of TA soldiers routinely serve on the frontline.

The news will go down really well with the guys who give up their time to serve their country; I'm sure it's just what they wanted to hear. It's certain to encourage more volunteers to join up.

So much for "One Army".

Nice one Gordon.

BBC: Cuts force TA to cease training

A Fox in the hen house

2009-10-10T21:35:00.001+01:00

Tory shadow defence minister Liam Fox has said that he is determined to hold a Strategic Defence Review as soon as he is sat behind his desk at the MoD.

He also ominously says that what will govern the Review will be “the budgetary constraints within which we will have to operate”.

We know what that means: stringent cuts in the defence budget can be expected soon after a Tory government is installed.

Mr Fox has already promised a cull of civilian personnel in the MoD along with vague references to other "efficiency savings". But we've heard all this many times before; we know empirically that the defence bureaucracy always seems to escape the knife.

No, it will be frontline services - in the true sense of the word - which will again have to suffer the deepest cuts and the pressure will be on the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force to surrender large chunks of their budgets in favour of the Army.

Although the Army has been doing most of the fighting, bearing the brunt of the consequences of recent foreign policy initiatives, it has actually been on the receiving end of only 10% of the total spending on military equipment (based on actual and planned spending between 2003-18).

When it comes to new equipment it is the RN and RAF which get the lion share with £billions allocated to aspirational projects (Future Aircraft Carriers, SSBN nuclear subs, Eurofighter Typhoons) which have little relevance to the type of conflicts in which UK Armed Forces are currently engaged, or likely to be engaged in in the foreseeable future. The RN and RAF may be supporting the Army in Afghanistan, but they haven't been fully involved in a major operation since the Falklands in 1982.

Under both Tory and Labour governments the Armed Forces have seen their budget whittled away year on year so that in real terms it is now stands at just about half of what it was at the end of the Cold War (from 4% to 2% of GDP). In today's economic climate and with current social and educational imperatives, the military can only expect their finances to get worse. Nor can they rely on other departments' continued acquiescence in the exceptional transfer of state funds (the Urgent Operational Requirement programme).

What is clear is that there is an imbalance between the aspirations of politicians on the world stage and their willingness to provide the resources to match these aspirations. What is compounding the problem is that military budgets are still operating within the framework determined by the last Defence Review carried out some ten years ago. At that time UK's foreign policy was about the long-range projection of British influence around the world and, as a consequence, behemoths tramped over any calls their might have been for regiments and battalions.

A lot has changed over the last ten years. Now it is all about counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism and, as is obvious in Afghanistan, what such conflicts need are boots on the ground, in large numbers.
A general election is a good time for a real public debate on defence policy. The guys risking their lives on the frontline deserve clearly defined war aims, the resources to carry them out and the knowledge that the public supports them.

Op Telic commemorated

2009-10-09T23:30:00.002+01:00

At today's commemoration service in St Paul's Cathedral the Nation gave thanks and paid honour to the 120,000 British servicemen and women who served in Operation Telic between 2003 and 2009.

The service also paid due honour to the sacrifice made by the 178 who gave their lives in the service of their country.

The focal point of the service was the centrepiece from the 'Basra Wall' which had been built out in Iraq by soldiers to honour their fallen comrades. It took a hard-fought campaign by the families of the fallen to get the government to eventually agree to bring the Wall home and to have it rebuilt at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. The sentence engraved on the central plate from the Wall does not simply speak for those that fell but also speaks for all those who served on Operation Telic. Inscribed with lines from the Book of Wisdom:

"Honourable age does not depend on length of days, nor is the
number of years a true measure of life."

UK Armed Forces: Pride of Britain

2009-10-09T23:28:00.003+01:00

Members of UK Armed Forces picked up a number of awards again this year at the Daily Mirror's annual Pride of Britain Awards.

The UK Joint Medical Group Afghanistan was recognised for its work in the field hospital at Camp Bastion.

Sergeant Noel Connolly from the Royal Marines also received a Special Recognition Award for his bravery last year in thwarting an attempted suicide attack.

Major Phil Packer of the Royal Military Police received the Fundraiser of the Year Award for his efforts in support of Help for Heroes.

And Petty Officer Martin Langlands received the Outstanding Bravery Award for his actions in an off-duty capacity which saw him rescue a family involved in a traffic accident.

Congratulations to all award winners!

MoD: Military personnel are Pride of Britain

Tories turn their guns on the MoD

2009-10-09T23:20:00.002+01:00

At the their party conference yesterday Liam Fox, shadow defence secretary, promised that a Tory government would look to cut the running costs of the MoD by as much as 25% to free up extra cash for spending on frontline troops.

It is astounding to read that the cost of running the MoD itself accounts for 20% of the total defence budget - that's one hell of a lot of tea and biscuits! But with 85,000 civil servants sitting behind their desks in the MoD, you can understand where it all goes.

The MoD is renowned for waste and budget overspend, all at the expense of the guys fighting on the frontline. As Liam Fox said: "The procurement process has failed to deliver on time. The top 20 major procurement programmes have a cumulative delay of 483 months. The expected cost overruns in the next 10 years alone amount to £16bn … The simple truth is that Gordon Brown as chancellor was never willing to fully fund Tony Blair's wars".

If, as the Tories insist, their cuts would not hit defence projects or the numbers in the Armed Forces, then civilian jobs must be what is in their sights. You must admit: 85,000 civil servants doing the admin for the 99,000 in the Army does sound a tad disproportionate.

Coincidently yesterday was also the day that it was announced that General Dannatt would be joining a new Tory government as, at the least, its military advisor. Can we take this 25% cut as the first manifestation of The General's revenge on the bureaucrats who conspired against him when he was CGS?

BBC: Tories 'to cut MoD costs by 25%'

government's £1billion response to helicopter criticism

2009-10-06T21:38:00.002+01:00

Improvements to Britain's military helicopter fleets are being announced thick and fast in the wake of the harsh criticism doled out to ministers over the summer.

Just over a week ago Defence Minister Quentin Davies said that RAF Chinook helicopters operating in Afghanistan will receive a £408m upgrade to deliver more powerful engines and more advanced, digitised cockpits.

A couple of days later the MoD reported a £300m upgrade to the RAF's Puma fleet which should see improved performance and enable operations in the toughest conditions (Afghanistan perhaps).

The very next day came the announcement that additional Merlin helicopters will be in Afghanistan before the end of the year - "increasing the number of UK helicopters by 25 per cent".

And today the MoD has today announced an Integrated Operation Support (IOS) contract worth £439million aimed at improving the technical, engineering and logistic support available to Apache attack helicopters operating in Afghanistan.

The Apache Project Team Leader in Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), Air Commodore Doug Whittaker said: ”This contract will improve the quality of support provided to the front line as well as making savings over the helicopter’s lifetime. Given the success of Apache on operations, this contract is most timely and welcome.”

Shephard: Army Apaches get a £439m Boost

MoD: Merlins prepare to get hot and high in Afghanistan
MoD: MOD announces £300m to boost Puma power
MoD: RAF Chinooks to be upgraded for Afghanistan

Warthog breaks cover

2009-10-06T20:11:00.002+01:00

Singapore Technologies Kinetics have just unveiled the Warthog, a variant of their Bronco All-Terrain Vehicle modified for the British Army. The MoD ordered 100+ of these armoured vehicles in a £150million deal signed last December under the Urgent Operational Requirement programme.

The modifications required by the UK included a protected gun-mount, extra armour, specialist electronic counter-measure equipment and communications tools.

Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, said: "Warthog will be true to its name as a beast of a vehicle that can manoeuvre across difficult terrain, power-up steep gradients and even cling to slopes. Warthog will provide improved protection to our troops in Afghanistan's Green Zone, where water and a fragile infrastructure make it difficult for other vehicles to operate. It will be able to move through deep water while carrying troops at the heart of our operations."

ST Kinetics have assured the MoD that the Warthof will be delivered to the British Army on schedule later in the year. Twelve UK Armed Forces trainers have already begun operation and maintenance training in Singapore to allow them to start bringing the vehicles into service shortly after delivery.

Brigadier Ian Simpson, DE&S Head of Combat Wheels Group at the MoD said: "The Warthog has proven itself to be a very capable vehicle in tests and trials. I am impressed by the high standards of engineering applied to this vehicle and the quality of the support package; providing our deployed forces with the higher levels of protection and mobility".

Warthogs will be replacing the Vikings currently in service in Afghanistan. Let's hope that they live up to their tough name and do indeed provide our troops with the extra protection they need.

ST Kinetics: ST Kinetics Unveils First Made-In-Singapore Vehicle For British Army
MoD: The Warthog is on its way

38 Engineer Regiment receive great welcome home

2009-10-06T18:26:00.002+01:00

Thousands of people lined the streets of Antrim, Northern Ireland last Saturday to welcome back the soldiers of 38 Engineer Regiment from their six-month tour in Afghanistan.

Over 400 soldiers marched to their base at Maserene Barracks following a private civic event at the town's Antrim Forum leisure centre.

The soldiers - who as part of the Royal Engineers Corps -have the Freedom of the Borough - were greeted by rapturous applause and cheers from the crowd as they made their way along the short route from Antrim Forum to their base on the Randalstown Road.

Following the parade, the soldiers were presented with their operational medals at a ceremony in the barracks.

In their six-month tour of duty, 38 Engineer Regiment was involved in almost every military operation British forces undertook in the region, including the high-profile Operation Panther's Claw.

CO Lt Col Roger Lewis said: "Sandy, sweaty, dirty, dangerous and bloomin' hot just about sums up life in Afghanistan during the last six months. It takes men and women of genuine character and real fortitude to stick to a task as daunting as the one we have faced since March and I am immensely proud of each and every officer and soldier that has dealt with adversity head on."

Well done 38 Engineers! Well done Antrim!

MoD: 38 Engineer Regiment welcomed back from Afghanistan
Army.MOD: 38 Engineer Regiment