Posted on 07/16/2004 11:02:35 AM PDT by tjwmason
The Army is to undergo its most radical reform since the 1870s with all 19 famous-name infantry units amalgamated into multi-battalion regional regiments, it was disclosed yesterday.
The move is likely to cause outrage among supporters of the single-battalion regiments, in particular those such as the Green Howards, the Highlanders and the Black Watch, which face the axe.
Many believe that the generals have caved in to Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, who has advocated similar plans since shortly after his appointment.
But Gen Sir Mike Jackson, the Chief of the General Staff, is championing the reforms and is determined to get rid of the historical single-battalion regiments with the Scots first in line.
There are eight multi-battalion regiments, the results of previous widespread amalgamations. Only 19 famous names, most of them also heavily merged, survive.
They claim that their names and traditions inspire more espirit de corps than in the big multi-battalion regiments and assist in recruitment.
But Gen Jackson, who is from the Parachute Regiment, one of the multi-battalion regiments, regards such suggestions as nonsense and points to the recruitment difficulties of the famous Scottish names.
The general will outline his plans next Wednesday with the six Scottish line infantry regiments expected to amalgamate into two regiments, a Lowland and a Highland, each with two battalions.
That means the almost certain loss of two of the four highland regiments, with the Highlanders and the Black Watch regarded as the most likely victims.
Four of the so-called famous names are likely to disappear altogether but the remaining regiments will keep their names while becoming subordinate battalions of a larger regiment.
Some Army commanders have expressed confidence that they have kept any losses in the forthcoming defence cuts, the first of which will be announced next week, to one or two battalions at most.
Senior officers realise that the plans will provoke widespread hostility. But they say that multi-battalion regiments are the only way forward. "We have been revisiting what have previously been regarded as sacred cows," said one. "It will make a massive row but the present system is hugely wasteful."
Gen Jackson sees the reforms as the climax of his Army career and wants them replicated across the country with the 19 single-battalion regiments merged into seven regiments of two or three-battalions.
That would give the Army a total of 15 multi-battalion regiments, a move that senior commanders believe will make it far more efficient and improve recruitment.
This is utterly typical of the socialists who are running Britain now. We have a magnificent Army (and other forces too), and thus they have to be undermined. Blair keeps sending them on more and more deployments, but they are not paid for, and their morale is being destroyed.
These Regiments are older than most of the countries on the planet, they fight well together, they must be preserved.
Afraid it's looking more like Airstrip One all the time.
How could they get rid of the Black Watch!? :-o
This is utterly typical of the socialists who are ruining Britain now.
I just couldn't help myself.
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