Posted on 12/16/2004 2:11:00 AM PST by bruinbirdman
Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, will announce a comprehensive reorganisation of the Army today that will see at least 19 regiments, including the Black Watch, amalgamated or disbanded.
The Executive Committee of the Army Board (ECAB) agreed earlier this week to get rid of single battalion famous-name regiments and amalgamate them into multi-battalion units.
At the same time, it was expected to axe four infantry battalions, effectively getting rid of four single-battalion regiments, as part of the Northern Ireland "peace dividend".
But amid anger at the loss of regimental heritage, and cuts in numbers that are widely regarded within the Army as Treasury-driven, there is expected to be a reprieve for one infantry battalion.
Other possibilities considered were the reallocation of one battalion of the Parachute Regiment as a dedicated special forces support unit similar to the US Rangers and the disbandment of one of the two Gurkha regiments.
The infantry divisions had agreed to nominate four single-battalion regiments that would disband or amalgamate to produce a loss of three battalions but refused to nominate the fourth battalion that should be axed.
The debate among commanders was further hampered by political intervention with Tony Blair calling in Gen Sir Mike Jackson, Chief of the General Staff, and asking him if he could not find "a third way" to solve the problems. Gen Jackson is determined to transform the Army into more flexible and efficient multi-battalion regiments. But critics tried to scupper the plans by insisting that the multi-battalion regiments that already exist also suffer cuts.
That would have seen the loss of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, but a fierce lobbying campaign, and Gen Jackson's commitment to multi-battalion regiments, is believed to have saved the regiment.
The King's Own Royal Border Regiment and the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment will disband. The King's Own Scottish Borderers and the Royal Scots will amalgamate. They and all of the 15 other single-battalion regiments will then amalgamate into multi-battalion regiments.
The Black Watch, which will become a battalion of the Royal Scottish Regiment, marched through its garrison town of Warminster, Wilts, yesterday, before holding a service to honour its five men killed in Iraq.
Led by pipers playing Scotland The Brave, the soldiers marched as well-wishers lined the streets and children waved at the flag of St Andrew. At the service, the battalion padre, Major Aled Thomas, told them the families and homes they returned to were "certainly worth fighting for". The men who were killed "share a place in our thoughts and in our prayers".
Lt Col James Cowan, who led the regiment on its controversial deployment south of Baghdad to support US troops, said his men had enjoyed a "tremendous privilege" in marching through the town.
"After some very hard months away it was very uplifting to be met by such a generous and warm reception," he added.
Where have I seen that "third way" before? Third Way Manifesto
A quarter of the fleet is expected to be paid off as well. They need the savings to pay for the Eurofighter, for all the good that will do them.
I understand that the Blackwatch was the last of the kilted regiments in the British Army.
Or via through treaties like NATO, member nations have to have a military budget of example 3-4%. Otherwise they cannot participate in the organization. Thus not being granted mutual protection from current member nations.
That's why they had to be disbanded...it's very hard to make kilts out of kevlar..the pleats don't fall the reight way..
British Army sniper sporting a thermal imaging-protected ghillie suit and armed with Accuracy International’s L96A1 7.62mm sniper rifle.
They were working on the Kilt problem.
The Black Watch was among the relief for our forces in the Battle of the Bulge. Friends in need ...
No, what will happen is what has always happened. We will shed American blood to defend them and save their country, use American money to pay to rebuild their country and continue giving them foreign aid long after it's needed, and in return receive successive generations of ungrateful American haters who aren't taught about our sacrifices for them in their history classes.
We'll keep doing it anyway, because it's the right thing to do.
Very tragic trend.
Socialism's soaring growth will cause the free world to be unable to protect itself. I have seen this graph before and it should scare all of us.
It's much easier to just turn your head away from the facts. Too many do it automatically.
Um, were that the unit in the picture of the crotch shot next to the queen?
If so, payback?
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