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More cutbacks for the Armed Forces

THE Army yesterday suffered its biggest manpower cull in decades — with 2,900 soldiers getting the chop.

They are among 4,200 members of the Armed Forces to be axed in a bid to plug the £38billion black hole in the defence budget.

About 1,500 of the soldiers are veterans of Afghanistan. And 400 Gurkhas — including some who served there alongside Prince Harry in 2008 — will get their marching orders.

All ranks are hit — from 500 infantry privates with at least six years’ service to eight brigadiers and 60 lieutenant colonels.

The Sun can reveal that those for the sack include up to six Household Cavalry majors and 41 captains as well as four majors and 27 captains of the Royal Engineers. The Royal Corps of Signals must lose about 35 majors, 23 captains and hundreds of lower ranks.

The latest — and most ruthless — cuts will also devastate the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and, for the first time, the Royal Marines.

The RAF is to lose 1,000 personnel including 15 air commodores, 30 group captains, up to 40 wing commanders and 115 squadron leaders and 95 PT instructors.

About 300 losses in the ROYAL NAVY include five commodores, 17 captains and 37 medics plus 80 from the Fleet Air Arm.

The ROYAL MARINES will have 19 brigadiers, lieutenant colonels and colonels chopped.


The savage cuts are the most significant since the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review first announced massive job losses.

The MoD has sent more than 14,000 notices to personnel offering voluntary redundancy. But it is thought there will be compulsory pay-offs.

It is also understood that hundreds of soldiers who signed up for 12 years will not have their contracts renewed.

Recruitment is being drastically cut — with the number of soldiers entering service slashed from 7,000 to 5,000.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said yesterday that the Government HAD to wield the axe — but said the military will remain "agile".

He said: "Difficult decisions had to be taken to deal with the vast black hole in the MoD budget.

"As we continue with the redundancy process, we will ensure we retain the capabilities that our forces will require."

Under the SDSR, the Navy and RAF must cut 5,000 jobs each by 2015, the Army 7,000 and the MoD 25,000 civilian staff.

The army needs to reduce its total fighting force from around 100,000 to 82,000 by 2020.

Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy said: "The most important baseline is national security and we worry these cuts are wrong-headed and rushed."

Campaigners also hit out at cuts to the Gurkhas, who will now lose about one in eight of their 3,400-strong brigade — equivalent to almost a full battalion. Actress Joanna Lumley called the cuts "a tragedy".



19/01/2012 09:28:59

SSAFA Urges Welsh Veterans to seek Help.

Military charity SSAFA urges veterans in Wales to seek help

A military charity is looking at how to encourage veterans in Wales affected by traumatic experiences to seek help.

Gen Sir Kevin O’Donoghue, chair of the Soldiers, Sailors and Families Association Forces Help (SSAFA), is meeting politicians and community leaders in Cardiff on Wednesday.

He said military personnel were often proud people and reluctant to get help.

A soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was found hanged in Pembrokeshire on New Year’s Day.

Welsh Guardsman L/Sgt Dan Collins, 29, from Tiers Cross, near Haverfordwest, was said to have faced a constant battle with PTSD and had previously tried to take his own life.

His girlfriend Vicky Roach said he had been deeply troubled but struggled to talk openly to his family about his experiences.

L/Sgt Collins had served in Helmand Province in Afghanistan, where he had escaped death on several occasions and lost two of his best friends.

The SSAFA said it wanted to reach out to veterans around Wales, and pointed to the low number seeking help in the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan areas.

It said over the past 12 months, fewer than 250 veterans in Cardiff and the Vale had come forward to the charity.

SSAFA helps over 50,000 people annually around the UK with everything from mental health issues to benefits and pensions queries.

It can help serving or retired servicemen and women, and their families.

Gen Sir Kevin said: "People from the military are often very proud and can be reluctant to come forward and get the help that they deserve.

"Many are left to cope with their hardship alone.

"With its strong military ties, we know that there are hundreds maybe thousands of people in Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan and throughout Wales who need our help but for whatever reason are not coming forward.
’Greater assistance’

"This visit will look at ways of ensuring that all agencies who meet veterans in crisis know where to signpost them and at ways we can work together to provide greater assistance for those from a military background who are struggling in Wales."

Another charity, Bridgend-based Healing the Wounds which aims to help Welsh soldiers suffering from mental health issues such as PTSD, said earlier this month it had received dozens of calls for help since L/Sgt Collins’ story was told.

Cross-party politicians in Wales have also promised to raise awareness of PTSD.

Labour MP Paul Flynn said he had spoken to an ex-soldier who knew of six others who had taken their own lives.

He and Conservative AM Darren Millar want to improve the help available.

18/01/2012 12:32:05

Honour sought for soldier bear

A campaign has been launched to build a permanent memorial to a bear which spent much of its life in Scotland - after fighting in World War II.
The bear - named Voytek - was adopted in the Middle East by Polish troops in 1943, becoming much more than a mascot.
The large animal even helped their armed forces to carry ammunition at the Battle of Monte Cassino.
Voytek - known as the Soldier Bear - later lived near Hutton in the Borders and ended his days at Edinburgh Zoo.
He was found wandering in the hills of Iran by Polish soldiers in 1943.

They adopted him and as he grew he was trained to carry heavy mortar rounds.
When Polish forces were deployed to Europe the only way to take the bear with them was to "enlist" him.
So he was given a name, rank and number and took part in the Italian campaign.
He saw action at Monte Cassino before being billeted - along with about 3,000 other Polish troops - at the army camp in the Scottish Borders.
The soldiers who were stationed with him say that he was easy to get along with.
"He was just like a dog - nobody was scared of him," said Polish veteran Augustyn Karolewski, who still lives near the site of the camp. "He liked a cigarette, he liked a bottle of beer - he drank a bottle of beer like any man."
When the troops were demobilised, Voytek spent his last days at Edinburgh Zoo.
Mr Karolewski went back to see him on a couple of occasions and found he still responded to the Polish language.
"I went to Edinburgh Zoo once or twice when Voytek was there," he said.
"And as soon as I mentioned his name he would sit on his backside and shake his head wanting a cigarette.
"It wasn’t easy to throw a cigarette to him - all the attempts I made until he eventually got one."
Voytek was a major attraction at the zoo until his death in 1963.
Eyemouth High School teacher Garry Paulin is now writing a new book, telling the bear’s remarkable story.
’Totally amazing’
Local campaigner Aileen Orr would like to see a memorial created at Holyrood to the bear she says was part of both the community and the area’s history.
She first heard about Voytek as a child from her grandfather, who served with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
"I thought he had made it up to be quite honest but it was only when I got married and came here that I knew in fact he was here, Voytek was here," she said.
"When I heard from the community that so few people knew about him I began to actually research the facts.
"It is just amazing, the story is totally amazing."

06/01/2012 15:50:39

PRINCE HARRY MY CALL OF DUTY

PRINCE HARRY MY CALL OF DUTY

He reveals at The Sun’s Military Awards: I’m ready for Taliban

PRINCE Harry has confirmed he will take on the Taliban a second time — and says he "can’t wait".

Harry let slip his excitement at The Sun’s Military Awards gala, where he joined brother Wills and sister-in-law Kate to honour our Forces heroes.

As The Sun revealed in June, the Prince is due to return to Afghanistan some time next year.

And he told guests at our glittering ceremony in London: "I can’t wait to get out there."

Harry, who served as an air controller in the war zone four years ago, has completed his Apache helicopter pilot training in the US.

He said it was "tough" but added: "I’m looking forward to putting it into practice."

HEROINE Michelle Ping told yesterday of her "amazing night" as she was given a warm hug by Prince Harry.

The brave paramedic said the Prince was "brilliant" as he sat next to her at The Sun’s glittering Military Awards gala.

Modest Michelle, who picked up the Best Reservist gong, added: "At one point he put his arm around me and I remember thinking, ’Prince Harry has got his arm around me — and I’m just Michelle Ping from Sheffield’."

Able seaman Michelle, whose normal patch is Leeds, was hailed by the 27-year-old Royal for saving a critically-wounded soldier while under a blizzard of Taliban fire in Afghanistan. She said:

Harry came up to me almost as soon as he arrived and said, ’Hi Mitch — you’re sitting next to me.’

I couldn’t believe he knew my nickname. It was just amazing.

He’s just one of the boys, one of the soldiers, really down to earth. I asked him how his nan was and what he was doing for Christmas. He said, ’We’re just having the usual, a family get-together.’

Then I asked him what he was doing for New Year and he said, ’I’ll probably have a quiet one.’

Being sat next to Harry was overwhelming. He was very normal. There was no pomp and ceremony about spending the evening with a Prince. He was so nice.Close_quote

Michelle, 37, added he was "hoofing" — Marine-speak for amazing. The pint-sized medic, a former Navy helicopter engineer, told how she thought she had "goofed" when she told Harry of her excitement at meeting singer Peter Andre at Monday night’s gala.

She said: "At one point when I came back to the table I was really excited and told Harry, ’I’ve just met Peter Andre!’

"He just rolled his eyes and said, ’So, are you a fan of his?’ I realised what I’d said and thought, ’I just can’t believe I told Prince Harry I’d met Peter Andre’."

Michelle, who was presented with her award by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, broke down in tears as she was given yet another big surprise by The Sun.

She was joined on stage by the soldier she saved, Highlander Craig Patterson, and his grateful loved ones.

Craig — shot in the head while manning a gun post on a compound’s roof — walked to greet her on sticks. He suffered a brain injury that affects his movements but said: "Michelle saved my life, definitely."

His mum Alison, 50, hugged the paramedic and said: "It’s amazing to meet you. I can’t describe how much we owe you."

Craig’s weeping girlfriend Louise Dalgarno, 20, added: "Thank you so much. We owe you everything."

Michelle, described by top brass as a lioness protecting her cubs, sobbed as she replied: "Oh my God, this is the best day of my life. I’m so happy to meet you both."

Holding her award aloft, she called it "incredible" and added: "Words can’t describe how I feel right now. Talking here tonight is harder than facing the Taliban.

"Thank you so much but I would give a million of these awards for Craig to be completely better. He’s amazing and a friend for life. He’s a stubborn Scottish b***er."

Steely Michelle — called "Mother" by squaddies — sprang into action after the compound was attacked and she heard: "Man down!"

She said: "I just got straight up on the roof. He had been shot in the head and there was a lot of blood. I thought he was dead at first and thought, ’How am I going to tell the boys?’ Then I remember thinking, ’I’m not going to have this’. I just shook him. As this was going on the Taliban were shooting at the roof.

"I could see the splash marks from bullets landing by my head.

"I couldn’t hear anything, my focus was on him. I got the boys to get him down off the roof and I patched him up."

Craig was put on a stretcher. And Michelle, who signed up for the reserves after leaving the regular Navy in 1998, helped soldiers to run him to safety over half a kilometre of rough terrain.

Thesun.co.uk

The Millies, ITV1 at 2030 hours tonight.

21/12/2011 14:01:40

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