Memorandum from Major (retired) C T R
Jones
I wish to express my very grave concern at the
Government's recently announced decimation of our Armed Forces,
in particular the Army and especially the Infantry.
Whenever Governments, of whatever hue, are looking
to economise, Defence is always a prime target. We have been along
this path many times in the past—modernise the Army's regiments,
reduce the number of battalions by amalgamating regiments and
change the names with an inevitable loss of identity. I appreciate
that recruiting in some areas is not as good as it might be but
this will not be helped by new regimental names which the public
will not understand. It is the regimental system, the very backbone
and tradition of our infantry that is now under attack, a system
that some appear not to understand or do not want to understand.
As you know, the regiment and its name is vital
to its county or region, its recruiting area and the regimental
name which the local community understands and supports. It is
this ethos that we all fought so hard for during the Save our
Staffords campaign. With respect, Members of Parliament, Parliaments,
political parties, senior officers, soldiers, etc come and go
but regiments remain. If/when the current proposals take place,
I see that the Staffords would be merged into a two or three battalion
Mercian Regiment. I can just imagine the confusion this will cause
amongst the good citizens of Walsall, Stoke-on-Trent or anywhere
else in the county.
While I fully appreciate that you cannot believe
all that is written in the newspapers, I gather that it has been
reported that the RMA Sandhurst is to be closed. If this is true,
to close the finest officer training establishment in the world
would be an act of gross folly.
In announcing these reforms the Government has
gone too far—this is the thin end of the wedge—the
next move will be a Corps of Infantry which is exactly what we
do not want.
August 2004
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