There was a time when British soldiers were the best trained and best led soldiers in the world.
Of course, the same could be said of the Zulus they fought at Rork'e Drift. The Zulus died while our soldiers lived. They had short stabbing spears and we had Lee Enfields.
Equipment is the key.
Today, we have to wonder if we ever learn from h
istory?
It's not just equipment though. The British defence official quoted in a national newspaper who said British soldiers could not serve extended tours overseas as the Army structure was not designed for that should be sacked.
Not for speaking out, but for not ensuring that the Army structure was designed to meet the operational needs of warfare today.
We need to address more than just the issue of fighting. We know from history that wars are won with hearts and minds and not when the other side has ran out of bullets. After all, the latter is a temporary problem for an enemy.
The British public are not interested in tax cuts in preference to sending our troops to fight without the right equipment and it is time the Whitehall mandarins understood this.
What can we do with the money we have? We could reduce the number of Trident nuclear missiles by a third. The world is not ready for their complete removal. They would still be a deterrent. The money saved would ensure our soldiers were the best equipped in the world and there would be a little left over to help care for our elderly.
Cllr David Chappell, Fornham All Saints
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