British Military Current Events

[Blackadder1916]

British military trains in Guyana
By Oscar Ramjeet Caribbean Net News Special Correspondent Published on Wednesday, October 29, 2008

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Members of the British Army’s Parachute Regiment are in Guyana to conduct infantry training.

Over the next six weeks some 200 troops will take advantage of the excellent jungle training opportunities in Guyana.

The Kaieteur News reported that a release from the British High Commission noted that with current major deployments for the British military being Iraq and Afghanistan, the regiment needs to continue to hone the skills needed so that it can operate wherever it may be needed in future around the world, including in a jungle environment.

In addition to the land exercise, the troops will be supported by Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Largs Bay, which will be operating in Guyana's territorial waters towards the end of November.

The RFA Largs Bay is a 15,000 tonne amphibious landing ship.

The Royal Air Force will also play a significant part in supporting the exercise by providing C-17 Globemaster aircraft and Lynx helicopters for the air aspects of the training.

The exercise will run until the first week in December and is being carried out in co-ordination with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

While in Guyana, the British team will provide some training for ranks of the GDF

The release stated that the British military is grateful to the government of Guyana and the Guyana Defence Force for the opportunity to train in the Republic, noting that this continues a strong tradition of military co-operation.

 

[daftandbarmy]

SAS chief: Troopers find the MoD is not fit for purpose
War is not a sanitised business, nor is it an activity for the faint-hearted. It is an endeavour fraught with risk and uncertainty.

By Stuart Tootal
Last Updated: 10:17PM GMT 31 Oct 2008
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/3332486/SAS-chief-Troopers-find-the-MoD-is-not-fit-for-purpose.html
\
Afghanistan is a stark reminder that our soldiers accept that risk and loss is part of the business they are in.
However, taking casualties and seeing people horribly injured is not easy. It is even harder when it is widely believed that casualties might have been avoided but for the lack of proper kit.
I have enormous sympathy for Major Sebastian Morley's decision to resign from the SAS reserves. Not least if it was based on the failure adequately to equip his soldiers and the associated loss of four people under his command. The MoD will continue to claim that it needs a range of vehicles to meet operational capability. The fact that heavily-armoured vehicles will not meet every contingency is true, but it is not a defence for the continued use of the inadequately-armoured Snatch. Five years in Iraq demonstrated that the vehicle was not fit for purpose.
I feel for the frustrations of his troopers. In Afghanistan in 2006 repeated demands for more helicopters fell on deaf ears. It increased risk for my paratroopers, but the decision-makers were not the ones driving into combat when we should have been flying in. They were also not the ones who lay trapped in a minefield when two Black Hawk helicopters that would have made all the difference were not sent to us when they were needed.
But even today the MoD is telling bereaved parents that there are enough helicopters and our forces have all the right types available. Only a few weeks ago, soldiers from The Parachute Regiment who paraded so proudly in Colchester on Thursday will have gone out on patrol against the Taliban lacking the right number of night vision devices.
Some senior Army officers have also made their frustrations known. But the commanders have been disfranchised from the equipment procurement process, which remains in the hands of civil servants and ministers. However, these are not the people who have signed up to the unlimited liability of serving their country in combat.
They are not the ones who zip young soldiers into body bags or give evidence to coroners in front of their families.
* Stuart Tootal was commanding officer of 3rd Bn The Parachute Regiment in Helmand in 2006

 

[OldSolduer]

daftandbarmy: It seems our nations have more in common than language. The procurement system, to put it mildly, is woeful. Too many politicians, bureuacrats and bean counters.
Mr. Tootal's letter/commentary hits the nail right on the head. I bet some lace panty girlie boys are crying for his head!!!

Good for Mr. Tootal!!

 

[daftandbarmy]

daftandbarmy: It seems our nations have more in common than language. The procurement system, to put it mildly, is woeful. Too many politicians, bureuacrats and bean counters.
Mr. Tootal's letter/commentary hits the nail right on the head. I bet some lace panty girlie boys are crying for his head!!!

Good for Mr. Tootal!!

I've just found this article in the AFJ that backs you up to the 'T'. It looks like we're all guilty of the same problem - declaring victory then demobilizing....

Balancing strategy and budgets

BY MACKENZIE EAGLEN

“Five times in the last 90 years, the United States has disarmed after a conflict: World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and then the Cold War,” testified Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Capitol Hill in March.
Will Iraq make six?
The chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, John Murtha, D-Pa., recently predicted as much. He snapped his fingers for effect and said he expected procurement funding would dry up once the Iraq war ends. Unfortunately, political pressure to reduce defense spending overall is growing. A general perception holds that the battle in Iraq constitutes the entirety of the war effort, so when major combat operations there wind down, the American people would be entitled to a new peace dividend.

Here’s the difference: The last five times we demobilized after a war, we’d mobilized first.
The Iraq war was not only fought without prior mobilization, but it followed a decade long procurement holiday. If our country cuts the defense budget now without considering America’s worldwide responsibilities or the likely geopolitical landscape the U.S. will face over the next five to 10 years, we’re setting ourselves up for disaster. That’s especially true because the U.S. does not spend enough today to meet its security commitments beyond Iraq.

http://www.afji.com/2008/10/3666455

 

[daftandbarmy]

Army machine gun 'fires without trigger being pulled'
A machine gun on the Army's Warrior armoured vehicles has fired without the trigger being pulled on at least 18 occasions, leaving one soldier with crippling leg injuries.

By Graham Tibbetts
Last Updated: 11:01AM GMT 02 Nov 2008

A Ministry of Defence investigation into the 7.62mm weapon, fitted to 800 vehicles, found that its perceived reliability was so bad that troops were fearful of using it.
It comes just days after the commander of the SAS in Afghanistan, Major Sebastian Morley, told The Daily Telegraph he was resigning because of the MoD's "gross negligence" in failing to properly protect personnel against the Taliban.
The problems with the Warrior chain gun came to light after Sgt Albert Thompson of the 1st Battalion of the Black Watch was hit in the leg in Iraq in 2003.
He was forced to have his leg amputated below the knee and was awarded more than £1million in compensation.
Initially the MoD blamed Cpt Tam Henderson, the gunner, and convicted him of negligence. He was later cleared on appeal.
But an internal report - a Board of Inquiry - found that the "undemanded firing" of the gun had occurred at least six times between 1999 and 2004. It concluded that the gun "is unpopular with many service users primarily due to a perception of reliability issues".
The MoD has admitted in an email to Mr Henderson that the weapon has also fired at random 12 times this year alone.
Another report by the MoD's Defence Logistics Organisation disclosed that it killed one Iraqi civilian and severely wounded another when it discharged without warning in 2004.
Mr Henderson said: "I can't believe the MoD has finally admitted the gun is dangerous. It has tried to cover up this lethal fault for years. Why does the Government allow so many British troops to die because of poor equipment and funding?
"I resigned my commission last year because I felt I could not lead my troops into a war knowing we were not supported."
The cost of correcting the fault has been estimated at £18 million.
Liam Fox, shadow defence secretary, said: "If this is a correctable fault and nothing has been done because of the cost, then it is a scandal."
An MoD spokesman said: "We accept that there are instances of undemanded firing with the chain gun. There are varying degrees of technical problems and mechanical faults.
"Any problems with the chain gun are investigated immediately and addressed as required. We have confidence in the Warrior chain gun."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/3366030/Army-machine-gun-fires-without-trigger-being-pulled.html

 

[PMedMoe]

Makes you wonder how many other personnel would should be cleared of an ND with this weapon.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Gurkhas receive Military Cross for Afghanistan bravery

Gurkha soldiers have received the Military Cross for their feats of bravery in Afghanistan.

The four soldiers from the 1st Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles, who returned from operations in March, were recognised at Buckingham Palace for individual acts while they were based in Kandahar.
Major Paul Pitchfork received the Cross for his leadership under fire, after he and his men fought off Taliban fighters on the fringes of the bazaar in Sangin in December.
The next day he led his men in a firefight that lasted more than 10 hours and through waist-deep river water as the clashes continued.
"It was quite honestly just another day doing what we've been trained to do," the 37-year-old from Gloucestershire said.
"All the soldiers are from Nepal and there are about 20 British officers who are permanently part of the regiment.
"They are just superb soldiers, they are renowned. They are fantastic guys."
Corporal Mohansingh Tangnami, 29, from the western part of Nepal, was recognised for his steadfastness under enemy fire throughout the tour.
On one patrol, he carried a wounded comrade to safety before braving fire again to collect the man's ammunition and gun to prevent it falling into the wrong hands.
"I still don't believe that I met the Queen," he said today.
"My two uncles were Gurkhas and fought in the Borneo conflict, and they used to tell me lots of fighting stories.
"They are really proud - and now I can tell them stories."
Lance Corporal Bhimbahadur Gurung, 25, exposed himself to fire when he carried an injured machine-gunner away from the Taliban to their compound.
"It was very difficult because it was open field and it was muddy as well," he said.
"I couldn't imagine carrying him back to the compound."
The Queen told him "Well done, you've saved a colleague's life," he said.
Corporal Agnish Thapa, 27, was another rewarded for going to the aid of an injured colleague, in his case during a battle to destroy a Taliban stronghold.
After rescuing the soldier and carrying out first aid, he led an attack that allowed others to evacuate casualties.
"I just knew my colleague was lying on the ground so I just grabbed him and dragged him 100 metres," he said.
"I did that not for the honour, but for my job. I'm very happy."
During its tour the battalion suffered one fatality and 15 soldiers were wounded in action.
The Gurkhas' commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Jonny Bourne was at the ceremony to receive an OBE, while another serviceman - Captain David Dutton of the Royal Navy - received the same honour for his work in Iraq.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/3380038/Gurkhas-receive-Military-Cross-for-Afghanistan-bravery.html

 

[The Bread Guy]

One-legged hero is on front line
Tom Newton Dunn, The Sun (UK), 7 Nov 08
Article link

THIS hero squaddie is the first one-legged British soldier to fight on the front line in more than 100 years.

Cpl Barry Whale told surgeons to cut off his limb after shattering his foot in a training accident.

He fought for four years to regain full military fitness — and has now completed a tour in Afghanistan.

The infantryman, 28, was one of just 24 who fought off 400 Taliban fanatics in an epic three-week action dubbed the Siege of Roshan Tower.

Cpl Whale, who joined the 2nd Battalion, the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment aged 16, fell 30ft from a rock face in Bosnia eight years ago.

He had nine operations on his foot, but doctors said it would always hurt to walk. Finally, after four frustrating years, he asked for an amputation.

Two weeks after the op he was walking unaided, and three months later he went mountaineering in Scotland.

Relentless

He re-joined his battalion as a medic in the Regimental Aid Post and deployed to Afghanistan in June after sailing through tough fitness tests.

The squaddie was at the Roshan Tower — a vital outpost the size of a tennis court near Musa Qala, Helmand — when it came under intense attack .....

More on link

 

[Kat Stevens]

Hard bastard, good on 'im.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Rats! I was just cruising in here to post that one but was beaten to it.

Well done that man!

 

[Blackadder1916]

First World War soldier gets posthumous award after son uncovers his bravery
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3398150/First-World-War-soldier-gets-posthumous-award-after-son-uncovers-his-bravery.html

By Richard Savill  Last Updated: 9:47PM GMT 07 Nov 2008

A 'forgotten' British soldier who kept his actions in the First World War trenches a secret has been given a posthumous award by the Ministry of Defence after his bravery was uncovered by his son.

The award of the Silver War Badge to Alfred Gibbins was made after his son Peter researched his family history and discovered his father had been injured in the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917.

Mr Gibbins, who was permanently disabled and walked with the aid of a stick, hid his experiences from his future wife and son, who never knew he had served in the war.

The Passchendaele conflict, officially known as the Third Battle of Ypres, was infamous for the number of casualties as well as for the mud. Over a period of three months it claimed 325,000 Allied and 260,000 German casualties.

Mr Gibbins, who died in 1956, aged 58, was injured while on patrol, possibly by shell fire, and was believed to have remained in no man's land for five days before he was rescued.

He suffered severe frostbite and his right big toe was later amputated.

He did not receive the badge, awarded to soldiers left disabled by military service, apparently due to military clerical errors, and because of his failure to pursue it.

Peter Gibbins, 61, a retired engineer, from Bristol, who was aged nine when his father died, said: "Like so many others, my father laid his life on the line for his country and was badly injured for his troubles.

"He was permanently disabled for the rest of his adult life following Passchendaele, yet he was never honoured for all he did there.

"Receiving the badge on his behalf was an incredibly proud moment for me, because it recognised his lifetime's sacrifice for this country.

"The MoD said it was the last time it would issue a medal for services during the First World War, which makes it more special."

Peter Gibbins said he decided to research his family out of curiosity and as a retirement hobby. He traced his father's history through an internet-based researcher, which supplied some wartime records.

He delved back through those and other records to obtain proof and negotiated with the Ministry of Defence.

"The events that my father was involved in were a surprise to me because he always said that he had never served in World War One, and that his disability was caused by an accident.

"It seemed that he had decided to ignore that part of his life and did not pursue the award due to him."

The badge, which features George V's coat of arms, states: 'King and Empire - Services Rendered.'



http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/medals.asp

The Silver War Badge

The Silver War Badge (SWB), sometimes erroneously called the Silver Wound Badge, was authorised in September 1916 and takes the form of a circular badge with the legend "For King and Empire-Services Rendered" surrounding the George V cypher. The badge was awarded to all of those military personnel who were discharged as a result of sickness or wounds contracted or received during the war, either at home or overseas.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I guess it would be tacky for 1 PARA to put in for a Battle Honour for this one right now?

A good example of 'trial by PC movement'. I'd like to see a fair and open inquiry launched into the activities of the IRA and their supporters that day, but I'm pretty sure that hell would freeze over first.

The report of the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday has been delayed until the autumn of 2009, causing huge disappointment to relatives.

January 30 1972 - forever Bloody Sunday in the annals of the Troubles in Northern Ireland - was not the bloodiest day, but perhaps the most significant in helping to decide the direction and progress of the bitter conflict in the decades that followed.
Nearly 37 years later and at a cost of £172m and still counting, the most definitive inquiry and re-examination of what really happened is still on hold.
Lord Saville's officials have confirmed it will be autumn 2009, five years after the investigation ended, before the final report is released.

Brutality
The actions of the Parachute Regiment troopers in shooting dead 13 unarmed civil rights protesters in the so-called no-go Bogside district of Derry swelled the ranks of the Provisional IRA and gave invaluable weight to Irish republican arguments within the Catholic community.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7715822.stm

 

[daftandbarmy]

Broken promise on Snatch vehicles
The Snatch Land Rovers blamed for the deaths of dozens of British soldiers should have been removed from battlefield operations a year ago, according to one of the military's most senior figures, The Daily Telegraph has learnt.

By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent
Last Updated: 10:22PM GMT 12 Nov 2008
Lt Gen Nick Houghton, the Chief of Joint Operations, told the Commons defence committee in March last year that he had been assured that the vehicles would be replaced by the autumn.
In his evidence to the committee he said that once the replacements were in place "the more vulnerable Snatch would be withdrawn from service in Afghanistan". In June this year, four Special Forces soldiers were killed while travelling in a Snatch, a vehicle they had nicknamed a "mobile coffin". The vehicles are still in use.
Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, said yesterday: "We were promised these vulnerable vehicles would be removed. They have not been and as a result people have died. Why did this happen and who is responsible?"
John Hutton, the Defence Secretary, said during questions to the Commons defence committee yesterday that he would be prepared to look "very seriously" at holding an inquiry into the continued use of the lightly-armoured Snatch vehicles on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Families of more than a dozen of the British troops killed in Snatch Land Rovers have been demanding a public inquiry into why the vehicles are still being used on the front line even though commanders admit that they are "vulnerable".
Despite 38 deaths in attacks on Snatch Land Rovers since their introduction to Iraq in late 2003, the MoD has until now continued to insist that they are still suitable for operations.
The Daily Telegraph disclosed that Major Sebastian Morley, the SAS commander in Afghanistan, had resigned following the death of four of his soldiers in one of the vehicles in June.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/3449216/Broken-promise-on-Snatch-vehicles.html

 

[daftandbarmy]

Complaint fatigue? That's a new one on me. Nice to see that things haven't changed that much:

Morale is damaged, head of Army is told
The morale of soldiers and officers is being damaged by poor pay, undermanning and squalid accommodation, according to report drawn up for the head of the British Army.

By Sean Rayment, Defence Correspondent
Last Updated: 7:55PM GMT 15 Nov 2008

Gen Sir Richard Dannatt is 'hugely irritated' over standard of accommodation Photo: PA
General Sir Richard Dannatt has been told that thousands of soldiers are falling into poverty while many more are struggling to provide a basic standing of living for their families.
The report also reveals that many soldiers were found not to be eating properly "because they had run out of money by the end of the month".
More than 1,000 single-income soldiers with families now receive tax credits, but the report tells Gen Dannatt that "many junior soldiers feel that they are being forced to leave because they cannot afford to raise a family on current pay".
Entitled the Chief of the General Staff's Briefing Team Report, the document adds that soldiers are suffering from "complaint fatigue", a "frenetic" pace of life and increasing amounts of "nugatory" bureaucracy when they should be training for war.
It is also disclosed for the first time in the report that at there were at least "10 entirely avoidable deaths" on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007 caused by training failures.
These include three killed when a US aircraft dropped a bomb in the wrong location during a battle in Afghanistan's Helmand province and two killed in southern Afghanistan because electronic counter measures had not been properly fitted onto their vehicle.
The report states that a decent level pay is vital to the maintenance of Army morale, but crucially it adds that low salaries are "the number one issue of dissatisfaction for both soldiers and officers".

The report also adds:
* Thousands of single-income soldiers in the UK are now close to the government's definition of poverty
* Poor pay is the number one area of dissatisfaction in the Army
* Many soldiers were not paid for six months
* Army is suffering from complaint fatigue
* Gen Dannatt is "hugely irritated" over standard of accommodation
* Loss of leave is widespread
* Quality of life is being eroded

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/3463708/Morale-is-damaged-head-of-Army-is-told.html

 

[The Bread Guy]

BUSTED!!!!!!!!  Highlights showing ballsiness mine....

Medals emblazoned across his uniformed chest, 74-year-old Tom Cattell dutifully attends a Remembrance Day parade in honour of fallen heroes.

Standing to attention, he is no doubt thinking back to his glittering career in the forces that saw him fight in Korea and the Falklands - and the tales he has told about his war time adventures.

It has emerged however that Mr Cattell's stories are far from heroic.

In fact, they are completely made up. And he bought his medals on the internet.

And the only military service Mr Cattell has seen is two years of national service in Malaya and a brief stint with the Territorial Army.

Mr Cattell lied to his wife, his friends and to Royal British Legion clubs across the country about his military record.

When asked to produce evidence of his service, Mr Cattell gave a false army service number and claimed all of his records had been destroyed in a fire at his home.

His deception only came to light when he sent a photo of himself wearing false medals to the RAF with a request for a replacement military baton.

It is understood that officials cross-checked his military credentials and found his claims to be completely false ....

For more, click here

 

[Blackadder1916]

BUSTED!!!!!!!!  . . .

. . .
And the only military service Mr Cattell has seen is two years of national service in Malaya and a brief stint with the Territorial Army.
. . .

For more, click here

Some additional extracts from the story.

Although he said he had won the distinguished Military Medal, he confessed his stories were lies and in the Army he was 'just a cook'.

Mr Cattell admitted he had never been to the Falkland Islands and that he bought his medals on the internet.

The only military service he had seen was two years' National Service-and a brief stint with the Territorial Army.

The retired chef had lied to his wife, his friends and to Royal British Legion clubs across the country.

'My real history is that I served in Malaya,' he said yesterday.

'I was attached to the SAS in Malaya but only for a couple of months. It was like a rest centre. I was just a cook.'

Perhaps there is a systemic lack of respect and recognition for Army Catering Corps types that leads them to embellish their military records such as Mr. Cattrell and this guy mentioned here.  A recommendation for the "Order of the Deep Fat Fryer" or at least a "Beans on Toast" citation (worn similiar to M.I.D. on a campaign ribbon) may help them in their desire to stand shoulder to shoulder with their fellow ex-soldiers.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Grenade camera to aid UK troops

The I-Ball camera allows troops to see into hostile areas
A "grenade" camera, that would enable soldiers to look into hazardous areas, is being developed for UK troops.
Dubbed the I-Ball the wireless device is robust enough to survive being thrown onto a battlefield.
The I-Ball's internal camera gives a 360 degree view, with images being sent from the instant it is launched.
It is thought the new technology would enable soldiers to see into potential danger spots without putting themselves at risk of ambush.

We are very excited about the technology's potential to help our troops

The ball can be fired from a grenade launcher - or thrown into a room - giving troops vital information of who - or what - is on the ground or around the corner.
Inside the sphere are image sensors and two fish-eye lenses. The data is then sent back and remapped through a type of processor known as a Field Programmable Gate Array which compensates for spin and tumble and then displays a true 360 image in real time.
The concept came about as part of the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) Competition of Ideas in 2007.

Paul Thompson, from Scotland-based firm Dreampact, which is developing the I-Ball, said that although the gadget was still in the early stages of development, he had high hopes of it being able to perform well on the battlefield.
"We have overcome some significant technological challenges in developing the I-Ball technology," he said.
"Although it is in its early stages, we are very excited about the technology's potential to help our troops to be better prepared for battle. "
The MOD's director of technology development - Professor Andrew Baird - also sounded a positive note.
"The technology behind I-Ball is an exciting new development that has very significant potential across a range of military equipment and operational scenarios, particularly in difficult urban operations," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7734038.stm

 

[daftandbarmy]

"The best sniper rifle in the world"

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/EquipmentAndLogistics/theBestSniperRifleInTheWorld.htm
13 Nov 08

British snipers fulfil a vital and enduring role on the battlefield, in terms of intelligence-gathering, target identification and eliminating high value targets. This year they have been using a new weapon, "the best .338 sniper rifle in the world".

Unveiled earlier this year the L115A3 rifle, part of the Sniper System Improvement Programme (SSIP), is a larger calibre weapon which provides state-of-the-art telescopic day and night all-weather sights, increasing a sniper's effective range considerably; thereby beating enemy forces' capability.The first batch of SSIP systems was deployed to Afghanistan with members of 16 Air Assault Brigade in May this year with subsequent deliveries being made to training units across the UK.

The last of the L115A3 rifles produced under the £3.7million contract with Portsmouth-based company Accuracy International Limited were handed over to Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) yesterday, Wednesday 12 November 2008.

Group Captain Paul Ridge, the DE&S Light Weapons, Photography and Batteries Integrated Project Team Leader, said:
"I am delighted to accept the delivery of the last weapon of this order from Accuracy International whose co-operation and performance has been outstanding.

"The new weapon system has already been used on operations and is proving to be an outstanding system. Having just returned from Afghanistan, where I had the opportunity to discuss the weapon system with snipers, it is clear that this battle-winning equipment has already proven to be a reliable and extremely accurate system that is giving our forces a real edge."

Tom Irwin, Managing Director of Accuracy International, said:
"Accuracy International has supplied sniper rifles to the British forces since the eighties. We accepted the challenge to provide a new .338 calibre rifle and were selected by the MOD, after testing and trials, and against international competition.

"The SSIP contract is extremely significant to us and we have exerted all of our effort to complete this programme on time. We are proud to supply the best .338 sniper rifle in the world to our forces."

Designed to achieve a first-round hit at 600 metres and harassing fire out to 1,100 metres, Accuracy International's L96 sniper rifle has also been upgraded with a new x3-x12 x 50 sight and spotting scope.

The L115A3 long range rifle fires an 8.59mm bullet which is heavier than the 7.62mm round of the L96 and less likely to be deflected over extremely long ranges.

Other elements of the Sniper System Improvement Programme include night sights, spotting scopes, laser range finders and tripods, and will be sourced from a variety of suppliers taking the total procurement value to over £11million.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Courts martial after BBC filming

Four Army training instructors will face courts martial after allegations of abuse that came to light during an undercover investigation by the BBC.
Recruits complained of being "battered" by some instructors at Catterick training barracks in Yorkshire. One claimed his shoes had been urinated on.
Junior Defence Minister Kevan Jones said the accused were already under investigation before the broadcast.
BBC reporter Russell Sharp spent six months as a recruit at Catterick.


He secretly filmed life at the infantry training centre on his mobile phone and recorded his thoughts, aired in September.
In a Commons written reply to Labour's Joan Humble MP, Mr Jones said: "We were already aware of some of the allegations made by the BBC in its 'The Undercover Soldier' documentary.

A Royal Military Police (Special Investigation Branch) investigation had been initiated in February.
"For those we were not aware of, an RMP(SIB) investigation was launched as soon as the BBC made us aware of their concerns. These investigations are continuing."
He added: "The Army prosecuting authority has now directed that four individuals, who were the subject of allegations of which we were already aware and which we were investigating, should face trial by court martial."


Russell Sharp spoke in the BBC programme to one recruit who said of an instructor: "Yeah he beat me up... kicked me around. Punched me."
Despite examples of good practice, two recruits claimed they were forced to the ground, one with a rifle loaded and ready to fire.
One corporal is alleged to have urinated on a recruit's boot, and more than one young soldier said he was punched in the face by his instructor.
At the time the broadcast was aired, the then head of the British Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, said: "Robust training is what we're after - bullying is not acceptable."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7740560.stm

 

[Blackadder1916]

Army chief warns of officers on fiddle
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5213612.ece

Michael Smith From The Sunday Times November 23, 2008

The incoming head of the British Army has warned in a leaked document of widespread fraud by officers and soldiers fiddling allowances and pilfering.

Lieutenant-General Sir David Richards, who will take over as chief of the general staff in August, said troops had been caught exploiting a trust-based payments system by putting in bogus claims for expenses and allowances.

He accused some of his 94,000 men of reacting to the recession by using the system like “a cash machine”.

“I am becoming concerned over the prevalence of fraudulent behaviour as well as what I can at best describe as ‘sharp practice’ and at worst dishonesty,” he said in a letter to key commanders last week.

Previously all claims had to be signed by a senior officer but the joint personnel administration system (JPA) allows soldiers to put in claims via computer. They are checked randomly. “There are soldiers and even some officers who view JPA as a ‘cash machine’ and are processing fraudulent claims in the belief that if caught they will claim ignorance and hope to refund the monies with no further action,” Richards said.

“While this may be an acceptable excuse for a small number of our young soldiers as they develop competence on JPA, it is inexcusable for our commissioned, warrant and noncommissioned officers.”

A defence source said: “Every single sample they have looked at this year has turned up examples of fraud: journeys that never happened, entertainment that isn’t justified. Richards would not be getting involved if this wasn’t serious.”

Other sources said some soldiers and officers felt justified in padding their claims because when the £250m JPA system was introduced in April last year many soldiers and officers were badly underpaid.

Richards accused senior officers of misusing allowances for entertainment and education: “I am concerned about the abuse of allowances, in particular where individuals may not be in clear breach of the rules but are certainly in breach of the spirit or underlying intent.”

A former commander of international forces in Afghanistan, Richards is commander-in-chief UK land forces. He told all commanders to ensure that any claims were properly supervised “to protect the less virtuous from themselves”.

He added: “Petty pilfering of stationery and other commodities is another area that is not only a clear breach of our values and standards but an unnecessary drain on resources that could be better spent looking after our soldiers.” Members of the army are eligible for allowances ranging from £1.50 a day for staying in another barracks to £11,000 per child for boarding school fees if the parent is based abroad.

Officers above lieutenant-colonel are entitled to first-class travel and the use of expensive hotels. All claims must be justified and receipts must be kept for three years, but some like mileage allowance or travel do not require receipts. If a soldier or officer stays with a friend or relative instead of ina hotel, they can claim a “privately arranged rate” of £25 a night.

A senior officer said any soldier caught deliberately making false claims would be court-martialled and could face a dishonourable discharge.