Young people went to war to change themselves and change the world. Over four long years, both the world and they have changed, but not at all in the way they expected.
The First World War was not an "adventure" or a "picnic" as the first volunteers thought, nor was it a "bloodletting" or " crusade", as the public proclaimed. She turned out to be greatest tragedy beginning of the 20th century.
Having emerged victorious from this conflict, the British tirelessly repeated: “never again” and tried with all their might to follow this principle, the political embodiment of which was largely the appeasement policy of the 1930s.
Ideals and religion are traditionally responsible for the moral well-being of soldiers. During the First World War, they failed to cope with the task assigned to them: the first was replaced by indifference and expectation of the end of the war, the second by mysticism and superstition.
Faith in God, or rather in his representatives on earth, was greatly undermined by the behavior of the Anglican clergy. Status did not automatically imply respect; it had to be earned, and not many chaplains were capable of this.
At the emotional level, soldier humor and fatalism perform a protective function. The first became increasingly black as the soldiers became more cynical. Both the worst and the most positive aspects of life were desperately ridiculed.
The soldiers knew how to rejoice in little things, parody the terrible, and sneer at the holy. Fatalism also characterizes a specific attitude towards existence in military conditions, but it rather reflects the perception not of the present, but of the future.
After spending some time on the front line, the soldiers stopped guessing which of the “decisive” battles would be the last, gradually ceasing to perceive the war as anthropogenic factor: all events, even the most insignificant ones, were attributed to fate.
When a “shield” built on three-level protection; cracked, a kind of “immunodeficiency” set in - a person could no longer withstand the horrors of war. This is how “shell shock” appeared.
It manifested itself either in the form of a sudden attack (hysteria), or as a result of prolonged nervous overstrain(neurasthenia). War neurosis was one of the many “discoveries” of the First World War.
Later he would receive recognition from both doctors and army authorities, but at that time he was considered a sign of weakness, and by everyone characters, including those with this diagnosis.
Here is a letter from Major Henry Granville, who talks about one of the battles at Ypres: “Suddenly the man who was lying next to me turned his head. And I saw his face - from his eyes to his chin. And I was shocked. There was no face. The guy pretended that he groaned from the noise, and looked at me questioningly with the expression “Did something happen?”
This is where the mention of the incident ends, but we know that after several attempts to stop the bleeding and reduce the pain with morphine, Granville was forced to kill his “trench partner” - he was suffering in mortal agony.
At the end of his letter, the major reflects, “We are just pawns,” and hints at the continuation of the story with the murdered man: “What I wrote is a sketch. It will take a week of tears to tell everything.”
The British Expeditionary Force itself was not a homogeneous structure. It changed over time and military activities. It is possible to trace four stages in the formation of the British Army, each of the “waves” that comprised it was distinguished by its own value system and attitude to war.
Regular troops perceived the war as work, territorial troops - as an opportunity to prove that they were no worse than the regular ones. Both of them were thrown into the millstones of war in 1914 - 1915 and died on the battlefields almost in full force.
They were replaced by the New Army: first, volunteers went to France, and conscripts followed them. Both were distinguished by civic morality, often much more highly educated and formed life attitudes.
They treated war first as an “adventure,” because it was a duty, and then as a fate, something inevitable, developing according to its own laws and independent of the will and actions of people.
The British Army was traditionally led into battle not just by officers, but by gentlemen who were expected to be role models for their subordinates.
In 1914-1918 The highest ranks of the army were unable to become such, since in most cases they turned out to be far from the soldiers, both geographically and emotionally.
The static First World War did not allow the commanders of the mobile Expeditionary Force to show their professionalism - like the headquarters of all participating countries, they were not ready for a positional conflict.
Therefore, the real example and source of courage were the less trained temporary officers - “civilian” officers for the “civilian” army. They shared with the soldiers not only the hardships of military life, but in many ways their attitude towards the war.
Another way to increase the chances of survival and adapt to war was to change the attitude towards the enemy. At first they hated him because that's what the propaganda taught.
The war showed that not everything is so categorical, and diluted the black and white palette of perception with gray tones (this was the main “color” Western Front).
The attitude towards the enemy, as well as towards the war in general, was distinguished by contrast: from hatred to pity and respect, but it was based on personal experience, losing the features of the stereotype. A “live and let live” system emerged: mutually beneficial truces at the front.
The war affected not only the direct participants, but the entire society as a whole. It changed not only the front, but also the rear, unfortunately, in different directions.
Former and current civilians could not and did not want to understand each other, which caused alienation, which gradually erected a barrier between them.
The war was the main topic of conversation during the holidays, they only talked about different war: soldiers were afraid to mention the real thing they saw, but civilians loved to talk about the fictitious one created by the press.
The former were irritated by the obsession of the civilian population, while the latter did not realize the full gravity of the conflict, often focusing on their own problems.
Over time, the attitude of soldiers towards the war itself changed. People went to it to stand up for the Righteous Cause; the feeling of belonging to something great caused delight.
Triumph gave way to doubt and disappointment (Somme), and then despair and indifference (Ypres). They fought because it was necessary, because there were friends at the front.
At the same time, the soldiers could not even imagine defeat or a compromise peace. They were ready to endure hardships so that their efforts would not be in vain. They learned to treat war as an everyday reality that they cannot change.
English photographer Tom Atkinson took a series of photographs in which he presented the full combat equipment of a British soldier: from 1066 to the present. In his photo project “Soldier's Equipment,” he accurately reproduced everything that soldiers took with them on the battlefield: from underwear to a helmet, from a prayer book and snuff box to a fitness tracker and Kevlar armor.
Year 1066, King's Bodyguard, Battle of Hastings.
“The Anglo-Saxon warrior at Hastings is perhaps not so different from the British Tommy in the trenches of the First World War,” says photographer Tom Atkinson. At the Battle of Hastings, the soldiers' choice of weapons was also extensive.
Year 1244, mounted knight, siege of Jerusalem.
A group of restorers, collectors, historians and soldiers helped the photographer collect the items needed for each photograph. “It was quite difficult to assemble a team knowledgeable people with the necessary equipment,” he says. “The resulting images are primarily a product of their knowledge and experience.”
Year 1415, combat archer, Battle of Agincourt.
Working on projects with the Wellcome Trust and the Museum natural history, Tom Atkinson focuses on what he describes as "the mythology around Britain's attitude to war."
Year 1485, heavily armed Yorkist horseman, Battle of Bosworth.
"There's a spoon in every photograph," Atkinson says. - It's great. The requirement for food and the way we consume it have not changed much in the last 1000 years. The same goes for warmth, water, protection and entertainment.”
Year 1588, militia soldier, Tilbury.
The similarities between the sets of equipment are striking, as are the differences. Notebooks have replaced iPods, but 18th-century bowls are virtually identical to modern cauldrons; games such as chess or cards occur with enviable regularity.
Year 1645, musketeer, Battle of Naseby.
Each set of equipment represents items used by a British soldier during iconic battles that took place over the past millennium.
Year 1709, private patrolman, Battle of Malplaquet.
Atkinson says the project, which took him nine months to complete, has been enlightening. “I've never been a soldier. Sometimes, looking at specific object, it is difficult to fully understand its purpose. But I would like the photo series to be primarily about people. Looking at all this gear different eras"I feel like we are actually the same beings with the same fundamental needs."
Year 1815, private, Battle of Waterloo.
The kit issued to soldiers who fought at the Battle of Waterloo included, among other things, a tin mug and a set of checkers.
Year 1854, private, rifle brigade, Battle of Alma.
Each photograph includes bandages, bladed weapons and other items necessary for survival, as well as things “for the soul” on which humanity rests: written paper, prayer books and Bibles.
Year 1916, private, Battle of the Somme.
Although the First World War was the first modern warfare, the equipment from the Battle of the Somme demonstrates how primitive it was. Along with a gas mask, the private was issued a “trench club” with spikes - almost identical to the medieval weapon.
Year 1944, corporal, parachute brigade, Battle of Arnhem.
Each photograph shows the world of a soldier, including protective equipment, provisions and more. Items can be divided into formal (issued by the quartermaster and armorer) and personal (watches, crucifixes, combs and shaving brushes).
Year 1982, Royal special forces Marine Corps, Falkland Islands War.
From the bulky armor of heavily armed Yorkist horsemen in 1485 to the heavy duffel bags at Port Stanley on the backs of the Royal Marines five centuries later, a look at the literal burdens of a soldier.
Year 2014, close support engineer, Royal Engineers, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
The evolution of the technologies presented in the series has occurred at incredible speed over the past century. The 1916 pocket watch has now been replaced by waterproof digital wrist fitness trackers, the manual action Lee-Enfield rifle has been replaced by a lightweight assault carbine with laser sights, and lightweight camouflaged Kevlar body armor has taken the place of khaki wool tunics.
Great Britain, one of the victorious countries in World War II, suffered a heavy defeat from a political point of view. 1945 was followed by a rapid collapse with the loss of almost all overseas territories, and the metropolis itself turned into a vassal of its former colony USA.
Most active participation in dismantling British Empire Washington accepted it. The country remains nuclear power and a permanent member of the Security Council, but its political weight not only on a global, even on a European scale is completely incomparable with what it was at least in the first half of the twentieth century. And Brexit won't change anything.
Britain's military power began to decline rapidly after the collapse of the USSR. The apotheosis was the “optimization” of the armed forces in 2010, in which aircraft that had just come off the production line were put under the knife, while others were sold to the United States for spare parts.
When forming defense budgets in the UK government they sacrifice equipment to preserve personnel. Most strong point The British army is trained military personnel, but now it has reached the point that for the first time in many years, Whitehall is proposing to reduce the number of combat units (“”).
At the beginning of the 90s, the British Armed Forces had 1,200 tanks, 3,200 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, about 700 artillery systems, and almost 850 combat aircraft.
Today the country's army has become greatly reduced.
Ground troops
Includes two divisions, 8 brigades and special forces. The 1st Division (headquarters in York) consists of the 4th, 7th, 11th, 38th, 42nd, 51st, 160th Infantry, and 102nd Transport Brigades. 3rd Division (Bulford, Wiltshire) includes 1st, 12th, 20th Motorized Infantry, 101st Transport Brigades. The 20th Motorized Infantry Brigade is stationed in Germany.
Separate brigades: Gurkhas, 16th Air Assault, 1st Artillery, 1st Reconnaissance, 8th Engineering, 1st, 11th Communications, 104th Transport.
The following military equipment is in service.
Tanks: 246 Challenger 2 (another 139 in storage). BRM: 294 "Simitar". BMP: 375 “Warrior” (another 107 in storage), 124 auxiliary - KShM, engineering, medical - vehicles based on it (175 in storage).
Armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles: 472 AFV432 (52 in storage), 245 Spartan (120 in storage), 15 Stormer, 106 Viking, 439 Mastiff, 217 Warthog, 152 Sultan.
self-propelled guns: 110 AS90 (20 in storage). Towed guns: 108 LG-118 (26 in storage), 4 FH70.
Mortars: 15 self-propelled on the AFV432 armored personnel carrier chassis.
MLRS: 28 MLRS (23 in storage).
SAM: 24 Rapiers, 42 Starstreaks on Stormer armored personnel carrier chassis (42 in storage).
MANPADS: 145 "Starstreak".
Aircraft: 16 BN-2. Helicopters: 52 Apache (15 in storage), 21 Lynx AN9 (53 AN7 in storage), 30 Gazelle (68 in storage), 5 Bell-212, 6 AS365N3, 10 AW159 Wildcat AN1 , 34 AS350 Squirrell (2 in storage).
Air Force
Organizationally they consist of the 1st (combat), 2nd (combat support), 22nd (training), 38th (technical support) and 83rd (expeditionary) groups.
The main combat aircraft is the Typhoon, produced in cooperation with Germany, Italy and Spain. Initially, the British Air Force planned to purchase 250 vehicles, then plans were reduced to 232, and eventually to 160. Currently, 123 Typhoons are in service (including 21 combat training ones), and another 16 are in storage.
57 Tornado GR4 fighter-bombers remain in the Air Force (58 Tornado GR and 12 F3 interceptors are in storage, but 53 and 9 of them, respectively, are assigned to spare parts or are already being dismantled), their number is gradually decreasing. In addition, up to 68 Jaguar attack aircraft are in storage.
Auxiliary vehicles: AWACS aircraft - 6 E-3 Sentry (1 in storage), RER - 2 RC-135W (there will be 1 more), reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft - 5 Sentinel-R1, 5 Shadow-R1, 3 BN-2, transport aircraft and tankers - 8 C-17, 11 A400M Atlas C1, 5 KS2 and 6 KS3 Voyager, 6 Bae146, 24 C-130 Hercules (7 in storage), 1 Beach B300 ", in addition 6 Tristar, 7 VC-10, 4 Bae125 in storage. Training aircraft: 89 Hawk (54 in storage), 42 Tucano (64 in storage), 62 Vigilant (4 in storage), 48 Viking (35 in storage), 114 Tutor, 7 " Beach B200".
Helicopters: 60 Chinook, 23 Puma NS2, 1 AW109, 5 A-109E (3 A-109A in storage), 14 Bell-412 Griffin. There are 19 Sea King helicopters in storage.
Combat UAVs: 10 MQ-9 Reaper.
Royal Navy
The British fleet has not ruled the seas for a long time (even those adjacent to British Isles). But it is in the Navy that the entire nuclear power of the country is concentrated. These are 4 Vanguard-class SSBNs with Trident-2 SLBMs (formally 16 on each, but in fact there are only 58 missiles). Albion – the only country in the world, which officially announced the size of its nuclear arsenal: 160 deployed and 65 non-deployed warheads for the specified 58 SLBMs. IN the country is coming active discussion about what to replace Vanguards with and whether it is worth doing it at all.
The Astute-class multi-purpose submarines are entering service with the British Navy. The Navy has 3 such boats, 3 more are under construction, 1 has been ordered. 4 Trafalgar-class submarines remain in service. Derived from combat personnel 4 SSBNs "Resolution", 3 SSNs "Trafalgar", 6 SSNs "Swiftshur" and 5 SSNs of old types (Dreadnought, 2 each "Valiant" and "Churchill"). The Navy command announced a competition for the cheapest option for their disposal.
2 Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers are being built, which will become the largest ships in the history of the British Navy. It is planned to purchase 138 American F-35B VTOL aircraft for them, while only 3 such aircraft have been purchased so far.
The British fleet in Lately 6 newest Daring-class destroyers were introduced. In addition, the Bristol ship of the same class is used as a training ship.
The Navy operates 13 Norfolk-class frigates. In the indefinite future, it is planned to replace them with the same number of new Project 26, but for now the program is being discussed. There are 4 patrol ship type "River", it is known that 2 more will be built. There are 15 minesweepers: 8 "Hunt", 7 "Sandown" (plus 1 training ship of both types).
With an overall significant reduction in the British fleet over the past two decades, its amphibious capabilities have increased. It is armed with 1 UDC "Ocean" (today it is the largest ship of the British Navy), 2 DVKD of the "Albion" type, 3 DTD of the "Bay" type. TDC "Sir Tristram" is used as a training ship. The Marine Corps consists of groups: 5 battalion (united into the 3rd brigade), protection of naval facilities, 1st air assault, special forces plus support units.
The naval aviation includes training aircraft: 12 Hawk T.1, 4 Avenger, 5 Tutor. Helicopters: 55 Merlin (14 in storage), 9 Sea King (73 in storage), 2 AS365N2, 11 Lynx NMA8 (44 in storage), 36 AW159 Wildcat (12 in storage).
Overall, Britain's military capabilities have declined significantly in recent years, and the process continues. However, as is the case with other NATO countries, Albion is not threatened by external aggression. The interventionist capabilities of the British Armed Forces are still sufficient to participate in collective police and peacekeeping operations in alliance with the United States and/or European countries under UN, NATO and EU mandates. At the same time, the level of combat training of personnel is higher than in any other European army; now this is precisely the strongest side of the British Armed Forces.
Just like everyone else Western countries, in military expenditures the share of funds for the maintenance of personnel is exaggeratedly large, otherwise only Gurkhas (citizens of Nepal) will serve the crown.
There remain two operating US airbases in the UK - Lakenheath and Middledenhall. The first is home to the 48th Fighter Wing (about 50 F-15C/D/E aircraft), the second is home to the 100th Air Refueling Wing and the 352nd Group special operations(KS-135 tankers, RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, MS-130R/N special forces aircraft). There are no US nuclear weapons on British soil.
Soldier's Pocket Book(A Soldier's Pocket Book) is a reference book under the cover of which the authors, Major John Hobbies Harris and his co-author and illustrator Rupert Godesen, have collected advice for a British infantryman at the level of a private sergeant. The book has been published since 1989, then under the name “Volunteer’s Pocket Book,” and has since gone through nine reprints, the most recent on this moment— in 2018, after the author’s death.
Editor’s note: with this article we open a series of translations of the text “ Soldier's pocket book» british army, as revised in 2015. We will try to translate and publish not selected moments, but everything from cover to cover, so that the reader can appreciate the entire amount of work done to help Her Majesty’s army, and because there is no other way - in isolation from the context, the teachings and instructions of the generals of the British army can look like “sofa” articles that your Internets are full of.
The book, with which a private begins to get acquainted with the difficult life of a soldier, begins with a slightly pretentious introduction about why it is cool to be an Englishman, and even cooler - a soldier in the British Army.
Soldiers Pocket Book - a pocket book of a British army soldier
What is this book about?
The Soldier's Pocket Book is dedicated to keeping us at the peak of our readiness, it is not intended to replace young fighter course, but it resembles the basics of skills that, without constant practice, weaken and wither. This book is a pocket-sized guide to shooting, first aid, personal safety, transportation, weapons, and much more. What is the effective range of a heavy machine gun? Why do we wear berets?
A military career begins with a strong foundation that helps recruits endure challenging, realistic, and stressful environments. Nothing can replace knowledgeable mentors, and you cannot learn the friendship and loyalty that binds colleagues together from an A6 book. But you can consult this book as you progress through your service.
British soldier
British soldier- a volunteer who chose to serve in the British Army, continuing a long tradition of loyalty to the Crown. He/she agrees to serve Her Majesty the Queen and her appointed officers.
The well-deserved reputation for excellence that the British Army enjoys around the world has grown from primary education, personal qualities developed by training, and the further training that accompanies all military career. Confidence and self-esteem flourish through opportunity.
All three types of troops ( Navy, Air Force and Ground Forces - approx. translation) have a significant historical legacy, consisting of military achievements of units and manifestations of personal valor, which shapes traditions, morals and professionalism.
Outward Armed Forces the desire for tradition is increasingly perceived as old-fashioned and unnecessary; we are moving along the path of breathtaking achievements of progress that make our lives faster, easier, more enjoyable, less dirty, but not necessarily more fulfilling and wealthy.
However, we owe it to our predecessors to respect the traditions of our units with honor. We can do this by being fit, trained, motivated, capable soldiers, sailors and airmen, on active duty and in the reserves, rising in rank and passing on our experience to the youth who follow us, who will take up the legacy passed on to them.
Durability
Events very rarely go according to plan, so to cope with the vicissitudes of fate, we develop a practical, resilient and strong outlook on life.
Although through no fault of ours we are no longer as strong and resilient as our predecessors, life is becoming easier and easier, we expect everything at once, and whine if this does not happen. We have forgotten how to be patient and complain because some guy on TV told us that we are “victims” of something wrong. Unfortunately, our opponents, as it turns out, are still as strong and resilient as they were.
Respect
Much is gradually changing for the worse in our society, there is less and less respect for everything, including the law. We believe that we can do whatever we want, throw garbage on the street that someone else will pick up, evade taxes, we expect everything at once, for free and forever.
The Armed Forces are an island of discipline and order, which few people understand outside of them. It is no coincidence that people remember the old days of compulsory conscription as a golden time of disciplined youth.
To ensure the Army's future combat readiness, it is necessary to maintain a high level of training and discipline. As soldiers, we perform a special role in society, we are part of society, we come from it, we live among the rest of the population. But in war we don’t have ordinary jobs, we are constantly required to do extraordinary things, and then deal with it ourselves and integrate back into society. Retired soldiers are noticeable for their calmness in tense moments and their lack of tendency to make a big deal out of a mountain. Being able to rely on our comrades is part of our confidence. And we are obliged to preserve and increase this integral basis of mutual trust.
Army Principles and Standards
- Dedication: Value others before yourself.
- Courage: in the face of the enemy and in the drop hatch, and the moral courage to do what needs to be done.
- Discipline: present high requirements to yourself so that others can rely on you.
- Unity: earn the respect and trust of your comrades.
- Loyalty: to be faithful to comrades and duty.
- Respect for others: Always treat others with dignity.
Military oath of allegiance in the British Army
“I (soldier's name) swear by God Almighty that I will be faithful and maintain allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her heirs and successors and that I will, as duty dictates, honestly and faithfully defend Her Majesty, Her heirs and successors from all enemies, and I will observe and carry out all the orders of Her Majesty, Her heirs and successors, and the generals and officers placed over me.”
How did the British Army come to its current form? From 1645 onwards new Army era of the wars on terrorism - here it is in a few pages.
Beginning of the British Army
In 1645, a new type of army was created by Parliament during Civil War. For the first time in British military history, soldiers were professionals rather than militias called out when necessary.
Era of the Napoleonic Wars
IN Napoleonic wars ah, the British army has achieved unprecedented development. In 1793, Britain had a professional army of 40,000 men - by 1813, on the eve of Napoleon's defeat, the number had reached 250,000.
During these wars, the Fusiliers - made famous in Bernard Cornwell's Richard Sharpe novels - were formed to fight in small units to harass large French formations and hunt French officers, a tactic regarded as "fucking ungentlemanly" by most of the military.
The Strelkov traditions are continued by modern ones rifle battalions, tracing their ancestry from the ancestors of the Napoleonic era.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The reason why British soldiers wore red coats on the battlefield had to do with the concept of camouflage at the time. It may sound ridiculous now, but it was discovered that from a distance a group of soldiers in red was more difficult to count because they merged into a single blur, misleading enemy observers.
Colonial rule
During the reign of Queen Victoria, with the advent of breech-loading rifles, soldiers had the opportunity to take cover rather than simply expose themselves to fire while standing in formation.
The British Army eventually adopted khaki uniforms during the Boer War, as red coats made soldiers easy targets for the Boer light troops called Commandos. This is where the name “commando” came from for shock units in direct contact with the enemy.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Officers in the British Army purchased a patent for the rank of officer for money until 1871.
World War I
First World War put an end to the military tactics developed in the eighteenth century and the gentlemanly behavior of previous centuries. The British army faced an industrial rival against an equal enemy - the colonial supremacy of the Victorian era was over.
On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the British army lost 60,000 men. The soldiers were ordered to go straight to the enemy - out of fear that retreat would lead to a collapse of discipline.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
During the Battle of the Somme, General Rawlinson held in reserve a regiment of Spearmen - a unit more at home on the fields of Waterloo than the swamps of the Somme - in the romantic hope of using them to break through the German front line.
Bloody massacre new war meant that tactics had changed dramatically. Towards the end of the war, artillery began to be used together with infantry in the offensive, suppressing pockets of enemy resistance, implementing what was called a “barrage of fire.” More authority for non-commissioned officers to use their initiative during combat meant that the pace of combat quickened, with opportunities being immediately seized rather than waiting for approval from officers.
Tanks were first used at the Battle of Flers in September 1916 as a way to break the stalemate of trench warfare.
By 1918, the high command realized the benefits sharing artillery, infantry and armored vehicles. By 1939, the pace of the war had changed irreversibly.
The Second World War
The horrors of trench warfare were profound psychological impact. Both sides in World War II sought to avoid similar clashes of attrition.
German campaign " lightning war" in Poland, the Benelux countries and France in 1939-1940 was the birth of a new approach to warfare in which speed was as important as technology. Gone forever are the days of huge armies amassing for weeks to storm a single square. Armored fists at the cutting edge and airborne assaults led to a constant game of catch-up.
Assault troops became the trump card in this war of speed, and the British Army tried to stay in line with the changes. Regiments such as the SAS, Paratroopers and Commandos were formed with the intention of bringing the battle closer to the enemy - or, in Churchill's words, "starting a fire in Europe."
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Operation Vegetable Garden, depicted in the film A Bridge Too Far, is the largest airborne operation in history, involving 41,628 paratroopers and glider crews.
Cold War
After 1945, Britain became a major member of NATO, and so the British Army faced the prospect of involvement in the Cold War should it heat up.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The Korean War (1950-1953), considered forgotten, cost the lives of 1,109 British soldiers and officers.
However, the 1957 doctrine and the advent of nuclear weapons meant that the size of the army could not be maintained as before. The merger of units was an attempt to reduce military costs.
The War on Terror - Present and Future
The events of the year irreversibly changed the orientation of the British army. The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq marked the end of wars in which the enemy was easily identifiable.
The days of wars in which armies met in battle were numbered.
Even in this time of cuts and uncertainty, the British Army remains without doubt one of the most professional armies in the world. It has traditions that we are rightfully proud of, and soldiers who serve in top level, thereby guaranteeing the preservation of our values, customs and fighting capacity.
British Army Traditions - Regimental Structure
In the British Army, regimental level formations are treated as standing formations. Everything above this level, division and battle groups, are put into effect in accordance with the requirements of the situation. For example, when 16 Air Assault Brigade was deployed to Afghanistan, it included two battalions from the Parachute Regiment, two battalions from the Royal Scots Regiment, the 16th Medical Regiment, the 23rd Engineers and the Royal Irish Regiment.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Did you know? The oldest regiment remaining in service is the Honorable Artillery Company, formed in 1537.
Did you know? Until the 18th century, regiments were usually named after the officer commanding them. To avoid confusion when commanders were appointed and left within a short period of time, regimental numbering was introduced in 1751.
Why do regiments have banners?
In the heat of battle, the regiment's banner can be seen on command posts. The banner is lined with military merit badges and serves as a symbol of unit pride. Banners are protected to the last drop of blood, since their loss is a personal insult to the monarch. Lieutenant T. Melville fought bravely, even losing one arm, while defending the king's colors at the Battle of Isandlwana in 1879 while surrounded by the Zulu.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The rank of Color Sergeant was introduced during the Napoleonic Wars to reward the Color Bearers who guarded the Color for their bravery and loyalty.
Why do soldiers wear berets?
The beret first appeared in the British Army in 1918. The British Tank Corps trained alongside the French 70th Mountain Rifles, who wore large, distinctive berets. Major General Hugh Elles, first commander tank corps, saw the prospect of wearing a beret in cramped conditions inside tanks. More compact "British" berets were sent for Her Majesty's approval in 1923, and were approved in 1924.
Berets unite members of the same regiment as distinctive sign and develop a sense of pride in the unit in which soldiers serve.
During World War II, many regiments wore berets as a way to show the enemy who was in front of them. The expression “red devils,” for example, comes from the phrase of the Germans who encountered paratroopers in maroon berets.
Berets are usually worn tilted to the right. The reason for this is the desire to free the wearer’s shoulder for attaching a weapon. This style dates back to the time when the Lee-Enfield rifle was still in service, and not the SA-80 bullpup.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
There are no official guidelines for shaping or angling the beret. The manner of wearing is determined by individual preferences and regimental customs.
The British Army has always changed, responding to the threats facing the nation, adapting to the theaters of war, and this continues to this day, extending this flexibility to reserve forces.
British Army ranks and insignia
Rank |
Title (in original) |
Title (translated) |
Rank insignia |
Privates |
Private | Private | without signs |
| Lance Corporal | Lance Corporal |  |
|
| Corporal | Corporal |  |
|
Sergeants |
Sergeant | Sergeant |  |
| Staff Sergeant | Staff Sergeant |  |
|
Warrant Officers |
Warrant Officer Class 2 | Warrant Officer Second Class |  |
| Warrant Officer Class 1 | Warrant Officer First Class | ||
Cadets |
Officer Cadet | Officer school cadet | without signs |
Junior officers |
Second Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant |  |
| Lieutenant | Lieutenant |  |
|
| Captain | Captain |  |
|
Senior officers |
Major | Major |  |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Lieutenant colonel |  |
|
| Colonel | Colonel |  |
|
| Brigadier | Brigadier |  |
|
Generals |
Major-General | Major General |  |
| Lieutenant-General | Lieutenant General |  |
|
| General | General |  |
|
Marshals |
Field Marshal | Field Marshal |  |
The British Army occupies a special place in NATO. First of all, due to the high political activity this country in the international arena. The British armed forces have taken part in almost every major armed conflict on the planet since 1945. And the rich imperial past to this day positions the Royal Navy as second in the world, after the American. At one time, up to 2/3 of the British Army was placed under Alliance command. However, significant changes have occurred in the UK over the past time. They also affected its armed forces.
Formally, at the moment, the total strength of the British army, including aviation and navy, is about 200 thousand people: including 113 thousand in ground forces oh, 52 thousand in the air force and 43 thousand people in navy. However, the country is currently conducting a large-scale military reform, the attitude towards which is ambiguous even among the British themselves. Back in the early 90s of the twentieth century, the British Armed Forces had 1.2 thousand tanks, 3.2 thousand armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 700 artillery systems and almost 850 combat aircraft. But the optimization of the composition and cost of maintaining the British army, which began in 2010, has fundamentally reduced these numbers.
In November 2010, the UK published a new strategy national security. The set of documents bears the unifying name " Britain Strong in an Age of Uncertainty". It formulates the main future threats that the country will face for the period until 2020 - 2030. The main message is the idea that after the collapse of the USSR, the likelihood of any " great war" completely disappeared. In connection with this, 16 other threats took first place, among which the first degree of significance includes: international terrorism, cyber attacks, national-level disasters, natural threats, pandemics and crises in international relations.
The last point is the most curious, since, at first glance, it directly contradicts the original basic message of the document. However, the entire national security strategy is presented in the newfangled style of streamlined, outwardly loud, but internally rather meaningless formulations. They are designed to clearly exaggerate the real meaning of the concepts involved. For example, a crisis in international relations actually means only a low-intensity local military conflict in which Great Britain will take part only as part of a coalition force. The main regions in which the use of British military force the band from West Africa to Southeast Asia. The main type of enemy is non-state paramilitary forces. Advanced industrial developed country, which has a modern high-tech army, is not even considered theoretically as an enemy. Therefore, and military construction is carried out in accordance with ideas about the composition and nature of future threats.
British Army Lieutenant General Nick Carter
Based on the mentioned national security strategy, two fundamental documents were developed that became the basis for further military development in the country: “On Strategic Defense and Security” and the Armed Forces Reform Plan “Army 2020”, authored by Lieutenant General Nick Carter. Formally, at the moment, “Army 2020” is still only at the stage of discussion in the national parliament, but events have already begun in the country that are suspiciously similar in composition and nature to what General Carter presented to the House of Lords. Therefore, the program will be accepted and the prospects of the British armed forces should be further assessed on its basis.
British Land Forces
Since November 1, 2011, the following structure of Higher Education has been in effect in the UK: command staff Ground Forces. Chapter General Staff (Chief of the General Staff or CGS for short) commands the Army Headquarters located in the city of Andover. His responsibilities include military planning in peacetime and wartime. Commander of the Ground Forces (Commander Land Forces) exercises direct command of all UK ground forces, including helicopter units and the reservist component. The organization of interaction between them, as well as with the Ministry of Defense of the country, is entrusted to the Adjutant General ( Assistant Chief of the General Staff). This is not a title, this is a position. The Commander for Training and Development of the Armed Forces ( Commander Force Development and Training).According to the highest military and political leadership UK, such a structure should improve feedback and mutual understanding with the Ministry of Defense, as well as other government agencies. It is believed to be more effective and less costly in the current geopolitical and economic conditions.
According to the Army 2020 plan, all UK ground units are reduced to two basic components: high intensity parts ( Reaction Division) and adaptive parts ( Adaptive Division).
High intensity parts include:
The 1st Armored Division, which forms the basis of the so-called British Army of the Rhine, is stationed in Germany with headquarters in the city of Herford. Officially, the division includes the 7th and 20th Armored Brigades, the 4th, 6th, 11th and 12th Infantry, the 1st Artillery Brigade, the 39th Royal Artillery Regiment and the 22nd Regiment communications. The BRA was once the backbone of NATO's entire Northern Group of Forces in Europe, but those days are long gone. IN currently the division has 70 - 75% of its regular strength in personnel and no more than 80% in standard equipment. Although it is still in Europe, half of its current strength (in total the 1st BTC numbers 20 thousand people) will be returned to the metropolis by the end of 2015, and the entire division will return to the Islands by 2020. As the British Prime Minister said, more than 65 years have passed since the war in Europe, Cold War ended more than 20 years ago, and there is “no need to keep expensive troops in Germany.”
Commander of the 7th Armored Brigade, Brigadier James Woodham
3rd Division (3rd Division) consisting of: 1st, 4th and 12th mechanized brigades, as well as the 19th “light” brigade). Today it is the most combat-ready and equipped unit in the British Army.
The 16th Air Assault Brigade, despite its name, consists of: the 5th Airborne and the 24th air brigade. The brigade was created in 1999 in accordance with the program of reorganization of ground units in order to obtain the most highly mobile instrument. Its specialty is the landing of light infantry in the form airborne assaults with the support of helicopter units. The brigade's staff size is 8 thousand people.
Burgundy beret - distinguishing feature British paratroopers
3rd Marine Brigade (up to 3 thousand commandos) consisting of: 40th, 42nd, 45th Marine Battalions, 1st Battalion of the Infantry Regiment, 43rd Anti-Sabotage Marine Battalion, 29th Artillery regiment (two L115 howitzer batteries), 24th Engineer Regiment, and logistics support regiment.
In the future, from the two divisions, one will be formed, of some unified composition, including three “standard” mechanized brigades. Why the British focus on “standard” will be discussed below. For now, it is worth noting that a standard brigade should consist of two motorized infantry battalions (approximately 400 - 460 people each on modernized Warrior infantry fighting vehicles), tank regiment(approximately 600 people, 56 Challenger II MBTs), a medium reconnaissance regiment (about 500 people on the promising Scout SV armored personnel carriers) and a mobile motorized infantry regiment (about 700 people on the promising FRES UV armored personnel carriers). The division includes separate artillery and engineering regiments, as well as a logistics support regiment. The artillery regiment (769 people) consists of a command and headquarters, a headquarters battery, two batteries of 155-mm M109 howitzers with 6 guns each, and an anti-tank battery (30 Swingfire ATGM launchers). In fact, this unit is only called a regiment. In terms of armament, it is simply an artillery battalion, reinforced by a company of anti-tank weapons, according to old Soviet standards.
True to its name, high intensity parts are designed to " rapid response to global threats" and conducting "high-intensity" combat operations. Total number this component is approximately 55 thousand soldiers, sergeants and officers.
Royal Irish Regiment in Iraq
The adaptive units include seven infantry brigades stationed throughout the UK. In the future, these brigades are also expected to lead to " standard view"composed of: 2 - 4 infantry battalions on light armored vehicles and MRAP-type vehicles, as well as several (up to 3) "light cavalry" or armored reconnaissance squadrons on light wheeled armored vehicles. But this point raises great doubts due to the specifics of the organization and traditions British army.
The adaptive units will include the Territorial Army and reservists. It is expected that as a result of the reforms, some of the regular military personnel will be fired and replaced by reservists, whose number is expected to increase to 30 thousand people. True, it is not yet clear how London intends to resolve the issue with employers who are not too ready to let employees serve in the Army Reserve, since the period of absence of an employee from the workplace can reach one year. Again, there is a problem with the quality of reservists. According to reviews from the UK Ministry of Defense, at the moment only 1 out of 19 reservists is able to serve in army conditions. The military expresses hope that by 2020 - 2025 London will be able to achieve a level “at least as in National Guard USA", where every tenth reservist is capable of serving in the army. But whether this can be achieved is a big question.
British reservists
The task of adaptive units is to conduct counterinsurgency and soft power operations.
It is not entirely clear future status Unified Helicopter Command. Formally, it includes the above-mentioned 16th Air Assault Brigade, the Troop Support Helicopter Command (two regiments of AH-64 Apache attack helicopters) and helicopter units abroad. Organizationally, the UWC is part of the Ground Forces, but the 16th Airborne Brigade belongs to the Reaction Division, and the remaining units are part of the Adaptiv Division.
Also not mentioned in the documents is the 17th Gurkha Brigade (formerly the 17th Gurkha Infantry Division), consisting of a training company and five infantry battalions, a signal regiment and a motor vehicle regiment. It is only known that after the transfer of Hong Kong to China, the Gurkha brigade stationed there was transferred to Great Britain. Its number was reduced to 2.5 thousand people. Of the five battalions, two remained; the supply units were also severely cut. But where the brigade was deployed next is currently unknown. It is logical to assume its use as part of adaptive parts.
Her Majesty's Gurkhas as part of the British expeditionary force in Afghanistan, Gilnd Province
Ensuring the combat operations of both components will be carried out by the Unified Command of Support and Logistics Support (Forse Troop And Logistics Support), which is subordinate to up to eight different brigades: artillery, reconnaissance, engineering, medical, communications (two) and logistics support (also two).
No less mysterious is further fate separate regiments of British artillery. At the moment there are 10 of them, having different composition, different weapons and differing in numbers. It is assumed that they will be consolidated into a new artillery brigade and subordinated to Forse Troop And Logistics Support. But for now, we can more or less confidently talk about the preservation in the future of only three artillery regiments, transferred to new unified states: three batteries of six 155-mm AS-90 self-propelled guns, one M270 MLRS MLRS battery and two platoons of Exactor Mk2 missile systems. It is expected that such a structure will provide the ability to solve fire missions at ranges of up to 300 km. Starting from 45 km and further, targets are hit by MLRS with conventional and special long-range missiles, and up to 25 - 30 km, they are covered by cannon artillery and missile systems Exactor.
British Army Palace Cavalry
A separate difficulty of the British army is its traditions.