ARmy Rumour SErvice

**brave-coward** · 30-06-2012, 21:13

I suspect that people will have seen the latest piece of speculative garbage, that nowadays passes as journalism, from the Telegraph. Battalions with foreign bias face axe in Army cuts - Telegraph According to his bio, the writer (Thomas Harding) used to be in the TA, so clearly he knows all about the Army from personal experience.

In summary, the article draws on the recent RUSI speeches and combines them with some healthy speculation (possibly gleaned from this website amongst other sources). According to Harding, QDG and SCOTS DG will amalgamate and 5 SCOTS will either go completely or "become a TA Bn". He also suggests that some of the other two Bn Inf Regiments will amalgamate. While SCOTS DG and QDG may well end up amalgamating (as might any other RAC regiments for that matter), I strongly suspect that that decision has not been made at this stage and that the actual details of any amalgamations will be even longer in coming than the results of the Carter Review that will just give us "the numbers". So I don't think that there is anything for Midnight, et al to worry about just yet, (just poor journalism)!

**Gassing_Badgers** · 30-06-2012, 22:32

Originally Posted by brave-coward

I'm not sure anyone would suggest that 1RTR dropped the CBRN ball/sandwich. They have done a magnificent job in a challenging and vital role, which while not being to everyone's taste is never the less vital (in my view). The government made the decision to delete the manoeuvre CBRN capability, which removed the requirement for 1RTR to fill that role. To my mind this decision (to delete the manoeuvre CBRN capability) was reckless and dangerous and will be one that we live to regret, a bit like deleting maritime reconnaissance (Nimrod).

But on the other hand and with my cynic's head on, both decisions will enable the welfare state to grind on for a little bit longer and no doubt someone else will be in power when we next need a manoeuvre CBRN capability to protect our forces and achieve our military aims or when we actually need to protect ourselves from foreign submarines...

I heard recently that A2020 had identified the need for a Land CBRN R&S capability - so expect to see some kind of u-turn coming to an Army near you soon...

**bokkatankie** · 30-06-2012, 22:51

Originally Posted by Gassing_Badgers

I heard recently that A2020 had identified the need for a Land CBRN R&S capability - so expect to see some kind of u-turn coming to an Army near you soon...

Great planning, how long has A2020 been gestating, or was it all just a ploy to make it easier to amalgamate 1 and 2nd.?

**LeoRoverman** · 30-06-2012, 23:03

Will historians bear me out when I say many regiments originated by rich walts who thought they'd look good in red coats and raised regiments at their own expense and purchased their own commissions?

**bokkatankie** · 30-06-2012, 23:06

Originally Posted by LeoRoverman

Will historians bear me out when I say many regiments originated by rich walts who thought they'd look good in red coats and raised regiments at their own expense and purchased their own commissions?

No, they won't.

**Bubbles_Barker** · 30-06-2012, 23:16

Originally Posted by Stonker

I was game on, until I realised that was an 'h' not a 'k', near the end there . .

You won't be laughing when your lot is the East of England Regiment or whatever drivel the Torygraph was spouting today.

Although I have to say the editorial piece was pretty good.........

**brave-coward** · 01-07-2012, 05:32

Originally Posted by Gassing_Badgers

I heard recently that A2020 had identified the need for a Land CBRN R&S capability - so expect to see some kind of u-turn coming to an Army near you soon...

That'll be expensive then! I can only assume that this capability will be at a much lower level, perhaps a CBRN Recce Tp within a regiment or an enhanced CRBN recce capability sitting within each of the BRR Sqns. Seems a long way off what 1RTR have been doing though.

**RifleButts** · 01-07-2012, 10:46

Well, according to The Sunday Times today, QDG have done a deal to save the 'Celtic connection', and as a result RDG and SCOTS DG are amalgamating. A new flavour every day!

**LeoRoverman** · 01-07-2012, 11:54

Originally Posted by bokkatankie

No, they won't.

So every regiment raised for the Napoleonic wars was raised at the expense of the treasury and Officers didn't buy their commissions?

**brave-coward** · 01-07-2012, 14:19

Originally Posted by RifleButts

Well, according to The Sunday Times today, QDG have done a deal to save the 'Celtic connection', and as a result RDG and SCOTS DG are amalgamating. A new flavour every day!

It astounds me that rampant speculation and unfounded rumour and counter-rumour passes for decent journalism nowadays. While I might expect this sort of emotional thrusting in the dark from the tabloids, I always liked to hope that the so called "quality broadsheets" might actually base their reporting on known facts rather than fill column inches with hearsay masquerading as known fact. I think that some of these journalists should be forced to attend military staff training, particularly the lesson that teaches the student that if there is nothing to say, don't say anything!

It does also make me doubt the accuracy of news reports that I read about subjects with which I am less familiar than the Army. Frankly if the Army related articles are so full of inaccuracy and speculation, I suspect that the same is true for those covering world events and anything else one can think of.