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Army ‘five battalions short’ before new deployment
IAN BRUCE,
Defence Correspondent
Glasgow Herald
January 25 2006
THE army is heading for a frontline manpower shortage equivalent to five infantry battalions on the eve of a major new deployment to Afghanistan, according to a leaked internal document.
Despite the launch of a high-profile recruitment campaign, the latest forecast from the director of infantry predicts a shortfall of 2898 soldiers by June 2006, 676 down on the total at December 1 2005.
If there is any good news in the restricted headquarters document, it is that Scotland's six hard-pressed foot battalions have lost top billing as the worst-manned in the army.
That now belongs to the Welsh Guards, with a predicted deficit of 165, followed by the 2nd battalion Royal Welsh at minus 157. The Argylls come a close third at minus 139. Only one of 40 regiments, the Duke of Wellington's, has a predicted surplus, of just four men. Even the three battalions of the Parachute Regiment, the single biggest source of candidates for the SAS, will be short of 267 men by early summer.
The drop in strength comes as the Paras are facing the prospect of sending at least one battalion to Afghanistan and another on a new mission in support of special forces.
Despite bounties of £650 for soldiers who bring in a new recruit, and up to £6000 for experienced corporals and lance-corporals who choose to re-enlist within six months of leaving, the outlook remains bleak.
The figures, contained in the army's bi-monthly Infantry Battalion Soldier Strengths, predict a shortfall of 569 for Scotland's six units, 100 down on manning in December, and the equivalent of a full battalion. Overall, every battalion in the army will fall from an average deficit of 58 last October to a deficit of 75 by April.
A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "We are running recruitment adverts on television and elsewhere and hope to reverse the trend.
"We acknowledge that recruitment is not good, but it has not reached crisis proportions by any means. All commitments can be met and we are working to increase the intervals between operational tours."
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