IAN BRUCE,
Defence Correspondent
Glasgow Herald
26 August 2005
SCOTLAND'S infantry regiments are likely to end up with about half of the new recruits they need this year, the commander of the army's recruitment group admitted yesterday.
However, Brigadier Andrew Jackson denied that the planned formation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland to replace the six historic units which make up the Scottish Division was a factor.
"We have conducted extensive research among our target audience in the 17-18 age bracket and the restructuring of the infantry has not emerged as a deterrent to enlistment."
The brigadier added that "the local, tribal factor claimed by opponents of change has simply not manifested itself".
"I am not going to dispute the fact that we are not achieving our targets . . . We are, frankly, struggling. A fairly healthy economy offering relatively high-paid civilian jobs, an increasing uptake for higher education, and bad publicity about Iraq and Deepcut have all had an impact."
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He said parents "do not want their sons or daughters to risk being shot at in Basra or bullied at a training depot".
Figures obtained by The Herald under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that only 11 Scottish recruits left the infantry depot at Catterick, Yorkshire in June, compared to the usual average of more than 60. Only 114 recruits in total joined Scottish units in the first six months of the year, down between 50% and 60% on the previous two years.
Jeff Duncan, campaign manager for the Save the Scottish regiments organisation, disputed the brigardier's explanations. "The anecdotal evidence we have is that prospective volunteers are voting with their feet when they turn up at Black Watch or KOSB offices and are told that they cannot be guaranteed anything except a place in the new super-regiment."
He added: "I doubt it's down to an increase in the availability of college places. Most of the guys who want to join up would not be going to college in the first place."
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