Anniversary: D-Day Heroes, 70 years later

The full story of Teesside D-Day hero Stan Hollis - Gazette Live

One of the first things Company Sergeant Major Stan Hollis recalled seeing on D-Day as he dashed onto Gold Beach on the Normandy coast was three tiny birds sitting on a roll of barbed wire.

The soldier next to him, looking up at the smoky, propeller-filled sky above, made a joke. ‘No bloody wonder they are there Sergeant Major, there’s no room in the air for them!’.

A few minutes later that same man was torn apart by an exploding mine. He was gone – the birds remained.

It is difficult to know what makes a hero. But the stark violence inflicted on an innocent man must have lit Stan’s touch paper and moments after that sight, Stan Hollis became one.

His heroic actions that day made him the only man among D Day’s 150,000-strong invasion to be awarded the Victoria Cross – the highest military medal given for valour in the face of enemy fire.

Twice he charged at the enemy single-handed, dodging bullets to save his men in what looked liked certain death missions.

Surprise!

A birth in a warzone, unexpectedly.

A British soldier who did not realize she was pregnant has given birth to a baby boy at the Camp Bastion field hospital in Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) in London said mother and baby were in stable condition and a specialist "Paediatric Retrieval Team" would fly out from Britain to care for them during the long flight home.
"It is not military policy to allow servicewomen to deploy on operations if they are pregnant. In this instance, the MOD was unaware of her pregnancy," the ministry said.
The Daily Mail newspaper, which first reported on the birth, said the woman herself was unaware of the pregnancy.
The Mail said the Royal Artillery gunner had conceived before her six-month stint in Afghanistan began. Her pre-deployment training included an eight mile march and five mile run. Her job in the field involved providing covering fire for troops fighting insurgents.
She was taken to the field hospital after complaining of stomach pains and was informed by doctors that she was about to give birth, the Mail said, citing military sources.

By: Brant

More info on the UK restructuring

Just how much will the Brits cut uniforms and swap in contractors?

Whole regiments could be axed or merged, and infantry battalions and armoured units disappear as the army faces its biggest shakeup since the end of the cold war, Philip Hammond, the defence secretary, will say on Thursday.

The army will be cut from 102,000 to 82,000 by the year 2020 and will have to rely more on reserves and private contractors, he is expected to say.

But it will continue to provide the "teeth" in future military operations as Britain's European allies provide the logistics backup, Hammond will say at a London conference on land warfare run by the Royal United Services Institute thinktank.

Defence officials emphasised that more functions of the army would be "outsourced" – potentially to include more training and logistics as well as backup security work.

Restructuring the British army will "rethink the way we deliver every aspect of military effect in order to maximise capability at the front line". In future, he will say, the army must be "thinking innovatively about how combat service support is provided. Using more systematically the skills available in the reserve and from our contractors. Working closely with partners to operate logistics more rationally through [Nato] alliance structures. Looking to others to provide the tail, where Britain is concentrating on providing the teeth".

Hammond will stress the importance of the regimental tradition – "maintaining the ethos, traditions and connections that are part of what makes the British army so effective – particularly, a regimental system and regionally focused recruiting", he will say. But he is expected to emphasise the point that a regular army of 82,000 will have a very different structure to one of 102,000. "Some units inevitably will be lost or will merge," the defence secretary will warn.

Hammond will say there is "no question of abandoning the regimental system... that does not mean that we can avoid difficult decisions as the army gets smaller." History and heritage deliver "tangible military benefits in the modern British army".

By: Brant

A Sneak Peek At British Army Restructuring?

While much of the article concerns integration of contractors and reserves into service support, the notes at the end about maneuver forces are interesting.

Most of the significant changes at the unit level would occur between 2014 and 2016, he said.

Reaction forces would provide an assault brigade equipped with attack helicopters. There will be three armored infantry brigades equipped with medium and heavy vehicles, including the Challenger tank.

In addition, there will be seven infantry brigades of various sizes made up of paired regular and reserve forces. These will be particularly suited to U.K. or enduring operations such as the Falkland Islands and Cyprus.

Force groups involving artillery, engineering, intelligence and logistics would provide maneuver support and logistics, Wall said.

By: Brant

Where Do The Brits Go From Here?

There's a lot of angst about the future of the British army, which the Economist sums up in a recent article.

His review starts from the premise that whatever the tactical successes of the British army in Iraq and Afghanistan, those campaigns have not worked out well overall. It also makes a number of other assumptions. The first is that the next few years will be dominated by “getting off the Afghan hamster wheel”—extracting men and equipment from Afghanistan in good order and deciding which bits of kit to keep and which to leave behind. The second is that by 2020, after troops have come home from Germany, the army will be almost entirely based in Britain for the first time in generations. The third is that the army must move to a “contingency” posture rather than a campaigning one, putting the onus on adaptability.

It looks as if one of the ideas in the SDSR—that there should be five essentially identical multi-role brigades—will be quietly junked in favour of “tailoring the force for the challenge” around two light and two heavy brigades which will draw on other resources as needed. Although a good deal of the army’s heavy armour and artillery will be mothballed or scrapped, investment in tactical-level networking—a key lesson from Afghanistan—will be given priority. Where deep cuts are made, the emphasis will be on preserving institutional readiness by retaining just enough skills, expertise and equipment to regenerate capabilities quickly.

General Carter’s review is also putting a lot of emphasis on “upstream” conflict prevention and capacity-building. The army already carries out training missions in bits of the Middle East and Africa, but the idea is to go much further, with around 3,000 of its people actively engaged around the world. As well as making future wars less likely, Sir Peter hopes that this will attract bright and culturally sensitive people to an army career. And if the army is called upon to fight in far-flung places, the hope is that it will know more about them than it did when it pitched up in Basra or Helmand.

By: Brant

Monday Video: Brits in Iraq

Get your week started with a serious rock/video BANG!



By: Brant

UK In Action: TESEX at BATUS

A Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank is pictured on exercise with the Army in Canada. Units from 12 Mechanized Brigade have been training at the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) on the prairies of Canada for the past three months in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan in early 2012. The exercise includes a live fire stage featuring multi-purpose machine guns, heavy artillery AS90 guns, Challenger 2 tanks and Warrior armoured vehicles, before switching to a Tactical Engagement Simulator Exercise (TESEX), which involves no live ammunition and aims to further develop the skills learnt during the live fire stage in a safe environment. The soldiers use the state-of-the-art computer-backed system where their weapons and vehicles are fitted with the laser-quest-style system to record every detail of an attack, showing simulated injuries from gunfire, shrapnel or mortar attack during a mission.

A Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle thunders across the prairies of Canada during a training exercise. Units from 12 Mechanized Brigade have been training at the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) on the prairies of Canada for the past three months in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan in early 2012. The exercise includes a live fire stage featuring multi-purpose machine guns, heavy artillery AS90 guns, Challenger 2 tanks and Warrior armoured vehicles, before switching to a Tactical Engagement Simulator Exercise (TESEX), which involves no live ammunition and aims to further develop the skills learnt during the live fire stage in a safe environment. The soldiers use the state-of-the-art computer-backed system where their weapons and vehicles are fitted with the laser-quest-style system to record every detail of an attack, showing simulated injuries from gunfire, shrapnel or mortar attack during a mission.

A soldier with the 12th Mechanized Brigade is pictured during an exercise at the British Army Training Suffield facility (BATUS) in Canada. Units from 12 Mechanized Brigade have been training at BATUS on the prairies of Canada for the past three months in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan in early 2012. The exercise includes a live fire stage featuring multi-purpose machine guns, heavy artillery AS90 guns, Challenger 2 tanks and Warrior armoured vehicles, before switching to a Tactical Engagement Simulator Exercise (TESEX), which involves no live ammunition and aims to further develop the skills learnt during the live fire stage in a safe environment. The soldiers use the state-of-the-art computer-backed system where their weapons and vehicles are fitted with the laser-quest-style system to record every detail of an attack, showing simulated injuries from gunfire, shrapnel or mortar attack during a mission.

img from UK MoD

By: Widow 6-7

UK In Action: French Coordination

A French soldier (left) with the Armee de Terre, is pictured briefing British soldiers during the first ever joint military exercise between the two nations at CENZUB the French Urban Centre in Sisonne, France. Members of 1st Battalion The Coldstream Guards are the first British soldiers to engage in tactical level training with the French Army since the announcement of the UK-France Defence Cooperation Treaty on 2 November 2010. Some 130 soldiers from the battalion’s Number 1 Company and attached personnel from 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh, The London Regiment and 5 Medical Regiment travelled to the French Urban Centre (CENZUB), where French forces conduct their Operations in Built-up Areas training (OBUA). Exercise GAULISH, which took place between 21 March and 1 April was an opportunity to conduct joint Company-level training and represented the first steps towards the long-term aim of bilateral cooperation between the British and French armies at all levels.

img from UK MoD

By: Widow 6-7

UK In Action: Prep for the Day

Army recruits prepare for a day of training in a four-man room in a new Single Living Accommodation (SLA) block built under Project SLAM at Alexander Barracks in Pirbright, Surrey.

img from UK MoD

By: Widow 6-7

UK Rolls Army Back to the Boer War

At least in size... The coming defence cuts will result in a Queen's Army smaller than the US Marine Corps.

The reorganisation will see the Army shrink to its smallest size since the Boer War, while Britain’s reserve forces will benefit from a £1.5 billion investment programme.
Members of the Territorial Army (TA), the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Air Force Volunteers Reserve will receive better pay and conditions, but more will be expected to take part in dangerous military operations when needed.
It is understood that by 2020 the Army will be reduced from its present strength of 101,000 regulars, to 84,000. The number of territorials will be maintained at 36,000.

By: Widow 6-7

UK In Action: Mercian Machinegunner

A soldier of the 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment is pictured with a GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun) on Operation Omid Haft in Helmand, Afghanistan. Hundreds of Afghan soldiers, supported by British and coalition forces have taken part in a major operation in Central Helmand to clear out insurgents from one of their last remaining strongholds. Operation OMID HAFT has been planned and executed by the Afghan National Army (ANA) partnered by International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)

img from UK MoD

By: Widow 6-7

UK Drawdown Outlined

Prime Minister Cameron is outline the UK plan to withdraw 500 troops from Afghanistan in 2012.

British Prime Minister David Cameron says the U.K. will withdraw 500 troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2012.
Cameron told Parliament on Wednesday that he will reduce the size of British forces to 9,000. Britain has the second largest contingent of international military personnel in Afghanistan behind the United States.
His announcement follows President Barack Obama's decision last month that 33,000 American troops will leave the country by the end of next summer.
Cameron arrived back in Britain late Tuesday following a two-day visit to Kabul and Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, where British forces are mainly based.

The US is pulling about 30k out of 100k there - 30%
The UK is pulling about 500 out of 9k there - 18%

But the real question is "what's the foxhole strength of what's coming home?" because I suspect a lot of the US 30k is currently chillin' on a FOB somewhere.

By: Brant

UK In Action: Sandhurst Invades US

Young officer cadets from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst take part in The Sandhurst Cup at the United States Military Academy at Westpoint, USA. This event brings the officer training schools, colleges or academies from many nations together to compete against each other in a military skills competition. Photo credit: Sergeant Ian Forsyth RLC

img from UK MoD

By: Widow 6-7

Sound Off! Regiments or Soldiers?

The English recruit into regiments, and rotate entire units through new equipment, garrisons, and deployments, while keeping the soldiers in those regiments for their entire careers.

The US rotates individual soldiers throughout the Army, with no attention paid to regimental affiliations or assignments, where the units remain in place and constantly change the personnel in them.

Sound off on which you prefer:

... the US model of individual replacements and individual careers?

... the UK model of regimental assignments and regimental personnel management?

Your comments below!

By: Brant

Getting Closer to the Libyans

The Brits and French are now targeting the Libyan government military with attack helicopters.

British Apache and French attack helicopters struck targets for the first time in NATO's campaign in Libya, hitting Moammar Gadhafi's troops early Saturday near a key coastal oil city, the alliance said.
The action was a significant step-up in NATO's operations and a major boost to Libyan rebels on the ground, just a day after rebel fighters forced government troops from three western towns and broke the siege of a fourth in yet another erosion of Gadhafi's power since the eruption in mid-February of the uprising to end his 42-year rule.
NATO said the helicopters struck Gadhafi troops attempting to hide in populated areas, military vehicles and equipment. Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard, commander of the Libya operation, said the engagement "demonstrates the unique capabilities brought to bear by attack helicopters."
The Apaches hit two targets near the coastal city of Brega, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense in London. It said they took off from HMS Ocean, stationed off the Libyan coast and returned safely after completing their mission in the early morning hours.

By: Brant

Brits to Send Military Advisors to Libya

The BBC is reporting that the British MoD is sending military officers to Libya to advise the rebels there.

British military officers will be sent to Libya to advise rebels fighting Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces, the UK government has said.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said the group would be deployed to the opposition stronghold of Benghazi.

The BBC understands 10 officers will provide logistics and intelligence training in a UK and French operation.

Mr Hague said it was compatible with the UN resolution on Libya, which ruled out foreign military ground action.

He stressed that the officers would not be involved in any fighting and the move was needed to help protect civilians.

The UN Security Council resolution, passed in March, authorised a no-fly zone over Libya.

Mr Hague said: "The [UK] National Security Council has decided that we will now move quickly to expand the team already in Benghazi to include an additional military liaison advisory team.

"This contingent will be drawn from experienced British military officers."

By: Brant

First Fight Between Tanks

A nice computer-based animation of the WWI engagement between the Brits and Germans.



For a boardgame of the fight, check out the upcoming issue of Battles Magazine, which includes a free game of the engagement.

By: Brant

UK in Action: One Shot, Two Kills

This excellent story from The Guardian about a Royal Army sniper team in Afghanistan's Helmand province is well worth reading, especially since it features a "one shot, two kills" engagement. I won't spoil the surprise about how they did it.

By: Guardian

UK In Action: Saxon Rides Again

A Saxon Armoured Personnel Vehicle from the Cheshire Regiment moves at speed into battle. Soldiers from The Cheshire Regiment, 1 Mechanised Brigade 3 (UK) Armoured Division take part in Exercise Iron Anvil at the British Army Training Unit, Suffield, Canada.

Image: UK MoD

By: Widow 6-7

UK In Action: Damn Cold!

A BV206, Carrier Full-Tracked Articulated, used by the instructor personnel in the mountains above Bardufoss, Norway during Exercise Clockwork 06. Exercise Clockwork 06 was a 14-week training exercise, which ran from December 05 to March 06 and was held at the Norwegian Air Force base of Bardufoss. Its aim was to prepare personnel from all three services to operate in extreme cold weather environments, such as might be experienced during winters in the Balkans or Afghanistan. Throughout the flying phase of the exercise, Joint Helicopter Command Battlefield helicopter crews from the Royal Air Force, Army and Royal Navy, practiced such skills as snow landings in 'whiteout' conditions, moving personnel from point to point and conducting navigation exercises. Personnel from 33 Squadron RAF Benson, also practised carrying under slung loads beneath their Puma helicopters, during both day and night operations. The 3rd phase of the exercise, saw participants attend a cold weather survival course, during which they spent 5 days and 4 nights in the Arctic environment of the 500 metre high Norwegian mountains surrounding Bardufoss, where temperatures dropped as low as minus 32 degrees and visibility fell to just a few metres. Mandatory for all personnel who had not done survival training, they learnt how to survive in the sub zero temperatures by digging snow holes, navigating in the harsh terrain and responding to an enemy attack.

Image: UK MoD

By: Widow 6-7