Andy Yates

@TomDCPetch I’m convinced that this is down to the decline of ‘The Recruiting Sgt’ on the High St, he’d patrol the schools and Job Centres, he’d help those who struggled with forms, he’d set deadlines and book appts, write out the train warrant and send them on their way.

Army recruitment falls off a cliff. The list of problems is long. But it’s a tragedy that this has happened to an organisation of which we were once so proud.

@militaryhistori @ChrisMurphyCT @RubberD01 Stalin also did similar which undermined his excursion into Finland, this ‘purging’ could bode well for any moves toward Greenland and Cuba….for Greenland and Cuba!

@ChrisMurphyCT @RubberD01 The Hitler approach. Terribly detrimental to military efficiency and morale.

It's likely that experienced generals are telling Hegseth his Iran war plans are unworkable, disastrous, and deadly. Also, Hegseth is firing a ton of experienced generals right now.

@BritishArmyWDs 5 Group AMPC commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Donald Dean VC deployed around Boulogne sur Mer (approx 1500 troops - Pnr Gps were formed by a variable number of Coys, some as large as 11 Coys).

@SunrayStarlight Any source of them being used as rear guard?

AMPC Morale-note the date of the report and then just receiving Rifles.

@BritishArmyWDs War History of the Royal Pioneer Corps 1939-1945 by Major Rhodes-Wood

@GIUK2026 @thinkdefence I’m not saying that it’s going to be easy but surely it would be better to prepare (and present the bill to HMT) than wait for a fly-past 121st Gds Regt? Moreover, @thinkdefence recently posted an example of a simple UAV defence, we shouldn’t over-engineer, stay simple/adaptable.

@SunrayStarlight @thinkdefence I get what you are saying but taking over the local telephone exchange as the ops room and grass strip for the hurricanes isn't that much of an option nowadays. An F35 needs massive amounts of tech support. Both aircraft and engineers need MIL-hardened protection from UAVs.

What is stopping the RAF asking those nice gentleman Sappers to build some basic physical protection for their scarce and hyper expensive aircraft?

@Posted_to_BAOR @Gary_Bainbridge The only trilogy where you can actually smell musty body armour in a confined space, fag smoke in a confined space and Eau de Kandahar also in a confined space! Even my flashbacks are having flashbacks. Be the Best!

No big publisher, no marketing budget, no TV appearances  - just me, @Gary_Bainbridge, and a firm belief this is a brilliant idea.  Self-published memoirs of an ordinary British soldier 🇬🇧 The ‘Hurry Up & Wait’ trilogy Available on Amazon - please form an orderly queue of one

@AndyAitcheson Swapped for a Camp Cot?

How did he end up with a British noddy suit?

@thinkdefence @AlistairCarns I remember a RMAS CSgt also taking exception to the term, ‘Sir you can take out your girlfriend but you f£&@!?g destroy the enemy!’

@AlistairCarns When did we start saying 'took out'?. Feels a bit American

@GIUK2026 @thinkdefence A problem for the RAF - Expeditionary Air Wings for dispersed (UK) ops. It happened in 1940 so anything is possible with some imagination. Perhaps earmarking civilian airport eqpt. I do take your point about manpower perhaps specialist Reservists (airport staff).

@SunrayStarlight @thinkdefence If the worst case happens there are lots of places with HAS former US bases etc. Prob is these are bare bases with no fuel lines/infrastructure left to rot. Apart from LEU/LEM. Agile operations are massively intensive with a shelf life. Only so many ATC/armourers/crash crew etc.

@HistorylandHQ The newly formed Bundeswehr operated Universal Carriers from 1956, looks like a good source of spare parts.

British tanks, trucks, and other armored vehicles that took part in the defeat of Germany at the end of World War II, lie piled on top of each other at a scrapyard in Hamburg, still waiting to be broken up and recycled, May 1958.

@Phoenix45Blog @thinkdefence I agree based my six month trip to Belize with 9 Sqn!

@thinkdefence I’ve never seen the words gentleman and sapper in the same sentence before.

@GIUK2026 @thinkdefence RAF Honnington is still in RAF hands and has lots albeit constructed in the late 1970’s, it HAS to be better than parking in straight lines! Pro anglia valens, Per Ardua ad Astra.

@thinkdefence Can you please do a piece on HAS? On many stations of the Cold War era, the words' this is an operational station never forget it’ were posted on signage. We have talked our way into building commercial hangars/buildings with no protection levels. Weatherproof Sunshades!!!

@thinkdefence Massive visual signature for a recce vehicle.

Interesting that the masses of operational analysis for TRACER stated that a mast was vital

@Posted_to_BAOR Currently skiving on Snow Queen and just paid €2.229 in Bavaria!

@thinkdefence Take the recent RAMS amalgamation, the 3 Corps all operated together as one, C&S appts were based on best for the job, distribution of Professions based on ET. The amalgamation will have cost something in badges and buttons but I still fail to see the problem that was ‘fixed’.

Instead of individual corps and regiments, how about one combat corps, and one support corps. What problem am I solving, how many pound notes am I saving?

@thinkdefence Probably more time spent being (over) serviced/first/last paraded/being swept around than on the road, based on my experience I would say less than 5%.

What percentage of time do most military trucks spend on the road?

@Posted_to_BAOR ‘I suspect you have the wrong number, goodbye!’

This rings. What are you saying?

@SDetectorist It’s cleaned up nicely, he’s probably still got the can…somewhere!

Quite pleased with how that tumbled. Could possibly have gone in a bit longer, but it still has a bit of character. Presented to farmer today, just his cup of tea 😁