Calls to save historic Warwickshire battalion...

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The man in charge of Warwickshire's army regiment has expressed his bitter disappointment at plans to almost halve it as part of a raft of devastating cuts.



Brigadier David Paterson OBE, Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, set out his concerns at plans to disband one its two battalions in a letter to the head of the Army, General Sir Peter Wall.

Under the plans, the regiment - which has recruited in Warwickshire for over 300 years - would be cut from 1,100 to just 600 soldiers.

It comes after last week's announcement by Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond of radical plans to cut the regular Army from 102,000 to 82,000.

Mr Hammond claimed it would save money while making the Army smaller, flexible and more agile, with the Territorial Army filling in the gaps by doubling from 15,000 to 30,000 part-time reservists.

But it would also put the regular Army at its lowest strength in over a century and has been met with fierce opposition from servicemen and many of the public.

The idea is to split the army into two. A reaction force would be ready to respond to global emergencies, while an adaptable force would be available for a wide range of other tasks and commitments.

Brig Paterson, in his letter to General Wall, said the proposal 'cannot be presented as the best or most sensible military option'.

Referring to his own regiment - formerly the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers - Brig Paterson said it was among the Army's strongest infantry regiments, yet those with inferior records were to be left untouched.

While keen to stress he was not challenging the decision and would follow orders, Brig Paterson said: "I have a strong conviction that in selecting 2 RRF for disbandment, and in creating a single battalion Fusilier Regiment, we are not best serving defence, the Army, the Queen’s Division or the regiment.

"If challenged or scrutinised by, for example the media, it cannot be presented as the best or most sensible military option."

Brig Paterson also sought reassurances the regiment's traditional recruiting areas - Warwickshire, along with Northumberland, Lancashire and London - would be allowed to remain.

He wrote: "If you cannot give those assurances then I am in no doubt they, too, will be picked off by the larger regiments and the Fusiliers will wither on the vine."

Defence Secretary Mr Hammond, who set out details of the proposals last week in the House of Commons, said cuts could not be avoided because of demands for strict financial discipline under the Government's 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Kenilworth town councillor Richard Davies was mayor in 2010 when the 2nd Battalion - the regiment now under threat - marched through the town.

He is calling for people to sign an online petition to save the regiments at http://bit.ly/PjbsV1

He added: "I was proud to invite them in 2010 and to see our town create a bond with our local regiment.

"Sadly we have learned the regiment will be marching not into our town but into history, but there is still a little time to save it and to persuade the Ministry of Defence to reconsider.

"The soldiers who had paraded told me that they were overwhelmed by the warmth of welcome so now we can cheer them again by spending a few moments to do our bit in their fight for survival."

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Bedworth and north Warwickshire MP Dan Byles joins battle to save axed Batallion

MP Dan Byles is a fierce advocate of government cuts and was also once the youngest major in the British army.

So last week he was in a tricky position when an historic battalion which recruits heavily from his Bedworth and north Warwickshire constituency was scrapped.

But the 38-year-old Conservative MP insists the fight goes on to force a U-turn on the future of the 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

There was fury among local ex-servicemen when the Coalition government killed off the 600-strong battalion last Thursday.

Dan has joined an alliance of MPs led by former Fusilier and fellow Tory, John Baron, calling on the MOD to save what is the best-manned battalion in the army.

“I don’t want to make any promises because the announcement has been made,” Dan said.

“But we’re going to lobby right up until the point of no return to see if this decision can be reversed.

“I’m a deficit hawk and I believe the deficit is the number one threat facing our country today.

“But that doesn’t mean that within that there aren’t cuts that concern me.”

One of Britain’s most decorated regiments, the Fusiliers have recruited in Coventry and Warwickshire for more than 300 years.

Despite having 523 battle-ready soldiers – out of a maximum strength of 532 – the 2nd Battalion was abolished.

This followed earlier assurances that battalions struggling to recruit would be the first to go.

This came as the overall number of regular soldiers will fall from 102,000 to 82,000 by 2020, while reservists will double to 30,000.

Full time staff in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers includes the 500-strong 1st Battalion armoured tank division and the 2nd Battalion light infantry.

Carol Valentine, the mother of fallen Bedworth Sergeant Simon Valentine, said she feared the 1st Battalion would be next to be cut – meaning the end for the regiment that was formerly the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers.

Dan, who says he left the army because of the way it was being neglected by previous governments, said: “I don’t share her concerns because it seems they are trying to save regiments.

"I don’t think the 1st Battalion is under any more threat than any other even after these latest cuts.”

He added: “This announcement was one that pains me but it doesn’t surprise me.

“The Territorial Army are brilliant but I would question whether they are going to be able to step up to the plate. It’s vital now that they are properly trained and resourced.”

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Jim Cunningham fights for U-turn over axe for Fusiliers



A CITY MP launched a Commons assault on defence secretary Philip Hammond over scrapping an army battalion with historic connections to Coventry and Warwickshire.

Jim Cunningham, Labour MP for Coventry South, called on Mr Hammond to “stop blaming everybody else” for disbanding the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

He called for a U-turn before the government decision causes further damage to the local economy, with the country in double-dip recession.

During Commons questions to the defence secretary, Mr Cunningham asked: “Will the secretary of state look again at the cuts to the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, particularly the impact on Coventry and Warwickshire?

“Can we have an answer without the right honourable gentleman’s blaming everybody else? He is responsible for the double-dip situation that we have got.”

Mr Hammond responded: “I am responsible. I take advice from the Army, which is the only responsible way to decide on a restructuring package for the Army.

“As I said, I have reassured myself since I made the announcement that all of its elements are sound and based on proper evidence provided by the Army.”

Mr Cunningham argued the regiment was known to outperform others “both militarily and in recruiting” and was “being penalised for this success, whilst less successful regiments are remaining”.

After the debate, he said: “The decision is a grave mistake and a sad day for the British Armed Forces.

“I am concerned about the knock-on supply chain effects of this loss on the regional economy, given how many people are recruited from the region, and I strongly urge the secretary to reconsider disbanding such a successful battalion.”

The exchange follows a pledge from some Tory MPs including North Warwickshire MP Dan Byles – a former army major – to fight for a U-turn.

The battalion has recruited heavily from Coventry and Warwickshire for over 300 years, having been formed partly out of the former Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers.