In 2011, the Government announced its intention to cut the size of the British Army from 102,000 to just 82,000 by 2020 - its smallest level since the Napoleonic Wars, and to such an extent our entire army would be able to fit into Wembley Stadium.
It plans to replace those sacked soldiers with 30,000 reservists, conveniently ignoring the received wisdom that only 40% of reservists are at a state of operational readiness at any one time. In other words, they effectively plan to replace 20,000 combat ready and hardened soldiers with 12,000 reservists.
As part of those cuts, the government announced a number of historic battalions were to be axed. Although not included in the original list, the 2nd Battalion RRF was added in 2012, in a pathetic politically-driven sop to save two poorly recruited Scottish battalions ahead of the Scottish referendum on devolution in 2014.
Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, had previously stated that those regiments having trouble recruiting would be the most vulnerable. The decision to include the 2nd Battalion RRF clearly puts the lie to that.
2nd Battalion RRF is the best recruited battalion in the country, and at the time the decision was announced it was only 9 soldiers short of compliment with a host of new recruits waiting in the wings. The North East alone provides around 2,000 recruits to the army every single year and has just two infantry battalions to fill.
By contrast, the Royal Regiment of Scotland was over a battalion and a half short of compliment when the announcement was made. The whole of Scotland produces only 800-1,000 recruits each year yet has 5 infantry battalions to fill.
In addition, the Scottish battalions saved by sacrificing 2nd Battalion RRF are heavily reliant on recruits from overseas and across the Commonwealth, with overseas recruits accounting for 20% of their overall compliment; the 2nd Battalion RRF has only around 8%.
The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers came into existence on Saint George's Day in 1968 through the amalgamation of the four remaining English fusilier regiments - one of which was the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was originally raised in 1674 as the 5th Regiment of Foot. They have fought in every major campaign since and lay claim to 9 Victoria Crosses and 1 George Cross. The hackle the RRF wear to this day is the traditional red over white of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, which dates back to the Battle of St Lucia in 1778 having been taken, as the story goes, from the headgear of fallen French troops.
It is a measure of the disrespect, if not contempt, with which this government holds our region's proud heritage that they are prepared to sacrifice the 2nd Battalion RRF in order to avoid upsetting the Scots before the referendum. (A sop we have seen repeated in recent days with the naval shipyard at Portsmouth axed to save the Scottish yards). But here is where you can help.
When the Conservative party won the 1970 election, the 1st Battalion, Royal Hampshire Regiment was within days of being disbanded and amalgamated. So much so new uniforms and even new Colours had been produced.
Within three days of the election, the new Government stated the disbandment and amalgamation need not go ahead. And it did not.
With the 2nd Battalion RRF not due to be disbanded until June 2014, we have more than enough time to save it, based on the experience of 1970. Whilst some MPs, such as Tory MP John Baron, are fighting hard to save the battalion, too many are all too disinterested.
This Wednesday, 20th November, Parliament is to debate the third reading of the Defence Bill. At least 20 Tory MPs have so far signed an amendment by John Baron who has said there was “a groundswell of support” for at least delaying the replacement of full-time troops (the government has been suspiciously reluctant to release the number of additional reservists recruited to date, and fears are we will have nowhere the required 30,000 in time).
Although a number of other MPs are said to be "sympathetic", it is a concern many of these may opt to abstain rather than support the amendment.
The 2nd Battalion RRF needs YOU to write to your MP to ask him/her to support John Baron's amendment, and to vote against the Bill in its totality if needs be; to ask him/her to save this historic, professional and extremely well-recruited battalion from the chop; and to tell him/her we will not see one of our best battalions, by any measure, sacrificed purely to avoid upsetting Scottish voters.
Please, donate 10 minutes of your life to the RRF and write to your MP - if you don't know their e-mail address you can contact them directly via http://www.theyworkforyou.com/ - simply pop in your postcode and then click on "Send a message to...." on the following screen.
Thank you.
