THERE has been a fierce reaction to speculation that a Scottish infantry battalion may be in the firing line of Whitehall mandarins on a savings drive.
In Friday’s edition of The Herald, there was a report that army chiefs are looking at getting rid of the jobs of 1,800 personnel in the UK and that this might include a 600-strong Scottish infantry battalion.
Now those fears are to be raised with
Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth by MPs who are demanding clarification following suggestions that one battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland is among those elements under threat.
The Ministry of Defence has said suggestions of cuts were pure speculation and that it was considering “a range of options” as it undertook a regular planning round.
It was just three years ago that a massive campaign failed to halt the amalgamation of Scotland’s six historic regiments – the Royal Scots, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, Royal Highland Fusiliers, Argylls, Black Watch and the Highlanders – into a single Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The Royal Scots and the KOSB were merged further into one battalion, the Royal Scots Borderers.
But as Government departments face having to make savings, the military top brass reportedly want to protect funding for the mission in Afghanistan and so are having to look at a cut in infantry units. The controversial plan being considered is said to involve axing three battalions, including one each from the Yorkshire Regiment and the Mercian Regiment.
Those units believed under threat from any such plan are thought to be those which have deployed recently, but are not due to go out to Afghanistan during the next three years.
Scottish units which have recently served in Afghanistan are the Royal Highland Fusiliers, The Highlanders and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
However, this week saw strong local reaction to any perceived threat to the future of the Royal Scots Borderers.
Borders MP Michael Moore, who joined local veterans and their families for the first national Armed Forces Day services at the weekend, said it will cause real anger coming so soon after this event to learn that Scottish troops may bear the brunt of the next round of defence cuts.
“In recent years, the Government has been asking more and more of our armed forces without providing them with the equipment they need to do their job,” said Mr Moore.
