Latest news with #BritishArmy
Telegraph
13 hours ago
- Telegraph
British soldier new to driving in Germany kills teenage motorcyclist
A British Army soldier who was new to driving on the right-hand side of the road killed a teenage motorcyclist in Germany. Pte Lewis Gillbanks-Norton, 23, had only been driving in Europe for nine days on a military exercise when he crashed into Leonie Ullrich, 17, a court martial was told. He had stopped in a left filter lane and was aware of the approaching motorcyclist but thought he had enough time to make a turn and cross her path before she reached him. The court heard that it was one of the first times that Gillbanks-Norton was driving without a convoy of colleagues, although he had passed the service familiarisation test for driving on the right. At the time of the collision he had recently arrived in Germany to support an exercise by officer cadets from the prestigious Royal Military School Sandhurst. The soldier, serving in the 4th Regiment of the Royal Logistics Corps, pleaded guilty to one count of causing death by careless driving and was sentenced to a year in service detention. Sentencing, Assistant Judge Advocate Gen John Atwill told Gillbanks-Norton he had a 'greater responsibility' to protect other road users given the size of his vehicle. He said: 'All drivers have a responsibility to protect the safety of other road users and to consider any action that puts other road users at risk. 'It was your responsibility to make the turn carefully. 'In driving a large vehicle, which may be slow to respond, there is still greater responsibility.' Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, heard that the soldier, then aged 22, was driving a six-tonne MAN SV truck with his passenger Pte Robert Jadaa from Hahnbach to Gebenbach, in Bavaria, on July 11, 2024, when the crash occurred. Lt Col Felicity Bryson, prosecuting, said: 'He saw a motorbike on the horizon, he was aware the speed limit was 100 kilometres per hour [60 miles per hour]. 'Pte Gillbanks-Norton began to turn left ... he thought he had enough time to turn left, the next time he saw the bike it was five metres away.' Ullrich, from Neukirchen, was on her way home from visiting friends and tried to swerve her 125cc bike around Gillbanks-Norton's truck. However, she was struck by the left side of the vehicle and became trapped underneath it. Gillbanks-Norton and Jadaa got out to assist Leonie but her injuries were fatal. 'Tragic news' He had no previous convictions and a good driving record prior to the incident. Following the collision he was breathalysed, which showed there was no alcohol in his system at the time. Ullrich's mother said in a victim impact statement: 'This tragic news has plunged us into a deep abyss and broken us, it is hard to find words to describe how we have felt since then.' Bob Scott, mitigating, said: 'From the outset [Gillbanks-Norton] has taken full responsibility.' In a letter Gillbanks-Norton expressed his 'deepest and sincerest' remorse to Ullrich's family. He has been sentenced to 12 months of service detention and a 12-month driving ban.
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
How a brave Brit soldier vowed to give a boy a new face & save his life amid the horrors of a genocidal war
A BLOODY war brought a British soldier and a young boy together in one of the most heartwarming stories you will ever read. Two decades ago, Sgt Wayne Ingram was shown a photo of Stefan Slavic amid the horrors of the Bosnia conflict. 7 7 7 Stefan, then aged just four, was born with terrible facial deformities that would most probably end his short life in a couple of years. The toddler had a rare, severe facial cleft. Where his nose should have been was a large, protruding knob of flesh-covered bone which was slowly working its way into his nasal cavity, forcing his eyes further apart each day. Father-of-four Wayne says: 'He only had one airway and we didn't know if there were holes in his skull. 'So, at some point he would have contracted some sort of disease, maybe meningitis, that would have ended his life prematurely.' Heartbroken and holding back tears Wayne, a veteran of Ulster's Troubles, made an incredible vow — to raise enough money to pay for life-saving surgery that would change the boy's life for ever. An incredible £160,000 and five major operations later, Stefan and Wayne are best friends, linked by a unique bond. Today, now aged 26, Stefan, plays keyboard in a Bosnian folk band, has a glamorous girlfriend and a promising life ahead of him. It is a far cry from his life as a boy being brought up in a country scarred by genocidal war. Now Wayne, 55, has told the incredible story in a new book, Soldier Of Conscience. 'Gargantuan task' In 2003, his regiment, the 9th/12th Lancers were sent to Bosnia where part of their job was to encourage locals to give up their weapons. Incredible video shows how doctors reconstructed man's face after he was savaged by a dog Wayne says: 'It was never going to happen because they had always lived with war throughout the centuries. 'And they always thought that, at some point, it would happen again. So, when we asked for weapons you would get the odd hunting rifle handed in but nothing much else.' The other part of the regiment's job was winning the hearts and minds of locals, but the police chief in Laktasi, near Banja Luka, kept giving British soldiers the slip. In that moment, I knew that I would protect this beautiful child with my life and do my utmost to ensure his operation went ahead Sgt Wayne Ingram on meeting Stefan Wayne says: 'He turned out to be the slipperiest eel I had ever tried to net. I needed to think smarter to nab him. 'On the day of our next planned meeting, I arrived at the police station a full hour early. 'He saw me and made a beeline for the back door. I gave chase, tripped over the kerb and went ass over tip in the car park. 'As I lay there he sped off in his car and gave me a quick look over his shoulder, laughing. 'I heard two men giggling behind me. Lying bruised on the dusty ground, I joined in the laughter. 'After they'd helped me, I introduced myself, unaware that several lives were about to change for ever.' The men were Dragoslav Kovacevic — Laktasi's Minister of Defence — and his personal assistant Milos Savic. Over coffee, wounded war veteran Milos showed Wayne a photograph of his toddler son Stefan and asked if any of the hearts and minds in the British Army could do anything to help his boy. An operation at a specialist hospital in France would cost €30,000. But as Milos only earned a pittance, it was not an option. Wayne was determined to help the little lad but needed permission from military top brass. His bosses gave the go-ahead with a warning: 'Sergeant Ingram, be careful. This has the potential to become a gargantuan task for you.' As we chat near his home in Portland, Dorset, Wayne says: 'Little did I know that he would be chillingly correct. "This would be the first day of a 13-year lone, uphill struggle, during which my emotions would reach immense highs, followed by long, dark descents into self-doubt, where I'd feel totally out of my depth, with no idea how to make it to the next stage.' First, he took a group of his soldiers in a Scimitar tank to meet little Stefan. As the 6ft 2in sergeant knelt down, the blond-haired boy kissed him on the cheek and said 'hallow' in broken English. Wayne says: 'In that moment, I knew that I would protect this beautiful child with my life and do my utmost to ensure his operation went ahead.' The British soldiers organised a football match against a team of locals who had been on opposing sides during the Balkan conflict. Wayne says: 'We lost 7-3, but at a barbecue afterwards all these people who had previously been fighting for years were sharing food. Arms amnesty 'The match raised €6,000 and when the locals saw that we really wanted to help, they asked if there was anything they could do. 'I said, 'We're looking for an arms amnesty'. 'They replied, 'Leave it with us'. 7 7 'The following Saturday it was like a scene from Jaws. I said to my corporal, 'Bloody hell we're going to need a bigger van'. 'We'd turned up expecting to get a few rifles. There were around 100 AK-47s laid out alongside RPG-7s with warheads. "Loads and loads of hand grenades, 40 or 50 pistols, tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition, land mines, anti-tank mines. All handed in because they trusted us. 'You had to think, if these are the ones they're prepared to hand in, how much was still out there?' After his tour ended in July 2003, Wayne returned to the UK and began raising money in earnest to pay for surgery for Stefan at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital. A top Harley Street surgeon, Professor David Dunaway, kindly agreed to operate for free. But the rest of Stefan's hospital care, his family's accommodation and their travel to and from the UK would need to be covered by donations. Wayne says: 'In my naivety, I thought it was just going to be one operation but in the end it was five, the last was 13 years to the day after the first.' That first operation had been to remove some teeth to prepare Stefan's mouth for a 12-hour-op in October 2003, that would completely deconstruct his skull, moving his brain out of the way to rebuild the bones like a jigsaw. Wayne says: 'David is an absolute genius. His surgical skills transformed Stefan's life. 'He became the boy that he had always wanted to be. 'Not once did I ever hear Stefan complain, not once did I see him cry. 'After his 12-hour operation we didn't know whether he'd lose his sight and for four or five days he had his eyes covered up. 'One morning I walked into the hospital ward where they had removed the plasters and Stefan just started smiling. Morphine 'Even as a 13-year-old — when he'd had cosmetic surgery on his nose to open his airways — he had a syringe driver with morphine in it, but he never pressed it so they took it away after a day.' Stefan had three more operations to correct his nose and facial features as his bones grew over the years. Stefan is an amazing man. He works full-time in a warehouse and plays in a folk band. He's such a good-looking guy and has been in a relationship for quite some time with his long-term girlfriend Sgt Wayne Ingram on Stefan While all this was going on, Wayne discovered that he was suffering from complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, caused by a bomb blast 15 years earlier in Belfast. His marriage fell apart but Wayne continued to honour his promise to help Stefan. Wayne says: 'Raising £160,000 to pay for flights for Stefan's family and his hospital care took a lot out of me after 13 years. 'There were plenty of sleepless nights wondering where I was going to get the money from. 'At one point I had a shortfall where I was going to have to sell my motorbike until a stranger I'd never met before contacted me through the local paper. 'She and her husband had followed Stefan's story from day one. Sadly, her husband had died and she gave us £10,000. We weren't allowed to use her name, she only wanted to be called the 'kind granny'. 'This country's amazing. It's called Great Britain for a reason. 'Whenever there's a hardship, people put their hands in their pockets and the community comes together and helps people.' Wayne, who is now remarried and works as an offshore paramedic, stays in touch with Stefan using a translation app. He says: 'Stefan is an amazing man. He works full-time in a warehouse and plays in a folk band. 'He's such a good-looking guy and has been in a relationship for quite some time with his long-term girlfriend. 'She's beautiful and they just look amazing together.' Stefan sent a message to Wayne: 'You changed my life for the better. 'I love you my friend for ever. My gratitude cannot be expressed in words.' Soldier Of Conscience: From Fighting The IRA To Battling PTSD, by Wayne Ingram MBE, published by Pen & Sword, is out now. All royalties go to Scoliosis Support & Research. 7 7
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Coldstream Guards band clarinetist dismissed from army after she admits 'predatory' behaviour by groping six male and female colleagues
A 'predatory' female musician in the renowned Coldstream Guards band groped and propositioned six colleagues, a court martial heard. Lance Corporal Caitlyn Hawkins asked one woman: 'Would your boyfriend mind if I kissed you right now?' A Judge Advocate heard she told another female soldier it was 'annoying that you are straight and this attractive - do you not want to try it?' before putting her hands on the woman's breasts and attempting to kiss her. On another occasion, the 26-year-old British Army clarinetist squeezed the genitals of a male colleague while 'staggering' back from a pub in London, a military court was told. The soldier pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting four colleagues and committing disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind against two others. Assistant Judge Advocate General John Atwill has now dismissed her from the army and handed her a suspended sentence for her 'predatory' behaviour. The historic Coldstream Guards - recognised by the iconic red tunics and bearskin caps - is responsible for guarding the Royal Family and is famed for its high-profile ceremonial duties outside Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Formed in 1650 and is the oldest continuously serving regiment of the regular British Army. Colonel Jim Carmichael, prosecuting, told Bulford Military Court that all of the offences were carried out against service personnel who were carrying out ceremonial duties alongside LCpl Hawkins in army bands. He told the board that on a date in May 2023, LCpl Hawkins was out drinking with other musicians at a pub in London. By the end of the night, LCpl Hawkins was 'heavily intoxicated' and she left the venue with three male colleagues. Col Carmichael said: 'On the way back, the defendant became rowdy. She was shouting on the street, she had slurred speech and she was staggering.' The court martial heard she walked up to one of her colleagues - who had offered to walk her home because she was drunk - and moved her face close to his in an attempt to kiss him. He moved away, and some time afterwards, LCpl Hawkins 'softly squeezed' his genitals for around two seconds and then repeatedly felt his crotch and buttocks during the journey back to camp. In a victim impact statement, the male soldier said the incidents caused him 'considerable emotional pain' and left him feeling 'disrespected and hurt'. It was heard that on that same walk home, she grabbed another soldier's genitals without his consent for around one to two seconds before he pushed her hand away. She also touched the buttocks of a third male colleague, who described her behaviour as 'inappropriate'. The Wiltshire court martial heard a second incident took place involving two female colleagues at a London pub in June 2024 when Hawkins was 'quite drunk'. The musician stroked one woman's back and kissed her on the side of the neck before asking 'Would your boyfriend mind if I kissed you right now?' Later the same night, at a different pub, LCpl Hawkins squeezed the woman's bottom before trying to touch the breasts of another female colleague, and undoing her bra. LCpl Hawkins moved away after being told to stop, but later told the woman: 'It's really annoying that you are straight and this attractive - do you not want to try it.' Col Carmichael told the court martial that LCpl Hawkins then put her hands on the woman's breasts and tried to kiss her. The victim pushed LCpl Hawkins away. A sixth victim said that between June and October of 2023, LCpl Hawkins had assaulted her on four occasions while they were out drinking, on one occasion putting her hand down the victim's trousers. Chris Cannon, mitigating, told the court that LCpl Hawkins had no previous convictions and had even been described as a 'model soldier' in character references. He said that she has since sought help for her mental health, and reduced her alcohol consumption. In a statement, LCpl Hawkins apologised to her victims and said she 'deeply regrets' her actions. LCpl Hawkins admitted that she can't remember the nights of the incidents due to alcohol consumption, which started to increase following the death of her father. She pleaded guilty to seven charges of sexual assault, and two charges of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind at an earlier hearing. She was handed an 18-month suspended sentence and dismissed from the Army. LCpl Hawkins must also carry out 240 hours of unpaid work, and 35 rehabilitation activity days. Judge Atwill said LCpl Hawkins' victims were left feeling 'disempowered' as he told her: 'The sad thing is had you followed the values and standards you agreed to be part of, you wouldn't be here at all.'
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Sikh Regiment In British Army Soon? Here's What We Know
Curated By : Last Updated: July 28, 2025, 20:10 IST News18 Is the United Kingdom considering having a Sikh regiment in its forces? Several media reports have emerged recently hinting that the British Army is considering a proposal to induct a Sikh regiment. However, the UK's Ministry of Defence has denied, saying there are no such proposals in this regard. 'We want to do something to recognise Sikh contributions in some way, but not through a Sikh regiment," sources in the defence ministry told Times of India . The issue came into the limelight after Lord Sahota, a member of the House of Lords, asked UK defence minister Lord Coaker in the House of Lords on July 7 regarding the progress on having a Sikh regiment in the British Army. Coaker said, 'Let me consider that request from my noble friend. I am quite happy to meet him and see what more we can do to recognise the contribution of soldiers such as Sikhs." Coaker's remark led to media headlines like 'UK considering to have Sikh Regiment." Lord Sahota's grandfathers have served in the British Indian army, including the 15th Punjab Regiment. Speaking to TOI , he said he does not think this proposal will not against the UK Equality Act, highlighting the Staffordshire Regiment, Brigade of Gurkhas, the Royal Yorkshire Regiment, Royal Welsh and Royal Regiment of Scotland. As per the TOI report, there are around 200 Sikhs in the British Armed Forces at present. Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Sikh Regiment's origins are found within the British East India Company Army. Sikh soldiers were notably recruited following the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–46) and even more extensively after the Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–49). Serving with distinction as part of the British Indian Army, the Sikh Regiment played a significant role in both World War I and World War II. During the First World War, over 100,000 Sikhs were part of the British Indian Army, with a number of Sikh soldiers receiving the Victoria Cross, the highest British military honour. For the Second World War, more than 300,000 Sikhs served in the Indian Army. Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter -- Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter -- view comments News world Sikh Regiment In British Army Soon? Here's What We Know Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Demand for Sikh regiment in British Army peaks, minister says open to idea
Following calls for a dedicated Sikh regiment in the British Army, comprising members of the community in the UK, the Keir Starmer-led government has said that it's open to the idea. Earlier this month, Labour peer Lord Kuldip Singh Sahota raised the issue in the House of Lords, citing the loyalty and courage of Sikh soldiers in both World Wars, The UK Defence Journal Defence Minister Vernon Rodney Coaker expressed his willingness to discuss the matter with the Sikh in July, Sahota, in the House of Lords, asked about progress on long-standing calls for such a unit in the British responded that he was open to discussions, saying, "I am quite happy to meet him (Sahota) to see what more we can do to recognise the contribution of soldiers such as Sikhs, and those of many other faiths as well".Notably, according to The Royal Logistic Corps Association, there were 130 Sikh soldiers in the British Army and another 70 serving across defence forces in 2019. However, media reports estimate that the number of Sikh soldiers in the British Army to have risen to around 160 in Minister Coaker, in the first week of July, pointed to the Victory over Japan Day commemorations on August 15, as a moment to reflect on the global wartime sacrifices of the British forces. "Not least among that were the Sikhs of the world, who played a valiant part," the UK Defence Journal quoted him as no firm commitment was made, the conversation signals fresh momentum to acknowledge Sikh military history in the British Armed A NEW IDEA TO HAVE SIKH REGIMENT IN THE BRITISH ARMYThis isn't a new 2015, Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois told the House of Commons that General Nicholas Carter, then-Chief of the General Staff, was reviewing the feasibility of a Sikh unit, possibly a reserve Defence Minister Sir Nicholas Soames urged the government to "do away with political correctness" and establish the regiment, praising the "extraordinary gallant and distinguished service by Sikhs to this country down the generations".Francois had in 2015 noted the proposal's merits, saying it was raised by several MPs and was under consideration. The discussions emphasised carrying forward the traditions of Sikh regiments from the British Indian Army, though no action ASSOCIATED WITH BRITISH ARMY SINCE MID-19TH CENTURYSikhs have served in the British military since the 1840s, after the annexation of the Sikh Empire in British colonisers, to bolster their grip, categorised military regiments in the British Indian Army by caste, religion, and region, designating Sikhs, Gurkhas, Jats, Rajputs, Nagas, and many others as "martial races" that were suited for recruited heavily from Punjab after the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Independence, as the community was deemed divisive strategy prioritised military utility over the cultural depth of the Sikhs transformed this imposed label into a legacy of the late 19th century, Sikhs were a cornerstone of the British Indian Army, serving in regiments like the Sikh Regiment and Punjab per the UK Defence Journal, in World War I, over 1,00,000 Sikhs fought in France, East Africa, Mesopotamia, and Gallipoli, earning Victoria Crosses in battles like Neuve were less than 2% of British India's population but 20% of its World War II, 3,00,000 Sikhs served in North Africa, Italy, and Southeast Asia, their impact huge in combat and support roles, the journal also India's Independence, the Sikhs became a part of the Indian Army, though some still serve in the UK LEGACY CAN LINK COLONIAL TIES TO MODERN BRITAINA Sikh regiment would be similar to the Brigade of Gurkhas, which recruits from Nepal and Indian Nepali-speaking communities, linking colonial ties with today's British Army.A Sikh regiment could do the same for Britain as the Gurkha Regiment has, boosting diversity in the British 2015 push did not yield results, but Coaker's openness a decade later could signal a shift in the British Army.- Ends advertisement
