Latest news with #BritishArmy
Glasgow Times
5 hours ago
- General
- Glasgow Times
Cambuslang soldier deployed on Exercise Hedgehog near Russia
Fusilier David Whyte, 18, is serving with the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS) as part of a 2 SCOTS-led Battlegroup to Estonia. The soldiers are joining thousands of other British Army troops as part of Exercise Hedgehog. Read more: Visa rules leaving Ukrainian refugees in Glasgow 'unemployable' (Image: Crown Copyright 2025)The exercise, running from May 9 to 24, involves 17,000 troops from 12 nations and is designed to test Estonia's defences and NATO's ability to respond rapidly to potential threats from Russia. A former pupil of Cathkin High School in Cambuslang, David joined the army at just 16, training at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate. He said: "I joined the army because it was something different, not sitting in an office. "While at Harrogate, I enjoyed going on a battlefield tour to France. "My proudest moments so far have been passing out at Harrogate and getting through the Infantry Training Centre at Catterick." Exercise Hedgehog marks the young soldier's first overseas deployment with the army. (Image: Crown Copyright 2025) David said: "It was something completely different getting on a military flight to get here. "Sitting on a massive RAF plane was a bit different to getting on a Jet2 plane to go on holiday." David's brother, who joined the army two weeks before him, has also been deployed to Estonia with a different company. The 2 SCOTS regiment formed a battlegroup in the Nursipalu training area in south-east Estonia, where they conducted urban and woodland combat training. The soldiers built trenches in the Estonian forest, similar to those dug by Ukrainian soldiers to protect against Russia's invasion. Attacking forces made up of other NATO allies assaulted the trench positions using drones with simulated pyrotechnic munitions, blank ammunition fired by machine guns, and simulation grenades. (Image: Crown Copyright 2025) Read more: Call to build war memorial at Glasgow's Kelvingrove Museum Exercise Hedgehog serves as a Forward Land Force (FLF) mission rehearsal, offering an opportunity for the FLF and allies and partner nations from across NATO to deploy to Estonia. The UK's 4th Light Brigade Combat Team — known as The Black Rats — is leading the deployment. Thousands of British troops travelled by road, rail, sea, and air, arriving in under 48 hours, demonstrating the British Army's ability to mobilise a large-scale force rapidly. The mass transit of troops demonstrated the British Army's ability to quickly deploy a large-scale force to aid a NATO ally that borders Russia.
Newsweek
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
NATO Army Chief Sounds Alarm: 'The Threat Is Real'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The "threat is real" to NATO, the chief of the British Army has said, warning of "serious challenges" to the alliance as worries swirl that Russia could launch an attack on NATO in the next few years. "We really have got some serious challenges to deal with collectively," General Sir Roly Walker, the head of the British Army, said during an address at the U.K.-based think tank, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) on Wednesday. "The biggest challenge we face, of many, is simply a lack of time," Walker said, adding a "sense of urgency" is needed to "respond to the threats we face." NATO officials have been increasingly ringing alarm bells over how much of a threat Russia will pose to the alliance in the next few years, particularly after inking a possible ceasefire deal in Ukraine that would free up hundreds of thousands of soldiers bogged down along the frontlines. Assessments vary, but one judgment from Denmark's Defense Intelligence Service, published in February, said it believed Russia would be able to wage a "large-scale war" against NATO in the next five years if the U.S. declines to be involved. Soldiers in the Russian Army on Red Square in Moscow on May 9, 2025. Soldiers in the Russian Army on Red Square in Moscow on May 9, 2025. The Kremlin Moscow/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images Oleh Ivashchenko, the head of Ukraine's foreign intelligence service, said earlier this week Russia would be able to mount some form of attack on Europe two to four years after the end of the Ukraine war—but could be ready to do so much quicker if sanctions are lifted. The more than three years of full-scale war in Ukraine has wreaked havoc on Moscow's land forces, but other swathes of its military, like its air force and much of the navy stationed away from Ukraine, have been largely unscathed. Recent satellite imagery has indicated Russia is building out its bases close to the Finnish border. The construction appears to be part of a longer-looking effort to expand Russian military facilities in spitting distance of NATO, The New York Times reported earlier this month. Military personnel in Finland say they are well aware of Russia's activity close to the border. Officials across the alliance have warned Russia is adept at hybrid warfare, a term that broadly refers to tactics designed to undermine or destabilize opponents but falling short of open conflict. In recent months, several undersea cables in the NATO-dominated Baltic Sea have been cut or damaged in one of the most high-profile sets of hybrid incidents. Some observers feel Russia is more likely to up its more covert attacks or use troops formerly fighting in Ukraine to bite off a small chunk of NATO, taste-testing how the alliance might respond. Spurred on by vociferous criticism from President Donald Trump's administration, NATO members across Europe have pledged to up defense spending, which fell at the end of the Cold War. Trump, ahead of his re-election, suggested he would encourage Russia to attack NATO members he deemed to be falling short of their contributions to the alliance. Trump officials have proposed that European members of NATO dedicate 5 percent of their GDP to defense, far above the previous alliance-wide target of 2 percent that is still not met by a handful of members. The U.S., while the most important player in NATO, does not itself spend 5 percent of its GDP on defense. European officials concede the U.S. has long requested the continent invest more in its own armed forces and widely see dramatic spikes in defense spending as necessary and overdue. The U.S., which has provided long-running security for much of Europe, has indicated will make plans to reduce America's military footprint in Europe in the coming months. "We got the memo," Walker added. "It took a couple of attempts, but we got it."
The Courier
2 days ago
- The Courier
Soldiers admit attack on Open Championship worker in St Andrews
Soldiers, then stationed at Leuchars, have admitted their roles in a concerted attack on a St Andrews Open Championship worker during a night out. Ian Gunn and Scott Burns appeared in the dock together at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to admit the attack in the early hours of July 13 in 2022. Victim Stephen Costello was in St Andrews to work at the 150th Open Championships but spent the day before the tournament in Ninewells. After the soldiers' friend had been headbutted by a friend of Mr Costello, they attacked him while he was alone down a side street. Mr Costello suffered a tear duct injury and now always carries sunglasses due to the discomfort he suffers in bright light. Both attackers will be sentenced next month. The court heard 43-year-old Mr Costello was staying in temporary on-site accommodation while he worked at the prestigious golf tournament. He and two colleagues were on a night out and ended up in the student union just after midnight. Burns, 23, and 24-year-old Gunn, both soldiers in the British Army stationed at Leuchars, were there too. The groups, who were not known to each other, met outside at around 2am and began speaking at St Mary's Place. Fiscal depute Jamie Hilland said: 'At some point, the conversation became heated. 'The complainer and another male began arguing with the accused. 'The other male was particularly agitated and began pushing Gunn.' That colleague of Mr Costello's then headbutted a friend of the soldiers, leaving him with a bloody nose. Mr Costello and his companions began to make their way away in the direction of The Old Vic pub but the soldiers followed, shouting. Mr Costello was separated from his companions on Hope Street and Gunn caught up with him. He felt an impact from behind and fell, striking his head. Mr Costello could feel 'a wetness' and realised he was bleeding heavily. While he lay on the ground, Gunn punched and kicked him on the head. Burns caught up and punched and kicked him on the head. They were split up by a bystander and passing police were flagged down. Mr Costello was admitted to Ninewells with a cut to his right eyelid and required surgery under general anaesthetic and still has a scar, as well as vision issues in bright sunlight. Gunn, of School Place in Kirkwall, Orkney, but formerly of Leven, pled guilty to assault to severe injury and permanent impairment. He was a first offender at the time but has since accrued a criminal record. He has been on remand since appearing in court in relation to his third non-appearance warrant on May 16. First offender Burns, of Lorne Court in Glenrothes, pled guilty to a reduced charge of assault. Sheriff John MacRitchie deferred sentencing until June 14 and ordered background reports. Gunn is still remanded and Burns remains on bail.
Scroll.in
2 days ago
- General
- Scroll.in
Ghee Bowman (1961-2025): A British historian who unearthed the stories of Indian soldiers at Dunkirk
One day in 2013, when Ghee Bowman was working on a project on the city of Exeter's multicultural history, he found a book featuring three photographs of Indian soldiers in the English county of Devon during the Second World War. It piqued his curiosity. 'I thought I knew about the Second World War, but I'd never imagined that there were Indian soldiers with turbans and mules in Devon,' he wrote. Though he had a BA in drama, Bowman decided to start an MA in history – and went on to write a PhD dissertation on the 4,227 men of Force K6 contingent who spent most of the war in England. Through their stories, he shone the spotlight on the often-ignored contribution of the 2.5 million men and women of the British Indian Army who had served during the Second World War When Bowman started digging, he found that the British Army arrayed against Nazi Germany in Europe early in the war needed mules to transport artillery and supplies. The men of Force K6 and their mules were shipped in from India, more than 11,000 km away. Several had been evacuated from Dunkirk in France in 1940 when the Allied defense collapsed and spent years in England. Play Before Bowman died on May 10, he had spent the previous 12 years researching the Indian Army in Europe during the Second World War. His two books on the subjects are superbly researched and cracking reads. Bowman's first book was The Indian Contingent – The Forgotten Muslim Soldiers of the Battle of Dunkirk, published in 2020. It is the story of the 299 men of the 25th Animal Transport Company of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps. Because the British used to group men of the same religion and creed together, these men were mainly Muslim. The role of Indian soldiers fighting in North Africa and Italy during the war had been documented. But little was known about the men who were in France. The Great Epinal Escape – Indian Prisoners of War in German Hands was published in late 2024. Bowman had been toying with the title The Greatest Escape, a reference to the popular movie about the war, The Great Escape. It was about the escape of 500 Indian prisoners of war from a camp at Epinal in France in 1944. On May 11, 1944, American planes bombed a camp at Epinal in France housing 3,000 Indian prisoners, breaking some walls. Several hundred escaped, of whom 500 reached Switzerland. It was the largest PoW escape during the Second World War. Though the Indians were conspicuous in the middle of France, they managed to make their way across the border through their grit and the bravery of civilians who helped them along the way. #OTD 11th May 1944; a sunny day in Épinal, a small town on the river Moselle, close to the Vosges mountains and Germany. The scene is set: nobody knows that this quiet French place, untouched by war since 1940, will become the site of the largest POW escape of #WW2 🧵 — Ghee Bowman (@GheeBowman) May 12, 2024 Very little has been written about the experience of individual Indian soldiers in the Second World War. With his micro-histories, Bowman took a step towards filling this gap – and pointed the way for other researchers to do so too. Besides, in a time of rising xenophobia in the UK, Bowman's work serves as a reminder of the long presence of South Asians – and Muslims – in the country and their contributions to keeping it secure at one of its most vulnerable moments. After submitting the manuscript for his second book, Bowman wondered how he could do more to tell the story of Indian soldiers during the Second World War. About six months ago, he decided that he had he hit upon the best and most gratifying way of doing this – not by writing more books or articles and making podcasts but by helping families get to know more about a grandfather or uncle who had fought in the conflict. This would not result in thousands of social media posts and perhaps only one family would get to know about the work. But to Bowman, helping even one person trace their family history was priceless. 'I'm very happy to share what I already know with families and the wider Indian public,' he wrote. 'I've got letters, photos, recommendations for medals that I've found in archives and newspapers. I would love to be able to restore these to the descendants of these brave men.' He decided to co-opt the willing and reached out to researchers across the world. He created a page on his website listing useful resources. I was proud to be his man in India and Southeast Asia These four men were soldiers of the Indian Army, part of #ForceK6 – Muslim Punjabis sent 7000 miles to help the British in its hour of need. Here are some of their officers inspecting coastal defences in November 1941. — Ghee Bowman (@GheeBowman) August 6, 2024 I had the privilege of getting to know Bowman in June 2023, when I reached out to him as I had just begun researching the Indian Army in World War II Singapore. He helped me find sources, to write a book proposal and introduced me to his publishers and others who turned out to be crucial for my own book. Even as he was trying to help family members trace their relatives, Bowman had been going through a grave personal health crisis. In his regular newsletter in May 2024, he mentioned that he had a fall. His last newsletter was on February 1. He said he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour, was undergoing radiation and chemotherapy and doing well. He died three months later. Bowman once described himself as 'a historian, teacher and story teller…a Quaker and a lifelong learner'. He was all that and much more – he helped others without any gain for himself.
Spectator
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
My friend the people smuggler
Usually when I start listening to a true-life podcast, I don't know how it ends. That's not the case with The Smuggler, BBC Radio 4's new investigation into people smuggling. Across ten episodes, its Orwell Prize-winning presenter, Annabel Deas, tells the story of 'Nick', on the face of it an unlikely protagonist. Nick is white, English and a former soldier in the British Army. He's also a friend of mine. We met in jail in 2021 and have stayed in contact ever since. So I know Nick's story. I even know how it ends. Despite all this, I found myself absolutely gripped by The Smuggler. This is partly because it's such a fascinating, and timely, topic. Migration is rarely out of the news. Keir Starmer keeps promising to 'smash the gangs' and 'stop the boats'. But how do the gangs work, and how are people actually smuggled across the Channel? On the podcast, Nick shares the details of how and when he brought migrants over and how his methods changed over time, and reveals shocking gaps in Britain's border security.
