News
Yearly Archives: 2015

Is Soldiering an Unappealing Job?
According to a new YouGov report yes, it is. Soldiering was ranked low in the poll which asked 17000 men and women the following; “Generally speaking, please say whether you would or would not like to do each of the following for a living.”
![A member of the Brigade Reconnaisance Force manning a .50cal gun, gives a thumbs up to the camera during training in Jordan. – Defence Images OGL][1]
According to a new YouGov report yes, it is. Sold...

Top 10 regiment nicknames in the British Army
Nicknames for regiments of the British Army
So a couple of weeks back we poked some fun at the sailors for some of the frankly ridiculous names that their ships were called, HMS Cockchafer still makes me laugh… Well I can’t let the other servic...

HMS Invincible's Falklands Commander has died
Admiral Sir Jeremy Black, who captained the Aircraft carrier in the 80's, has died at the age of 83
The man who commanded HMS Invincible, the lead ship of her class of Aircraft Carriers, during the Falkland Islands conflict has died at the age of 83.
Jeremy Black was born in Tavistock, Devon on 17 No...

Forces Reunited sponsor Veterans with Dogs
Forces Reunited sponsor a puppy and donate £6000 to Veterans with Dogs
Forces Reunited has donated to a number of charitable organisations over the years that support UK Armed Forces Veterans, from KartForce to Combat Stress.
On 9th December 2015 Forces Reunited finalised...

Star Wars and Islamophobia
The rampancy of Islamophobia and the Star Wars solution
I don’t know how many of you are Star Wars fans, or have ever seen the films, but with a new film coming out in just a week I can’t imagine you have missed any of the marketing campaign that Disney ha...

Invisible Injuries
How Veterans with Dogs can help PTSD
It has been called many different names over the years, including ‘hysteria’, ‘battle fatigue’, ‘shell-shock’ and ‘war neurosis’. But despite the different names it is fundamentally the same psycholog...

Canis Familiaris
Gearing up for our work alongside Veterans with Dogs
Canis Familiaris, the domestic dog, has for generations stood as a constant companion of man and woman. They fulfil numerous roles in our society from helping our military and security services to aid...

SDSR 2015 Overview
An overview of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review
The Government have delivered their first major review of the Armed Forces, defence strategy and spending since 2010. Here's what we know from around the web:
Purchase of 9 Boeing P8 Poseidon Maritime ...

THE UNKNOWN WARRIOR: GONE, BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN
A short history of the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior
The Unknown Warrior is a powerful symbol that embodies a host of contradictions. He is an ordinary soldier, but one who has been given a place of extraordinary honour; he has no name, yet every family...

REMEMBERING THE LOCAL WAR HEROES FROM YOUR VILLAGES, TOWNS AND CITIES: PRIVATE GODFREY, DAD'S ARMY
We ask you to join us in remembering the local heroes from your villages, towns and cities; William Ridley portrayed the beloved Dad's Army Private for 9 years. he died in Hospital in 1984 at 88.
William Arnold Ridley was born in Walcot, Bath, Somerset on the 7th January 1896 and later in life portrayed the loveable Private Charles Godfrey in the famous British sitcom Dads Army (1968-1977).
Wil...

REMEMBERING THE LOCAL WAR HEROES FROM YOUR VILLAGES, TOWNS AND CITIES: PRIVATE J VILES, THE FIRST MAN TO DIE
We ask you to join us in remembering the local heroes from your villages, towns and cities; Private Viles was the first man to die after Britain declared war on Germany
Private 7297 Joseph Viles of the Somerset Light Infantry, from Bath, died at home aged 27 years on the 4th of August, 1914. He was first British soldier to die after Britain went to war and is buried ...

REMEMBERING THE LOCAL WAR HEROES FROM YOUR VILLAGES, TOWNS AND CITIES: HARRY PATCH, THE LAST FIGHTING TOMMY
We ask you to join us in remembering the local heroes from your villages, towns and cities; we lost Harry Patch in 2009, but we remember him and the millions of others every year
On the 25th of July, 2009, Henry John ‘Harry’ Patch passed away at the age of 111. With him died the living memories of the trenches of World War One, for he was the last survivor who served on the We...

REMEMBERING THE LOCAL WAR HEROES FROM YOUR VILLAGES, TOWNS AND CITIES: THE REAL WINNIE THE POOH ON SALISBURY PLAIN
The unofficial pet of the Second Canadian Infantry Brigade's HQ, Winnie the Black bear cub, rescued by Lieutenant Harry Coleman
On the 24th of August 1914 a Canadian soldier, Lieutenant Harry Colebourn, rescued a female black bear cub. He named her Winnie and kept her by his side during the trip across the Atlantic, ending up ...

Strange names for the Royal Navy’s ships
The weird and wonderful names that the Royal Navy has used for ships throughout history
Naming a ship has got to be a difficult job, right? The name is going to be on there for several years, if not a couple of decades, and it has got to fit the ship, pay appropriate respect to the vesse...

Thumper back in the air
One of only two remaining Lancaster Bombers returns to the air
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Avro Lancaster Bomber Mk1, 'Thumper', has returned to the air after a 4-month hiatus.
Thumper was grounded in May after a fire in the number 4 engine forced the ...

Improvise, Adapt, Overcome... And get into the European Premiere of The Martian!
An Army Reserve Captain, takes on a challenge issued by US comrades
It is a mantra of the Army Reserve and many other military units around the globe; improvise, adapt, overcome. The will to meet any challenge and conquer it. British Forces showcased this on a daily b...

Anniversaries for the RAF's Quick Reaction Alert Force
We celebrate the RAF's victory on Battle of Britain Day and the Anniversary of RAF Lossiemouth on QRA duty
It’s been an important few months for the RAF, as the anniversaries of some very big dates in their history fall between June and October, primarily dates connected to the 1940s Battle of Britain. It ...

Protecting Afghan Interpreters
A petition supporting the granting of asylum to Afghan Interpreters who served with the British Army
The UK Armed Forces are supported, unquestioningly, by the civilian populace and the government as laid out in the Armed Forces Covenant. This document, first published in 2000, goes to great detail t...

The Warren Point Ambush
36 years on, remembering the 18 soldiers killed
Today, the 27th August marks the anniversary of the Warren Point Ambush and the deaths of 18 British Soldiers serving in Northern Ireland during the Irish Troubles.
The Provisional Irish Republican Arm...

More Videos from the War and Peace Revival
Videos from the War and Peace Revival 2015 show
As promised a couple more videos from our trip to the 2015 War and Peace Revival.
There's still a couple more to come as well, showing off three CVRTs and the Second World War vintage Valentine Infantr...