bobdina
10-07-2009, 10:52 PM
RAF 'Would Have Lost The Battle of Britain'
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Source: The Sun Online
The RAF would have lost the Battle of Britain with the equipment shortages seen in Afghanistan, says a former commander of our forces out there.
Col Richard Kemp hit out at delays getting Merlin choppers over from Iraq.
He told The Sun's War Debate in Manchester: "It's extraordinary it's taking nine months to redeploy some helicopters. If we were talking about the same delays with Spitfires in 1940, we would have almost certainly lost the Battle of Britain."
Ex-Scots Guards officer Capt Leo Docherty, an Afghanistan veteran, added: "A half-hour journey by helicopter becomes a 24-hour road move because vehicles get stuck."
Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox blamed a £1.4billion cut in the copter budget in 2004. "We are still playing catch-up," he added.
Christine Bonner, whose son Darren, 21, was killed by the Taliban, said troops were suffering from a shortage of boots and socks.
Ex-SAS soldier Stuart Trow, who lost a leg in the war, told armed forces minister Bill Rammell: "If you are going to put our guys into theatre, get them the kit they need."
Mr Rammell insisted everything was being done.
http://www.modoracle.com/news/RAF-Would-Have-Lost-The-Battle-of-Britain_18999.html
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Source: The Sun Online
The RAF would have lost the Battle of Britain with the equipment shortages seen in Afghanistan, says a former commander of our forces out there.
Col Richard Kemp hit out at delays getting Merlin choppers over from Iraq.
He told The Sun's War Debate in Manchester: "It's extraordinary it's taking nine months to redeploy some helicopters. If we were talking about the same delays with Spitfires in 1940, we would have almost certainly lost the Battle of Britain."
Ex-Scots Guards officer Capt Leo Docherty, an Afghanistan veteran, added: "A half-hour journey by helicopter becomes a 24-hour road move because vehicles get stuck."
Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox blamed a £1.4billion cut in the copter budget in 2004. "We are still playing catch-up," he added.
Christine Bonner, whose son Darren, 21, was killed by the Taliban, said troops were suffering from a shortage of boots and socks.
Ex-SAS soldier Stuart Trow, who lost a leg in the war, told armed forces minister Bill Rammell: "If you are going to put our guys into theatre, get them the kit they need."
Mr Rammell insisted everything was being done.
http://www.modoracle.com/news/RAF-Would-Have-Lost-The-Battle-of-Britain_18999.html