A World War Two veteran has said Britain’s Generation Z would ‘benefit’ from national service in the wake of outgoing head of the British Army, General Sir Patrick Sanders comments that Britain should consider creating a voluntary ‘citizen army’.
General Sanders said preparing for a potential war against Russia should be a ‘whole-of-nation’ undertaking, involving ‘national mobilisation’ however the Ministry of Defence have been quick to rule out the reintroduction of conscription.
Ken Hay, 98, served in the Essex regiment during the conflict and stormed the beaches of Normandy in 1944 before being captured by a German SS Panzer division behind enemy lines.
Mr Hay still takes an active role in military life and is a key figure in Romford’s veteran community and told he questioned whether conscription would be the right course of action for the country.
He said: ‘I don’t think that it’s a question of whether conscription would be a good thing for the young of today but whether conscription is necessary for the country. If the answer is yes, then it’s the duty of all citizens to respond.
World War Two veteran Ken Hay, 98, stormed the beaches of Normandy in 1944
General Sir Patrick Sanders (pictured) – the outgoing Chief of the General Staff – has urged ministers to ‘mobilise the nation’
Experts say Britain should consider creating a voluntary ‘citizen army’ to counter the threat of Vladimir Putin
‘One gets the feeling that, generally, today’s youth would benefit from the discipline of service.’
Previously when conscription was used in Britain it was often dependent on age, with many younger citizens being called up to bear arms first.
When conscription was first introduced between 1916 and 1920 – during the Fist World War – unmarried men from the ages of 16 to 40 were summoned to bear arms for their country.
Unless they were in a particular career which was needed for the war effort – or were single parent or minister of religion – they would be expected to serve for King and country.
By the time the Second World War rolled around, single men between the ages of 20 and 22 were required to serve.
However as the war continued to blaze, men aged between 18 and 41 – except those who were deemed medically unfit or workers in key industries – had to register for service.
The fighting age range then became bigger, with anyone aged 18 to 51 liable to be drafted.
Since General Sanders’ intervention on Wednesday, Britain’s readiness for war has been called into question with the army at its smallest size since the Napoleonic Wars and currently tracking to have just 73,000 full-time soldiers by the end of the year.
Experts and MPs have been warning that the world is in a ‘1939 moment’ and Brits must be ready to surge armed forces numbers if the ‘darkening’ internal situation escalates.
In response to this, many veterans, including Mr Hay have suggested that in the event of a war, they would be ready to serve again.
Mr Hay continued: ‘ No doubt a number of Vets from the more recent conflicts, or just from having been in the Services, would volunteer and they have much to give.
‘The remainder should be held back while the young volunteer or are conscripted and only called if the country needs them.’
Mr Hay has said Britain’s Generation Z would ‘benefit’ from national service
The British government have maintained that they have ‘no intention’ on bringing back conscription
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Chris Parker, pictured on operations in Afghanistan in 2008, completed five tours of Northern Ireland
His sentiments are echoed by Lieutenant Colonel Chris Parker, a veteran of Northern Ireland who told in the event of a conflict uptake would increase.
He explained: ‘Personally, I would go back because, like most veterans I have a fundamental inbuilt pride in the nation and protecting the public.
‘And if that means a war of national defence, I would say personally, the vast majority of veterans would be saying, I’m happy to go back. Whatever physical shape they were in.
‘Let’s be realistic. You don’t need everybody in a military conflict to be super fighting fit.
‘You need people to be also assisting with logistics and support and loading and doing things in the rear operation.
‘My view is that the large majority, whatever their age and whatever their physical condition, would be volunteering to go back and assist, because it is that comradeship, and you wouldn’t want your friends to be going forward without you being with them.’
These sentiments are echoed by fellow veteran Daz Dugan, who whilst critical of some of the government’s provisions for veterans said that he and others would return to the fray in an instant.
He told : ‘I think what the Government do for veterans is rubbish! Absolutely disgraceful, really.
‘Whether people would do back all depends on things like what package they’re putting across and the age limit. I would personally go and fight.’
The show of faith comes after a senior US official warned Britain had ‘sacrificed’ military capability and must ‘reassess’ investment.
Carlos Del Toro, secretary of the US navy, reportedly delivered the tough message as he highlighted ‘threats’ to Western countries
Carlos Del Toro, secretary of the US navy, reportedly delivered the tough message as he highlighted ‘threats’ to Western countries.
According to The Times, Mr Del Toro – who served in the military for two decades before taking up his civilian post – said the world was changing at a ‘lightning pace’.
‘I think it is important for the United Kingdom to reassess where they are today given the threats that exist today,’ he said.
Mr Del Toro insisted it was up to Britain to make decisions and he had huge respect for the professional army.
But with Red Sea tensions running high, he also stressed the need for more spending on naval capabilities.
‘Given the near-term, economic threats to the United Kingdom and the United States investments in their navy are significantly important,’ he said.
MPs have been sounding alarm for years about the dwindling size of the army, which has not been smaller since the Napoleonic Wars, and struggles with recruitment.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps warned recently that the UK is adapting to a ‘pre-war world’.
Former minister Tobias Ellwood, who served in the army, cautioned earlier this week that there is a ‘1939 feel to the world’ and Britain is ‘not prepared’.
‘We’ve been too complacent. What’s coming over the horizon should shock us. It should worry us and we are not prepared,’ he told Sky News.
‘There is a 1939 feel to the world right now. These authoritarian states are rearming.
‘There’s a risk averseness about the West in wanting to deal with that and our global institutions such as the United Nations aren’t able to hold these errant nations to account.’