The new British Army

Press, 19 April 1980, Page 17

The new British Army

The Soldiers. By Henry Stanhope. Hamish Hamilton, 1979. 372 pp. $30.95. (Reviewed by Michael Wicksteed) The system used by the New Zealand Army to ' select its commissioned officers is the ■ same as :hat used by the British Army. How many people know, however, that the system is based on an officer group -election method first used by the Jerman Army in the Second World <Var? This is but one of a myriad of acts contained in this fascinating review of the modern British Army. Its author, Henry Stanhope, is pc stranger to that Army; he spent his National Service in the Royal Artillery md has been the Defence Correspondent of “The Times” since 1970. The book, subtitled “An Anatomy of the British Army,” is an effort to provide the reader with an up-to-date picture of Britain’s New Model Army created in the 1960’5. For most readers, any working knowledge of the British Army probably dates back to the Second World War and the years immediately after. This anatomy gives us the opportunity to scrutinize the successor to the Army of that era. It becomes quickly evident that any similarity between, the Army of the late 40s and the early 50s, and the Army of today, is purely coincidental. Here we have a comprehensive survey of the modern British Army which has set out to dispel myths, and which describes in detail an extraordinarily complex organisation. The term “describe in detail” is not loosely used; Mr Stanhope spent three vears researching and writing this book and his attention to detail shows through. It is not a hastily compiled ' effort by a defence correspondent who

happened to be out of work during the agonisingly long strike which prevented the publication of his newspaper. The book is structured into four main groupings entitled: “The Organisation.' “Deployment.” “The Regiments.” and “Military Society." These groupings have been sub-divided into such chapters as: “The Making of a Soldier.” “Military Hardware,” “The Front Line," “Imperial Legacy,’ “Corps D'Elite.'’ and so on. The subject and structure of this book might appear to be an invitation to a period of stultifying reading.. Instead, it is an important reference work which has been well assembled and which is written in a very readable style, containing a leavening of humour and anecdote. The Soldiers” has a place in libraries, schools and even large civilian commercial organisations. It should be required reading for senior military officers, senior civil servants and “leaders of industry,” for here in one volume is an amalgam of information on many subjects which are extremely relevant to the efficient running of any large personnel and equipment oriented organisation. There is even a challenge to the Wool Board. The British Army has. been attempting, without success, to' find a substitute for the famous bearskin. They are currently made from the fur of real bears (male bears in tile case of guardsmen, and the soft side of female bears for officers.).. Wool, apparently, does not behave! itself in wind or rain and man-made fibres are no good either. So the Canadian bears (Russian bears in . days past) will have to continue to provide the necessary material. But if New Zealand wool could be substituted, think of the export-earning potential.