‘I want YOU... er, 10,000 of you, in fact’

CAPTAIN Jerry Kyd THE captain of HMS Queen Elizabeth has said it would be “lovely” if the Royal Navy had an extra 10,000 personnel.

With more than 32,000 making up the full-time force of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, Captain Jerry Kyd said retention and recruitment is a “constant battle”.

Speaking as the warship was anchored in New York, he said: “This is why we are looking at innovative manning. You have to have a strategy which balances ends, ways and means.

“It would be lovely if we had another 10,000... we are OK, we are balanced.”

He also revealed HMS Queen Elizabeth’s sister ship, HMS Prince of Wales, is “on the gradual build up” with more than 500 personnel so far.