MORE HORSES THAN TANKS IN THE ARMY
‘Now focus on what’s important’
THE Army still has more horses than tanks.
Military chiefs have 492 of the animals in their fleet, compared with 408 tanks.
Latest Ministry of Defence figures show that at the last official count the Army had 227 Challenger 2 tanks, and 181 light Scimitar tanks.
Douglas Young, chairman of the British Armed Forces Federation, said: “The figures don’t necessarily mean we have got too many horses.
“It’s more likely the figures mean we don’t have enough tanks.”
But Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran Gordon Wavell questioned the worth of the animals to the military.
He said: “Maybe it’s time to focus on what’s important and drop ceremonial duties, because that is all the horses do.
“These horses would no longer serve in a war should there be one, it is purely ceremonial.” The tanks are among more than 4,000 armoured fighting vehicles in the
UK’s Armed Forces.
However, former Combat Support
Officer Mr Wavell also questioned their future as frontline weapons.
He said they had long been under threat as modern anti-tank technology allows a “single combatant to damage or destroy a big expensive tank” with a “relatively low-cost handheld weapon”.
In addition to the horses, the MoD also has dogs in the serving fleet. The Army says on its website: “Animals have played a vital role within the Armed Forces for centuries and, just like humans, they receive the highest level of training.”
All military animals start their working life at the Defence Animal Training Regiment HQ in Melton Mowbray, Leics. The regiment’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Mike Robinson, said: “We care passionately about our people and the animals we train.”
He added: “We want our animals to be driven, well-trained and safe and we do that by providing them with the best healthcare.”