Austerity? Tell it to the Marines

oNE thousand royal Marines are in the Treasury’s sights for defence cuts, reducing their already depleted force of 7,760.

one of the finest elite forces in the world, they have fought for this nation in every major conflict since the Napoleonic Wars.

Their motto’s ‘By sea, By Land’. And By God it would be a national disgrace if cost-cutting pen-pushers led us to lose a single one of their green berets. Yes, austerity is being blamed.

As Major-General Julian Thompson, who led 3 Commando Brigade in the Falklands, said: ‘The defence you need is dictated by your enemy, not your economics.’