Thousands of soldiers made redunant by MoD

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said a total of 4,480 Army personnel have been made redundant in the latest tranche of job losses as the Government pushes ahead with plans to reduce the number of regulars by a fifth, to 82,000, before the end of the decade.

The Government said 84 per cent of those losing their jobs yesterday had applied for redundancy, and insisted operational capability would not be affected.

But Labour said the cuts were a “kick in the teeth” for the soldiers forced out against their will.

Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said: “Our thoughts are with all those leaving the Army and their families. It is significant that so many have chosen to leave in such a tough economic climate.

“For the 700-plus who have been sacked, this is a real kick in the teeth. Each and every one deserves support to resettle in to civilian life and help finding work.”

The losses are the third instalment of job cuts arising from the Government’s 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, and were confined to the Army. A breakdown of where the job losses fell will be released by the MoD next month.

Defence chiefs announced earlier this year that the cuts would mean 17 Army units being scrapped, including Yorkshire’s 300-year-old Green Howards.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: “It is with great regret that we have had to make redundancies to deliver the reduction in the size of the armed forces, but unfortunately they were unavoidable due to the size of the defence deficit this Government inherited.

“Although smaller, our armed forces will be more flexible and agile to reflect the challenges of the future with the protection and equipment they need.”

The MoD said it had done everything possible to avoid so-called “non-applicant” redundancies. Those who applied for voluntary redundancy will leave on or before the middle of December, and those who did not will depart on or before June next year.

Soldiers serving in, preparing for or recovering from operations in Afghanistan were exempt from the compulsory redundancy programme, as were those recovering from serious injuries sustained on operations.

Chief of Staff General Sir Peter Wall said: “This redundancy scheme is a difficult but essential step. We owe our sincere gratitude to those leaving the Army for their service over such a demanding period of operations.”

The MoD said the Army will need to make further reductions to reach its final target of 82,000, likely to involve a further tranche for Army personnel, and a small number of medical and dental personnel from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

The reduction in the number of soldiers means the Army is also cutting back its military estate, with the historic Claro barracks in North Yorkshire - where Wilfred Owen wrote much of his poetry during the First World War - earmarked for closure.

Armed Forces Minister Andrew Robathan suggested the barracks may yet be turned into a military training camp, with the adjacent Deverell barracks sold off for development instead.

“We have a use for a training camp in that area, and wish to retain the training area adjacent to both barracks,” he told MPs.

“From what I understand, the Claro site is a better, more modern site, and the Deverell site might be more suitable for redevelopment.”

Mr Robathan said he is “keen to visit the site” first and the final decision would be made in conjunction with the local council.

Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith urged the Government to make a “quick decision” to end the uncertainty for people living nearby.