How has changed over the millennium: the full combat equipment of British soldiers from the 11th to the 21st century. The British army, which has many names and is led by a woman

Young people went to war to change themselves and change the world. For four long years and the world, and they have changed, but not at all in the way they expected.
The First World War was not an "adventure" or "picnic" as the early volunteers thought, nor was it "bleeding" or " crusade", as the public proclaimed. She turned out to be greatest tragedy beginning of the 20th century.
Having emerged victorious from this conflict, the British tirelessly repeated: "never again" and tried their best to follow this principle, the political embodiment of which the appeasement policy of the 1930s in many ways became.

Ideals and religion are traditionally responsible for the moral and moral well-being of soldiers. In the First World War, they failed to cope with the task assigned to them: the first was replaced by indifference and expectation of the end of the war, the second - by mysticism and superstition.
Faith in God, or rather in his representatives on earth, was greatly undermined by the behavior of the Anglican clergy. Status did not automatically imply respect, it had to be earned, and few chaplains were capable of that.

On an emotional level, soldier's humor and fatalism play a protective function. The first became more and more black, as the soldiers became more and more cynical. Desperately ridiculed both the most terrible and the most positive aspects of life.
The soldiers knew how to rejoice in the little things, parody the terrible and ironically over the saint. Fatalism also characterizes a specific attitude towards existence in military conditions, but it rather reflects the perception of the future rather than the present.
After spending some time on the front line, the soldiers stopped guessing which of the "decisive" battles would be the last, gradually ceasing to perceive the war as anthropogenic factor: all events, even the most insignificant, were attributed to fate.

When the "shield" built on a three-level protection; cracked, a kind of "immunodeficiency" set in - a person could no longer withstand the horrors of war. So there was a "shell shock".
It manifested itself either in the form of a sudden attack (hysteria), or as a result of prolonged nervous strain (neurasthenia). War neurosis was one of the many "discoveries" of the First World War.
Later, he would receive recognition from both doctors and army authorities, but at that time he was considered a sign of weakness, and for everyone actors, including those with this diagnosis.

Here is a letter from Major Henry Granville, who talks about one of the battles at Ypres: “Suddenly the man who was lying next to me turned his head. And I saw his face - from eyes to chin. And I was shocked. There was no face. The guy pretended that moaned from the noise, and looked at me inquiringly with the expression "Something happened?".
The mention of the case ends here, but we know that after several attempts to stop the bleeding and reduce pain with morphine, Granville had to kill his "teammate in the trench" - he suffered in death throes.
At the end of his letter, the major reflects "We are just pawns" and hints at the continuation of the story with the murdered man: "What I wrote is a sketch. It will take a week of tears to tell everything."

The British Expeditionary Force itself was not a homogeneous structure. It has changed over time and military operations. Four stages can be traced in the formation of the British Army, each of the "waves" that made up it was different own system values ​​and attitudes towards war.
Regular troops perceived the war as work, territorial - as an opportunity to prove that they are no worse than regular ones. Both those and those were thrown into the millstones of the war in 1914 - 1915 and perished on the battlefields almost in full force.
They were replaced by the New Army: first, volunteers went to France, followed by conscripts. Both those and those were distinguished by civic morality, often significantly higher education and well-formed life attitudes.
They treated the war first as an "adventure", because as a duty, and then as a fate, something inevitable, developing according to its own laws and not depending on the will and actions of people.

The British army was traditionally led into battle not just by officers, but by gentlemen who were supposed to be role models for their subordinates.
In 1914-1918. the highest army ranks could not become such, since in most cases they were far from the soldiers both geographically and emotionally.
The static World War I did not allow the commanders of the mobile Expeditionary Force to show their professionalism - like the headquarters of all participating countries, they were not ready for a positional conflict.
Therefore, less trained temporary officers - "civilian" officers for the "civilian" army - became a real example and a source of courage. They shared with the soldiers not only the hardships of military life, but in many respects their attitude towards the war.

Another way to increase the chances of survival and adapt to the war was to change the attitude towards the enemy. At first he was hated because that's what the propaganda taught.
The war showed that not everything is so categorical, and diluted the black and white palette of perception with gray tones (this was the main "color" Western Front).
The attitude towards the enemy, as well as towards the war as a whole, was distinguished by contrast: from hatred to pity and respect, but it was based on personal experience losing the features of the stereotype. A "live and let live" system appeared: mutually beneficial truces at the front.

The war affected not only the direct participants, but the whole society as a whole. It changed not only the front, but also the rear, unfortunately, in different directions.
Former and current civilians could not and did not want to understand each other, which caused an alienation that gradually erected a barrier between them.
The war was the main topic of conversation during the holidays, they only talked about different wars: the soldiers were afraid to mention the real one they saw, and the civilians loved to talk about the fictitious one created by the press.
The former were annoyed by the obsession of the civilian population, while the latter did not realize the gravity of the conflict, often focusing on their own problems.

Over time, the attitude of the soldiers towards the war itself also changed. They went to her to stand up for the Just Cause, the feeling of involvement in something great aroused delight.
Triumph gave way to doubt and disappointment (Somme), and then to despair and indifference (Ypres). They fought because it was necessary, because there were friends at the front.
At the same time, the soldiers could not even think about defeat, a compromise peace. They were ready to endure hardship, if only their efforts were not in vain. They have learned to treat war as an everyday reality that they cannot change.

Soldier's Pocket Book(A Soldier's Pocket Book) is a handbook under the cover of which the authors, Major John Hobbis Harris and his co-author and illustrator Rupert Godesen, collected advice for the British sergeant-level infantryman. The book has been published since 1989, then under the title "Volunteer's Pocket Book", and since then it has gone through nine reprints, the most recent on this moment- in 2018, after the death of the author.

From the editor: with this article we open a series of translations of the text “ Soldier's pocket book British Army, revised 2015. We will try to translate and publish not selected moments, but everything, from cover to cover, so that the reader can evaluate the entire amount of work done to help Her Majesty's army, and because there is no other way - out of context, the teachings and instructions of the British army generals may look like "Sofa" articles that are full of these your Internet.

The book, with which the private begins his acquaintance with the difficult soldier's life, begins with a slightly pretentious introduction about why it's cool to be an Englishman, and even cooler - a fighter in the British army.

Soldiers Pocket Book - British army soldier's pocket book

What is this book about?

The Soldier's Pocket Book is dedicated to keeping us at the peak of our readiness, it is not meant to replace young fighter course, but resembles the basics of skills, which, without constant practice, weaken and wither away. This book is a pocket guide to shooting, first aid, personal safety, transportation, weaponry and more. What is the effective range of a heavy machine gun? Why do we wear berets?

A military career begins with a solid foundation that helps recruits pass the test in challenging, realistic and stressful environments. Nothing can replace knowledgeable mentors, and you can't learn the friendship and loyalty that solder your co-workers from an A6 book. But you can refer to this book as you go through the service.

british soldier

A British soldier is a volunteer who chooses to serve in the British Army, continuing a long tradition of loyalty to the Crown. He/she agrees to serve Her Majesty the Queen and her appointed officers.

The well-deserved reputation for excellence that the British Army enjoys around the world has grown out of primary education, personal qualities developed by training, and further training that accompanies all military career. Confidence and self-respect flourish through opportunity.

All three types of troops ( Navy, Air Force and Ground Forces - approx. transl.) have significant historical heritage, consisting of the military merits of units and manifestations of personal prowess, which forms traditions, morality and professionalism.

Outside the Armed Forces, the pursuit of tradition is increasingly perceived as old-fashioned and redundant, we are moving along the path of breathtaking advances that make our lives faster, easier, more enjoyable, less messy, but not necessarily more fulfilling and affluent.

However, we are obliged to our predecessors to honor the traditions of our units. We can do this by being fit, trained, motivated, capable soldiers, sailors and aviators, on active duty and in reserve, rising in rank and passing on our experience to the youth who follow us, who will pick up the legacy passed down to them.

Fortitude

Things very rarely go according to plan, so in order to cope with the vicissitudes of life, we develop a practical, steadfast and firm outlook on life.

Although through no fault of our own we are no longer as strong and resilient as our predecessors, life is getting easier and easier, we expect everything at once, and whine if this does not happen. We have forgotten how to be patient and are complaining because some guy on TV told us that we are "victims" of something wrong. Unfortunately, our opponents, as it turns out, are still as strong and steadfast as they were.

Respect

Much is slowly changing for the worse in our society, there is less and less respect for everything, including the law. We think we can do whatever we want, throw trash in the street that someone else picks up, evade taxes, expect everything at once, for free and for good.

The Armed Forces are an island of discipline and order, beyond which few people understand. It is no coincidence that people remember the old days of universal military service as the golden age of disciplined youth.

For the combat readiness of the Army in the future, it is necessary to maintain a high level of training and discipline. As soldiers, we play a special role in society, we are part of society, we come from it, we live among the rest of the population. But in war, we don't have ordinary jobs, we constantly have to do extraordinary things, and then we can handle it ourselves and re-integrate into society. Retired soldiers are noticeable for their calmness in tense moments and their lack of inclination to make a molehill out of a molehill. The ability to rely on comrades is part of our confidence. And we are obliged to preserve and increase this integral basis of mutual trust.

Army principles and standards

• Dedication: Appreciate others before yourself.
• Courage: in the face of the enemy and in the landing hatch, as well as moral courage do what needs to be done.
• Discipline: make high demands on yourself so that others can rely on you.
• Unity: Earn the respect and trust of your comrades.
• Loyalty: to be faithful to comrades and duty.
• Respect for others: Always treat others with dignity.

Military oath of allegiance in the British Army

“I (soldier’s name) swear by the Lord Almighty that I will be faithful and loyal to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Her heirs and successors and that I will, as a duty commands, honestly and faithfully defend Her Majesty, Her heirs and successors from all enemies, and I will observe and carry out all the orders of Her Majesty, Her heirs and successors, and the generals and officers placed over me.

How did the British army come to its current shape? From 1645 to the new Army of the era of the wars of terror - that's it in a few pages.

Beginning of the British Army

In 1645, a new type of army was created by Parliament in the course of civil war. First time in the UK military history the soldiers became professionals, not militias convened when needed.

Era of the Napoleonic Wars

In the Napoleonic Wars, the British army reached unprecedented development. In 1793, Britain had a professional army of 40,000 men - by 1813, on the eve of Napoleon's defeat, the number had reached 250,000.

During these wars the Fusiliers—famous in Bernard Cornwell's Richard Sharpe novels—were formed to fight in small units to harass the big ones. French formations and hunting down French officers, a tactic regarded as "damn ungentlemanly" by most of the military.

The traditions of the Riflemen are continued by modern rifle battalions, leading their lineage from the progenitors of the Napoleonic era.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The reason why British soldiers wore red coats on the battlefield has to do with the then notion of camouflage. It may sound ridiculous now, but it has been found that at a distance, a group of soldiers in red is harder to count, as it merges into a single blur, misleading enemy observers.

colonial rule

During the reign of Queen Victoria, with the advent of breech-loading rifles, soldiers had the opportunity to take cover, and not just expose themselves to fire while standing in the ranks.

The British army eventually adopted khaki uniforms during the Boer War, as the red coats made the soldiers easy targets for the Boer light units called Commandos. Hence the name "commando" for shock parts of direct contact with the enemy.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Officers in the British Army purchased a patent for an officer's rank for money until 1871.

World War I

First World War put an end to eighteenth-century military tactics and the gentlemanly behavior of past centuries. The British army faced an equal adversary in industrial confrontation - the colonial superiority of the Victorian era was over.

In one first day of the Battle of the Somme, the British army lost 60,000 men. The soldiers were ordered to go straight for the enemy - for fear that the retreat would lead to the collapse of discipline.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

During the Battle of the Somme, General Rawlinson kept a regiment of Spearmen in reserve—a unit more at home in the fields of Waterloo than the swamps of the Somme—in the romantic hope of using them to break through the German front line.

The carnage of the new war meant that tactics changed dramatically. Toward the end of the war, artillery began to be used jointly with infantry in the offensive, suppressing pockets of enemy resistance, realizing what was called the "barrage". More authority for non-commissioned officers to use their initiative during the course of the battle meant that the pace of the battle accelerated, with instant use of opportunities presented, instead of waiting for approval from officers.

Tanks were first used at the Battle of Fleur in September 1916 as a way to break the stalemate of trench warfare.

By 1918, the high command realized the benefit of sharing artillery, infantry and armored vehicles. By 1939, the pace of the war had changed irreversibly.

The Second World War

The horrors of trench warfare had a profound psychological impact. Both sides in World War II sought to avoid such clashes of attrition.

The German "blitzkrieg" campaign in Poland, the Low Countries and France in 1939-1940 was the birth of a new approach to warfare in which speed was as important as technology. The time of huge armies, accumulated for weeks to storm in one square, has gone forever. Armored fists at the point of impact and airborne assaults led to a constant game of catch-up.

Assault units became the trump card in this war of speed, and the British army tried to stay in line with the changes. Regiments such as the SAS, paratroopers, and commandos were formed with the intention of bringing the fight closer to the enemy—or, in Churchill's words, "setting fire in Europe."

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Operation Vegetable Garden, featured in A Bridge Too Far, is the largest airborne assault in history, with 41,628 paratroopers and glider crews.

cold war

After 1945, Britain became one of the main NATO members, and so the British army faced the prospect of participating in the Cold War, if it warmed up.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The Korean War (1950-1953), regarded as forgotten, cost the lives of 1,109 British soldiers and officers.

However, the 1957 doctrine and the advent of nuclear weapons meant that the size of the army could not be maintained. The unit merger was an attempt to cut military spending.

The War on Terror - Present and Future

The events of the year irreversibly changed the orientation of the British army. The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq marked the end of wars in which the enemy was easily recognizable.

The days of wars in which armies met in battle were numbered.

Even in this time of cutbacks and uncertainty, the British Army remains undeniably among the most professional armies in the world. She has traditions that we are rightfully proud of, and soldiers who serve in highest level, thereby vouching for the preservation of our values, customs and combat capability.

British Army Traditions - Regimental Structure

In the British Army, regimental-level formations are treated as permanent formations. Everything above this level, divisions and battle groups, are put into action in accordance with the requirements of the situation. For example, when the 16th Air Assault Brigade was stationed in Afghanistan, it included two battalions from the Parachute Regiment, two battalions of the Royal Scots Regiment, the 16th Medical Regiment, the 23rd Engineer Regiment and the Royal Irish Regiment.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Did you know? The oldest regiment still in service is the Honorary Artillery Company, formed in 1537.

Did you know? Up until the 18th century, regiments were usually named after their commanding officer. To avoid confusion when commanders were appointed and left in a short period of time, regiment numbering was introduced in 1751.

Why do regiments have banners?

In the heat of battle, the banner of the regiment can be seen at the command posts. The banner is trimmed with insignia of military merit and serves as a symbol of unit pride. Banners protect to the last drop of blood, since their loss is a personal insult to the monarch. Lieutenant T. Melville fought valiantly, even losing one arm, defending the royal banner at the Battle of Isandlwana in 1879, being surrounded by the Zulus.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The rank of banner sergeant was introduced during the era of the Napoleonic Wars to reward the bannermen who guarded the banner for their bravery and loyalty.

Why do soldiers wear berets?

The beret first appeared in the British Army in 1918. The British Panzer Corps trained alongside the French 70th Mountain Rifles, who wore large distinctive berets. Major General Hugh Elles, the first commander of the tank corps, saw the prospect of wearing a beret in cramped conditions inside tanks. More compact "British" berets were sent for Her Majesty's approval in 1923, and were approved in 1924.

Berets unite members of the same regiment as a distinctive badge and develop a sense of pride in the unit in which soldiers serve.

During World War II, many regiments wore berets as a way to show the enemy who was in front of him. The expression "red devils", for example, came from the phrase of the Germans who encountered paratroopers in maroon berets.

Berets are usually worn tilted to the right. The reason for this is the desire to free the shoulder of the carrier for applying weapons. This manner dates back to the time when the Lee-Enfield rifle was still in service, and not the SA-80 bullpup.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

There are no official guidelines for the molding or slope of the beret. The manner of wearing is determined by individual preferences and regimental customs.

The British army has always changed in response to the threats that confronted the nation, adapting to the theaters of war, and this continues to this day, extending this flexibility to reserve forces.

Ranks and insignia of the British Army

Rank	Title (original)	Rank (in translation)	Insignia
privates	Private	Private	without signs
	Lance Corporal	Lance corporal
	Corporal	Corporal
Sergeants	Sergeant	Sergeant
	Staff Sergeant	staff sergeant
warrant officers	Warrant Officer Class 2	Warrant Officer Second Class
	Warrant Officer Class 1	Warrant Officer First Class
Cadets	Officer Cadet	officer school cadet	without signs
junior officers	Second Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
	Lieutenant	Lieutenant
	Captain	Captain
senior officers	Major	Major
	Lieutenant Colonel	Lieutenant colonel
	colonel	Colonel
	Brigadier	Brigadier
generals	Major General	Major General
	Lieutenant General	Lieutenant General
	General	General
Marshals	Field Marshal	field marshal

- Captain Watson! A letter for you, sir! When John held out his hand, she was trembling with fatigue. Barely on his feet after five surgeries, he prayed that the emergency room would not fill up with new patients after the last round of shelling that rocked the field hospital.

− What is it? In spite of being tired, John was curious. There was no one at home who could write to him: his parents had died long ago, and of the closest relatives - only Harry ... Well, Harry, most likely, is too drunk to understand what a month it is in the yard, not to mention what a day.

Christmas Eve. It was this part of Christmas that John loved best: cookies and spiced wine by the fireplace, the scent of pinewood filling the room, the garland flickering around the tree and above the fireplace.

There was nothing like it in Afghanistan. There was sand and blood, and, for a change, all this, cemented, covered his boots with a layer, and he barely had time to sterilize the form and tools.

Wiping his dirty hand on his jacket, he turned the envelope over to read the return address.

Seeing in the column "addressee" written in uneven handwriting British soldier John felt his anxiety begin to dissipate. Fine. Anyway, it wasn't bad news about Harry. Fine. Very good.

Having torn the corner of the envelope, he kept most of it intact so that later he could put the postcard back. Carefully slid a finger inside.

He was very pleased with the card: it showed a classic British Christmas: the estate with welcoming shining windows, surrounded by a park with trimmed hedges and pine trees, was shrouded in snow. The photograph looked professional, but as he turned the card over, John saw that it was more personal than it seemed.

"Dear sir!" was written on the back of the postcard. The handwriting was the same, but while the address was scribbled, here the letters were jumbled neatly and neatly.

“We are supposed to be writing a Christmas card to a British soldier at school. We were given postcards at school, but they are the dumbest thing you can imagine, and I don't think you would like to receive one. And this is a photo of my house, taken last Christmas Eve and printed out by Mamula this year. There is little snow this year, but you get the general idea. Cozy, festive, et cetera. It's Latin for "and so on" if you don't know.

I don't know what else to write here. I was going to tell you about my experiments, but my mother said that you should not do this, because you probably saw a lot of dead people there and do not want to hear about the rate of decomposition of the pigeon, which I found the other day in the forest behind the house. But if you want to hear about it, you can write back to me and ask.

I sincerely wish you

Merry Christmas.

Sherlock Holmes"

John suppressed a chuckle and then turned the card over to look at the address: somewhere in Sussex. "You can write back to me and ask". He could actually do it.

Opening the envelope to put the postcard back for safekeeping, he saw the date on the postmark for the first time: December 5th, 1992. What?

− Cap! There are people waiting! − John put the postcard in the inside pocket of his jacket and went back to work.

The shot changed everything, except that it didn't change anything. Instead of looking into the eyes of terrified and bleeding soldiers, carefully extracting bullets from their bodies, John looked into the terrified eyes of the surgeon as she carefully tried to remove shrapnel from his shoulder, and blood dripped from small cuts on her forehead .

At some point, he realized that he was going to faint, and his last thought was a wave of gratitude for the impending unconsciousness.

He did not remember the field hospital and the first operation. Coming on a short time into consciousness in Germany, he only had time to notice that the actors of the show that was on TV in his room spoke German; literally a moment later he lost consciousness again.

In England, after the third operation, he finally came to his senses. He was released from the hospital earlier than he had hoped, and then it turned out that he had too much time, too little money, and no idea how to fix it all.

He started taking long walks, initially on the recommendation of a physiotherapist who said it might be helpful for overcoming his lameness, but he continued walking afterward because he loved it. He had a routine: Hyde Park in the morning and Regent's Park in the afternoon. He found out where to see the swans, and after that he began to walk more in the woods. One morning he even saw a trio of hedgehogs, and one evening, after a long and very quiet sitting on a bench that stood a little away from the main paths, he noticed a fox.

It wasn't the worst way to spend his first days outside the hospital, and he had time to think.

At first he tried not to remember Afghanistan, but of course it was impossible. These memories constantly surfaced, and he was thrown into the heat, then into the cold. He heard the firing of guns in the car horns and the screams of wounded comrades in the screeching of the playground.

He did not understand how he managed to keep the postcard after three operations and transportation from Afghanistan through Germany to England, but it was still with him. He carried it in his jacket pocket every day and kept it on his nightstand every night. Its edges began to fray, and if you look closely, you could see traces of tears on the envelope when a postcard was taken out of it to look at it again.

The first days after the hospital turned into the first months, and his lameness gradually began to decrease.

He no longer looked at the postcard as often as before; he learned all the words by heart and usually just wanted to look at the house. He imagined a warm fireplace, which should be in the living room, wide sofas and deep armchairs with soft pillows.

Moreover, it seemed to him that the photo on the postcard became his home, and he sometimes wondered if the boy who sent it and who, of course, grew up by now, still lived there. Or he moved and now lives somewhere else.

He began to look for less crowded and narrower paths in parks that were more sheltered from city noises and spent more and more time sitting still on a bench or on the grass, watching and expecting to see the elusive ermine, hedgehog or fox. He started seeing them more often and then wondered if they were showing themselves because they were used to him or if they were there all the time.

One evening, after it began to get dark, John rose from his place on the grass, brushed off the leaves that had fallen to his knees, and headed towards the gates of Regent's Park. The days were getting shorter, so they closed earlier and earlier, and he didn't want to be locked up in the park at night. One evening, somewhere in the middle of summer, he stayed in the park after sunset, and then found that the gate was locked. Somehow, by moonlight, he managed to climb over the hedge wall, but he did not want to try it again, given the recent fall due to a leg that, although less sore, turned out to be just as unreliable.

He was about to put the card back in his jacket pocket when he heard a familiar voice:

− John? John Watson?

He turned slowly and ran into Mike Stamford, whom he had not seen since graduation at Barts.

"Mike, hi," John greeted.

“Heard you were wounded in Afghanistan,” Mike said. − What happened?

"I got shot," John swallowed. He wasn't sure he liked the direction of the conversation.

− What is it? Mike pointed to the postcard.

- Oh, this trifle? Nothing really," John replied, not understanding why he was so embarrassed. − I received this Christmas card last year. Believe it or not, Christmas Eve. It was sent by some schoolboy, probably because their teacher gave them such an assignment. But I liked the photo, and there was something funny about the date. I just kept it. He paused, and when Mike didn't answer, he felt a little uneasy. Not knowing what to do next, he just decided to show Mike the card.

He handed it to Mike, feeling uncomfortable that it was in the wrong hands.

Mike looked at the photo and nodded.

“It must have been good to look at her from out there in the desert.

"Yeah, it was really great," John breathed a sigh of relief as he took the card.

- What was funny about the date? Mike asked.

"Postmark 1992," John replied. "I suppose she must have gotten lost?" She lay in the post office for many years, and then somehow was delivered to the unit.

- Can I see the envelope? Mike asked.

John didn't want to show the envelope, but he couldn't think of any good reason to avoid it when he'd already let him look at the card.

He passed it on.

− Ha! Mike exclaimed. - You won't believe it, but I know him!

- Sherlock Holmes, from the Sussex Hills! I know him,” Mike replied.

- Are you serious? − John was cold, so he reached out his hand to take the envelope. Mike handed it back and John carefully put the card back, then tucked everything into his jacket pocket.

“Oh, this is getting weirder and weirder. I was actually going to see him today. Come on, come with me! Mike insisted, slapping John's sore shoulder.

John yelped in pain as he struggled to his feet with his cane.

- I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Mike hurried. “But really, you should come with me and meet him!”

− What? Are you serious? I can't go like this,” John protested.

Mike laughed.

"Like... Well... I don't know... in old clothes... besides, my jeans have grass stains, and my shoes are dirt... and I don't know what else," John said. .

"Oh, he'll love it," Mike promised. - He likes that. He will tell you your whole life story by looking at the degree of wear of the shoes or something else. It drives most people crazy.

John digested the thought, then nodded.

- Well, good. I will go.

John thought he should have asked Mike first, Where he was on his way to meet Sherlock Holmes of the Sussex Hills, but by the time it became clear that their destination was the mortuary, he felt it was too late to retreat.

It wasn't just a mortuary: he'd spent a lot of time in medical school doing autopsies in the evenings, with a scalpel in one hand and a sandwich in the other. He spent a lot of time in this specific morgue, to be precise.

"Good old Barts," John muttered, running his hand along the wall as they entered the building.

"Every time Sherlock is here he gets into trouble," Mike said. “He begs for body parts from the medical examiner, then he steals my time from the liquid chromatograph. And in general he is terrible.

"Sounds good," John said absently, straightening up as they approached the mortuary doors.

− What sounds good? - a beautiful, deep baritone sounded incredulously nearby.

"You," Mike chuckled. “Sherlock, meet John Watson. He is my old friend, we studied together.

"Hey," John nodded and turned around.

The look of a stranger - no, Sherlock— slithered over him. Not knowing what he was looking for, John wished that he would look away at least for a while so that he himself could stare and enjoy what he saw - well, it's damn unfair that he is so handsome.

− Afghanistan or Iraq?

"Mmm... I'm sorry?.. What?.. How do you know..."

- You have tanned arms, but there is no tanning above the wrists, where the cuffs of your jacket allow you to see it. Thus, you were in the sun, but did not sunbathe. Abroad. The way you carry yourself betrays that you are a military man, and your limp, which is almost certainly psychosomatic, clearly indicates that you were recently wounded in traumatic circumstances. So: the armed forces, was recently abroad and wounded. Afghanistan or Iraq. The flood of words rushing out of Sherlock's lips made him dizzy and threatened to drag John to the bottom. He controlled himself with difficulty and answered without emotion:

"I... Afghanistan," John replied.

Sherlock's eyes gleamed and he focused on John's cane.

"You already know that your lameness is psychosomatic, that's why you forget about it when you stand and hold the cane so weakly..." He trailed off. − What is it?

− What? John asked.

− What do you have? Sherlock asked.

"I don't have anything," John said, feeling his palms begin to burn. - I don't know what you're talking about.

"No, there is," Sherlock insisted. “You have something on you that worries you a lot, and I can’t figure out what. What do you have in your pockets?

"I..." John didn't see any way out of this situation, but he desperately didn't want to show Sherlock the card. Any chance (he doubted he had any chance at all, but hope is an irrational and eternal thing) of continuing to get to know Sherlock would, of course, be ruined once he knew he had the card with him, written when he was a child. After that, there will be no more hope.

He looked at Mike for help and saw a student rushing towards them and shouting:

- Doctor Stamford! Doctor Stamford!

He approached and chattered:

- Doctor Stamford! I didn't find you in your office, but I have a question. Seeing you here, may I know about next week's test? The student managed to blurt it all out in one breath as he quickly walked down the hallway.

Mike looked at his watch.

- Oh, I'm sorry, Ryan. I'm late... Sherlock, we'll have to discuss our pathology findings some other time." Mike said as he turned to leave with the student.

As soon as Ryan turned his back, Mike turned around and made a face at John over his shoulder. John shook his head.

“Would you…would you like to have a cup of tea?” John asked as the sound of Mike's footsteps faded.

Sherlock's attention turned back to John.

“I don’t mind if you show me something that I guess you have, but I can’t figure out what it is,” he said.

"I can't promise that," John said, feeling his throat dry. “I don't… it's not… it doesn't matter.

"Well, that's fine," Sherlock agreed. “Speed ​​Cafe on Baker Street, tomorrow at seven. Turning on his heels, he left, making significantly more noise than Mike and Ryan.

Lost in thought, John stared after him, standing in the hallway longer than he probably should.

That night, his leg was more stiff than usual as he carefully sat down on the bed. He hesitated for a moment before pulling the card out of its envelope and placing it on the nightstand. Given everything Sherlock had learned about him, it was probably too late to keep this latest, embarrassing revelation from him, so John figured he would enjoy the comfort this habit gave him for as long as he could. Because the more John thought about their conversation, the more he became convinced that Sherlock could draw one of two conclusions: either he is a guy with great oddities, or he has manic tendencies and even a danger to society.

Lying in bed, staring at the curtains opposite the streetlight, John admitted to himself what he feared most tomorrow - that Sherlock might demand that the card be returned to him.

Calling himself a maniac (he wasn't, but he could admit that was what it looked like) or sentimental (which he was willing to admit), he thought about asking Mike for Sherlock's phone number and canceling... what? Date? John wasn't sure—in any case, it was nothing compared to how much it would hurt him to part with the card.

The postcard was with him during three operations on three continents and five months of loneliness in London, and he did not know if he could cope with such a loss.

John was going to come to the meeting before Sherlock, but technical reasons the subway trains were delayed and he ended up arriving thirty minutes late. Stumbling on the threshold of the cafe, he was surprised when a gloved hand caught his hand to keep him from falling.

Why don't you show me this? Sherlock asked, releasing John's elbow as soon as he regained his balance.

"Can't we get back to talking after tea is brought to me?" John asked wearily.

"I've already ordered tea for both of us, for you - with milk, whatever you like," Sherlock replied, guiding John to a table near the radiator.

John sank into a chair, grimacing at the pain in his leg, and leaned his cane against the back.

− May I know how you know what kind of tea I like?

"Probably not," Sherlock replied absently. All his attention was focused on the pocket of John's jacket, where he knew the envelope was. “It doesn’t matter… So what is it that you keep to yourself and what are you worried about?” Letter?

"It's... it's... nothing special," John insisted. - Yes... Just a letter that I received when I was there, in the war.

Sherlock narrowed his eyes.

− The letter you received when you were in Afghanistan... From whom? From your wife? No, you don't have it. There is no ring. And it wasn't. Girlfriend or fiancee? Perhaps, but you spent the day sitting on a hill in Regent's Park. It is unlikely that you have a girlfriend, otherwise you would have been doing something better on the last warm Saturday. Family? You are obviously not close to them because you have a Scottish accent and here in London you live alone.

- A speck of shaving cream just below your left ear. A classic sign that you live alone,” Sherlock replied leisurely. “So who is this letter from?” No, I can't guess. From whom?

Of course, you could not answer. But John felt that it was impossible.

"Well... actually from you," John admitted without looking at Sherlock. Pulling an envelope from his pocket, he handed it to Sherlock.

"That's impossible," Sherlock breathed in shock, instantly recognizing him. “I sent it when I was a child.

"And I got it eleven months ago in Afghanistan," John said. “It's not what it looks like, I wasn't looking for you or chasing you. I just ran into Mike in the park and I had the letter in my pocket because... well, I always liked looking at a picture, a house with hedges and snow... Mike wanted to see it, and I didn't want him to see it. to show because it's a little weird to carry around a letter from a stranger written twenty-four years ago... but I couldn't think of a good excuse for not showing it, so I did it. And then he said he knew you and was going to meet you. He practically dragged me to Barts,” John explained.

Smiling, Sherlock looked down at the letter in his hand, touching the words written twenty-four years ago and making a decision. Even multiple solutions.

John, not privy to either of these, shifted his weight to the right side. His leg began to hurt even when he was sitting.

"Come home with me," Sherlock snapped.

"There," Sherlock said, pointing to the photograph. John was startled when he realized what was happening - usually when the card was away from him he would get worried, but now he was surprised to find that he didn't care that Sherlock was still holding the card. - Next week is Christmas and I'm going there. Let's go with me.

"I don't want to get into an uncomfortable situation," John said, feeling both elated and awkward. We don't know each other yet.

“You know, I wrote this letter out of necessity. But after I sent it, I couldn't stop thinking about a soldier who could get it for a long time," Sherlock said, ignoring John's words. “I made up stories about where I would meet him and how he would look. He paused, and his expression became vulnerable, almost timid.

− What stories? John asked.

− Detectives. I knew I wanted to be a detective. I needed a partner, and you were always with me during police ambushes, and you listened to me when I shared evidence…” Sherlock shook his head. - That probably sounds crazy.

Something warm blossomed in John's chest.

"I've been thinking about you too," John admitted. − I was wondering if you still live in England after you grew up. Is your house as warm and cozy inside as it looks in the photo.

- It's warmer than you can imagine, it's everywhere warm blankets and carpets,” Sherlock promised. - Say you will come with me, please.

“I don’t…I don’t know…Won’t I ruin your family Christmas?”

"It'll be just Mom, Mycroft, Graham and me," Sherlock said, "she's been calling me for ages... But I've had no time to do it all alone... Oh!... I... I'm sorry." He looked away.

When the meaning of Sherlock's words hit John, he stood up and pushed his chair back. The cane fell to the floor. John paid no attention to it. He approached Sherlock. Taking a deep breath, he took Sherlock's hand, which was still holding the card. Sherlock tensed in surprise, but didn't pull away.

"It would be an honor for me," John said and leaned in to kiss Sherlock's cheek. - Merry Christmas, Sherlock Holmes.

The army of any state is a shield that is designed to protect the peaceful life of citizens and the territorial integrity of the country. This social formation existed long before people invented writing, law and other forms of their activity. In other words, the culture of killing a person, and it is for this purpose that armies are created, is one of the most ancient spheres of the direct functioning of society. Over the course of many centuries, the armies of all states without exception have evolved. This is also due to the history of the development of a particular country. It should be noted that many cultural traditions troops that existed several centuries ago are still preserved in the active armies. Of course, this approach testifies to the well-established system of personnel training, as well as cohesion in the composition of the troops. But out of all the armed forces different countries there are armies that stand out against the general background. These are the British Armed Forces today. The history of the formation of the army of this country is filled with amazing heroic deeds and valiant battles. A significant influence on the development of the British troops was also exerted by the long stay of the state in the status. All this together makes the British Armed Forces a highly professional and mobile military formation, which represents a significant combat power. The structure of the troops of this state and their functions will be discussed later in the article.

General concept of the armed forces of Great Britain

The army of Great Britain is a cumulative concept of a number of different ones. That is, the term denotes all the military formations of the state that are part of a single defense structure. The activities of the British army are quite specific, given some political and territorial features. Besides military formation country has a long history. The army is managed through the Ministry of Defense, the structural element of which is a special defense council. As in many progressive modern countries today, the head of state is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. In the case of Great Britain, this is the monarch - Queen Elizabeth II.

The initial stage of development of the armed forces of Britain

There are many historical versions about when the British army arose. The most common is the opinion that the British Armed Forces arose in 1707, as a result of the unification of England and Scotland directly. But some scholars are of the opinion that the starting point in the history of the army of this state is a much more ancient date. IN this case such an assertion is erroneous. Since before the unification of the previously represented states, England was a series of independent, warring countries. During its formation, the British army took part in a large number of wars both on the territory of its colonies and against other states. The most famous military conflicts in which the armed forces of Great Britain took part are the following:

Napoleonic and Seven Years' War.

Crimean War.

War against the American colonies.

The Opium Wars 1840-1860.

It should also be noted that at this stage of development, the British army has a strong fleet and a small number of ground forces. Thanks to this approach to the organization of the troops, the empire had the status of "mistress of the seas" for a long time. It should also be noted that throughout the entire period of development, the army of France and Great Britain constantly competed with each other. This is due not only to the dominant positions of these states in Europe, but also to national enmity.

The development of the army in the XX century

The subsequent stages in the development of the British army are characterized by the participation of the state in the First and Second World Wars. At this time, some reorganization actions were also carried out. For example, in 1916 the British authorities introduced universal conscription. In addition, in 1922 the state officially abandoned the principle of "two fleets", according to which the composition of the British Navy was to be twice the size of the fleet of other major maritime powers. A significant enough fact for the development of the army of the empire was the country's entry into NATO in 1949. This led to the participation of Great Britain in almost all major operations carried out by the bloc.

British Armed Forces in the 21st Century

In the 21st century, the British army took part in the war against Afghanistan, as well as Iraq. It should also be noted that a large number of the British contingent was sent for the military intervention of the state of Libya, which took place in 2013. In addition, representatives of Britain played a significant role in the implementation of Operation Serval. Thus, the British Army, which numbers 421 thousand personnel, is today one of the best military formations in the world.

Structure of the British Armed Forces

The entire structure of the British army is built in such a way as to facilitate the implementation of the functions of this formation as much as possible. In addition, the State Armed Forces have some specific types of troops that have a rather interesting field of activity. Thus, the British army, the strength of which was presented above, has the following structural elements:

1. Air Force.
2. Ground troops.
3. Special Forces.
4. Medical service.

This structure, as mentioned earlier, is best suited for performing individual functional tasks. At the same time, the medical troops of the armed forces are unique in their kind. Because medical units in other world armies are not singled out as a separate structural element of the Armed Forces.

Ground troops

Like the armed forces of Great Britain as a whole, the ground forces also begin their history from 1707. To date, the army of England is a professional unit, the main purpose of which is to defeat enemy personnel on the ground. The main striking force of the army, as we understand it, is the infantry. To date, it includes about 36 regular battalions. In addition to this, the power of the British army also consists of an armored corps, an artillery regiment, an engineer corps, an army air corps, a reconnaissance corps and a signal corps. Also, this type of troops includes territorial military formations, which are analogous to the national guard.

British Navy

So, in the article we examined the features of the armed forces of Great Britain. It should be noted that today the armed forces of this state are among the most powerful on Earth. But let's hope that it will not be possible to visually see the full power of the British army.

March 6th, 2015

The British Army has a special place in NATO. First of all, due to the high political activity of this country in the international arena. The British Armed Forces have been involved in almost every major armed conflict on the planet since 1945. And the rich imperial past to this day positions the Royal Navy as the second in the world, after the American one. At one time up to 2/3 of the British Army was placed under Alliance command. However, over the past time in the UK there have been major changes. They also touched its armed forces.

Formally, at the moment, the total strength of the British army, including aviation and navy, is about 200 thousand people: including 113 thousand in the ground forces, 52 thousand in the air force and 43 thousand people in the navy . However, the country is currently undergoing a large-scale military reform, the attitude towards which is ambiguous even among the British themselves. Back in the early 90s of the twentieth century, the British Armed Forces had 1.2 thousand tanks, 3.2 thousand armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 700 artillery systems and almost 850 combat aircraft. But the optimization of the composition and cost of maintaining the British army, begun in 2010, has fundamentally reduced these figures.

In November 2010, the UK published new strategy national security. The set of documents bears the unifying name " A strong Britain in an age of uncertainty". It formulates the main promising threats that the country will face for the period up to 2020 - 2030. The main message is the idea that after the collapse of the USSR, the likelihood of any "big war" in Europe has completely disappeared. In connection with this 16 other threats took the first place, among which the first degree of significance includes: international terrorism, cyber attacks, national-level disasters, natural hazards, pandemics and crises in international relations.

The last point is the most curious, since, at first glance, it directly contradicts the original basic message of the document. However, the entire national security strategy is presented in the newfangled style of streamlined, outwardly loud, but rather meaningless formulations inside. They are designed to clearly exaggerate the real meaning of the concepts involved. So, for example, a crisis in international relations actually means only a local military conflict of low intensity, in which the UK will take part only as part of coalition forces. The main regions in which the use of British military force is possible are the strip from West Africa to Southeast Asia. The main type of adversary is non-state militias. An advanced industrialized country with a modern high-tech army is not considered as an enemy even theoretically. Consequently, military construction is being carried out in accordance with ideas about the composition and nature of future threats.

British Army Lieutenant General Nick Carter

On the basis of the mentioned national security strategy, two fundamental documents were developed that became the basis for further military development in the country: "On Strategic Defense and Security" and the Army 2020 reform plan for the armed forces, authored by Lieutenant General Nick Carter. Formally, at the moment, "Army 2020" is still only at the stage of discussion in the national parliament, but events have already begun in the country that suspiciously coincide in composition and nature with what General Carter presented to the House of Lords. Therefore, the program will be adopted and the prospects of the British armed forces should be further assessed on its basis.

British ground forces

Since November 1, 2011, the following structure of the High Command of the Ground Forces has been operating in the UK. Chief of the General Staff ( Chief of the General Staff or CGS for short) commands the Army Headquarters, located in the city of Andover. His duties include military planning in peacetime and wartime. Commander of the Ground Forces (Commander Land Forces) exercises direct command of all UK ground forces, including helicopter units and the reservist component. The organization of interaction between them, as well as with the Ministry of Defense of the country, is entrusted to the General's Adjutant ( Assistant Chief of the General Staff). It's not a title, it's a position. The issues of combat training and provision of the army are in charge of the Commander for the Training and Development of the Armed Forces ( Commander Force Development and Training).

According to the top military and political leadership of the UK, such a structure should improve feedback and mutual understanding with the Ministry of Defense, as well as other government structures. It is believed that it is more efficient and less costly in the current geopolitical and economic conditions.

According to the Army 2020 plan, all UK land units are reduced to two basic components: high intensity units ( Reaction Division) and adaptive parts ( Adaptive Division).

High intensity parts include:

The 1st Armored Division, which forms the basis of the so-called British Rhine Army, stationed in Germany with headquarters in the city of Herford. Officially, the division consists of the 7th and 20th Armored Brigades, the 4th, 6th, 11th and 12th Infantry, the 1st Artillery Brigade, the 39th Royal Artillery Regiment and the 22nd Regiment connections. Once upon a time, the ARB was the backbone of the entire Northern Group of Forces of NATO in Europe, but those days are long gone. IN currently the division has 70-75% of the regular strength in terms of personnel and no more than 80% in terms of standard equipment. Although it is still in Europe, half of its current strength (in total, the 1st btd has 20 thousand people) will be returned to the metropolis before the end of 2015, and the entire division will return to the Islands by 2020. As the British Prime Minister said, more than 65 years have passed since the war in Europe, the Cold War ended more than 20 years ago, and there is "no need" to keep expensive troops in Germany.

7th Armored Brigade Commander Brigadier James Woodham

3rd Division (3rd Division) consisting of: 1st, 4th and 12th mechanized brigades, as well as the 19th "light" brigade). To date, this is the most combat-ready and completed formation of the British army.

The 16th Air Assault Brigade, despite its name, consists of: the 5th Airborne and the 24th Air Brigade. The brigade was created in 1999 in accordance with the program of reorganization of ground units in order to obtain the most highly mobile tool. Its specialization is the landing of light infantry in the form of airborne assaults with the support of helicopter units. The staff strength of the brigade is 8 thousand people.

Burgundy beret - distinguishing feature British paratroopers

3rd Marine Brigade (up to 3 thousand commandos) consisting of: 40th, 42nd, 45th Marine Battalions, 1st Battalion of the Rifle Regiment, 43rd Anti-Sabotage Marine Battalion, 29th Artillery regiment (two batteries of L115 howitzers), the 24th engineer regiment, and the logistics regiment.

In the future, one of the two divisions will be formed, of some kind of unified composition, including three "standard" mechanized brigades. Why the British focus on "standard" will be discussed below. While it is worth noting that the standard brigade should consist of two motorized infantry battalions (about 400 - 460 people each on the upgraded Warrior infantry fighting vehicles), a tank regiment (about 600 people, 56 Challenger II MBTs), a medium reconnaissance regiment (about 500 people on the promising Scout BRM SV) and a mobile motorized infantry regiment (about 700 people on promising FRES UV armored personnel carriers). The division provides for the presence of a separate artillery and engineering regiments, as well as a logistics regiment. The artillery regiment (769 people) consists of a command and headquarters, a headquarters battery, two batteries of 155-mm M109 howitzers with 6 guns each, and an anti-tank battery (30 Swingfire ATGM launchers). In fact, this part is only called a regiment. In terms of armament, it is simply an artillery battalion, reinforced by a company of anti-tank weapons, if you count by the old Soviet standards.

True to its name, high-intensity units are designed to "rapidly respond to global threats" and conduct "high-intensity" combat operations. The total number of this component is approximately 55 thousand soldiers, sergeants and officers.

Royal Irish Regiment in Iraq

The adaptive units include seven infantry brigades stationed in the UK. In the future, these brigades are also supposed to be brought to a "standard form" consisting of: 2 - 4 infantry battalions on light armored vehicles and MRAP vehicles, as well as several (up to 3) "light cavalry" or armored reconnaissance squadrons on light wheeled armored vehicles. But this moment is highly doubtful in view of the specifics of the organization and traditions of the British army.

The adaptive units will include the Territorial Army and reservists. It is assumed that as a result of the reforms, part of the regular military will be fired and replaced by reservists, whose number is expected to be raised to 30 thousand people. True, it is not yet clear how London intends to resolve the issue with employers who are not too ready to release employees to serve in the Army Reserve, since the period of absence of an employee from the workplace can be up to one year. Again, there is the problem of the quality of the reservists. According to the British Ministry of Defense, at the moment only 1 out of 19 reservists is able to serve in army conditions. The military expresses the hope that by 2020-2025 London will be able to achieve a level "at least like in the US National Guard", where every tenth reservist is capable of serving in the army. But whether it will be possible to achieve this is a big question.

British reservists

The task of the adaptive units is to conduct counterinsurgency and soft power operations.

The future status of the Joint Helicopter Command is not entirely clear. Formally, it includes the 16th Air Assault Brigade, already mentioned above, the Troop Support Helicopter Command (two regiments of AH-64 Apache attack helicopters) and helicopter units abroad. Organizationally, the UWC is part of the Ground Forces, but the 16th brigade belongs to the Reaction Division, and the rest of the units are part of the Adaptiv Division.

Also, the documents do not mention the 17th Gurkha Brigade (the former 17th Gurkha Infantry Division), consisting of a training company and five infantry battalions, a communications regiment and an automobile regiment. It is only known that after the transfer of Hong Kong to China, the Gurkha brigade stationed there was transferred to the UK. Its number was reduced to 2.5 thousand people. Of the five battalions, two remained, the support units were also severely cut. But where the brigade was included further is currently unknown. It is logical to assume its use as part of adaptive parts.

Her Majesty's Gurkhas as part of the British Expeditionary Force in Afghanistan, Gilnand Province

Ensuring the combat operations of both components will be carried out by the Forse Troop And Logistics Support Command, which is subordinate to up to eight different brigades: artillery, reconnaissance, engineering, medical, communications (two) and logistics (also two).

No less mysterious is further fate separate regiments of British artillery. At the moment, there are 10 of them, with different composition, different weapons and differing in numbers. It is assumed that they will be brought into a new artillery brigade and subordinated to Forse Troop And Logistics Support. But for the time being, we can more or less confidently talk about the preservation in the future of only three artillery regiments transferred to the new unified states: three batteries of six 155-mm AS-90 self-propelled guns, one M270 MLRS MLRS battery and two platoons of Exactor Mk2 missile systems. It is assumed that such a structure will provide the ability to solve fire missions at ranges up to 300 km. Starting from 45 km and further - targets are hit by MLRS with conventional and special long-range missiles, and up to 25 - 30 km - they are covered with cannon artillery and Exactor missile systems.

British Army Palace Cavalry

A separate complexity of the British army are its traditions.