Brigade of Gurkhas to be joined by an Afghan Brigade?

[Kirkhill]

Afghan commandos could fight for British Army like Gurkhas

Government considering proposals to create brand new regiment consisting of Afghan special forces troops evacuated from Kabul

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[CBH99]

At first glance, and first thoughts, I see some problems right from the very start. Obvious problems. Problems that would beg certain questions be asked of the government, in which there are no good answers.

- Would this unit live in the UK, or Afghanistan?

If Afghanistan, why not just recruit former Afghan SF members who were ordered to abandon post & disappear into the ether, so instead of getting killed they could reorganize once the situation had normalized & continue the fight against the Taliban.

If Afghanistan, what could the government do to ensure Taliban members or supporters aren’t among those being recruited? For either green on blue operations, or to gather intelligence on who was recruited and their families/leverage.

What guarantees do these new ‘commandos’ have that the government will follow through on it’s word? Absolutely f**king none after last week.

The Gurkhas have provided amazing soldiers & performance in support of the UK for decades upon decades, and still get screwed about by the powers at be. And just last week, the UK government said that instead of evacuating their interpreters - they considered their interpreters to now be potential threats to national security and would be leaving them behind.

So why not reorganize the SF that was already trained and effective? If they live in Afghanistan, where would be a safe place for them to work and train, operate out of? What guarantees do they have the UK government will honour it’s word? Would the UK assist in any security measures to help increase their personal safety in general? (Hard to do if the ANSF is completely gone, and the actual government in power is Taliban.)

I’m glad you posted the article. I see problems, and personally don’t see any initiative happening on the idea.

0.02

 

[daftandbarmy]

Afghan commandos could fight for British Army like Gurkhas

Government considering proposals to create brand new regiment consisting of Afghan special forces troops evacuated from Kabul

www.telegraph.co.uk

One problem.... they clearly can't fight like Gurkhas:

David Ochterlony and British political agent William Fraser were among the first to recognize the potential of Gurkha soldiers. During the war the British used defectors from the Gurkha Army and employed them as irregular forces. Fraser's confidence in their loyalty was such that in April 1815 he proposed forming them into a battalion under Lt. Ross called the Nasiri Regiment. This regiment, which later became the 1st King George's Own Gurkha Rifles, saw action at Malaun Fort under the leadership of Lt. Lawtie, who reported to Ochterlony that he "had the greatest reason to be satisfied with their exertions".

Gurkha - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[rmc_wannabe]

One problem.... they clearly can't fight like Gurkhas

I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone that could fight like Gurkhas, to be honest.

That said, the Afghan SF units were highly motivated, well trained, and fought like hell with proper support. The GIRoA and most ANA Senior Staff hung them out to dry, so yeah, I would reckon its hard to fight when you lack things like ammunition and food. The line between bravery and stupidity is razor thin sometimes.

I could imagine that a Brigade of Afghan SF would mesh in nicely with SAS and the new Ranger Regiment to provide a force that could blend in to local environments in SWA (especially if things kick off between Pakistan and India in Kashmir or if China makes a move first.)

In my experience, most of the dudes in the Afghan National Army were the dregs of Afghan society looking to get a paycheck. The SF dudes were another tier. If they're willing to take the Queen's shilling to do the business, why the hell not?

 

[Kirkhill]

Perhaps the Brigade of Gurkha reference in the article is less historically precise than it could be?

Perhaps the regiments of refugees that have fought under the Union Jack are a better historical analog?

Another interesting aspect of the British Army during the Nine Years' War was the formation of several regiments composed of Huguenot refugees. That is, the regiments were officered by Huguenots, whereas the rank-and-file were cosmopolitan and polyglot. National identity of a regiment referred usually only to the officers.

Huguenot officers had come to England since the Restoration of 1660, the Earl of Feversham being a famous example. However, it was not until the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV in 1685, that saw considerable migration of Huguenots from France.

Most of the Huguenots seem to have migrated into the Dutch Republic, Brandenburg, Switzerland and England. Because of the sympathetic attitude of James II towards Louis XIV, not many seem to have awarded a commission in the army. Quite the opposite was the case with Huguenots going into the Dutch Republic, and many of these accompanied William of Orange to England in 1688. Some served as volunteers, others held commissions in the regiments of the Anglo-Dutch Brigade and a third category consisted of officers in the Dutch Army.

From this pool of officers four regiments of Huguenots were raised in early 1689. These regiments were to be the first foreign units to be formed and included in the British Army. Of these four regiments, one was a regiments of horse under the Duke of Schomberg, and the other three were regiments of foot. A regiment of dragoons was added in 1695.

After the end of Nine Years' War the debate on which regiments were to be retaining upon the establishments was started. Unfortunately, the outcome was that the establishments, the regiments, should be composed of native soldiers only and meant the dismissal of all foreign regiments. As a results the Huguenot regiments were disbanded in Ireland in March 1699, officers that were naturalized English being placed on half - pay.

Huguenot regiments in the British Army

Another interesting aspect of the British Army during the Nine Years' War was the formation of several regiments composed of Huguenot refuge...

britisharmylineages.blogspot.com

"Refugee Regiments" were a feature of the British army and government policy until at least the Napoleonic period. Although the Gurkhas and the Arab Legion could be considered as extensions of the policy.

The Army gained muskets. The Government gained leverage. The refugees gained financing and diplomatic cover - for what that was worth.

The King's American Regiment, also known as the "Associated Refugees", were a Loyalist regiment during the American Revolutionary War.[1]

The King's American Regiment was raised on Staten Island in the Province of New York in December 1776 by Colonel Edmund Fanning as the "Associated Refugees". It served in the 1777 attacks on Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery, the Southern Campaign 1780–1781, the 1780 Siege of Charleston,[2] the 1781 raids on Newport and Richmond, Virginia, and the 1781 Campaigns in Province of Georgia and East Florida.

The regiment was brought into the American Establishment, on March 7, 1781 and renamed the "4th American Regiment of Foot". The regiment later joined the British Regular Army, on December 25, 1782, possibly as the "110th Regiment of Foot", and was disbanded in British Canada in 1783.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Afghan commandos could fight for British Army like Gurkhas

Government considering proposals to create brand new regiment consisting of Afghan special forces troops evacuated from Kabul

www.telegraph.co.uk

So, which regiment is going to raise its hand and offer to disband one (or more) of its battalions so that an Afghan regiment could be formed. That's obviously the simple solution to finding the PYs to accommodate an unexpected influx of foreigners while the British Army is trying to shed up to 9500 positions by 2025.

UK army, navy and RAF all to be cut back, defence review confirms

Cuts come despite Boris Johnson’s pre-election pledge not to cut armed services ‘in any form’

www.theguardian.com

A five-year defence review, published on Monday, confirms the army target size will be cut by 9,500 to 72,500 by 2025, its lowest level since 1714, towards the end of the war of the Spanish succession.

And of course, how well do they drill? Have to keep up standards, wot?

 

[Kirkhill]

So, which regiment is going to raise its hand and offer to disband one (or more) of its battalions so that an Afghan regiment could be formed. That's obviously the simple solution to finding the PYs to accommodate an unexpected influx of foreigners while the British Army is trying to shed up to 9500 positions by 2025.

UK army, navy and RAF all to be cut back, defence review confirms

Cuts come despite Boris Johnson’s pre-election pledge not to cut armed services ‘in any form’

www.theguardian.com

And of course, how well do they drill? Have to keep up standards, wot?

Boris's government has been under pressure to maintain and/or increase its Foreign Aid budget nominally established at 0.7% of GDP. This surely could be considered Foreign Aid? It certainly was deemed so under the CABAL and the Pitts. Even if it was "off the books".

 

[Kirkhill]

And as for "Foreign Drill" standards?

 

[FJAG]

Perhaps the Brigade of Gurkha reference in the article is less historically precise than it could be?

Perhaps the regiments of refugees that have fought under the Union Jack are a better historical analog?

And then there was the King's German Legion.

So, which regiment is going to raise its hand and offer to disband one (or more) of its battalions so that an Afghan regiment could be formed. That's obviously the simple solution to finding the PYs to accommodate an unexpected influx of foreigners while the British Army is trying to shed up to 9500 positions by 2025.

I don't think PYs are the issue because the Brit Army, like ours has recruiting problems and keeping up the numbers. It's entirely a cap badge problem. The Rifles and the Royal Regiment of Scotland have host of battalions - and - dare I say it? - a Guard battalion or two could easily be spared.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Queens own Khyber Rifles

All joking aside, these guys are well trained and pissed, if your looking for someone to turn sour and bitter and have the skills to extract revenge on the west, then it's these guys. It will be far cheaper to organise them and pay them and use them, then to have to hunt them down later. Keep your enemies close and your friends closer!

 

[daftandbarmy]

And then there was the King's German Legion.


I don't think PYs are the issue because the Brit Army, like ours has recruiting problems and keeping up the numbers. It's entirely a cap badge problem. The Rifles and the Royal Regiment of Scotland have host of battalions - and - dare I say it? - a Guard battalion or two could easily be spared.

They also have a Gurkha problem:

Gurkha group ends Downing Street hunger strike after talks agreed​

Gurkha group ends Downing Street hunger strike after talks agreed

The group had refused food for 13 days to call for parity with other British Army veterans.

www.bbc.com