Britons apply to army in Australia

By Ben Quinn
Last Updated: 1:18am GMT 28/12/2006

Up to 2,000 Britons a year are applying to join the Australian Army rather than the British Armed Forces because they get a more attractive lifestyle as well as better pay and conditions.

Figures supplied by the Australian Army show that it receives as many as 1,800 applicants from the UK every year, of which 200 are recruited.

Col Tim Collins, a former commanding officer of the Royal Irish Regiment who fought in the 2003 Iraq war, said that there had been a tradition of Australians joining the British Army, often because they would not have been able to get operational experience if they joined their own army.

But he added that the "tide had turned", and the Australian Army had become an increasingly attractive proposition, mainly because of the conditions and the open-air lifestyle that Australia could offer.

In addition, recruits could also now expect to see active service overseas because Australian troops were being deployed in conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Col Collins added: "In the British Army, the leadership is poor and continues to be poor. There has been a selfishness at the top, while jealous civil servants have eroded the conditions of troops serving in the Army.

"Payment for being away from home for long periods has become intolerable. The Ministry of Defence, famously, could not give a toss about servicemen."

He added that the contempt British servicemen reserved for their political masters was illustrated by their reaction to a Christmas message from Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, who thanked servicemen and women for their hard work and support in what had been a "busy and challenging year".

In a series of messages posted on a website used by soldiers, Mr Browne and the Government were lambasted.

"A fatuous message from a fatuous minister in a fatuous government," said one posting on the Army Rumour Service website.

Elsewhere, Mr Browne was described as a "second rate advocate, acting as a third rate minister in a fourth rate government."

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