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What do you think of the British Military throughout its history.

perthbum

perthbum

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Read this from an American soldier and wondered if any of you had served with the British and your thoughts.

The common American perception is that the Brits are a tough, well disciplined lot. In fact, although it pains us to admit that anyone is better than us at anything, there are a lot of Americans that would concede that the British Army and Royal Marines are the most disciplined fighting force in the world right now.

When I was in the National Guard back in the 90's I had the opportunity to serve with some Brits who went on annual training with us as part of an exchange program. I found both of them to be crack troops that had lots of knowledge and tactical expertise, but I was most impressed with how they viewed us. One of them asked, "Why do you guys make a plan and then at the last second change it?" but later he remarked that although our planning and execution seemed to be chaotic at times, American troops seemed to have the ability to bring it all together and accomplish the mission. I found it to be high praise.
 
The British military has always been one of professionalism and rigor. There's a reason everyone in the world knows it as simply the "Royal Navy".
 
They fought to create an empire till they met some determined Americans.
 
It was big news in 2011. The story tells the story.

It still is big news any time it may happen to happen.

Sandurst dominates. When Sandhurst doesn't win it then the military college of Canada wins it. And so on.


West Point squad wins USMA Sandhurst Military Skills Competition

April 16, 2011

size0-army.mil-105921-2011-04-20-100439.jpg

The Reginald E. Johnson Memorial Sabre Plaque is presented to the competition's highest-scoring squad. The B-3 Squad earned the top award in 2011, the first West Point team to do so since 1993. (Photo Credit: Mike Strasser, West Point Public Affairs)


For the first time since 1993, a West Point squad secured the victory over its international rivals at the 45th annual Sandhurst Military Skills Competition, here.

After months of training dedicated to bringing the top award back home, the Company B-3 Squad claimed the coveted Reginald E. Johnson Memorial Plaque as the competition's highest-scoring team.

The 45th iteration of Sandhurst, held April 15-16, 2011, at Camp Buckner, here, gathered 50 teams representing U.S. and international service academies, ROTC programs and the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School. For the past 17 years, the top honor went to either a Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (UK) squad or a Royal Military College of Canada squad.

The United States Army | Page not found



Winning Squad since 1994:

2018 - United States Air Force Academy
2017 - USMA Black
2016 - Royal Military College of Canada
2015 - Sandhurst Red
2014 - Sandhurst Blue
2013 - Sandhurst Blue
2012 - Royal Military College of Australia - Duntroon
2011 - USMA B-3
2010 - Sandhurst A
2009 - Royal Military College of Canada
2008 - Sandhurst Red
2007 - Royal Military College of Canada
2006 - Royal Military College of Canada
2005 - Royal Military College of Canada
2004 - Sandhurst Red
2003 - Sandhurst Blue
2002 - Sandhurst Red
2001 - Sandhurst Blue
2000 - Sandhurst 2
1999 - Sandhurst 1
1998 - Sandhurst 2
1997 - Sandhurst 1
1996 - Sandhurst 1
1995 - Sandhurst 1
1994 - Sandhurst 1
 
WCH said:
They fought to create an empire till they met some determined Americans.
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Our Empire reached its peak long after the war in the colonies.
 
On a tangent; when I was stationed @ FT.Bragg, we jumped with some Canadian paras. I found them to be squared away and I even adopted their grip on the static line on exit. We were trained to hold the line in the same fashion as holding a subway/bus strap when standing, thumb high. The Canadians gripped the line with the pinky up and the loop over their shoulder. Less chance for a tangle.
 
perthbum said:
Read this from an American soldier and wondered if any of you had served with the British and your thoughts.

The common American perception is that the Brits are a tough, well disciplined lot. In fact, although it pains us to admit that anyone is better than us at anything, there are a lot of Americans that would concede that the British Army and Royal Marines are the most disciplined fighting force in the world right now.

When I was in the National Guard back in the 90's I had the opportunity to serve with some Brits who went on annual training with us as part of an exchange program. I found both of them to be crack troops that had lots of knowledge and tactical expertise, but I was most impressed with how they viewed us. One of them asked, "Why do you guys make a plan and then at the last second change it?" but later he remarked that although our planning and execution seemed to be chaotic at times, American troops seemed to have the ability to bring it all together and accomplish the mission. I found it to be high praise.
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Professional in general and seriously kickass in the SAS.
 
Yep, get the USA and the British together and they are a serious force, long may they be allies.
 
WCH said:
And we saved your butts in two WWs. Somewhere in that time, you lost your empire.
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You really didn't but I am bored of debating this with right wing Americans who seem to have a rudimentary grasp on the history of both Wars.
 
WCH said:
Then lost it sometime before WWI.
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Maintained most of the empire up to and after WW2 actually. Hence our ability to fight the axis powers alone on multiple fronts in multiple continents.
 
Higgins86 said:
Maintained most of the empire up to and after WW2 actually. Hence our ability to fight the axis powers alone on multiple fronts in multiple continents.
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You denying Americans weren't right there with you...among others?
 
WCH said:
You denying Americans weren't right there with you...among others?
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Only British and our Commonwealth forces fought in North Africa , Europe and Asia after the fall of France etc. British and American forces didn't fight together until a few years into the war.

edit: obviously this is referencing the years before America joined the War.
 
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Higgins86 said:
Only British and our Commonwealth forces fought in North Africa , Europe and Asia after the fall of France etc. British and American forces didn't fight together until a few years into the war.
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Don't get me wrong, we'd do it all again but, after WWI, we were hesitant to get involved again. Thank God we all found a solution to ending those ugly wars.
 
perthbum said:
Read this from an American soldier and wondered if any of you had served with the British and your thoughts.

The common American perception is that the Brits are a tough, well disciplined lot. In fact, although it pains us to admit that anyone is better than us at anything, there are a lot of Americans that would concede that the British Army and Royal Marines are the most disciplined fighting force in the world right now.

When I was in the National Guard back in the 90's I had the opportunity to serve with some Brits who went on annual training with us as part of an exchange program. I found both of them to be crack troops that had lots of knowledge and tactical expertise, but I was most impressed with how they viewed us. One of them asked, "Why do you guys make a plan and then at the last second change it?" but later he remarked that although our planning and execution seemed to be chaotic at times, American troops seemed to have the ability to bring it all together and accomplish the mission. I found it to be high praise.
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I suppose a lot of people draw their impression of the British based on the Hollywood interpretation of professional competition between generals like Patton vs Montgomery. But it is acknowledged that Germany's best, General Rommel, had a great deal of respect for the British who drove him across most of Africa. It is true that England needed the Americans in WWII as one after another of their would be allies fell under the military might of the Third Reich. But we would not have had anywhere near the success that we had without the British too.

I can't remember any time in all of British history that anybody considered their military inferior.
 
WCH said:
Then lost it sometime before WWI.
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Actually it wasn't until after WW2, when Britain had been quite throughly exhausted, that the empire fell apart.
 
WCH said:
You denying Americans weren't right there with you...among others?
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You got there eventually. In both wars you turned up to join the eventual winners once the tide had turned.
 
Yes my unit spent time in England in 85/86 training with some of their special forces training for urban warfare, clearing, buildings and holding them etc...

Very good training. I have since taken their motto to heart and made it my own .

ONE SHOT ONE KILL...
 
perthbum said:
Read this from an American soldier and wondered if any of you had served with the British and your thoughts.

The common American perception is that the Brits are a tough, well disciplined lot. In fact, although it pains us to admit that anyone is better than us at anything, there are a lot of Americans that would concede that the British Army and Royal Marines are the most disciplined fighting force in the world right now.

When I was in the National Guard back in the 90's I had the opportunity to serve with some Brits who went on annual training with us as part of an exchange program. I found both of them to be crack troops that had lots of knowledge and tactical expertise, but I was most impressed with how they viewed us. One of them asked, "Why do you guys make a plan and then at the last second change it?" but later he remarked that although our planning and execution seemed to be chaotic at times, American troops seemed to have the ability to bring it all together and accomplish the mission. I found it to be high praise.
Click to expand...

The British military was great at enslaving other countries while calling it colonization. They were experts at beating and hanging citizens of countries that were defenseless against the empire.

Damn near perfect actually......... right up until WWII.

The Germans gave them a nice wake up call with well deserved ass beating until many countries came in to save them.

Hitler was obviously cruel and inhumane, but the British were not innocent either with the way they treated the countries that were held under colonization. Britain raped many countries of resources, and stomped any resistance at the point of a gun.
 
Post WW II the British political class were ticked at Potus Eisenhower who assumed the firm policy of not supporting British efforts to hold together the remnants of empire. France too was distressed at Ike for not supporting Paris trying to hang on to its Africa colonies.

It came to a head in 1956 with the Suez Crisis. Nasser grabbed the British-French controlled canal by nationalization which was too much in Paris and London. Brits and French knew Eisenhower was strictly hands off so the two worked around him, clandestinely.

Israel, Paris, London devised a scheme, Israel having its own grievances against Egypt. Ten Israeli brigades invaded Egypt and charged toward the canal. London and Paris said they'd have to intervene to keep the sides apart and establish order, to include regain the canal (and try to organize the overthrow of Nasser which never got started in Egypt).

Ike went up the wall. He was furious during a suddenly called press conference in the oval. The Brits at Westminister had already had trouble with chief of general staff Gen. Sir Gerald Templer who hugely disagreed with PM Anthony Eden on the order to invade Egypt together with France. Templer returned to GHQ and said famously, "Gentlemen, I've just come from Number 10 where the prime minister has gone stark raving mad." The attorney general agreed with Templer Eden's order was unlawful. Templer discussed with general staff refusing the order but the generals decided the principle of civilian control was paramount so he and the general staff went ahead with the operation that became a diplomatic fiasco.

After the RAF demolished the Egyptian air force on the ground CIA told Ike Moscow was mobilizing troops to Egypt to reinforce Nasser. So Ike with Canada got the UN to vote that the Brits, French and Israelis cease operations and withdraw, which they did do. Eden went on an extended rest in Jamacia during which he was succeeded as prime minister by Ike's old friend Harold MacMillan. The French government collapsed several months later. Nasser became a hero throughout the ME. Canadian foreign minister and future prime minister Lester Pearson won the Nobel Peace award for his work at the UN. The bottom line was that despite the brilliance of the British led Operation Musketeer the USA became the new sheriff in town.
 
RetiredUSN said:
The British military was great at enslaving other countries while calling it colonization. They were experts at beating and hanging citizens of countries that were defenseless against the empire.

Damn near perfect actually......... right up until WWII.

The Germans gave them a nice wake up call with well deserved ass beating until many countries came in to save them.

Hitler was obviously cruel and inhumane, but the British were not innocent either with the way they treated the countries that were held under colonization. Britain raped many countries of resources, and stomped any resistance at the point of a gun.
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I would look at your own dumb policies in conflicts before knocking the Brits, not the brave soldiers but stupid politicians I must add.
p.s, when did the Germans give the UK an ass beating? think you need to read your history. If you are talking Dunkirk then you need to show some respect for the soldiers of all nations on that day, so you thing the brave men who died at Dunkirk deserved it? as you say well deserved, show respect man.
 
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