Letter: Our troops let down by 'bean counters'

I WAS glad to see the sensible comments by Colonel Allister Thom in your report "Backlash over MoD Super Barracks Plan" (13 August).

I completely endorse his comments, which echo those previously quoted in this newspaper by Colonel Clive Fairweather, who was responsible for securing the ranges and training areas close to Dreghorn and Redford.

One hoped that this government would adhere to their pledge to honour and enhance the Military Covenant, but proposals like this appear to be purely driven by bean counters in the civil service rather than the practical requirements of the armed forces.

When it was decided to create fixed bases for the new regiments which were formed when the last government amalgamated all the antecedent historic regiments, this appeared to have stability to commend the move. Now, however, the disposal of Redford and Dreghorn, in particular, would appear to fly in the face of reason for all the reasons clearly articulated by Colonel Thom.

Training areas will be inconveniently located, married families will be separated from the main barracks complex and the much heralded expansion of the Territorial Army will be deprived of the use of the barracks at Redford, which is conveniently placed for Territorial Army training.

The bean counters may also be in for a shock when they try to sell the sites at Redford, Dreghorn and Craigiehall as, just like Gordon Brown selling off the nation's gold at the bottom of the market, land prices for these barracks will never remotely cover the cost of building the vast new barracks complex required to house all the displaced units. I would urge the Secretary of State for Defence to think again - we want to avoid yet another ill-conceived building project in Edinburgh.

ALLAN ALSTEAD

Moray Place

Edinburgh

I CONGRATULATE you for publishing your excellent feature. However, at the Army Headquarters at Craigiehall, I was a staff officer and not the second in command.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL (RET'D) G A THOM OBE

Ross Road

Edinburgh