Which branch of the armed forces is best?

Err...what...?...

Now, now. Let's not fall into the 'divide and conquer' trap. Without superior air power and naval supremacy the grunts on the ground would suffer more trouble than they do already.

There's nothing like being able to call in an airstrike when things get interesting and the odds start to stack against you. It could even be called a team effort. :hugs:

It's getting down and dirty being a foot soldier for sure though. Things aren't pretty when it's up close and personal and there's no cockpit luxuries going on. I'm sure that's great for the pilots, until they have to bail out. That's why they do a lot of escape and evasion training.



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Everyone's at risk in conflicts. I'd have thought they were pretty safe sitting in the bay on the Sir Galahad. Until the exocet missile slammed into the ship. War sucks whichever way you look at it. :yesnod:

CCJ I do, nay "we" do look down on the jet jockeys, against the Taliban we can and quite often do do without them.

The last time the RAF had their moment of glory (along with the naval fleet air arm) was in the Falklands when they fought and won against the Argentine MIG's. Oh and maybe in Iraq in the early stages.

Sure they have their use, often against targets who cant defend against them, thing is I always want to fight a force who is capable of standing on a level ground with me. I have stood face to face with the enemy and pooped myself, same as every other man and woman who has come face to face with someone who's intent is to take their life.

Its hard to find the laugh, the banter, the light side of this when I directly know lads who died with no air support to be seen.

Nothing against either CCJ or Leigh, I fully respect both of you and hope you realize none of this is personal.

Oh and I've slept on Sir Galahad, its an odd feeling knowing its been recovered from the bottom of the ocean!

I don't want to get in to a 'who is best here' (or anywhere else) but just to correct a few 'facts' - the Argentine Air Force/Naval Air Arm didn't fly MiGs - they had French (Mirage & Super E - and the Exocet) and US equipment (A4/Skyhawk) plus some good SAMs at Stanley.

I agree that probably the most dangerous mission for the RAF 'recently' was in Iraq 1 in the early stages when the Tornados were the only coalition force capable of runway denial - 'we' lost 6. A friend of mine also crashed after take-off when his heavily armed Tornado lost power - not due to enemy action of course and fortunately he survived - I have known plenty of aircrew who haven't survived that period of peace known as the Cold War.

Have a read: http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/RAFTornadoAircraftLosses.cfm

Richard

My Grandfather was in the Infantry (WW1), My Step-Dad was in the Infantry (WW2), My Father-in-law was in the Infantry (WW2), My cousin was a Household Cavalryman...he liked horses :dry: .
When I was 18 I took recruitment testing for the military. I was told I could enter any trade I wished with the exception of Sonarman or Pilot.
They all looked at me funny when I picked the Infantry. A couple of years later when I was on snowshoes, pulling a toboggan at 40 below I saw their point. I should have gone Air Force. A good trade for civvy street, no sleeping in a muddy hole in the ground, warm quarters, and the girls like the fly boys! :slapme:

Rich in Vancouver wrote: A couple of years later when I was on snowshoes, pulling a toboggan at 40 below I saw their point.

Rich in Vancouver wrote: no sleeping in a muddy hole in the ground

True Rich. But what would we be reading if you hadn't have had all those 'character building' adventures. :lol:

:lol: There comes a point where you have enough character and building any more becomes counter-productive! :bat:

Is this sort of Crab and Matelot love-in? As ANYONE knows God is a Light Infantryman.

They fought like demons and were made more deadly because they were trained unlike other infantry to fight independently. These men in danger would not look to an officer or serjeant for instruction, but would know thanks to their training, just what to do.

They were mostly ugly squat men, toothless and pinched-faced, villainous and foul-mouthed, but on a battlefield they were kings and victory was their common coin. They could march and they could fight.
GOD! But they could march.

In 1809 trying to reach the carnage of Talavera, the Light Division had marched forty two hilly miles in twenty six hours and had arrived in good order, weapons primed and ready to fight. These men march thus now, they did it unthinkingly not knowing that the pace they unconsciously assumed was the fastest marching pace of all the worlds armies.
They were Light Infantrymen, the finest of the best, and they were going north to war.

Do I detect a hint of Bernard Cornwell?

Sharpes Siege I think.

I love those books. I got so involved that I got that book he keeps going on about; the biography of Wellington. Years of the sword.:broon:

If you like Bernard Cornwell then his Saxon Stories are well worth a read. I'm waiting for the next installment of the series hopefully due later this year.