By Chris Ferguson

ALL SOLDIERS in the Scottish Division are being consulted about the future shape of the army in Scotland.

But the one choice they are not being given is the retention of all six regiments, it was claimed yesterday.

Each regiment has issued consultation letters to every serviceman and servicewoman. However, the creation of one of two super regiments is presented as a fait accompli, according to Save The Scottish Regiments.

While the army yesterday confirmed the existence of the consultation letters, it refused to discuss the contents, saying it was an internal process. Save The Scottish Regiments, on the other hand, described the consultation as “choices with no choices.”

At stake is the future identity of the six Scottish regiments. It has been announced one will be axed.

Yesterday an army spokesperson confirmed that decision will be taken in or around October.

Steve Duncan, spokesman for Save The Scottish Regiments, said, “I believe the proposals, as presented, offer little choice in so much as they do not even ask if you agree with the options offered and prefer to retain the current system.

“The vast majority of the public and MPs are opposed to the changes to the present system of six regiments.”

Mr Duncan, whose group has organised a mass rally for Dundee on October 23, added that the recruitment argument is being misrepresented.

“There are many, many other ways to increase recruitment of soldiers to the regiments,” he said.

“To use merging regiments as a solution is incredibly ill-conceived and it has been proven many times over the past two decades that enlarged regiments do not command the respect that individual regiments do.”

Mr Duncan said that at a time of almost full employment across the UK, the army finds it hard to compete with better-paid civilian posts.

“Should we not then be looking at paying highly-skilled soldiers a comparative wage to the civilian sector?

“Would this not help recruitment greatly?

“There are many arguments and avenues to explore before using a merger of regiments as a solution.”

Save The Scottish Regiments also claimed that the present Government owes the Scottish Division a debt of gratitude for its recent performances during civil crises in the UK and service in trouble spots such as Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Iraq.

“Terrorist strikes on this country, we are told, are only a matter of time and soldiers will be called upon in the event of a disaster,” said Mr Duncan.

“Given these demands, the Government should hang its head in shame for the way it seeks to treats soldiers.”