Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Sky News reports that French soldiers of the 11th Parachute Brigade have landed in Britain.
They will be joining in live fire exercise in Otterburn, Northumberland, together with soldiers from Britain's 5th Scots.
The Ministry of Defence said: "Exercise Boars Head is part of the continuing relationship between French and British Army units following the signing of the Defence and Security Co-operation Treaty. It is a natural, and logical, step in our relationship."
The Treaty is to last for 50 years, and will see Britain and France sharing military facilities and cooperating in everything military, making our two great Countries an impregnable bastion, while at the same time reducing the individual defence budget of each country.
As has been previously noted on the Forum with great enthusiasm, French aircraft carriers will be used to house British planes, thus making the planned Elizabeth class carriers obsolete, to the relief of the Treasury.
One example of how shared naval facilities could work is from the following extract of the Athenian Ambassador present at the Castle during the Great War:
"The Romans had besieged Dover from the Sea, planning to take Britannia's Castle. The Harbour was full of Roman vessels, as no British Fleet had come out of any of the Kentish ports to challenge them.
The Roman generals were gazing towards Western Heights and then towards Eastern Heights, wondering why no British Army had come out to challenge them either.
All the Roman fighting ships had entered unopposed the Harbour, followed by the massive transport ships carrying the massed legions and the assault equipment to scale the Walls.
At 12 o'clock the Fair Lady raised Her hand, and a signal was sent from the Light Tower at the Castle. Across the Sea the signal was received, and the whole British Fleet suddenly set sail from the Port of Calais, and, flying with the waves, quickly dashed across the waters.
The Romans, still gazing from their ships towards the Heights, never realised what was coming upon them until Britannia's Fleet entered the Harbour, and the entire Roman fleet wash washed ashore.
The Romans quickly surrendered and recognised the Invincible Lady In High, and the White Horse Invicta"
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
That's a new take on history
Getting back to reality, the Otterburn bumps are the best free roller coaster ride in the country, anyone else tried them?
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
Interesting to see how the Romans were illuminated by their own lighthouse before they had actually landed and built it.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
alex is worrying unnecessarily, going by previous history they will have surrendered by this time tomorrow.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Clever that Phil !!
Been nice knowing you :)
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
the french didnt surrender at verdun,dispite 365 days/nights of shelling by the germans in ww1.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
We can truly be proud of our alliance with France.
Britain has received so much from France, and from ancient Gaul.
The other day my mother and I visited the church of Saint Martin in Canterbury.
The oldest church of the English (Anglo-Saxons), it is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, and was a pre-existing church of the Britons. King Ethelbert of Kent had it dedicated to the Faith for his Christian wife, Bertha, who came from France. She converted her husband to the Faith before the arrival of Augustine.
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
Re post #2, yes Ray, mostly on my stomach in the freezing cold.
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Still, Ian, my mum and I had a very nice and enjoyable time, regardless of what you may think
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,883
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
Could this possibly be an early training exercise for British troops who may be considering joining the Franco-German Brigade (5,000) a Division of Eurocorps (1,000) with troops from other nations within the strata being able to supply roughly 60,000 troops in total?
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
Hmm, with Cameron getting a cool reception in Scotland yesterday and a warm reception in France today, I wonder if these exercises are a cover for starting the rebuild of Hadrian's wall?
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
You may have a point there Ray, with possibly outside work experience from prison inmates and the community payback scheme
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Ray, the British soldiers taking part in the joint exercises are Scots!
The 50 year Treaty is between Britain and France, and this goes to show that the French recognise Britain, and the Scots are jointly drilling with French soldiers on English Soil.
Barry WS, the joint British French Treaty does not involve in any way any other country or military corps of a third country.
Jan, Otterburn is in Northumberland, Canterbury is in Kent.
See map of British Isles
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Am I allowed to say garlic munching surrender monkeys
Been nice knowing you :)
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,883
Alex I give up, you seem to be past all hope with regards to humour.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
paul thats a no no.
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
Alex,
You said it yourself - "the Scots are jointly drilling with French soldiers on English Soil." while Sarkosy is deflecting Cameron's attention with all that bonhomie in Paris.
Before you know it the channel tunnel will bypass Folkestone and come up in Jedburgh behind a newly renamed Salmond's wall.
(Just trying to match the fantasy in your #1 but coming nowhere near it I fear
)
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
The Treaty with France is important.
The Army strongly opposed the RN demands for the two aircraft carriers of the Elizabeth class, but the last government went ahead and ordered them. The present Government wanted to scrap the order, but were advised it would cost more on compensation to BAE than to go ahead with building them.
Originally they were to cost under £3 billion, then the cost was revised to £6 billion, now they are estimated to cost £12 billion. The Queen Elizabeth will be mothballed as soon as it is complete, but might see three years of operation carrying helicopters. Then Queen Elizabeth will be sold, to another country.
The Prince of Wales is likely to enter service in 2031, and not in 2019 as originally planned.
This is where French aircraft carriers come into action, housing the F135s of the RAF.
French aircraft carriers will be using British planes, so it is a reciprocal venture, cost-saving for both countries.
Paul:
At Waterloo, the British forces were joined towards late afternoon by the larger part of the Prussian army. Meanwhile, a smaller force of Prussian soldiers had led astray 30,000 French soldiers in the fog, preventing these from reaching the battlefield and joining Napoleon.
On that day, French, British and German soldiers fought valiantly, and the alliance and strategy of the Prussians prevented the British from suffering much greater losses.
Never underestimate the importance of an alliance.
To recognise the valour of an opposing army is custom among soldiers, as is to honour an alliance.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
interesting stuff alex, who won in the end?
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