There has been much discussion in military think tanks about the effects of attrition on Ukrainian troops. The wearing down of morale is only one of the consequences of spending over 200 days on the front line. Loss of friends, exhaustion and perceived mistakes by commanders can erode confidence in formations. It is a challenge for replacement personnel to earn the same respect, especially if they are not quite so talented with their equipment.
The point is that Capability is more than the sum of the people and the equipment. Building an effective fighting brigade while deployed on the front line adds so much risk of failure. The salutary example of 51st Highland Division in World War II is a lesson for all of us. This gallant formation earned a fearsome reputation in North Africa as a bulwark of Monty’s 8th Army, but lost many men and the replacements failed badly after the D Day landings.
The way Ukraine is tackling this challenge provides an important lesson for Britain as it attempts to re-build its combat capability. The reintroduction of unit operational readiness tests covering everything from weapons performance to administration and logistic sustainability is vital, if we are to be more than just a “shop-window” army.
Rupert Wieloch 