British Army Research Articles

Hormonal contraceptive use is associated with altered bone structural and metabolic responses to military training in women: An observational cohort study

Military training increases tibial density and size. Female sex hormones may influence the adaption of bone to loading, but it is unknown if women using different hormonal contraceptives adapt similarly to military training. One hundred and sixteen women (57 women not using hormonal contraceptives [non-users], 38 combined oral contraceptive pill [COCP] users, 21 depot medroxyprogesterone acetate [DMPA] users) completed this study. Tibial volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and geometry were measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (4 %, 14 %, 38 %, and 66 % sites) at the start (week 1) and end (week 14) of British Army basic training. Circulating markers of bone and calcium metabolism were measured at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, and 14. Training increased trabecular vBMD at the 4 % site, periosteal perimeter at the 14 % and 66 % sites, and total area, cortical area, cortical thickness, and bone strength at all sites (0.1 to 1.6 %, p ≤ 0.009), with no differences between hormonal contraceptive groups (p ≥ 0.127). Trabecular vBMD increased at the 14 % site in non-users (0.8 %, p = 0.005), but not in COCP or DMPA users (p ≥ 0.205). Periosteal perimeter increased at the 38 % site in COCP (0.4 %, p < 0.001) and DMPA (0.5 %, p < 0.001) users, but not in non-users (p = 0.058). Training had no effect on periosteal perimeter at the 4 % site or cortical vBMD or endosteal perimeter at any site (p ≥ 0.168). βCTX decreased and PINP increased during training with no difference between hormonal contraceptive groups. Training increased iPTH in non-users, but not COCP or DMPA users. Hormonal contraceptives may exert site-specific effects on the mechanobiology of bone, with higher endogenous oestradiol promoting trabecularisation and inhibiting periosteal expansion in non-users compared with hormonal contraceptive users.

Analysis of The Progress and Setback of Islamic Civilization of The Mughal, Safawi and Ottoman Türkiye

The purpose of this article is to find out the progress and decline experienced by the three major empires during the Islamic civilization, namely the Mughal Empire, the Safavid Empire and the Ottoman Empire. The analysis was carried out to describe the various advances experienced by the three kingdoms along with the factors that led to their decline. The research method used is Library Research. The results of the study show that the progress of Islamic civilization during the Mughal Empire was one of them influenced by Sulakhul politics which gave a new breath to Indian society at that time. Meanwhile, one of the factors that caused the collapse of the Mughal empire was an attack from the British army. The progress of the Safavid kingdom tended to be in the field of science, ranging from religious knowledge to general knowledge. Among the reasons for its decline were the endless attacks from the Ottoman Turks and the Afghans. The Ottoman Empire was one of the largest occupations that made a significant contribution to Islamic civilization. One of them is the conquest of Constantinople as promised by the Prophet. The decline of the Turkish empire was caused by several factors both internal and external, ranging from incompetent successors to western attacks.&#x0D;

Being with the Army: a ‘Nazareth’ model for Army chaplaincy

ABSTRACT This article explores the complexity of contemporary Christian chaplaincy within the British Army, where Christian (with other faiths and representatives of secular philosophies) serve an ostensibly secular institution. and sometimes conflicted context, especially focused on the concept of ‘being with’, central to the thought of the scholar and priest Samuel Wells. Outlining the history of Chaplaincy within the British Army, showing how the Department has changed to serve a changing Army, it then outlines some of the contemporary challenges. Looking at how the role is worked out within the contemporary British Army, there remains an important incarnational role for the Chaplain to ‘be with’ the Army and it’s people.

The Composition of the Imperial British Forces in the Anglo-Boer War, 1899–1902: A Military and Socio-Historical Overview

The British forces that served during the Anglo-Boer War (also known as the South African War) of 1899–1902 were an amalgam of several different types of soldiers. These men came from varying geographic and socio-economic backgrounds, and had different reasons for enlisting. This article discusses the composition of the British forces during the war, and adopts a military and socio-historical approach to understand who served in South Africa and why. To this end, the different types of British soldiers are looked at as separate (but ultimately intertwined) groupings, including regular (or career) soldiers, British volunteers, colonial volunteers, and “non-white” combatants. This represents a wide-viewed perspective of the British military system during the late-Victorian era. Keywords: Anglo-Boer War, South African War, British Empire, British Army, British Soldiers, Australian Soldiers, Canadian Soldiers, New Zealand Soldiers

Typhus Epidemic in the British Army on the Iberian Peninsula in the Winter of 1808/1809

Typhus Epidemic in the British Army on the Iberian Peninsula in the Winter of 1808/1809

French Volunteers in Benjamin Franklin's Correspondence: The American Revolution as Mirror of a Military Crisis

Abstract: The French who took part in the American War for Independence have been the subject of many historical studies. However, the correspondence of Benjamin Franklin offers new elements about these numerous volunteers coming from multiple geographical and social backgrounds. In their letters to the American commissioner, military men, nobles, ecclesiastics, surgeons, lawyers, engineers, peasants, and even convicts—most of whom never left the France—explained their motives for crossing the Atlantic Ocean to fight the British army on the side of the Patriots. From that epistolary source emerges also the perception those subjects of Louis XVI had of the Americans and the United States. All this information reveals a French society imbued with many contradictions, such as the public attraction for enemies fought during the Seven Years' War and the glorification of ancestral nobiliary values through a war for the benefit of a young republic.

Provisioning the Requirement: Machine Gun Needs of the British Expeditionary Force in France, 1914-1916

At the outbreak of the First World War, the British Army was in the process of replacing its Maxim machine guns with the Vickers machine gun it had adopted in 1912. Although both weapons were of the same calibre and shared some common accessories, they were not wholly compatible. Furthermore, with the expansion of the British Expeditionary Force and the concomitant need to increase its automatic firepower, the introduction of more machine guns had to be managed with increased demand and complexity, with additional new models introduced as the war progressed. By analysing the war diaries of the lines of communication, this article evaluates the rollout of the Vickers and later models, and the implications their introduction had on logistics, personnel, and organisation across the Force. It is hoped this approach will offer an insight into the prioritisation and decision-making of this critical period, as well as an opportunity to understand the growing importance of the machine gun ahead of the formation of the Machine Gun Corps in October 1915.

Indigenous Rodhi Culture of Gurung and Factors of its Transform at Ghandruk Kaski in Nepal

The Rodhi, a traditional cultural practice in Nepal, has lost its native form in recent years. It was popular in the Gurung community in Ghandruk, however, it is being transformed into a modern form popular in restaurants. This decline in native Rodhi is attributed to factors such as globalization, modern entertainment tools, and the shift from agriculture and animal rearing to films and dance bars. The study used qualitative data collection methods and an ethnographic study to analyze the changes in Rodhi culture. Twenty-seven participants were selected for the study, and data was collected through interviews, observations, narratives, discussions, and case studies. The findings revealed that modern entertainment tools, such as films, dance bars, Hindi and English films, hybrid music, and contemporary songs, have diverted the audience and participants from Rodhi's originality to youths. Globalization has led to cultural assimilation, with Gurungs being enlisted in services in Singapore police, Brunei reserve troops, French, British, and Indian armies have less prioritized Rodhi. Globalization encourages immigration, contemporary communication, mass media, overseas employment, cultural assimilation, and shifting traditional occupations. Cultural assimilation due to globalization confined Rodhi to nightclubs, affecting the traditional language and Rodhi culture among the Gurung community of Ghandruk. Cultural assimilation and socio-cultural effects contribute to the declination of traditional knowledge, local culture, and cultural identities like Rodhi. This study has implications for the preservation and promotion of traditional culture, benefiting cultural practitioners, activists, academicians, future researchers, and policymakers.

Imperial Nationalism of Minority Soldiers. Italian-Speaking Tyroleans and Irishmen in the First World War

In the First World War, national minorities fought on all sides. How did these soldiers negotiate their identity as a national minority with their loyalty to and identification with the state for which they fought in the severest war of nations in modern times until then? This paper explores the complex landscape of this question by comparing Irish soldiers in the British Army and Italian-speaking Tyrolean soldiers in the Habsburg forces. Using a sample of war diaries from combatants on both sides and drawing on the more recently upcoming literature on minorities in the First World War, perceptions of these groups about their nationality are examined. The analysis will show how combatants were integrated into a network of loyal relationships to the respective empire through factors such as culture, language and emotions. This is made productive through the analytical category of imperial nationalism. The article emphasises the importance of regiments bridging national identity and imperial loyalty. Italy’s entry into the war (1915) and the Easter Rising (1916) were critical events for soldiers of each side regarding their national self-image. The soldiers’ reactions show the broad spectrum of individual national identity, ranging from increased identification with the Empire to disintegration. Subsequently, both groups increasingly faced discrimination, to which they reacted differently. While the Italian-speaking Tyroleans tended to gradually distance themselves from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Irish soldiers mostly maintained their imperial loyalty. These different results illustrate the complex interplay of allegiance, identity and nationality of minority soldiers and the impact of changing circumstances on these factors during the Great War.

Indigenous resistance in the Anglo-Zulu War

The Anglo-Zulu War, one of the shortest of the Victorian (South Africa) ‘small wars’, saw the Zulus score a notable victory over the British army at Isandlwana in January 1879. This defeat resulted in the worst single day’s loss of life suffered by British troops between the battle of Waterloo in June 1815 and the opening campaigns of the Great War in August 1914. Within months, however, the traditional Zulu way of war had condemned them to tactical and strategic defeat. Their reliance upon close-quarter hand-to-hand combat even when confronted by superior British firepower cost them 6,000 dead and subjected them to a post-war political settlement that dismantled the military system that underpinned the Zulu polity, led to fragmentation, civil war and, ultimately, to British annexation in 1887.

Differences in the gut microbiota between Gurkhas and soldiers of British origin.

Previous work indicated that the incidence of travellers' diarrhoea (TD) is higher in soldiers of British origin, when compared to soldiers of Nepalese descent (Gurkhas). We hypothesise that the composition of the gut microbiota may be a contributing factor in the risk of developing TD in soldiers of British origin. This study aimed to characterise the gut microbial composition of Gurkha and non-Gurkha soldiers of the British Army. Recruitment of 38 soldiers (n = 22 Gurkhas, n = 16 non-Gurkhas) and subsequent stool collection, enabled shotgun metagenomic sequencing-based analysis of the gut microbiota. The microbiota of Gurkhas had significantly (P < 0.05) lower diversity, for both Shannon and Simpson diversity indices, using species level markers than the gut microbiota of non-Gurkha soldiers. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) of the Bray-Curtis distance matrix revealed a significant difference in the composition of the gut microbiota between Gurkhas and non-Gurkha soldiers, at both the species level (P = 0.0178) and the genus level (P = 0.0483). We found three genera and eight species that were significantly enriched in the non-Gurkha group and one genus (Haemophilus) and one species (Haemophilus parainfluenzae) which were enriched in the Gurkha group. The difference in the microbiota composition between Gurkha soldiers and soldiers of British origin may contribute to higher colonization resistance against diarrhoeal pathogens in the former group. Our findings may enable further studies into interventions that modulate the gut microbiota of soldiers to prevent TD during deployment.

Retrospective Analysis of Medical Attrition for Pilot Applicants to the British Army Air Corps.

INTRODUCTION: Management of aeromedical risk is essential for flight safety. Given the many operator stressors for pilots, militaries maintain a vested interest in selecting aircrew applicants who meet rigorous initial medical standards. Very little published literature exists regarding the extent of medical disqualifications or precluding conditions for initial candidates.METHODS: For the British Army, pilot selection is a phased, multistep process that includes Phase I medical screening followed by a comprehensive Phase II medical exam. De-identified summary data were retrospectively reviewed for medical fitness and disqualifying categories for the 5-yr period of 2018-2022, inclusive. For those ultimately deemed unfit for aviation service, etiology was grouped into general categories.RESULTS: Approximately one-third (30.2%) of candidates were disqualified at Phase I initial medical screening with leading categories of attrition due to respiratory etiology, especially a history of asthma or reactive airway disease, followed by ophthalmology. For the Phase II medical exam cohort, 21.0% were medically disqualified with most attrition from anthropometry and ophthalmology. There were no statistical differences in disqualifications for gender or pathway of entry (civilian vs. serving personnel).DISCUSSION: Major categories of medical attrition were similar to that of other nations, yet the published literature in this area is surprisingly tenuous. Given the desire for evidence-based medical selection standards, it is important for regular review of processes and standards such that the risks of known physiological challenges are judiciously weighed with the benefits of a large, diverse pool of selection as well as force structure and recruitment demand.Adams MS, Goldie CE, Gaydos SJ. Retrospective analysis of medical attrition for pilot applicants to the British Army Air Corps. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2023; 94(12):939-943.

The West India Regiments and the War of 1812

Abstract: The West India Regiments, men of African descent embodied into regular regiments of the British Army, played a hitherto unheralded role in the War of 1812. Knowledge of the military prowess of these regiments was widespread in the US in the early nineteenth century, and the British exploited this, mixed with a large amount of rumour and speculation as a terror tactic during the war. The West India Regiments were used as recruiters in the Chesapeake in 1814, and on active campaigns against New Orleans and Georgia in 1815. They were directly and indirectly responsible for the escape of thousands of enslaved people from slave states to British forces and even forced some US commentators to contemplate the recruitment of their own enslaved soldiers as a counterweight. While their military contribution to the war ended up being small, the psychological importance of regiments of black men within easy reach of the southern states lingered long after peace had been agreed.

Pre-sleep protein supplementation does not improve recovery from load carriage in British Army recruits (part 2).

British Army basic training (BT) is physically demanding with new recruits completing multiple bouts of physical activity each day with limited recovery. Load carriage is one of the most physically demanding BT activities and has been shown to induce acute exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and impair muscle function. Protein supplementation can accelerate muscle recovery by attenuating EIMD and muscle function loss. This study investigated the impact of an additional daily bolus of protein prior to sleep throughout training on acute muscle recovery following a load carriage test in British Army recruits. Ninety nine men and 23 women (mean ± SD: age: 21.3 ± 3.5 yrs., height: 174.8 ± 8.4 cm, body mass 75.4 ± 12.2 kg) were randomized to dietary control (CON), carbohydrate placebo (PLA), moderate (20 g; MOD) or high (60 g; HIGH) protein supplementation. Muscle function (maximal jump height), perceived muscle soreness and urinary markers of muscle damage were assessed before (PRE), immediately post (POST), 24-h post (24 h-POST) and 40-h post (40 h-POST) a load carriage test. There was no impact of supplementation on muscle function at POST (p = 0.752) or 40 h-POST (p = 0.989) load carriage but jump height was greater in PLA compared to HIGH at 24 h-POST (p = 0.037). There was no impact of protein supplementation on muscle soreness POST (p = 0.605), 24 h-POST (p = 0.182) or 40 h-POST (p = 0.333). All groups had increased concentrations of urinary myoglobin and 3-methylhistidine, but there was no statistical difference between groups at any timepoint (p > 0.05). We conclude that pre-sleep protein supplementation does not accelerate acute muscle recovery following load carriage in British Army recruits during basic training. The data suggests that consuming additional energy in the form of CHO or protein was beneficial at attenuating EIMD, although it is acknowledged there were no statistical differences between groups. Although EIMD did occur as indicated by elevated urinary muscle damage markers, it is likely that the load carriage test was not arduous enough to reduce muscle function, limiting the impact of protein supplementation. Practically, protein supplementation above protein intakes of 1.2 g⸱kg-1⸱day-1 following load carriage over similar distances (4 km) and carrying similar loads (15-20 kg) does not appear to be warranted.

Pre-sleep protein supplementation does not improve performance, body composition, and recovery in British Army recruits (part 1).

Dietary protein is crucial for optimising physical training adaptations such as muscular strength and mass, which are key aims for athletic populations, including British Army recruits. New recruits fail to meet the recommended protein intake during basic training (BT), with negligible amounts consumed in the evening. This study assessed the influence of a daily bolus of protein prior to sleep on performance adaptations, body composition and recovery in British Army recruits. 99 men and 23 women [mean ± standard deviation (SD): age: 21.3 ± 3.5 years, height: 174.8 ± 8.4 cm, body mass 75.4 ± 12.2 kg] were randomised into a dietary control (CON), carbohydrate placebo (PLA), moderate (20 g) protein (MOD) or high (60 g) protein (HIGH) supplementation group. Supplements were isocaloric and were consumed on weekday evenings between 2000 and 2100 for 12 weeks during BT. Performance tests (mid-thigh pull, medicine ball throw, 2 km run time, maximal push-up, and maximal vertical jump) and body composition were assessed at the start and end of BT. Dietary intake, energy expenditure, salivary hormones, urinary nitrogen balance, perceived muscle soreness, rating of perceived exertion, mood, and fatigue were assessed at the start, middle and end of BT. Protein supplementation increased protein intake in HIGH (2.16 ± 0.50 g⸱kg-1⸱day-1) and MOD (1.71 ± 0.48 g⸱kg-1⸱day-1) compared to CON (1.17 ± 0.24 g⸱kg-1⸱day-1) and PLA (1.31 ± 0.29 g⸱kg-1⸱day-1; p < 0.001). Despite this, there was no impact of supplementation on mid-thigh pull performance (CON = 7 ± 19%, PLA = 7 ± 19%, MOD = 0 ± 16%, and HIGH = 4 ± 14%; p = 0.554) or any other performance measures (p > 0.05). Fat-free mass changes were also similar between groups (CON = 4 ± 3%, PLA = 4 ± 4%, MOD = 3 ± 3%, HIGH = 5 ± 4%, p = 0.959). There was no impact of protein supplementation on any other body composition or recovery measure. We conclude no benefits of pre-bed protein supplementation to improve performance, body composition and recovery during BT. It is possible the training stimulus was great enough, limiting the impact of protein supplementation. However, the high degree of inter-participant variability suggests an individualised use of protein supplementation should be explored, particularly in those who consume sub-optimal (<1.6 g⸱kg-1⸱day-1) habitual amounts of protein. Clinical trial registration: The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, U.S. national institutes (identifier: NCT05998590).

Five-day evaluation of the acceptability and comfort of wearable technology at four anatomical locations during military training

IntroductionWearable sensor technologies enable Defence to optimise human performance, remotely identify physiological abnormalities and enhance medical support. Maximising the acceptability of devices will ensure they are worn alongside other equipment....

‘Perfidious Albion’? British Foreign Policy in an Age of Strategic Choice

This essay criticises recent calls for the mobilisation of the British Army in anticipation of an ‘immediate’ continental war, and instead asserts that, as the world’s geopolitical centre of gravity progressively shifts south and east, Britain can expect to enjoy a strategic position further removed from the frontlines of potential conflict than at any time in recent history. Re-evaluating threats from Russia and China, Joseph Reilly advocates for a strategic reset, with a greater emphasis on leveraging industrial capabilities to support allies instead of the present focus on building large land forces ill-suited to Britain’s contemporary strategic environment.

British Army intelligence in provincial Ireland, 1919‒1921: organisation, outcomes and the 6th Division blacklist

AbstractIntelligence played a critical role in the Irish War of Independence, though debate remains about the effectiveness of British information-gathering. Historians have focused largely on the intelligence war in Dublin. This article examines British Army intelligence in the 6th Division area (roughly the southern third of the island). It will contextualise British military intelligence before the conflict and traces the slow development of an intelligence organisation in the 6th Division. It then considers the sources and nature of British information gathering, particularly interrogation of prisoners and the collection and analysis of captured documents. Military intelligence summaries and a ‘Blacklist’ of I.R.A. suspects across the 6th Division are used to ascertain the quality of military intelligence products during the final stages of the conflict. The ‘Blacklist’ can be contrasted with I.R.A. unit arrest data and leadership lists, to assess the effectiveness of British military intelligence at a county level. This comparison provides a new measure of British performance, clearly revealing the limitations of British military intelligence in the 6th Division, particularly when compared to relatively more successful results achieved by crown forces in the Dublin District.

Service children’s wellbeing in the context of three- to four-year-old Army children experiencing a parental deployment

ABSTRACT Where ‘wellbeing’ is referred to in relation to children from Armed Forces (service) backgrounds, it is often done so in absence of an exploration of this conceptually vague term. This is problematic, as there are multiple interpretations and discourses of wellbeing which, in turn, influence how it is both understood and operationalised by practitioners and policy makers worldwide. This article examines the deployment-related wellbeing of an under researched group; pre-school children (aged three to four years) from British Army families. Framed within a cultural historical approach, this study employed interviews (n = 30) with ten non-deployed/at home mothers and fourteen pre-school practitioners. Six of the pre-school children also took part in the interviews. Findings highlight that young children’s relationships and socio-cultural environments influence the impact of a parental deployment on their different domains of wellbeing. Drawing upon different discourses of wellbeing further affords the reframing of young children’s deployment-related wellbeing away from the traditional deficit approach of observable problematised behaviours towards a more positive approach, considering the reasons behind such behaviours. Findings led to the creation of a model to aid practitioners and policy makers seeking to understand and support young Army children’s wellbeing.

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE – THE MONUMENT OF HUMANITY IN THE CRIMEAN WAR 1853.-1856.

Background: Ms. Florence Nightingale (F.N.) has been recognized as the founder of modern nursing. She had a prominent role in organizing the medical service for the British army in the Crimean War. Aim: The goal of the research was to determine the role and contribution of F.N. to the medical service during the Crimean War, her original organizing arrangements, and novel treatment modalities in the setting of a mass casualty situation. The impact of her war experience on her psychological condition has been assessed. Methodology: The research was done through a review of the historical documents, considering the work and the role of F.N. in the British Army medical service during the Crimean War. Result: The passionate work of F.N. in the field hospital earned her the nickname Angel of Crimea. She introduced novel methods of nursing and sanitation that reduced the mortality rate in the British Army by 70%. However, after the war, on her return home to England, she showed mood changes consistent with what is nowadays known as posttraumatic stress disorder. Conclusion: Engagement in the medical service during the war carries the inevitable risk of the development of posttraumatic stress disorder. This should be considered a real and obvious threat for medical personnel involved with the treatment of the injured during the war, i.e., the mass casualty situation. The contribution of F.N. to the organization and efficacy of the military medical service of the British Army has been discussed.