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Captain Snort has been told to stop reduce exercises to save money, according to a Camberwick Green Parish Council source. It will continue to train soldiers preparing to be deployed or on deployments helping to organise the Chigley Biscuit Factory Dance. But Sergeant Major Grout, the second-in-command at the fort, who is not preparing for a specific deployment has been told to cut back on demonstrating their foot drill due to financial pressures.


It comes as the Prime Minister, formally the Mayor of Trumpton, faces pressure to increase spending on defence. Mr Troop the town clerk said the plans mean the soldiers will continue working in the community and responding to emergencies. But no longer doing what he called "nice to have training” like providing the local fire-fighting capability with their bright red mobile fire pump, which will be decommissioned.


This is bad news for the commander of Trumpton’s Fire Station Captain Flack who has already been forced to make Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, and Cuthbert, leaving him with just Dibble, Grubb and two retained firefighters, Chippy Minton the carpenter and his apprentice son Nibs.


It is understood there are plans to replace the fort’s army truck, which has been described as “humpety bumpety” by a Defence spokesperson, with an Apache helicopter.


An Army spokesperson, Private Higgins, said: "It is a shame. People used to wave, to the soldiers brave. Who would sing and shout, as they lurched about”.


The prime minister replied: "I've made that commitment very clear, and I have done for a considerable period of time. We are investing in a new windmill for Windy Miller, and replacing Doctor Mopp with an AI chatbot”.


Image: co-pilot



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Following an initiative from a London law firm, the Ministry of Defence has said many soldiers have agreed to take a pay cut to work from home. They denied the decision by squaddies is to avoid having to work from the Polish border instead.


'The army is full of resourceful people and we believe it is possible to practice marching in step with a couple of hundred virtual avatars on a Peloton and Call of Duty is a perfect way to practise tactics and weapon drills,' said a MoD spokesperson today. Critics have pointed out that people parking tanks in suburban areas was already a problem, and if they have to move their BMW SUVs so that the army workers can park at home the situation will likely become worse.




First published 5 May 2022


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A much slimmer version of the authoritative 'Armoured Fighting Vehicles' publication from Jane's will be produced. Soon. Within budget. And without requiring extensive re-training of readers on how to use the new book.


This edition focuses on severely delayed vehicle programmes, especially those whose service names begin with A. Coincidentally, apart from the nomenclature, one thing they all have in common is that they are being procured, or not as the case may be, by the British Ministry of Defence. The Ajax program supports several variants of the basic design: the Ajax itself, the Athena, the Ares, the Argus, the Atlas and the Apollo. The supplier won a contract 13 years ago, and so far the quantities of vehicles of each type in service is best given in round numbers i.e. zeroes. Forecasts by military experts of likely in-service dates now range from "late 2028 or 2029" through to "In The Year 2525."


Several suggestions have been forthcoming about renaming the variants as the Anthrax, the Apnoea, the Arse, the Anus, the At Last, and the Appalling.


It is also rumoured that a suitable company, experienced in operating severely delayed programmes, is being sought. Appropriately, Avanti is the lead contender.





First published 22 Mar 2023


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