Britain's SHAME revealed: Soldiers forced to 'slum it with rats and mould' at RAF base deemed 'worst ever'
RAF Benson squalor
GB News
Soldiers on an RAF base in Oxfordshire are living in squalor amid leaking pipes and rat infestations, it has been claimed.
Troops on RAF Benson said that they were also blighted by unreliable hot water and moulding shower rooms.
A soldier, who spoke to GB News on condition of anonymity as they do not have permission to speak to the media, said the accommodation at the RAF base was the “worst I’ve ever lived in during my career.”
They alleged that rats are on the bottom floor in the accommodation block. Photos reportedly of the area outside the block appear to show a large rat nearby.
Troops on RAF Benson said that they were also blighted by unreliable hot water and moulding shower rooms
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The soldier, a non-commissioned officer in the army but working on the RAF base, compiled a complaint that they sent to their seniors, which has been seen by GB News.
“The floors are covered in patches of mould due to pipes and fire hoses constantly leaking and leaving a horrible musty smell.
“There are three working toilets at one time due to the rest constantly being blocked and overflowing, they get fixed but then return to the same state as before.
“Hot water goes off at least twice a week and over most weekends.”
They added that flooding was the main problem, with pipes leaking “making basic tasks near impossible” in the washing and drying rooms. They claimed that soldiers were unable to wash clothes due to the leakages.
The furious soldier, who pays roughly £50 a month for the accommodation, said “I simply cannot wait until I move out of this unlivable block that should be condemned.”
The shocking images and claims coming out of RAF Benson come after experts from a specialist review found that the government had been underfunding accommodation for the armed forces.
In the Homes Unfit For Military Heroes review, the Kerslake Commission found vast swathes of forces housing in disarray.
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They added that flooding was the main problem, with pipes leaking “making basic tasks near impossible”
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The report pointed to hundreds of military families being forced to endure lengthy waits to deal with leaks, mould and damage.
It found that the backlog of repairs is so lengthy that it could cost over £4 billion to recover the country’s military housing stock to an appropriate level.
Retired Colonel Richard Kemp told GB News: "This story sounds depressingly similar to the conditions that existed over 20 years ago when my soldiers were often living in such terrible conditions.
"I remember impressive stalactites formed on some water pipes in barrack blocks, frequent failure of heating and hot water and vermin infestation.
"When my battalion left one barracks it had to be completely refurbished to make it fit to house illegal immigrants."
The former commander of British forces in Afghanistan added: "I and other commanders did as much as we could to get improvements made back then.
"None of it was very successful because the MoD was unwilling to spend the necessary funds.
"It is unforgivable that exactly the same conditions seem to exist all these years later.
They alleged that rats are on the bottom floor in the accommodation block
GB News
"I would stress that there are many more modern barracks that provide good living conditions to the troops.
"But no-one serving in the armed forces in the UK should have to put up with slum conditions and the MoD needs to get a grip."
Retired Military Intelligence Colonel Philip Ingram told GB News: "Unfortunately this soldier's experiences are not uncommon.
"Our service personnel have been let down for too long now by successive governments and the new government, despite saying it would invest in our people, is doing the opposite.
"A 2.5 per cent cut in current contracts will reduce the ability for these issues to be dealt with, it is clear that people are unimportant to the MoD.
"We have illegal migrants refusing to live in former service accommodation as it is deemed uninhabitable, yet we are expecting this protecting our country and way of life to do so.
"The MoD needs to wake up and recognise that it needs to take urgent actions to get service accommodation into a level of basic acceptability."
An MoD spokesperson told GB News: “This new government is committed to improving the state of service housing as part of our drive to renew the nation’s contract with those who serve.
“Our government’s first King’s Speech committed to the creation of a new Armed Forces Commissioner, to be a strong independent champion for service personnel and their families, and help improve service life.”