An exercise to enlist more women into front-line fighting units has seemingly backfired after the drive led to only 10 female recruits starting infantry or Royal Armoured Corps basic training last year.
A freedom of information request has revealed just 15 female soldiers completed basic training for either infantry or tank units between January and September 2023.
The request also found almost half of those who began the training since 2019 failed to complete the course.
Now, a former defence chief has slammed the diversity drive as being "very costly, damaging and futile exercise in political correctness."
Gavin Williamson wanted all front-line roles to be open to women
PA
Fewer than five trained female soldiers transferred into either the armoured corps or the infantry from other Army units. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said no female recruits have passed Royal Marines training.
The MoD data revealed that 85 women have joined the infantry while 45 entered the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) in five years. Out of the 24,000 tank or infantry personnel in the Army, just 130 are female - 0.5 per cent of total force.
Former British military commander in Afghanistan Richard Kemp said: "The whole thing will turn out to be a very costly, damaging and futile exercise in political correctness – funded of course by the taxpayer. The Army did not want this, but it was forced on them by politically correct politicians."
Former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson had announced back in 2018 all front-line roles would be open to women. This includes positions in the special forces, Royal Marines, infantry and tank units.
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Colonel Richard Kemp
GB NewsWilliamson said opening up "all combat roles" to woman would make the armed forces a "more modern employer." He was sacked from his position in 2019.
Women make up just a fraction of Britain's military, comprising about 11.3 per cent of the whole force. Recent figures showed 13.8 per cent of all officers in the forces were female. However, there were just 24 women holding top positions.
The RAF has the biggest representation, with 16 per cent of its personnel being female. In the Royal Navy the figure is 13 per cent. For the Army it's just 10.3 per cent.
The armed forces have been struck by a series of scandals, with women targeted by sexual predators within their ranks - with victims and charities warning of a 'toxic culture' of misogyny and rape within the military.
Former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson
PA
The MoD said it aims to boost the number of female troops in the Army so it makes up 30 per cent of the Army - about 22,000 personnel - by 2030.
An MoD spokesman said: "All roles in our Armed Forces are open to women – including ground close combat and armoured roles – because we want to recruit the best people to serve the country.
"This is about opportunity, fairness and maximising the potential pool of talent...Anyone who has the drive and capability to succeed will get the chance to do so."
