Hundreds of paratroopers have reportedly been banned from an annual Nato deployment to the Balkans after videos emerged of an orgy at a military barracks.
In a letter to generals and commanding officers, the new head of the army, Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, said he was not willing to “risk the mission or the reputation of the British army” by sending them overseas.
It emerged this month that eight paratroopers from 16 Air Assault Brigade had been placed under police investigation after being filmed having a consensual orgy with a civilian woman at Merville barracks in Colchester, Essex, while dozens of others watched.
Although military police established no crime had been committed, Sanders said the activity could have been construed to “denigrate women”, and that it contravened army values and standards, reported the Times, which has seen the letter.
The newspaper reports it was believed the woman had been smuggled into the barracks as many as 31 times in five months. It said the incident followed a series of other cases of bad behaviour during an exercise in North Macedonia in May, when it was understood that members of 3 Para were accused of “unprofessional behaviour” during the exercise, along with soldiers from other battalions.
Sanders wrote: “My message to the army is clear – our licence to operate is founded on trust and confidence and we must hold ourselves to the highest standards,” the Times quotes.
He added that “such behaviour is unacceptable, corrosive and detrimental to the army’s reputation”.
In another quoted extract, Sanders added: “Recent events indicated that 3 Para is not demonstrating the levels of discipline and respect for others expected of one of our battalions.
“I am not prepared to risk the Nato mission or the reputation of the British army by deploying 3 Para at this time.”
The annual deployment to the Balkans is for a 10-day exercise with Nato allies, though troops normally stay for more than one month. More than 400 paratroopers travel to both Bosnia and Kosovo, and will lose out on a medal and extra pay they typically receive for overseas deployment.
Instead, they are asked to use the month to “reflect on where they have fallen short of what we all expect of our army.” Options are said to be being discussed to replace the battalion with another for the exercise.
The soldiers directly involved in the sex tape will also be removed from the battalion’s next as Air Manoeuvre Battlegroup, which is held in readiness to deploy in response to global crises.
The Ministry of Defence has been contacted for comment.
