Row over hundreds of Yorkshire soldiers unfit for the front line

As the armed forces face the strain from years of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, new figures reveal 414 soldiers from the regiment are unable to take up combat duties because of physical or mental injury or illness, a lack of fitness, or non-medical reasons.

Two years after the Yorkshire Post revealed that soldier shortages had left the regiment going into battle in Afghanistan reliant on troops from other units, fresh concern has been raised by new figures revealing that even before the unfit are taken into account, the regiment's three battalions are almost 20 per cent under strength.

Ministers say the Yorkshire Regiment, formed just over two years ago after an Army shake-up, is 354 men short of its required strength and military experts have called for more Government investment in troops to increase manpower with little sign of a speedy end to operations in Afghanistan.

A former commander of UK troops in Afghanistan, Col Richard Kemp, said: "What we need to do is make more money available to increase the manpower. We need more infantry battalions. Infantry battalions have been run down over a number of years.

"They have been raided for manpower. It is an easy target to make savings and that is what has happened, so we have got very few infantry."

Figures obtained by Tory MP Bernard Jenkin, a member of the Commons Defence Select Committee, reveal that the three battalions of the Yorkshire Regiment are 354 short of their full strength, even before fitness is taken into account. At full strength they would number 2,060 soldiers and officers, but latest figures suggest they only number 1,706.

Another 414 men and women are unable to fight on the front line, although most are able to carry out other duties, including some able to provide medical support in combat zones.

Across the entire Army, about 5,000 soldiers and officers are considered unfit for combat duties.

The Ministry of Defence claims a number of cases include troops aged under 18, pregnant soldiers, those excused from combat duties on compassionate grounds and personnel facing disciplinary action.

But Mr Jenkin said: "To have 20 per cent of the infantry unfit for the duties they are primarily employed and trained for is quite a staggering figure.

"This reflects the long-term effect of sustained operations, and it's worth remembering the Government may pay for extra ammunition and other costs of operations but they don't fund the recruitment and training of personnel to replace those who are left unfit for combat."

An Army spokeswoman said: "All units deploy at the required strength for the tasks they are asked to fulfil during their operational tour.

"The majority of those classed as medically non-deployable are fit enough to work in some capacity and therefore continue to make a contribution to the effectiveness of the Armed Forces."

She added: "The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing excellent care for our injured personnel, and ensuring that individuals get the support that is most suitable for them."