Have you seen rumours of army trucks?

[blueskys72]

I've heard from two separate sources about army trucks in towns - assuming it's not true (yet!) and wondered if anyone had heard the same?

DS is in army, my friend's son is in army. Both lads have been told they will mobilise soon. London was mentioned.

I think I'm feeling quite good about living in a nowhere sticks town right now.

My DH is in the army and we live on an army base. Business as usual. They are just simply looking to mobilise people to help with deliveries, ambulance drivers etc. What they should be used for in times like this.

@AllPointsNorth you're making huge assumptions there. Really. I can't let your comments go unchallenged. My soldiers are very very young. Their parents are incredibly worried about them. You'd they obey the rules but the assumption that they're "free" is offensive. Also, we've not had fire engines for at least a decade. Don't make stuff up
Please. It adds to the worry of my most important people.

I do. I think it's time to clamp down now.

Do you have any idea what martial law means for the general public? Loss of civil rights, civil laws, habeas corpus, etc etc. Its not a quick fix for a few people who wont stay in their houses or to break up a fight at the supermarket.

Good God what people wish for!

The photos doing the rounds are fake.
One was taken in 90’s another is a photoshopped truck from another country

Absolute losers sharing this fake news

All over Twitter - sharing photos of non UK vehicles driving on the wrong side of the road. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Wow let's just all hide in our toilet roll bunker!

No but I saw a plague of zombies heading over the fields.

I keep reading that military personnel are being recalled from annual leave and preparing for lockdown.

I work at HQ for one of the armed forces. That’s simply not happening. DH is military. He’s downstairs now, working from home this week.

I’m sick of selfish idiots treating it as a piss up / holiday / social time so lock down. Good.

@Genvonklinkerhoffen are you being serious about the fire engines?

I would be worried if the military weren't getting involved. Aside from enforcing a lockdown, they must have a lot of medics, medical equipment and transferrable skills and expertise in setting up and building field hospitals and all kinds of logistical stuff.

OK Genvon, let’s go back to the hysteria of the Army bringing in Martial law, rather than being useful.
As you might have realised from my references, I’m 30 years out of date and still see the army as a supportive force. But yes, they’re obviously there to enforce isolation on the civilian population.
Do they still have tanks?

@Marieo The RAF have fire engines to look after their airfields. Google green goddesses if you're interested. Also... soldiers aren't firefighters, that's a niche profession and it would be odd to think that you could Be a professional firefighter and a professional soldier at the same time. This is open source information.

@AllPointsNorth don't really understand your question...

The Royal Navy have lots of trained firefighters, and have been used extensively in previous firemen’s strikes.
The RAF have loads too, but many of these services have now been privatised.

Today a 15 minute drive took 1.5 hours in traffic. I saw 4 ambulances in that time and some couldn’t get through. Dire. If we get people off the roads it’s better.

Yes! The Navy are excellent firefighters. It's a huge issue on ships isn't it. Still not sure about the fire engines though...

I can remember green goddess fire trucks being used before, during a strike.

The photos and stuff about Clapham Common are the cadet-types. They are always out and about there and have been for years.

@VivaLeBeaver lots of things were used "before". green goddesses Haven't been in service for over a decade. And they won't be now.

Even if whatever rumours were true..... why are we supposed to be scared of army trucks?

The situation is serious with or without army trucks.

As long as you’re still looking both ways before crossing the road then what threat do they pose?

I think a lot of people have no knowledge of the army and it’s frightening for them.

I grew up on a military base. I live on one now. I show a pass to get “inside the wire” every time I return home! I’m used to seeing personnel with weapons guarding the entrance to the base. To me it’s completely normal. To most people it’s not.

It's quite true that the army don't use the green goddesses anymore. If the fire service strike, the senior officers drive and operate the pumps. The army no longer do it.

“Not the Navy, or RAF but the army” err I think you’ll find it’s all branches. Just because they’re in “greens” (camo gear) doesn’t mean they’re in the army.

My dad was army but I’ve relatives on both sides who were raf and navy and they all pitch in.

"Do you have any idea what martial law means for the general public?"

What's martial law got to do with sort of MACP that is under discussion?

Military Aid to the Civil Power is an extremely effective way of throwing military assets and people at situations where the civilian authorities request it. Often used within UK (foot and mouth, sandbagging, Olympic security etc)