You should have Brits kicking and screaming to fight, army doctor says after defense chief warned against public appeals

A war hero who lost an arm and a leg in Afghanistan says Britons should be dragged kicking and screaming if called upon to fight Russia.

General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff, says fighting Putin's butchers in a possible WW3 would be “company of the entire country”.

Ben McBean said there is currently no incentive for Britons to join the armyCredit: Stuart Clarke – The Sunday Times

General Sir Patrick Sanders says the Second World War would be a 'nationwide undertaking' and the British public would have to 'shift their mindset' towards a possible war.Credit: Rex Features

If the British were called to fight, they could face scenes similar to those of Ukraine's war against RussiaCredit: Getty

But ex-Royal Marine Ben McBean36 year old, says poor wages, working conditions and poor veterans care give Brits absolutely no incentive to sign up.

Ben – seriously injured by one Taliban explosion in 2008 – told The Sun: “It's not the same as it used to be, people aren't as patriotic.

“That mentality is gone and it will be difficult to get it back. You'd have to kick and scream at people to get them to draft.

“The ads don't help, the the recruitment system isn't greatthe recruitment office where I live is closed.

'The way the country is run, and the way people do it meager and underpaidThere is little reason to want to fight for this country, even if it is your own.”

Sir Patrick – who will leave his post in June – made the comments at the International Armored Vehicles conference in west London on Wednesday.

He also called for a “change” in the mentality of ordinary Britons, to mentally prepare themselves for war with Russia.

He added: “Our friends in Eastern and Northern Europe, who feel the closeness of the Russian threat even more acutely, are already acting cautiously and laying the foundation for national mobilization.

“Ukraine brutally illustrates that regular armies start wars; citizen armies win them.”

Sir Patrick did not indicate what the mobilization in Britain would look like, but demanded more military funding.

And he said the army must grow from 75,000 to 120,000 in three years, but admits that even that is “not enough”.

And dad-of-two Ben said none of this will happen unless the military changes on all fronts.

He said throwing away the “fancy” old generic image and putting recognizable men and women at the center of such calls to arms will appeal to the soldiers of tomorrow.

The father, from Plymouth, added: “Make sure veterans go to schools, make sure they're young, by the time they're 18 it's probably too late.”

He speaks from experience that many are also put off when they see veterinarians being 'raided' attempt to claim compensation if injured or discharged.

He explained, “There are veterans on the streets.

'And it's hard to justify fighting for a country like that won't take care of you if you get hurt.”

Last year, 16,260 soldiers left the armed forces.

In 2012, Capita was awarded a ten-year contract by the Ministry of Defense to work on recruitment, which was extended in 2020.

But this year the company – tasked with signing 9,813 people – has only 5,000 signatures.

Rishi Sunak today conscription excluded and insisted that military service will remain voluntary.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister added: “There is no question. The government does not intend to continue with this.

“The British Army has a proud tradition as a volunteer fighting force. There are no plans to change that.”

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has increasingly become a war of attrition, with soldiers having to dig in on the eastern front.

Trench networks have been dug in several areas, such as Kherson and Zaporizhia, while particularly heavy fighting has taken place in Vuhledar and Bakhmut.

Soldiers from Royal Welsh Battlegroup take part in maneuvers during NATO exercise Hedgehog on May 26, 2022 in Voru, Estonia

Soldiers from the armored regiment of the King's Royal Hussars take part in NATO winter training 130 kilometers from the Russian border in February 2022

The father of two said the military needs to make massive changes if it wants to achieve mass mobilizationCredit: Marc Giddings – The Sun

Rishi Sunak today ruled out conscription and stressed that military service will remain voluntaryCredit: Alamy

A Ukrainian infantryman walks to his trench near Bakhmut on January 19Credit: Getty

Sir Patrick wants the British to be prepared to defend the country in the event of a Third World WarCredit: Getty

When was the last time Britain had conscription?

On the day Britain declared war on Germany, September 3, 1939, Parliament immediately passed a new conscription law.

The National Service (Armed Forces) Act imposed conscription on all men between the ages of 18 and 41 who had to register for service.

Those who were medically unfit were exempt, as were others in key industries and jobs such as baking, agriculture, medicine and engineering.

Conscription contributed greatly to the increase in the number of men on active duty during the first year of World War II.

After the end of the Second World War, a new National Service Act was passed requiring all young men aged 17 to 21 to serve in the armed forces for 18 months.

They should also remain on the reserve list for a number of years.

National Service then continued until the last soldiers were demobilized in 1963.

Conscientious objectors could refuse, but would face a tribunal where they would be expected to justify their opposition to entry.