is it still the case that the british army reflects the british class system?

Answer 1

Yes, absolutely. I live near an RAF camp and have some friends who live there - the officers' houses are so much better, and even if you've got young kids you still have to live in crap housing just cos you're not an officer.

Answer 2

Hi, your previous answer just reflects the fact that Officers in the Military are given better accomodation than "folks of the line"
Good greif, you can't have it the other way round !

I don't feel that social "class" comes into it much anymore. It indeed used to be so, but now you are measured on ability.
I come from a humble "working class" background, my ancestry being in coal-mining. Down the pit.
When rising to the dizzy heights of Major, I found two or three things on your subject :

One was that a lot of Officers of similar or higher rank, Colonels etc., mostly were not "jolly good chaps" quite the opposite..
A lot had a simple parentage & education, and just became good at their jobs. There were a limited few of "hooray henries", but few & far between. Thankfully they tended to keep themeselves to themselves, so remained insular to the real life.

Another was that I was admonished once for being too freindly with "lower ranks". Rubbish. OK we have to have a structure of folks, as in commerce, or anywhere else in a society
It maintains a sense of where you are in a system.
In my case, it was lending a helping hand to a Private, by lending him a few quid, and putting him up for the night, after an altercation with his wife. Christian thing to do, I thought.

Also, I found that, although having been to lovely do's with the red mess dress on, I favoured dining in the Sergeants' mess.
Much better grub & conversation.
This was taken up by other Officers, and we could actually talk about what needed doing, or putting right.
Much more useful & civilised, if you don't mind the cussing.
I don't.

So I trust that apart from the dregs at the bottom, and the froth at the top, the bulk of the pint is worth having.

A good Q on your side.
Are you in a "mob" ?

Bob.

Answer 3

Yeah, that's still the case, I'm an ex soldier and my husband is still serving. Officers live in a different world. Unless you came through the ranks and then became an officer, then that's different. But most officers come from upper class back grounds

Answer 4

I think the class system is still alive, but not as pronounced as it was in WW1/WW2 for example.
Nowadays officers are required to lead men by example and by deeds, and that includes doing the tasks they themselves ask of their men.
The men soon realise that an officer is going to be a leader whom they will follow through respect, and not out of a sense of duty.
The officer on the other hand soon realises that the men will sus him out in five minutes if he is anything other than what they expect.

Answer 5

Yes, it probably does. If a blue-collar worker entered the Brit.Army and eventually took a commission, that person would probably not be able to rise above the rank of major. The officers of the Brit.Army come mainly from the middle and upper-middle and artistocratic classes.
Wills and Harry are typical of the type.

Answer 6

No, not so much now more senior personnel join their men in the field. Something to do with getting blown up as well, wasn't as much fun as moving a few lead soldiers around, while knocking back the Brandy and puffing the odd Havana.

Answer 7

yeah its still like that i am an ex fusilier my regiments officers
were good at there job but life in the army is different
we are scottish regiment but a few of officers are english
and they talk posh, the quaters and mess are above standard.
unless we are on an op tour

Answer 8

yes but not as much as it once did