Iain Ballantyne

Fact: these Germans found lurking in the woods were easily captured by a nervous American soldier. Fiction (partly based on fact): British war crimes investigator Captain Eric Wise is after one that got away into the forests of southern Austria. But when found, Eric's quarry gets the drop on him...

‘Before I settle on what to do with you, let’s have a few more drinks. Let’s tell our stories - and if I like yours...’ The German paused to grin arrogantly and then added: ‘Maybe I’ll let you live.’

The epic story with all its twists and turns unfolds in my novel 'Martin's Eyes' @chiselbury

Available from Amazon amazon.co.uk/Martins-Eyes-I…

For more info check out the publisher's page chiselbury.co.uk/product/martin…

@CorbettAndy - I am after a favour, see dms.

Meet the new Frank Drebbin (apologies to Leslie Nielsen)...

Another shocker...'war footing' omnishambles continues.

Are you being ironic @nicholadrummond ? With respect, no we don't have Navy First, clearly (and have not since at least 2003). As it shows, we have a National Strategic Nuclear Deterrent Policy First - and the SSNs are intrinsic to protecting the nuclear deterrent, with at least three SSNs needed on that duty all the time (tho' the bulk of the money goes to the current and future strategic deterrent in one form or another). And btw there will not be 12 AUKUS SSNs. That is a fantasy. Never happen. Nine (the original desire) if you are lucky, but more like six or seven, and even that may be doubtful.

If the nuclear deterrent could survive and be effective launched from land or the air, then would you say it's Army First or RAF First? It is something the RN does for the nation - it is a political strategic weapon and so, imho, should not be funded as part of the Defence budget per se.

It creates a dreadful mindset in defence uneducated politicians who neglect conventional deterrent. They must think the nuclear option is a first resort rather than the last.

So, take the nuclear enterprise, including the boats (SSBNs and some SSNs) and the support infrastructure, out of this calculation and we have an RAF First, Army Second and Navy Third Policy (which is what this pie chart shows). It should be Navy First, RAF Second and Army Third (but all of them bigger and more capable than the current shambles is producing). We can agree is not a wise thing to let our current front line military decay into a malfunctioning mess - something yesterday's budget has reinforced while notionally boosting defence some time around 2030. Faith in governments to perform defence of the UK properly is gone tbh.