I was much taken by the recent appointment of Maj Gen Sharon Nesmith as deputy chief of the General Staff, the first female lieutenant general, and her bold “mission statement”: “I feel deeply honoured to be appointed as deputy chief of the General Staff at such a pivotal time for the British army. I look forward to playing my part in leading our Future Soldier transformation to become a more lethal, agile, digitised and expeditionary force.”
Blimey, martial or what? Especially the use of the word lethal. And I have no doubt that she will succeed admirably in her aims, but I couldn’t help but be reminded of what the Duke of Wellington said, contemplating his troops on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo: “I don’t know what effect these men will have upon the enemy, but, by God, they frighten me.” I’m eternally glad that she’s on our side.
