BILLIONAIRE John Caudwell has pledged to swap Britain’s most expensive home for a foxhole to fight the Russians.
The Phones 4u founder has volunteered himself to fight Putin – despite being 71 years old.
GettyBillionaire John Caudwell (right) has pledged to volunteer for the army and fight[/caption]
GettyCaudwell made his money with the mobile phone wholesaler Phones 4u[/caption]
Caudwell, worth £2.5billion, told the Daily Express that it was his “duty” to sign up and fight.
He said: “If our country was invaded, I believe that every man who is fit and able should join in the defence of our nation – myself included.
“If the situation called for it, I would be prepared to fight for Britain.
“With aggressive adversaries like Russia, we need to replenish both combat-ready troops and reservists should the worst happen.”
Fighting would risk the billionaire’s life, but Caudwell has also pledged to give away 70 per cent of his wealth during his life.
He owns Britain’s most expensive home – a £250million pad in London’s Mayfair, with eight floors, 15 bedrooms, and a 120-capacity ballroom.
He also owns a 50-room £12million Jacobean pile, called Broughton Hall, in Staffordshire, and a plush pad in Monaco.
His vow comes days after MPs warned Britain’s army would only last a “couple of months” against Russia in a war with the army at its smallest size in 300 years.
The chilling report warns that Britain’s army is “overstretched” and the UK will not be ready to fight until ministers can fix stockpile shortages and shore up reserves.
In January, General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff, warned tens of thousands of Brits could face being called up if a war were to break out.
Armed Forces Minister James Heappey previously cited figure of a combined force of 500,000 troops and civilians.
The Army is currently training Ukrainian civilians to then return home and fight Russians, which has provided “useful lessons” to take for a future “citizen army” full of everyday Brits, a source said.
That came days after a Nato chief said Britain would need to talk about “talk mobilisation, reservists or conscription.”
Defence Secretary Shapps warned weeks ago that the globe is “moving from a post-war to pre-war world” and the UK must ensure its “entire defence ecosystem is ready”.
He insisted the size of the Army would not dip below 73,000 under the Conservatives ahead of an upcoming general election.
On Wednesday, Nato warplanes were left scrambling as Vladimir Putin fired a terrifying wave of missiles towards Poland’s border.
The latest chilling strikes are part of a massive new Russian onslaught on Ukraine thought to be one of the biggest since the war started.
When did the UK last have conscription?
On the day Britain declared war on Germany, September 3, 1939, Parliament immediately passed a new law for conscription.
The National Service (Armed Forces) Act imposed conscription on all males aged between 18 and 41 who had to register for service.
Those medically unfit were exempted, as were others in key industries and jobs such as baking, farming, medicine, and engineering.
Conscription helped greatly to increase the number of men in active service during the first year of World War 2.
Following the end of the Second World War, a new National Service Act was passed that required all young men aged 17 to 21 to serve in the armed forces for 18 months.
They would also have to remain on the reserve list for several years.
National Service then continued until the last servicemen were demobbed in 1963.
Conscientious objectors could refuse, but would face a tribunal at which they would be expected to justify their opposition to joining up.
GettyBoris Johnson, who has been a big supporter of the Ukrainians, and John Caudwell[/caption]
GettyCaudwell said it would be his ‘duty’ to fight for the UK[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
