How Brits will be conscripted to fight in WW1-style call up with Gen Z gamers to become drone pilots ready to fight Vlad

BRITAIN could face a First World War-style mobilisation for all-out war against “unstoppable” Putin – with teen drone pilots called up to fight.

Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, 60, warned that a “modern-day Hitler” is marching West with a vast army – and Britain must act now to ramp up its dwindling military.

A British soldier during Nato drills in LithuaniaCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Although mobilisation would look similar to previous wars, new skills will be needed for modern warfare - including drone specialists — Although mobilisation would look similar to previous wars, new skills will be needed for modern warfare – including drone specialists

Military chiefs are concerned Britain doesn't have enough ships and soldiers to fight Russia — Military chiefs are concerned Britain doesn’t have enough ships and soldiers to fight RussiaCredit: Atlas Photo Archive/UK MoD/CPO O

The Sun drafted up a recruitment poster featuring the PM calling up Brit soldiers for war

It comes after a string of similar warnings about the state of the British Army from top defence chiefs amid the looming threat of World War Three.

The UK’s military has shrunk to its smallest size in centuries – and it’s now too weak to deter actors such as warmongering Putin, Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon warned.

He told The Sun: “Part of the reason we might have to go to war is that it’s not providing a viable deterrent – particularly to Putin.

“We have the modern-day Hitler heading West and we need to do something about it otherwise he isn’t going to stop.”

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“Everybody will be eligible to be called up – let’s not forget the Queen was called up in the Second World War and drove an ambulance. It will be whoever is required.

“It would be very similar to the First World War and Second World War because it will be what’s required. It will be a total war – the country will be completely mobilised to fight off the Russians.

“There is still a lot of water to flow under that bridge before we get there.”

It comes after General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff, said Brits could face a call-up if the UK goes to war with Russia because the “military is too small”.

And he stressed the need for ministers to “mobilise the nation” in a speech amid the looming threat of World War Three.

The introduction of conscription, were it to happen, would be the first time in over 60 years that Brits would be required to fight.

Mandatory military service was introduced during the First World War after the government passed the Military Service Act in 1916.

With the British Army being reduced to its smallest size for centuries, Gen Sir Patrick believes there should be a “shift” in the mindset of the public who should be willing to defend the UK against foreign adversaries.

Although mobilisation of the nation would look similar to previous wars, Mr de Bretton-Gordon said different skills would be needed for modern warfare.

We have the modern-day Hitler heading West and we need to do something about it

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon

For example, young people with a wealth of knowledge about drones will be highly sought after.

“Those 17-year-old kids who might not have been called up but happen to be particularly good at flying drones could find themselves being called up,” he said.

“Whoever makes drones in this country, we should be protecting them and making sure they are churning them out like there’s no tomorrow.

“Tech will be big – cyber is already massive.”

But more needs to be done to build a “robust” younger generation who can head to the battlefield, Mr de Bretton-Gordon said.

And the increasing threat of Britain being dragged into a war should be a “wake-up call” to the country – and its leaders, he added.

“Soldiering is hard work. I just wonder, are our youth robust enough to actually go out and fight?

“I’m sure they would be with training because Brits have always been great fighters back in history.

“I think this is a wake-up call to the government and to the country to say, ‘we’ve let our military go so far that you will have to get your shovels and picks out of your garden sheds and start fighting’.”

The former colonel said MPs must start prioritising Britain’s military – or “we could really be in trouble”.

“When I joined the Army 35 years ago, we had 500 tanks,” he said.

“Now we barely have 100 tanks that we can put on the battlefield.

“And we’re seeing that the tank is still a crucial part that you need in a war that we would likely fight with Russia.

“They are not focusing on doubling the size of the army so we can fight or provide a deterrent to the Russians so we don’t actually have to fight them. Our politicians are looking elsewhere.

“The whole warfare thing is something you must stay on top of – and we haven’t done that in the military.

“We’re in a position now where we need to have a good look at this otherwise we could really be in trouble.”

They are not focusing on doubling the size of the army so we can fight or provide a deterrent to the Russians

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon

Mr de Bretton-Gordon said Britain should be learning from Russia as desperate Putin sends teenagers with just one-week experience to the frontlines.

And that means preparing a younger generation in Britain for war.

“They are now putting young kids on the frontline with one week’s experience with no clue what they’re doing and just getting destroyed,” he said.

“To be a basic soldier, you need at least a year’s training to condition yourself. We know from the Second World War that we never get that time.

“The bare minimum from flash to bang would be six months. For the specialist tank crews, helicopter pilots, fighter pilots, the training is about three years. There are some long lead times.

“For too long, we’ve been looking the other way.”

The former tank commander has repeatedly warned that Putin will not stop at Ukraine unless he is stopped.

Last week, a leaked military report revealed what could be Putin’s step-by-step plan to bring the West to the brink of World War 3 – and it starts in weeks.

The secret docs detail the despot’s possible “path to conflict” which reaches its climax in the summer of 2025 on “Day X” when half a million Nato and Russian soldiers will face each other.

“Putin might by a tyrannical dictator but he’s no idiot,” Mr de Bretton-Gordon said.

“This is all the great game. You show your cards to the enemy and they take advantage.

“Tyrants and terrorists only react to strength. If they see weakness, they will absolutely go for it.

“He invaded Ukraine because he thought we would do nothing – and he thought we would do nothing because we did nothing when he got involved in Syria and Syria used chemical weapons.”

People need to wake up that the real threats are the Russians and the Iranians and terrorists that could really affect us very soon

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon

As Nato prepares to kick off its biggest war drills in decades, Mr de Bretton-Gordon said Britain must realise there is a raging war in our back garden.

Sweden and Finland are increasingly on a war-footing – and the Baltic nations are racing to bolster defences on their borders with Russia and Belarus as Europe braces for an all-out war.

Admiral Rob Bauer, chief of NATO’s military committee, called on the West to “prepare for an era of war” – adding that the alliance “needs a warfighting transformation”.

Mr de Bretton-Gordon said: “Look at the size of the Swedish and Finnish armies, look at their preparations.

“They are smack up against Russia so for people in Finland, they have an army that can generate up to 1.5million people in a week or two.

“Everybody is trained to defend the country. They know the Russians are on the doorstep.

“We are a couple hundred of miles further back and we’re looking at other things. It’s a wake-up call.

“But at the end of the day, it’s up to the British people. They either want lower taxes, higher benefits, or they want a military that is good enough so they don’t have to keep a rifle in the back shed like Dad’s Army.

“We have war in Europe, there are hundreds of thousands dead a stone’s throw from our shores. It would be stupid to ignore that. If Putin prevails, it will not stop.

“I don’t think anybody looking at this seriously believes Putin is going to stop. He’s talking about using nuclear weapons… even one of Russia’s little nuclear weapons could kill 100,000 people. It’s a wake-up call.

“We’ve got to get on board with this.

“People need to wake up that the real threats are the Russians and the Iranians and terrorists that could really affect us very soon. It’s all about strength. Weakness is exploited.”