Army head concerned over low morale

An internal survey of views at all ranks of the Army prompted General Sir Richard Dannatt to describe the need for improvements in accommodation, pay and medical services.

His intervention came in an internal report, leaked to The Sunday Telegraph, revealing disillusionment with conditions for soldiers.

In his Staff Briefing Team Report for 2007, the Chief of the General Staff said troops felt "devalued, angry and suffering from Iraq fatigue".

General Dannatt said the "military covenant is clearly out of kilter" and called for troops to be allowed more time between jobs.

He adds: "We must strive to give individuals and units ample recuperation time between operations, but I do not underestimate how difficult this will be to achieve whilst under-manned and with less robust establishments than I would like."

The report catalogues disquiet about a wide range of issues facing soldiers, not least the matter of poor housing when they are in the UK, but also bad food, cancelled leave and lower levels of fitness.

In his own contribution to the report, General Dannatt also says that continued delays to military inquests are a "disgrace".

The disclosure of General Dannatt's views followed claims that a leading Army figure had quit over the "appalling" and "shoddy" treatment of troops. Lt Col Stuart Tootal, commanding officer of 3 Para, apparently wrote a resignation letter condemning soldiers' poor pay, lack of equipment, standard of Army housing, and NHS treatment.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence stressed that the report represented the unedited views of individual soldiers which were not necessarily widely representative.