UPDATE: We tried a 'Tineye' reverse image search on the photo of a filthy refrigerator alleged to be at Wellington Barracks, which turns out to have been previously posted on a foreign site on or before 2017.
Also, the goods in the fridge don't look recognisably British.
Today's Mailonline (02 Apr 23) has a shocking illustrated 'exclusive' alleging absolutely vile squalor, untidiness and health hazard in the Brigade of Guards soldiers' accommodation at Wellington Barracks, London:
- EXCLUSIVE: WARNING: GRAPHIC - Photos show Wellington Barracks conditions
- From urine-soaked floors, dead birds in the corridor and rubbish piled in rooms
- One former Coldstream Guard described the base a 'worse than a British prison'
However...
The barracks are indeed old, with for example toilet and shower provision inadequate for modern SLA standards, and the hot water is said to have been off for several weeks in January and February. Parts of the story have, however, been questioned by us and on social media. This was reposted at the 'Army Rumour Service':
I was based at Welly B at the time of the photos being taken, which is 18 months ago. The gash all over the room was the result of a power hungry JNCO who threw rubbish bags all over the room just as the blokes were about to take it down to the bins, who then took photos of it to get blokes bollocked. The JNCO in question then got disciplined for this. The images of gash in corridors and sick on toilet seats are the immediate result of a block party, again taken nearly two years ago and posted into a whatsapp group. I know the individual who sent this into the daily mail. He was kicked out the Army after a 6 month stint as a terminal biff following a CDT. What's happened here is someone pouring through old work groupchats, of which I'm still a member, nitpicking photos and then selling them onto a newspaper because he has an axe to grind.
Blocks are in clip after parties in every camp and Wellington Barracks is no exception.
No one in Welly B lives like this, the camp is a dump but the jack c who sent these years old photos has got the blokes fcked, and now all the problems with the blocks are going to be ignored because of a so called 'discipline problem'.
Should add the fridge I've never seen before and seems to be clickbait. quick google search shows that it is not from welly b and was posted 4 years ago on reddit.
At this stage we are unable to confirm either version of this story. But the Tineye tracing of the 'filthy refrigerator' photo certainly undermines the credibility of whoever supplied it to the newspaper.
Avoidable 'inaccuracies' detract from genuine and justified complaints.
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