AN MP and serving member of the Territorial Army is “delighted” with the results of a review that wants more reservists on the front line.

The six-month long study was commissioned by David Cameron and it recommends a higher ratio of TA soldiers to regulars.

Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood is a former officer in the regular army and is a private secretary to the defence minister Liam Fox.

“I am delighted this review was called,” said Mr Ellwood, now a TA member of Military Stabilisation Support Group.

“Compared with the US and Australia our reserves form a far smaller proportion of our total military capability, so it is wise to see if this ratio can be improved.”

The British Army is split 15:85 between TA soldiers and regulars, compared to 50:50 in America and 40:60 in Australia.

The TA currently has around 35,000 soldiers and previous plans have considered cuts of around a third.

Some senior officers are now reportedly concerned any future re-balancing may be achieved by cutting back on regulars rather than expanding the TA.

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have made active service along regular soldiers a regular possibility for Dorset’s TA men.

Mr Ellwood said: “The TA not only provides the regular forces with vital spare capacity it also ensures the critical bond between civilian and military communities remain strong.”

6 Rifles has a detachment on Wallisdown Road and Riflemen Matt Berry, from Strouden Park, Bournemouth, and Mark Parry, from Boscombe, are currently serving with 1 Rifles in Afghanistan. The Royal Wessex Yeomanry, based at Bovington, sent a 25-strong detachment to Afghanistan last year. There is also a reserve SAS unit in Poole.

The Future Reserves 2020 study was led by General Sir Nick Houghton, the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, and will be submitted by the end of June.