Britain is calling up 3,000 reservists for a six-month mobilisation to help in the fight against coronavirus and is putting their civilian employers on notice.

Only part-time soldiers, sailors, airmen and Royal Marines with specialist skills, such as in engineering, logistics and accountancy, will be activated.

Those in the NHS and other frontline services already involved in the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic will not be asked to switch into a military uniform.

Image: 3,000 reservists are being called up by the MoD

The reservists will be part of what is being called the COVID Support Force on top of 20,000 regular service personnel. It lifts to 23,000 the potential pool of military personnel available for the government's coronavirus response.

James Heappey, the armed forces minister, said: "Our reservists are a truly remarkable group of people, each with their own skills and experience from their civilian careers beyond the armed forces.


"At times like there, to be able to draw on that pool of talent and expertise is invaluable.

Image: The government is telling people to stay home to save lives

"I know that our reservists will answer the nation's call with a real enthusiasm and will play a key part in our response to COVID-19."

The most senior member of the reserve forces has written to employers with reservists on their payroll, alerting them to the mobilisation and asking them to identify individuals they are willing to release for military service.

Image: Members of the military have already been drafted in to deliver supplies

"We are confident, at this time of national emergency, that employers will do everything they can to support us in combating this dreadful virus," wrote Major General Simon Brooks-Ward, Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Reserves and Cadets).

"The sooner we can do this, the sooner you and I can focus on recovering our businesses to something verging on normality.

"The reservists - your employees - who are mobilised for the COVID-19 Support Force will be working for the benefit of everyone in the country, including their local communities and civilian employers."

The support force is designed to assist the government and local authorities as they tackle the impact of coronavirus, from expanding hospital capacity to driving oxygen tankers.

The reservists are initially being mobilised for six months but the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said this would be kept under review.

The reservists will be used in a range of areas, such as providing additional medical and logistical support - vital in the construction of makeshift hospitals around the country.

They will also act as liaison officers with the civilian authorities and be used for their specialist skills such as engineering and accounting.

The MoD last month put its entire reserves force on notice for possible service after unveiling its plans for the COVID-19 support force, which will be a mixture of regular military personnel and reserves.

This is the next step in the process of releasing reservists from their civilian commitments - most will have full-time jobs - and switching them into military mode.

Explainer: How to self-isolate

The move will likely be made easier than normal because so much of the UK work force is at home because of restrictions in place to stem the spread of coronavirus.

However, employers must still work with the Ministry of Defence to release their staff.

If sufficient numbers cannot be reached voluntarily then the government may have to resort to compulsory mobilisation.

All employers who lose staff will be financially compensated for the inconvenience.