The Army was engulfed in a diversity row last night after advertising exclusively for black soldiers.

It is seeking volunteers from within its ranks to join the Army’s recruiting team, which is spread across the country.

But for the two posts in Manchester and Leeds, where the military has traditionally found it difficult to recruit ethnic minorities, it specified that successful candidates had to be ‘Black British’ privates or lance corporals.

The adverts have caused anger, with some servicemen complaining they discriminate against white soldiers.

The Army was engulfed in a diversity row after advertising exclusively for black soldiers

Others said defence chiefs were becoming too sensitive to diversity demands.

The row follows last week’s revelations in The Mail on Sunday about Bafta award-winning radio star Jon Holmes, who was sacked by the BBC for being ‘white and male’.

After the Army adverts appeared on internal leaflets, Dar Jacques, a former Royal Engineer, wrote on Facebook: ‘It’s pure racism. If it was a post for a white Brit what would the “diverse” world say then? No jobs should be given to anyone because of their colour or origin.’

One senior defence source said: ‘The Army wants more black and Asian people to join but this is not the right way to do it.

‘More black people will join if they believe they are unlikely to be bullied and the colour of their skin will not affect their chances of advancement. It’s not about having a black face at the recruiting office.’

It would appear the Army advert falls foul of the law. The Equality Act 2010 code of practice states: ‘If an employer makes a statement in an advertisement that in offering employment they will treat applicants less favourably because of a protected characteristic, this would amount to direct discrimination.’

Last night the Army promised to change the wording of the advert, issued by the 102 Logistic Brigade, but it will do little to erase the impression that it has bowed to growing diversity demands being made on public organisations.

Holmes was axed from The Now Show – the hit Radio 4 programme he has appeared on for 18 years – when bosses told him: ‘We’re recasting it with more women and diversity.’

Holmes revealed that since his sacking he had heard from other stars who had been rejected by broadcasting bosses because of ‘positive discrimination’.

Michael Fallon told service chiefs that by 2020 at least 10 per cent of all new recruits must come from a non-white background

The 102 Logistic Brigade is one of the Army’s key units and in recent years has seen active service in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ethnic minorities make up just seven per cent of the UK Armed Forces – about 10,490 personnel – compared with 12 per cent of the British workforce overall. At officer level, black and ethnic minorities make up just 2.4 per cent of the total workforce.

Out of 13,000 officers in the Army, only 100 are Asian and 60 black, according to the Ministry of Defence’s diversity figures. Of 7,000 officers in the Royal Navy, only 20 are black and Asian. Some 45 Asian and 30 black servicemen and women out of 8,000 are in the RAF.

Last year, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told service chiefs that by 2020 at least 10 per cent of all new recruits must come from a non-white background. But MoD figures for 2016 show there has been no increase in recruitment from ethnic minorities.

The Army said last night: ‘It is important to have a diverse recruiting force to attract the brightest and the best.