The ‘You’re Beautiful’ star recounts a tale of his military days, where he helped prevent the outbreak of World War III.
Blunt spoke to BBC Radio 5, discussing his time serving as a NATO officer in Kosovo prior to his musical career.
He recalled a time, while leading a squadron of troops, when he disobeyed a direct order from US General Wesley Clark to retake an airstrip occupied by the Russian military.
Blunt said, “The direct command [that] came in from Gen Wesley Clark was to overpower them. Various words were used that seemed unusual to us. Words such as ‘destroy’ came down the radio.”
He queried the order, which was refuted by British General Mike Jackson.
Blunt recalled, “Fortunately, up on the radio came Gen Mike Jackson, whose exact words at the time were, ‘I’m not going to have my soldiers be responsible for starting World War III’, and told us why don't we sugar off down the road, you know, encircle the airfield instead.”
A few days later, the Russian troops had run out of food and water and offered to share the airfield.
Blunt said he was willing to disobey the order and risk a court martial.
“There are things that you do along the way that you know are right, and those that you absolutely feel are wrong, that I think it's morally important to stand up against, and that sense of moral judgement is drilled into us as soldiers in the British army.”
