Army officer ‘who made inappropriate comments to female soldiers’ had affair during Kabul airlift

AN Army officer stripped of command over alleged comments to female soldiers previously had an affair during the Kabul airlift.

Major John Baileff, 35, was suspended on Wednesday just after leading two ceremonial gun salutes for the King and Queen.

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He was temporarily removed from command of the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, which has the highest percentage of female soldiers of any unit in the Army.

But he had previously come to attention of top brass over his affair with a married female captain, who he met during the perilous 2021 airlift.

His marriage had collapsed and they were both working for the Army’s 104 Theatre Sustainment Brigade.

The Army took no formal action as his lover was not in his chain of command.

Maj Baileff joined the Army in 2010 and served in Afghanistan, where he supported four evacuations in two years.

He was made an MBE in the most recent New Year’s Honours list.

But on Wednesday, Maj Baileff was temporarily suspended after he returned from the royal gun salute to ­Woolwich barracks where his 170-strong unit is based.

He was told he faced an investigation into claims he made inappropriate comments to women under his command.

The allegations were said to predate Wednesday’s ceremony.