A `major' conflict over the next Commanding Officer of the Regiment has broken out, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

And the battle centres around two senior officers -- Majors Nicholas Moore and Eddie Lamb -- rivals for the top job when current CO Lt. Col. Patrick Outerbridge stands down next year.

According to Regiment insiders, recently-promoted Maj. Lamb is now favourite for the top job after promotion to Major.

Maj. Lamb -- formerly a captain and adjutant of the Regiment -- was pushed up the ranks in an unusual move which saw him promoted without the normal probation period as Acting Major.

It is understood the promotion came on the orders of Governor Thorold Masefield following consultation. The Governor is commander-in-chief of the Regiment as the Queen's representative on the Island.

But Regiment CO Lt. Col. Patrick Outerbridge has backdated Maj. Moore's acting position and given him the full rank -- making him senior to Maj. Lamb. Maj.

Moore -- a former British Army regular -- was joined by another Major who has had his acting rank confirmed and backdated.

And Regiment men have once again split over the controversy, with each officer finding backers.

One Regiment insider said: "They were backdated to reflect their seniority -- if you do it for one, you've got to do it for another. It's very unfortunate -- everybody is all for promotions, but the Colonel appears to have been countermanded.

"It caused resentment when Major Lamb leapfrogged everybody else. There shouldn't be short cuts.'' The insider added that the adjutant's role, a full-time position, is given on the understanding that the contract is served out as Captain -- with the possibility of part-time officers being promoted first.

He said: "Nobody is knocking Captain Lamb's abilities -- but he is in a job which is a Civil Service-type job and his contract doesn't include promotion.

But another said Maj. Lamb was "virtually the most qualified soldier in the Regiment'' -- and enjoyed support across the ranks.

And he insisted there were no rules to prevent a adjutant Captain being promoted while serving in that role.

He added an English Major on detachment had served as adjutant in the 1970s for around two years -- and that all Majors, irrespective of seniority, had to be considered when the CO's job fell vacant.

Regiment controversy And he said: "The reason Major Lamb was made substantive rather than acting is that he's almost two years overdue his promotion.

"What is wrong and unheard of is this business of backdating to 1996 or 1998.'' And the Regiment man -- when asked if it could be a resurgence of a split along racial lines at Warwick Camp -- said: "Probably -- it's hard not to think that. This is a blatant attempt to block the succession of black officers in the Regiment.'' Lt. Col. Outerbridge -- due to stand down in November 2000 -- declined to discuss the controversy yesterday.

The Regiment was earlier this year rocked by a row over the future of the Island's only armed service -- prompting a probe which recommended better communications in a bid to involve internal warfare.

Some Regiment insiders said the Officer's Mess had begun to split along racial lines -- and that the gulf was widening fast.

Insiders wrote to Premier Jennifer Smith and Mr. Masefield to complain about the Regiment regime.

They claimed black officers had been left feeling out of step with the way the Regiment was being run and the role of then-staff officer, British Army Maj.

David Napier.

But others defended the current system and CO Lt. Col. Outerbridge and insisted there "had always been confrontation'' between some Bermudians and UK advisors on secondment.

Lt. Col. Patrick Outerbridge Maj. Eddie Lamb