For comparison, only 12,000 were recruited to the armed forces last year, 5,000 fewer than in 2021, the newspaper reported on Saturday.
The mass resignation came against the backdrop of numerous complaints from military personnel about low pay and poor living conditions, including mould, damp and ceiling leaks, according to the media outlet.
"The military is wasting millions recruiting while failing to fix the basic things putting potential recruits off," Colonel Philip Ingram, a former intelligence officer, was quoted as saying by The Mirror.
The situation in the army reserve is also deplorable, as only 3,720 people joined in 2022, while nearly 6,000 left. The reserves currently have 25,000 troops, 5,000 short of the target, according to the newspaper.