You may be interested in reading this petition and supporting it.
The recent
Forces Pension Society newsletter tells of an RPI/CPI e-petition which
has been established hoping to reverse the Government's decision to link
pension increases to CPI instead of RPI. The Government will debate
e-petitions that achieve 100,000 signatures, so please can you pass on
the following link to ex-servicemen that you know in the hope that
they'll sign it, as it affects all of us. The link is:
We’re serving up carveries fit for heroes in our pub restaurants during the week leading up to Armed Forces Day on 25th June.
From Monday 20th to Saturday 25th June inclusive, we’re inviting all
Service people, past and present, to enjoy their favourite roast dinner
on us.
Enjoy a meal out on us We plan to salute the thousands of Service people enlisted to Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, by offering them a free carvery meal at a Crown Carvery of their choice. The offer is also open to all forces veterans.
Get your free carvery Enjoying your free carvery meal couldn’t be easier. If you are Armed Forces past or present:
You can also download and print a voucher from our Facebook page.
It really is that simple. The hard part is choosing betweenroast beef, gammon or turkey, or a vegetarian alternative.
And don’t forget you can just drop by at your local Crown Carvery, there’s no need to book. Just don’t forget your voucher!
Terms & Conditions • Offer valid from 20th June to Saturday 25th June 2011 inclusive • Offer open to over 18’s only • A valid Services ID or veterans badge must be shown with the voucher • Only one ‘free carvery meal’ voucher can be redeemed per ID card or veteran’s badge • We reserve the right to remove this offer at any time NOTE: The Ashbank, Stoke-on-Trent will be closed to the public on Monday 20th June
Foxnwolf comments;
Here is the original link in case you think this is a Wind-up....... "Crown Carvery"
A friend of both you and I, Keir Hardie (RM ret'd) suggested that I
contact you to see if you might be willing to help the above cause by
publicising it through your network of contacts/websites.
A recent post - He took a job knowing he would never get rich. He's
missed out on many holidays and special occasions in order to protect
lives. He was expected to lay down his life or take a life if necessary.
It has been proven that his life expectancy is shorter than yours
because of everything he went through. And some think he's not deserving
of his pension, or health care benefits. (This also applies to service
ladies, of course.)
Mick Clarke an ex-RLC Sergeant has had a pretty rough time of it and
is suffering badly from the consequences of his long service career. He
has found life very tough since being leaving the mob and started the
cause on Facebook to try and help others like him as much as for his own
benefit. There are many ex-servicemen and women that deserve better
having given so much for their country (and other countries!) and they
seem to be at the bottom of the heap when it comes to support from the
government - the druggies, the spongers and the scroungers seem to fare
much better having given nothing...
The aim is to try and recruit 100,000 members and then try to
convert them a quickly as possible to signatories to a Westminster
petition (once it is launched). The window for the e-petition is limited
and if it can get 100,000 signatories then apparently a question must
be raised in parliament. We also would like to locate well-known faces
that have a military career/background be they
sports/media/entertainment/politics/etc - anyone willing to help to
bring the cause the attention of the media.
I have suggested that a formal parade of ex-servicemen could be
organised in London (taking the route of the Remembrance Day parade) -
though given recent peaceful protests being hijacked I'm not so sure.
However, it could be possible and the event could pay it's respects to
the fallen as it would pass the Cenotaph. It may not be easy to mobilise
ex-servicemen but if there's a potential financial benefit to them all
it may just prove possible.
For my part I served in the RAF for 21 years as an aircraft
technician reaching the dizzy heights of Sergeant in 1989 and serving on
until 1997. I saw this cause and decided to get involved as I am fit
(?) and able unlike many of our former colleagues.
Please take a moment to visit this website and if you can assist in
any way, no matter how small your support would be much appreciated.
Thanx Tez for contacting me, I fully support this cause (not that I need the cash but for rightly those that do) If there is anything else you want me to post just let me know.......
There is a young lady, only 18 years old who
was on the TV wanting 100,000 signatures to support her campaign
against employers who would not allow her to wear her poppy on poppy
day at work.
We all know this country has gone daft but
this is to much. On this day when a Muslim was fined £50 for burning our
poppies and shouting death to our British soldiers, our boys and girls,
our fellow countrymen and women, enough is enough.
I hope you vote and (click onto the link
below) and also exhaust the 500 words allowed for your opinion. Please
circulate this email to as many as you can, so it makes them at 10,
Downing Street sit up, wake up and take notice and bloody do some thing
useful for a change.
The only Royal Marine EVER to win Distinguished Flying Medal
No other Royal Marine will ever win the medal again as it has now been withdrawn
The only Royal Marine decorated with the coveted Distinguished Flying
Medal following the end of his astonishing 38-year
career.
Lt Cdr William O'Brien - known as Uncle Bill and one
of the finest military men of his generation - flew missions in
Afghanistan last year aged 54, the oldest pilot there.
Prior
to that his military service involved six tours of Northern Ireland, the
Falklands - where he won his rare DFM for valour and courage - and then
Iraq in the 1990s.
Lt Cdr William O'Brien, seen with an impressive array of medals on his
retirement day from the Royal Marines in 1999 (top), flew missions in
Afghanistan last year aged 54, the oldest pilot there
No other Royal Marine will ever win the DFM because it is no longer awarded
O'Brien in the pilot's seat of a helicopter at U.S. Army base Fort Rucker in Dale County, Alabama
O'Brien, who was also a major in the army air corps and marines and a
Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy, joined the Royal Marines in
1972.
He was awarded the King's Badgeman badge as the best all round marine of his troop, No. 29 King's Squad.
Following four tours to Northern Ireland his career literally took off when he qualified as an air gunner.
He then gained his wings in 1981 and won the Bob Bowles Trophy for being the best student.
The heroic pilot delivering ammunition to
British troops on the settlement of Goose Green in Lafonia on East
Falkland in 1982. O'Brien won his rare Distinguished Flying Medal for
valour and courage in the Falklands War
Following two more tours of Belfast he headed to the Falklands and won his DFM.
The
London Gazette on October 8, 1982 recorded: 'During the attack on
Darwin and Goose Green Sergeant O'Brien piloted a Gazelle helicopter.
For two days his helicopter conducted supply and casualty evacuation operations, often under enemy fire.
He also took part in 17 night flying sorties to evacuate wounded personnel and resupply vital ammunition.
At times these sorties necessitated flying forward to company lines in the heat of battle and in appalling weather.
The
conspicuous gallantry and cool professionalism displayed on all these
occasions was superb and Sergeant O'Brien made an outstanding
contribution.'
O'Brien receiving his Green Beret in 1972. He
started as a Royal Marine commando in the 70s before learning to fly
helicopters in the Army Air Corp
He said afterwards: 'We flew a number of sorties mostly at night in
an armed Gazelle, not that we ever used the rockets in anger.
'I
am not sure how effective they would have been if we had - they had a
fairly basic aiming system just a chinagraph cross on the aircraft
windscreen.
'It was the early days of night vision devices.
'They were fairly rudimentary and we taught ourselves how to use them on the way down.'
After
the Falklands, O'Brien qualified on the Lynx helicopter and in 1984
passed as a flying instructor, once again winning the best student
award.
He then served in Turkey and Iraq in Operation Haven then became a flying instructor in the US.
In 2008 he was commissioned into the Royal Navy Reserve with the rank of Lieutenant Commander, and volunteered for Afghanistan.
He
said at the time: 'I was given an opportunity to deploy and felt
obliged to take it, simply because I am still training Apache pilots and
I need to see what they are expected to do when they come out of
training school.'
Asked about the differences between flying
in Afghanistan and the Falklands, Lt Cdr O'Brien said: 'The intensity
is more than I was expecting and is more than I recollect from the other
place.
'It is full on all the time. I fly an Apache so I
don't feel terribly threatened, although the flying environment is quite
hard work sometimes.'
O'Brien flying a helicopter on pre-deployment
training at Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field in Arizona, U.S., before
a mission in Afghanistan
Now, the married family man who lives in Somerset, is considering a
new career and is putting his six medals, photographs and mementoes up
for auction.
'Major O'Brien had an astonishing career with the marines, army and navy and was flying in operations at the age of 54.
'In the Falklands he was there to save lives and more recently in Afghanistan he's been more offensive.
'He came top of the class in pretty much everything he did and of course won his DFM during the Falklands war.
'He
has a wife and children and just wants to embark on a new career. He is
a lovely, down-to-earth man who has mentioned writing a book about his
career.'
The DFM was introduced in 1918 as the other ranks' equivalent to the
DFC, which was awarded to commissioned and warrant officers.
With writing like this, there really is no need for pictures
"We
met in a secluded field, the sun almost kissing the horizon. The warm
breeze was full of that earthy, musky scent, that only those fortunate
to live outside the urban rat race know, and the quiet whispering of
leaves in the weeping willow overhead added the final touch to the most
romantic scene. We lay there, both naked. I knew that I had to have her, and have her now.
Without
a word being spoken, I moved into a position of dominance. I could feel
instantly that this was what she was waiting for, as she frantically
thrust her pelvis at my approaching organ. I moved slowly at first, inch
by inch, until I was fully inside her.
Then, as the tension rose, we threw caution to the wind, and abandoned ourselves to the moment. Although
inexperienced, she approached every change of position with enthusiasm,
moaning with despair, every time I withdrew to prevent myself from
ending it all too soon.
As the sexual tension heightened towards
the inevitable, mind-blowing climax, it was all I could do to hold out
any longer. Finally, the moment that we had been building towards was
upon us, and passed all too quickly.
Breathlessly we rolled
together in the now damp grass. As the last deep orange glow of the long
setting sun melted into the darkness of approaching night, we lay there
still entwined in an amorous embrace. I kissed her long and lovingly,
and whispered reassurance of how good she had been.
She tenderly and sensuously licked my inner ear, then whispered ""Baaaaaaaa"" and rejoined the flock."
Scroll down to continue;
This novel is only for sale in New Zealand, Australia, Wales, Ballymena and certainparts of Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
38 Warrant Officers in the British Army "Fired by Email"
Both the Ministry of Defence and the Army have apologised for
"causing distress" after 38 soldiers - including one serving in
Afghanistan - were sacked by email.
The warrant officers who were dismissed by email were told it was because the Army also needed to make savings.
The message to the men read: "I write to notify you that with regret, I must issue you with 12 months' Notice of Termination.
"As I'm sure you are aware the Army has to make significant cutbacks and we... are expected to play our part in reductions."
The 38 warrant officers - the highest non-commissioned rank - all
have at least 20 years' service and continue in the Army on a rolling
contract.
However, The Sun claimed one of the veteran soldiers received the bad news while on the front line in Afghanistan.
An Army spokesperson said: "We apologise for the distress that this will have caused.
All the men have at least 20 years' service with the British Army
"Commanding officers have now spoken to the soldiers concerned to ensure that they receive all necessary advice and support."
The MoD has been quick to point out this was not a mistake on the
part of civil servants or ministers - but a mistake in terms of
sequencing made by the Army.
Army sources said the individual responsible for the gaffe would be
spoken to by the chain of command about the need to be sensitive in
these matters.
When their contracts are up in a year's time, the servicemen will get
their full re-settlement package and thousands of pounds towards future
training.
Despite this, shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said getting fired in such a way was unforgivable.
"To be sacked by email is a shameful and callous way to be treated.
FOXNWOLF COMMENTS;
This is typical of the governments attitude towards our armed forces. Apart from the offending email re "38 Warrant Officers in the British Army Fired by Email". How about;
"Who sent the email"
"Who gave permission for that signal to be sent" I hope that the person who pressed the "ENTER" button that sent the message winging thru to the unsuspecting 38 W.O.`s also gets notified that they are going to loose their job.
Who ever it is SHOULD BE FIRED....... whether its a Civil Servant or Government Minister they should be out of the door, nothing more and nothing less.
The
story is about Channing Moss, who was impaled by a live RPG
Warhead during a Taliban ambush while on patrol.
Army protocol says that
medivac choppers are never to carry anyone with a live round in
him. Even though they feared it could explode, the
flight crew said damn the protocol and flew him to the nearest aid
station.. Again, protocol said that in such a case the
patient is to be put in a sandbagged area away from the surgical
unit, given a shot of morphine and left to wait (and die) until
others are treated. Again, the medical team ignored the
protocol. Here's a short video put together by the Military
Times, which includes actual footage of the surgery where Dr. John
Oh, a Korean immigrant who became a naturalized citizen and went
to West Point, removed the live round with the help of volunteers
and a member of the EOD (explosive ordinance disposal) team.
Moss has undergone Six operations but is doing well at home in
Gainesville , GA. I think you'll find the video absolutely
remarkable.
Isn't it time we all had a say on the EU? now before you go yawn and think about turning away......please just give me 2 mins
Whether you are Eurosceptic or Europhile.....or whatever 'camps' and labels they have been given........shouldn't we open up the debate on this huge issue. I don't mean a huge political debate in the Westminster Village but by ordinary citizens. The whole EU project has gone beyond ordinary folk understanding. Most people know it is out there but think of it in some sort of parrallel universe. The debate then gets hi-jacked by either the political elite who speak spin-bollocks-complicated languages or by people from both sides with such strong views on either side of the argument, it becomes too much to take on.
But seeing as we are entering an age of massive austerity cuts, price hikes, and 'every one tighten your belts' era, surely we should rethink how we go about our business. Our relationship with the EU affects everyone in the UK. The news coming out of the Eurozone isn't great. Things aren't going to get any better in 2011. We know that the relationship with the EU costs billions of £'s. Now whether this is good value for money or not, the sheer scale of the relationship means we need to re-evaluate the situation (just as everything else - so we are being told by the politicians). I think the debate needs to come out into the open - information (that everyone understands) needs to be shared and then the people of the UK should be given a vote to decide, once and for all, what we want.
Personally, I think we would be better off out of the political EU and free to form our own relationships with countries around the world. I would prefer to see us forming closer relationships with the commonwealth. I think it is time to leave the EU and move forward into something new......something better. If we left the EU, I wouldn't want to go 'back' to anything ie back to where we we were before we signed up to the original deal back in the ealry 70's.....yes, have the free-trade agreement but have that with the rest of the world. If we left the EU, the Germans won't stop buying British goods. We won't stop buying French cheese - shit, I want the French to be French and the Germans to be Germans.....and the Spanish to be Spanish...yadda yadda.
Anyway, that is why I run the EU Referendum Campaign. We want the man on the street to understand. That is why we haven't targeted our campaign at the Westminster Village - we keep all our literature free from party politics, left-wing or right-wing bullshit, or rabid rants. We already have the largest active database amongst all eurosceptic campaigns in the UK. The campaign HQ is staffed by professional campaigners, our spokesperson is an ex-LBC radio DJ who speaks to the British public in the language they all understand. We have unrivalled resources, completely independent and won't back down from political pressure from any of the Westminster Village.
But the most important campaign we are running is The Pledge. It is a completely neutral campaign calling for a Referendum. We welcome people from all sides (pro-EU and anti-EU) to join to call for a national referendum so the issue can be brought out in the open, discussed and voted on. We want to organise meetings in universities, town halls, pubs, work places etc where the whole EU project can be debated and arguments put across. We have written to every MP to see where they stand on the issue. We are now receiving all the answers from them. The MP's that don't agree with our call fro a referendum will be targeted by our campaign. We will go to their constituency office (when they are there) and make our voice heard. We will ask everyone on our database in the constituency to write to the local media, attend protests outside the offices, take part in town hall debates in the constituency, hand out leaflets in the area, etc etc. We will work with the local media to get the exposure. We will work with all the local pubs and local groups to organise events to raise the campaign. Once the sitting MP sees with his/her own eyes how the people really feel, then they will take note. You can have 10,000 people outside the Houses of Parliament and the politicians won't take a blind bit of notice.....but if they see a few hundred people in their own constituancy kicking up a fuss, they will surely take note.
The politcians are hoping this issue will go away.....but it won't.
I know that I havent covered all the areas on this page.....but like I said, it is too complicated a subject to go on and on.
The only way we can win, is for the people to get involved. I hope the attached advert can appear on this posting (thanks Ed :-)) but it is ad from the New Statesman this week and also on the back cover (outside facing) of he House magazine which goes out to all MP's and Peers tomorrow.
Please join up to our campaign on www.eureferendumcampaign.com and don't forget to sign The Pledge - thanks
Minister for Veterans’
Affairs, Warren Snowdon, welcomed the outcome of the case against veteran
imposter Arthur Rex Crane handed down in the Brisbane District Court
today.
“Mr Crane has today pleaded guilty to
defrauding the Commonwealth and ordered to pay back more than $413,000 for
falsely claiming he was a prisoner of the Japanese during the Second World War,”
Mr Snowdon said.
Mr Crane
has been sentenced to four years jail and can be released after serving six
months upon entering a good behaviour bond for four years. He was also
ordered to pay the Commonwealth more than $413,000 in falsely claimed
pension.
“The
Australian Government takes very seriously the recognition and respect of those
who have served our country and has no tolerance for those who fraudulently
claim that recognition,” Mr Snowdon said.
“The
Department of Veterans’ Affairs works hard to ensure that veterans receive their
lawful entitlements. All allegations of fraud are investigated
thoroughly.”
The
Department has a dedicated compliance section that investigates all suspected
cases of fraudulent activity. Other ongoing measures that act as a
deterrent are proof of identify checks, and departmentally initiated
reviews.
“Incidences of fraud are very isolated
and today’s sentence should be a warning about the serious penalties involved in
defrauding the Commonwealth,” Mr Snowdon said.
SCROOGE MoD officials have cancelled Christmas for our brave troops by BANNING
morale-boosting parties
Commanding officers at home and on the frontline have been ordered NOT
to spend their festive allowance on turkey dinners or carol concerts
They get £30 a year per soldier to splash out on spirit-raising events "such
as Junior Soldiers' Christmas Lunch", official guidance says.
But penny-pinching civil servants insist the cash must be spent on
something else this year because of last month's crippling defence cuts
The Ministry of Defence edict - leaked to The Sun - was written by Peter
Whitehead, deputy head of the MoD's Financial Management Policy and
Development.
It reads: "It is improper to spend taxpayers' funds on Christmas trees,
decorations, carol concerts or parties.
"Team-building or unit cohesiveness events during Christmas would be viewed by
taxpayers as partying at their expense and must be avoided."
It adds: "As always, we want to ensure that the Department does all it can to
avoid any adverse Parliamentary or media attention on this topic."
Tory MP Patrick Mercer, a former Army CO, last night branded the decision
"cowardice".
He said: "At the stroke of a bureaucrat's pen, centuries of tradition have
been swept away for tommies and their officers.
"It is a nasty bit of penny-pinching - narrow-minded cowardice from people who
would never face the dangers that our fighting men and women have to. My
stomach is churning."
The ban is all the more shameful because the MoD has rung up a £38billion
debt through its own incompetence
More than 17,000 military jobs were axed in last month's review in the
toughest defence cuts in two decades.
Ships, aircraft carriers, tanks and the entire Harrier jump jet fleet were
also put on the scrapheap.
MoD officials last night insisted that special Christmas dinners will still be
laid on out of MoD funds for all troops serving in the Afghan badlands.
A ministry spokesman added: "The restriction placed on public funds is even
more necessary this year given the current financial situation."
FORMER Marine Keir Hardie is staging a one-man demo at a war memorial in a bid
to save RAF Lossiemouth
Keir, 58, has so far braved 13 days of rain and snow to stand in protest
against defence cuts which have already doomed the nearby RAF Kinloss base.
He launched his vigil at the new plinth in Forres, dedicated to the 14 Kinloss
airmen who were killed in the 2006 Nimrod crash over Afghanistan. Last night
he said: "Somebody has to stand up somewhere."
Each day of his two-week protest - which ends today - is designed to honour
one of the victims of the jet disaster.
Dad-of-one Keir described the Government's decision to axe Kinloss and now
threaten Lossiemouth as "madness". He added: "It insults the men and their
families."
THE Scottish Sun's Keep The RAF In Moray window stickers are available in
Lossiemouth, Elgin and Forres.
You can join our campaign by downloading a special RAF poster
Day Fourteen continued`....... The "Forgotten Fourteen" the story....... Day One
After the Forres Rememberance Day Parade on Sunday, when the troops
and crowds had left, I stood by the new memorial for an hour. I have my
own protest placard. It is A4.
It says;
David cameron`s Forgotten Fourteen. The Defence Review is Wrong;
Tactically, Economically, Morally. Save RAF Kinloss & RAF
Lossiemouth.
I also got to speak with some of the families of the 14. It was
heartbreaking beyond belief. I am an ex Royal Marine, I dont mind the
cold. I`m pushing 60 but am able to give several hours each day until
the 25th of November. I`m doing several hours per day for 14 days. This
is a day each for the fourteen.
I only live a few hundred yards away
and, although I work part time for Ark Housing as a Support Worker, I am
glad to give my time to be part of the necessary fight. I will carry
on doing a few hours on my todd each day. I am using a small A4 placard
so that people have to come close to read it and then they can be aware
of the importance of the memorial. If RAF Kinloss was so important 4
years ago to give the Nimrods and the men who died how can it now be
just an unnecessary expense and thus be closed.?
It is an insult to
fourteen dead servicemen. And, of course, to those who still serve.
Keep your powder dry. Keir Hunter Hardie RM Rtd.
*******
p.s. my protest is
a silent protest because if I start ranting at people I`ll lose it,
probably start swearing and I dont want to demean the dignity of the
memorial. I would appreciate any support, whether here or directly to the MOD.......
I am writing to ask if any of your reader`s know what will become
of the commemerative stain glass church window in the Church at RAF
Kinloss and how will relatives be able to retain the connection with
their bereaved ones if the station is closed?
I would also like to quote the following;
1944. The Under Secretary of State for Air, The Right Hon Harold Balfour MP said
"Hats off to Coastal Command who, day and night, whatever the
weather, fly the oceans on the allotted duties....Theirs is the
physically arduous and equally hazardous job of flying far out in the
front Line..."
2010. The deputy Prime Minister,Nick Clegg. MP said
"Were not going to abandon the families and communities which are dependent for their jobs and their livlihood on those bases."
2010. The prime Minister, Rt Hon David cameron MP said
"RAF Kinloss would no longer be required."
2010. Keir Hardie, RM Rtd says
The Prime Minister has taken the Great out of Britain and the
United out of Kingdom. He has insulted the servicemen of Moray who died
in WW2, The 2 who died in 1995. The 7 who died in 1995. The 14 who died
in 2006. My personal thanks and sympathies go to all of you families who
have given so much. I understand your hurt at the contemptuous manner
in which you have been treated. I also respect and admire your quiet
strength and determination. We are all proud of you.
*******
Friday went well. I was there till half 3. Spoke to many people. A young
couple with a sprog appeared. She had brought me a coffee to keep me
warm. They had just moved up to Kinloss and bought a house.. he`s in the RAF . now they dont know what their future will be. So, I`m happy to be here.
My last day is next
saturday (27th) and, by happy co-incidence - it is when the memorial is being
Dedicated. One of the widows, who was a prime mover of the fund to get
the memorial came for a chat. She has asked me to attend the Dedication.
Off soon to do todays stint. then only 7 days to go. Roll on summer.
Hi all. PLEASE can you all sign this petition
for soldiers pensions on the link below and pass
on to all of your friends and families. For
those of you who don't know Sgt Matty Telford
was killed 3rd Nov 2009 by a rogue Afghan
Policeman. Now you will all remember him from
the news as 'Sergeant' Matty Telford but
the army give his children his pension at
corporal rate because he was sergeant for less
than a year. The unfairness of this is that he
was promoted so he could do this job in Afghan
and had he not been promoted he would have been
doing a different job and may have been with us
today. After this petition was started it came
to light that this is happening to a lot of our
brave heroes families.
For all the words spoken by Members of Parliament, for all the flying visits to Afghanistan, especially pre-election ( even though proxy voting for troops deployed could not be organised), for all the crocodile tears ......... this is an example of where you, as service personnel, actually stand in their estimation.
Contrast this with how many of these parasites were packed in to the Commons during the debates on their expenses and the abusing of the new expenses regulatory body. I wonder where all the MPs appeared from at the division bell to achieve those voting figures.
Please, give this a few minutes of your time - I think that it is important if not for you, then for your children and grandchildren Have a look at it then, if you agree with it, give some thought to signing up.
Scottish WWII piper Bill Millin dies in Devon hospital
The piper continued to play as enemy fire killed comrades coming ashore
"I didn't notice I was being shot at"
A Scottish bagpiper who played men into battle during World War II has died in Devon.
Bill Millin, who was 88, played his comrades ashore on Sword Beach during the D-Day Normandy landings.
The Glaswegian commando's actions were later immortalised in the film, "The Longest Day".
Mr Millin, who lived at a nursing home in Dawlish since suffering a major stroke seven years ago, died in Torbay Hospital.
A statement released by his family said: "This morning
following a short illness piper Bill Millin, a great Scottish hero,
passed peacefully away in Torbay hospital."
Mr Millin was serving with 1st Commando Brigade when he landed in France on 6 June, 1944.
His commanding officer, Lord Lovat, asked him to
ignore instructions banning the playing of bagpipes in battle and
requested he play to rally his comrades.
Iconic part;
Despite being unarmed, Mr Millin marched up and down the shore at Sword Beach in his kilt piping "Highland Laddie".
He continued to play as his friends fell around him and later moved inland to pipe the troops to Pegasus Bridge.
His bagpipes, which were silenced four days later by a
piece of shrapnel, were handed over to the National War Museum of
Scotland in 2001, along with his kilt, commando beret and knife.
In 2006 when a song was written in his honour by Devon
folk singer Sheelagh Allen, Mr Millin told BBC: "I enjoyed playing the
pipes, but I didn't notice I was being shot at.
"When you're young you do things you wouldn't dream of doing when you're older."
For the past 66 years, Mr Millin returned to France on numerous occasions to pay his respects to his fallen comrades.
His family said he would always be remembered as an iconic part of all those who gave so much to free Europe from tyranny.
Mr Millin's funeral will be held privately, but a service of remembrance will be held at a later date.
Asking
friends to watch Forever Young A song for Wootton Bassett is an
important way to raise awareness and recruit more people to National
Airplay for Forever Young: A song for Wootton Bassett so keep up the
great work and invite more friends to watch!
May God bless and keep you always May your wishes all come true May you always do for others And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars And climb on every rung And may you stay forever young.
Chorus: Forever young, forever young May you stay forever young
May you grow up to be righteous May you grow up to be true May you always know the truth And see the light surrounding you.
May you always be courageous Stand up right and be as strong And may you stay forever young.
(chorus x2)
May your hands always be busy May your feet always be swift May you have a strong foundation When the winds of changes shift.
May your heart always be joyful May your song always be sung And may you stay forever
young.
(chorus x2)
May you grow up righteous and true, See the light surrounding you May you grow up righteous and true, See the light surrounding you May you ...(repeating) with (chorus)
I am not a very "picky" person but this obnoxious piece of dross takes the biscuit.
Now - we've all registered our displeasure at that young male student in Sheffield who pissed all over the poppies at Barker's Pool, Sheffield - but the logistics of this vision of loveliness having a pee on a war memorial just beggars belief. AND, she went on to committ a sex act on the memorial ! Just how low can you sink, even with a belly full of booze ?
Now, I'm a cynic who believes that mankind can stoop lower than you can imagine - BUT, in all honesty, no matter how much beer you could drink, could you honestly f*ck that monster. I just cannot imagine how good the beer googles were !!!!!!
I've been on dragon competitions, but any bootneck who was seen porking a dog like that would have been the holder of the "All Comer's Record" ( pun intended) !
What do you bet ? A 3 months suspended sentence and a morning after pill for the bloke ( including an eye test) ! What an obnoxious piece of shit - and SHE was even worse.
It just shows you where we are in the view of these pieces of dross !
August 15, 2010: The
U.S. Marine Corps is again threatened, this time with a sharp reduction in its
size. In response, marine commanders say they would prefer to be a smaller
force, one that concentrates on its main mission; amphibious operations. The
marines were unhappy with the way they have been used as an army auxiliary
over the past decade. The marines consider themselves specialists, while the
army are generalists (and, for example, carried out more amphibious operations
than the marines did during World War II). But by law (which specifies the
minimum size of the Corps, a law that could be changed) and determination (of
generations of marines), the marines have come to comprise a quarter of
America's ground combat forces. That's active duty, when you could the much
larger army reserve force, the marines are 18 percent of ground combat forces.
The marines never wanted to be just another part of American ground combat
forces.
The marines are also concerned with their relationship with the U.S. Navy,
which has now formed another ground combat force. To understand how this came
about, you have to understand the relationship between the navy and the
marines. The marines are not part of the navy, as they are often described.
Both the navy and marines are part of the Department of the Navy. The
Department of the Army and Department of the Air Force each have only one
component.
Over the years, the marines have acquired more and more autonomy from the
navy. When the U.S. Marine Corps was created, over two centuries ago, marines
were sailors trained and equipped to fight as infantry, and they were very
much part of the navy, and part of ship crews. This changed radically in the
late 19th century, when all-metal steam ships replaced wooden sailing ships.
The new "iron ships" really didn't need marines, and there were proposals to
eliminate them. In response, the American marines got organized and made
themselves useful in other ways. For example, the marines performed very well
as "State Department Troops" in Latin America for half a century (late 19th
century to just before World War II), where American troops were frequently
used to deal with civil disorder abroad, and nation building. During World War
I (1914-18), they provided a brigade for ground combat in Europe, where they
demonstrated exceptional combat skills.
During the 1930s, as World War II approached, the U.S. Marine Corps really
ran with the ball when the navy realized they would have to use amphibious
assaults to take heavily fortified Japanese islands in any future war. Thus,
once the U.S. entered World War II, the marines formed their first division
size units, and ended the war with six divisions, organized into two corps.
The Marine Corps was no longer just a minor part of the navy, but on its
way to being a fourth service. Over the next half century, it basically
achieved that goal. But in doing that, the navy lost control of its ground
troops. Navy amphibious ships still went to sea, with battalions of marines on
board. But because the marines are mainly an infantry force, and the war on
terror is basically an infantry scale battle, the marines spent a lot more
time working alongside the U.S. Army.
Thus, over the last five years, the new U.S. Navy has built a new ground
combat force, staffed by 40,000 sailors. This is NECC (Navy Expeditionary
Combat Command), which is capable of operating along the coast and up
rivers, as well as further inland. NECC units have served in Iraq, and are
ready to deploy anywhere else they are needed. The 1,200 sailors in the EOD
(Explosive Ordnance Disposal) teams are particularly sought after, because of
increased use of roadside bombs and booby traps by the enemy. NECC has also
organized three Riverine Squadrons, and these served in Iraq. NECC basically
consists of most of the combat support units the navy has traditionally put
ashore, plus some coastal and river patrol units that have usually only been
organized in wartime.
This new navy organization, and the strategy goes with it, still comes as a
surprise to many people, especially many of those in Congress who were asked
to pay for it. It came as a surprise to many NECC sailors as well. The navy
even called on the marines to provide infantry instructors for the few
thousand sailors assigned to riverine (armed patrol boat) units. The navy
already had infantry training courses for Seabees (naval construction
personnel) and members of EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) teams. Now it's
combining all that in the new Expeditionary Combat Skills (ECS) course, which
will be conducted at a base in Mississippi.
With the marines appropriated by the army for land combat, the navy still
wanted and needed land forces. So the navy has created NECC. The navy still
considers the marines its primary "infantry force", but the NECC will contain
sailors trained and equipped for land operations the navy believes it should
be involved in. Some of these are still on the water, like "riverine
operations" (small gunboats and troop carriers to control rivers and coastal
waters against irregulars), and "naval infantry" to defend navy land bases in
hostile territory.
The U.S. Marine Corps has mixed feelings about NECC, for the marines have
long been the navy's ground combat troops. The navy says that the USMC mission
will remain. Thus the marines want to shrink so they become small enough to
handle anticipated navy amphibious operations, and not large enough to have
troops available for large scale support of army operations.
In effect, the American marines want to be more like the British marines.
That's interesting, because British marines are called Royal Marine Commandos,
and are quite different. Britain, which invented the modern concept of the
commando, disbanded it's ten army commando's (as the battalion size commando
units were called) at the end of World War II. The Royal Marines,
however, saw the commando concepts as a welcome addition to their own
amphibious doctrine and retained three of their nine Royal Marine Commandos.
Since World War II, the Royal Marines have maintained at least three commando
battalions (called commandos, instead of battalions.) Artillery and engineer
units are supplied by the army.
Like the U.S. Marines, the Royal Marines realized that assault from the sea
was always a commando like operation, requiring special training, bold
leadership and an aggressive spirit. The Royal Marines, like their American
counterparts, continued to innovate. In 1956, it was a Royal Marine Commando
that launched the first helicopter assault from ships against a land target
(during the invasion of Egypt). The Royal Marine Commandos were used
extensively to keep the peace in Ireland during the 1970s and 80s. In 1982, it
was two Royal Marine Commandos and one parachute battalion that did most of
the fighting to retake the Falkland Islands from Argentina. The Royal Marines
have performed peacekeeping duty in the Balkans and Africa, and served as an
amphibious fast reaction force.
While the U.S. Marines made a name for themselves with multi-division
amphibious operations in the Pacific during World War II, the Royal Marines
stuck with the commando type operations that characterize what marines spend
most of the time doing between major wars. Remember, the last large scale
amphibious operation took place sixty years ago (Inchon, Korea in 1950). Since
then, the typical marine mission has been a quick assault using a small
(usually battalion size) force.
In anticipation of this, the U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Command
(MARSOC) was created over the last few years. In that time, it has sent some
of its 2,400 personnel on over thirty deployments (in South America, the
Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and Southeast Asia). MARSOC
is organized into a headquarters, a two battalion Special Operations Regiment,
a Foreign Military Training Unit, and a Marine Special Operations Support
Group. There are 3-4 Special Operations companies in each battalion. The
marines basically lost two of their four Force Recon companies (one of them a
reserve unit) in order to build MARSOC. Meanwhile, more troops have been added
to division level reconnaissance units, to take up some of that slack. The
Special Operations companies (with about 120 personnel each) can provide Force
Recon capabilities to marine units they are attached to. The two Special
Operations Battalions provide a combination of services roughly equal to what
the U.S. Army Special Forces and Rangers do, as well as some of the functions
of the Force Recon units. Eventually, there are to be nine companies in the
two Special Operations Battalion.
All the other services, except the marines, contributed to the formation of
SOCOM (Special Operations Command) in the late 1980s. The marines finally got
around to working with SOCOM in 2005, when it was agreed that they would
create a marine special operations command (MARSOC). The Marine Corps had long
resisted such a step, largely because of its belief that marines are
inherently superior warriors, capable of highly specialized missions. This
attitude began to change during the fighting in Afghanistan, when marines were
assigned to support SOCOM troops there.
As a result of that experience, marines were attached to SOCOM for
liaison and observation purposes. In 2004, the marines organized a company
sized unit of commandos, "Detachment One", using volunteers from their Force
Recon troops, the closest thing the marines had to commandos. Detachment One
was sent to Iraq, where it's performance convinced SOCOM that marines could
operate at the SOCOM level.
The marines see their future as a smaller (by a up to a third, or more),
even more elite, force, and better equipped force. The marines want to get
back to sea, and the reduction in force (RIF) can be done without
losing a lot of the valuable combat experience the marines have gained in
the last nine years. Recruiting will be reduced for a few years, and some
marines can transfer to the navy (in jobs that both sailors and marines
handle), especially the NECC force. Marines have long moved over to the army,
and the army would be glad to get an infusion of combat experienced marines,
especially NCOs and officers. The marines may also expand their reserve force,
and marines who decide to get out, can simply move over to the reserves.
The marines who remain with the Corps will probably continue the more
extensive training marines have been getting for several decades now. This
makes the marines an even more elite force, which is what many marines are
fine with. http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htamph/articles/20100815.aspx
Foxnwolf comments;
Why does the UK & US governments want to "shaft" their Marine Corp ???
British troops returning from Afghanistan are paying for commercial
flights back to the UK because the RAF's ageing transport aircraft keep
breaking down
Delays to "rest and recuperation" (R and R)
flights are now almost routine because of the operational demands being
imposed on the TriStar jets, former passenger airliners bought by the
RAF in the early 1980s.
Some soldiers and marines have lost up to a
quarter of their break as a result of flight disruption and troops are
now warned not to book holidays during their time off from the front
line, because of the chance of delays to their journey home.
Most flights on the "air bridge", which links
Afghanistan to the UK, stop at Cyprus to refuel, and increasing numbers
of troops are now opting to pay for commercial flights home from there,
rather than take their chances on the TriStars.
Defences sources
claim that at least 20 to 30 per cent of flights returning from
Afghanistan are delayed at some stage during the journey due to
mechanical failure.
In June, more than 200 soldiers returning to
Britain on R and R were delayed in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan for
several days after a military flight broke down at RAF Akrotiri, the
main British base in Cyprus.
The delay also resulted in crucial
military personnel, such as bomb disposal experts and medical teams,
being stranded in the UK until another aircraft could be found to take
them to Afghanistan.
After the R and R flight left Kandahar three
days later, dozens of soldiers opted to buy easyJet flights back to the
UK when the aircraft refuelled at Cyprus rather than risk further
delays.
At the same time, hundreds of troops flying out to
Kandahar were forced to spend four nights in transit accommodation in
the British base in Cyprus, even though it had been contaminated with
sewage following a flood.
Troops are only entitled to 14 days R
and R during a six-month tour and no allowance is made for lost days
caused by problems with the TriStar fleet.
The Ministry of Defence
maintains that there is no reason why any serviceman should have to pay
for flights home but it accepts that there have been problems with the
RAF aircraft.
During periods of peak travel, such as the change
over of troops at the end of tour – known as the relief in place (RIP) –
the RAF charters civilian flights to cope with the extra number of
passengers.
One RAF source said: "There are only three dedicated
RAF TriStars which carry passengers. They are knackered. The engines are
airworthy but they are constantly breaking down. The cabins haven't had
an upgrade for 25-years – it's a disgrace.
"The air bridge is
often pushed to breaking point during the RIP when the RAF can barely
cope. You can't blame the soldiers for buying their own flights – most
have just lost confidence in the RAF. Who wants to spend their R and R
sitting in an airport lounge in Cyprus?"
The RAF TriStar fleet is
composed of nine aircraft bought second-hand from the Pan Am and British
Airways in the 1980s. Six of the aircraft are used for in-flight
refuelling but can also carry passengers.
The role of the
remaining three aircraft in the fleet is passenger transport and each of
these aircraft can carry up to 266 personnel.
Patrick Mercer, the
Tory MP for Newark and a former infantry commander, said: "R and R is
absolutely precious to soldiers on operations. Anything which interferes
with it will be a major blow to morale, not just for the troops but
also for their families. The problem with RAF transport flights has gone
on for too long."
The House of Commons Defence Select Committee
has previously warned of the morale problems caused by troops returning
from operations in Afghanistan. In a report in 2007, James Arbuthnot,
chairman of the committee, said: "The UK needs to be able to transport
troops, equipment and stores to trouble spots around the globe quickly.
"New
transport aircraft, and tanker aircraft which can also carry service
personnel, are expected to enter service early in the next decade, but
as is often the case with the MoD, it is 'jam tomorrow, but never jam
today'. It is not enough to give our troops the best training and the
best equipment, if we cannot transport them to where they are needed and
support them once deployed."
A spokesman for the MoD said:
"TriStar is a hard working aircraft, operating in tough environments
which, unfortunately, can sometimes lead to unavoidable delays. Acting
upon the concerns of personnel who have experienced problems, the
incoming Government has recently made significant changes to ensure they
do not lose out on R and R as a result of disruptions to the airbridge.
"We
are acutely aware of the inconvenience that this can cause to personnel
and their families, as a result those affected are granted additional
Post Operational Tour leave on a day for day basis."
Foxnwolf comments;
This is absolutely scandalous, I hear that Easyjet is offering special rates to fly troops on RNR. They and others ought to be offering FREE FLIGHTS not profiteering in any way at all. Come on all you other airlines, chip in and help out.
As far as the MOD is concerned, they as usual should hang their heads in shame.
Swastikas have been daubed on the monument in the past
War veterans are calling for a woman who urinated and performed a sex act on Blackpool's war monument to be jailed.
Wendy Lewis was convicted in her absence of outraging public decency at Blackpool Magistrates' Court on Friday.
The 32-year-old, of Princess Street, who failed to appear in
court, was caught on CCTV relieving herself before performing a sex act
on a man on 7 May.
Ian Coleman, president of the town's British Legion, said: "It's a sacrilege to those who didn't come home."
He called for the magistrates to jail her and not just "give her a slap on the wrists".
'Respect for mankind'
"In the past two years we have had at least four incidents when the memorial has been desecrated.
"Swastikas have been daubed by the names of our brave men who
fought to give us the freedom we have today - a freedom which some,
unfortunately do not deserve."
Several ex-servicemen and women gathered outside Blackpool Magistrates' Court to show their disgust at Friday's hearing.
They have also stood on the court steps in honour of their
fallen comrades in response to other court cases involving the
desecration of war monuments in the town.
Mr Coleman added: "We want the court to set an example to stop this from happening again.
"A few years ago we had rangers patrolling the area near the monument but now we just have CCTV.
"To be honest, we just need people to have a decent attitude and respect for mankind."
A warrant has been issued for Lewis' arrest.
(scroll down to read further and action yourself)
Foxnwolfs comments;
This keeps on
happening and these lowlife keep getting a handslap and told to go away.
Proper punishment now needs to be metered out. The last (student) who
did this received nothing (because it would affect his future), well
blow me down and apologize for wasting the courts time...
Respect and Decency have just been erroded , lets start learning what it means again.
Britain - a world power ? Would this be tolerated by the U.S., Canada, Australia - or indeed, any country which has contributed troops to the operations in Afghanistan ? Click Here
I think not. Perhaps it is time we re-evaluated our place in the grand scheme of things and concentrated on "fixing" the country once and for all.
With Tony Blair - as usual - it is hard to obtain even a kernel of truth or even a straightforward statement with anything he says or does. Because of ALL the examples of his mendacity over the years since he became a politician and particularly when he became Leader of New Labour and Prime Minister, you have to view every action and statement as "suspect" until proven otherwise. My opinions of Blair ( and his fellow travellers such as Campbell, Blunkett, Reid, Mandelson et al) cannot be published even on the adult section of this site but are so poor that even if they were paraded through Baghdad in chains by "the bad guys" live on Al Jazeera, it wouldn't cause me to lose any sleep. He is about as straight as a dog's hind leg in my opinion. His future should be firmly in the U.S. as they seem to like him so much. Ah, the U.S. . Politically speaking, a country led (a bit like U.K.) by so many wankers and yet they don't have a word for "wanker". So what is the truth behind this ? This bare-faced attempt to ingratiate himself with his fellow-countrymen - is it a way to try to atone for his actions and the deaths and injuries of so many caused by those same actions ? I doubt it, given his performance at the Inquiry when he said he had "no regrets".
Being a cynic ( and loathing the creature and all he stands for) I can only assume that it is a sales pitch because his little chum Mandelson stole his thunder ......... and that way, any money contributed from the book sales is paid by the mugs who buy the book and not himself.
There's also a link from this article to another one asking where his money goes - considering he was so profligate with tax revenues, you would think that he would be more open. Mind you, he does have Cruella de Ville's spending habits and misplaced self-worth to deal with.
You may have either seen or heard of the discussions in the
UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) and UK press concerning a likely UK Army
initiated suggestion for UK defence budget cuts, which would involve disbanding
the Royal Marines in its current and 300+ year old traditional form as part of
the Royal Navy, and making the Royal Marines be made part of the UK Army; as
part of a special warfare element comprising the UK parachute Regiment and the
Royal Marines.
When this sort of loose and very dangerous talk is going
around MOD things tend to stick unless more informed opinion and facts are
brought into play. In that regard, I thought the Commandant General Royal
Marines recent speech to the Royal United Services Institute in London should
get wide distribution as it so eloquently and succinctly expresses the extreme
value UK defence gets from the Royal Marines, and has done throughout the
ages. Most grateful if you could pass this on widely through USMC circles
as a cry for help from one Marine to another.
Letter from CGRM; 7th July 2010
“WHAT LESSONS FROM TODAY'S OPERATIONS ARE
SHAPING CAPABILITY IN THE FUTURE?"
Mark Twain described history as ‘a huge Mississippi of
falsehood’ - nevertheless I reflect on the fact that:
Yesterday marked the 22nd anniversary (6th july 1088) of
the Piper Alpha oil rig explosion, to which the Royal Navy was amongst the
first to respond, in the guise of HMS PHOEBE and BLACKWATER
Today, in 1932, marked the nadir of the Dow Jones Index
– during the maelstrom of the Great Depression
We currently grapple with the consequences of the
sinking of the DEEP WATER HORIZON - together with a global recession whose full
implications are yet to be realised - not least for an island nation state so
dependent on international trade
All of which suggests that there perhaps really is‘nothing new under the sun, only history you
didn’t know about’ – something to reflect upon when envisaging radical
change to time proven capabilities in James Bergeron’s ‘Transitional Age’,
where the new rules are poorly understood
Today also happens to be the anniversary of a
maritime culinary revolution – in 1862, the ‘sea trials’ began of dried potatoes
- brackets sliced - and dried meat -brackets
– ground – so eat your heart out Jamie Oliver - the spirit of innovation in the
Fleet leaves you astern by a century and a half.It’s not just the Army which marches on its
stomach!
[Slide
– Significance of Littoral]
Analysis presented in
the Future
Character of Conflict work coincident with the Defence Green Paper as well as the
Foreign Secretary’s remarks, dissected yesterday by Christopher Meyer, indicates
that an effective player in the complex; congested,
contested cluttered, constrained and connected security environment of the
future -must be able to influence through global reach; create time and space for
political engagement, and offer scalable capability – from diplomatic to kinetic,
to enable and to preserve the maximum range of strategic choices, for as long
as possible.
The Secretary of State reaffirmed, here, on
the 14th June, that the primary mission of the Armed Forces is the
application of lethal force.
But Littoral Manoeuvre – a concept which
encompasses Amphibious and Maritime Strike Operations - is distinguished by its rheostatic
nature.It is scaleable, flexible and
agile – even chameleon in character – it can be employed as a precise and
responsive instrument to support our Foreign and Security policy.
Fundamentally it is about manoeuvre not
attrition nimbleness not mass adaptability not fixity discrimination not
prescription It offers presence.
The ability to poise; to influence; to apply ‘force on mind’ through a judiciously
calibrated posture – without occupation; to deter and coerce without
commitment.It can PREVENT in the widest
sense, whether by direct involvement; by facilitating the business of Other Government
Departments, or as a visible, powerful symbol of UK interest.
And,
if needs be, it can, as a brigade Theatre Entry Force … smash down the door…albeit elegantly, and mindful of the
implications of Feng Shui!
The utility of this instrument is writ large
through the 29 deployments involving either specialist amphibious shipping
and/or the Landing Force, over the past 10 years, applying a carefully
calibrated blend of ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ power across the globe.
72.5% of the Royal Marines is deployable and 64%
will deploy or be at high readiness to deploy over the next 24 months; others
are committed to protecting the nuclear deterrent, SFSG and the Band Service.
70 % of the RMR has deployed for 6 months on Operations since 2003.
Acknowledging the current gaps arising from the
HERRICK Main Effort, we retain the fundamental capabilities to deliver a Theatre
Entry effect independent of Access, Basing and Overflight limitations.
That’s
the ‘How’ – now the ‘What’
We have an Amphibious Fleet in being comprising of 1 x
LPH, 2 x LPDs and 4 x LSDAs.These
assets have a mean age of only 7 years. They cost £1.3Bn to procure and they are
projected to remain in service beyond 2032.
They can manoeuvre to outflank and strike, with
strategic agility, over 300 nautical miles, in 24 hours.
The Landing Force - 3 Commando Brigade - has the
capacity to land 2 Commando Groups
ashore in one cycle of darkness, from over the horizon, up to sea state 4, with
a first assault wave of 500 men hitting the target simultaneously in a four
Company Group lift, two by surface and two by air.
I thought I might now use
a couple of vignettes from last year, and the present, to demonstrate the
utility of this construct - this joint amphibious team:
Starting with mydeployable 2* Headquarters, which has been
committed on operations for 51% of its 8 year life.
Based on staff of about
50, this HQ has now deployed as a Maritime, Land, National and Amphibious
Component Command.
Last
year it deployed to Iraq
as the last UK
divisional headquarters, to set the conditions for, and to orchestrate the
TELIC drawdown and transfer of authority to the Iraqi Army – an undertaking
which was distinguished by its focus on Iraqi needs and its cultural sensitivity.
3 Commando Brigade was engaged at the outset of the TELIC campaign –
conducting an opposed amphibious helicopter assault onto the Al Faw peninsula ahead
of the main attack.So first in - and
last out …
40 Commando deployed for
6 months, as an Amphibious Ready Group on Exercise TAURUS, developing
contingent capability toward BSSFI .
It trained, exercised,
and engaged with Malta, Turkey, Greece/Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Yemen,
The Maldives, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia,
Thailand, Singapore, and Brunei. Countries of significant importance to the UK
– either by virtue of their priority in CT terms, as part of our wider regional
engagement strategy and trading interests; or their utility to the UK for training
purposes.
Partneringis maritime core business – it is
braided throughout the Royal Navy’s 500 year history.
The ARG’s activities
ranged from the largest scale UK/Saudi Arabia exercise since Operation GRANBY,
in 1991, through to individual small boat training in Yemen, and joint multi-agency planning exercises
in Bangladesh.
HMS ALBION delivered capacity
building training to the Nigerian Navy enhancing the security operations in the
Delta not least to the benefit of UK citizens working in the oil
industry. Continuation training was delivered earlier this year by 1 Assault
Squadron Royal Marines.
Throughout the entire period of TAURUS 40 Commando
remained poised as the UK’s
high readiness reaction force.
Meanwhile the bulk of the Brigade was engaged in Helmand. The rigours of this campaign are well understood.It places immense demands on our people,
their individual judgement, determination, resilience, courage and
discrimination.It requires every Marine
to be his own general.The Corps has
been committed to HERRICKs 5, 7, 9, 12 (and soon, 14) … and in the case of the
Armoured Support Group, many, and
the SBS, all in between.
These have been ‘hard yards’, the butcher’s bill
makes grim reading - pro rata, Lovat warriors have sustained over 2.5 times
both the fatal casualties and the grievously wounded of our Khaki comrades.
But the ability to cope and flourish amidst
complexity and uncertainty – together with familiarity with a joint and
inter-agency approach, bred through training in the amphibious environment, has
equipped us well for the demands of such messy wars amongst the people. This
willingness to adjust, to endure and to seek understanding is a hallmark of our
people, and a theme to which I will return.
This
year, my 2* Staff, having re-roled as a Maritime Component
Command through Ex COLD RESPONSE, now forms the core of the EUNAVFOR
Operational Headquarters, running the Counter Piracy Operation off the coast of
Somalia.27 Nations collaborating with
NATO and Coalition Maritime Forces to safeguard the Global Commons.Twenty percent of the world’s trade passes
through the Babel Mendeb …one LPG tanker every two days en route to Milford
Haven – without which the lights of the United Kingdom would within days
start to dim.
I have already touched upon 40 Commando and HERRICK
12 – they have been much in the press of late, holding the ring in Sangin.I will not labour this except to say that they
are seamlessly integrated into the US command structure.There have been many references in this
conference, to our relationship with the United States … Special or
otherwise – and its importance.But our
relationship with the United States Marine Corps – the acme of American
military excellence – is genuinely a special
one:Marine to Marine – even brother to
brother, which transcends nationality. A link which I would suggest provides
disproportionate leverage to the UK.
Meanwhile, as Peter [RAdm Peter Hudson RN, COMUKMARFOR] has said, a sizeable chunk of
the Brigade Landing Force is embarked and participating in an Amphibious and
Carrier Strike exercise – AURIGA – integrated again with US forces – building
on Exercises TAURUS, COLD RESPONSE
and foreshadowing COUGAR next year, to regenerate contingent capability.
One Maritime Force,
consisting of two Task Groups, separable but not separate,
providing:Contingent, Expeditionary, Scaleable, Independent,
Organic, Flexible, Balanced and potentially Forward Deployed forces.
So what of the future?
For this maritime force to integrate fully, our
surface assault capabilities must have speed and reach, enhancing further our
ability to manoeuvre and negate an adversary’s access denial (A2D2) capabilities.The acquisition of the triad of genuine, fast
Over the Horizon assault craft between 2016-19, is a priority.
30 Commando IX Group is unique, and is the modem for
the 3 Commando Brigade’s precision effect.It is key to its UNDERSTAND and DISCRIMINATE functions.It comprises 20% of the UK’s Tactical SIGINT.It has established excellent relationships
with other Intelligence Agencies.As a
model of best practice, we should continue to invest in it and to evolve its
ISTAR capabilities.
I have neglected so far to mention several of the Defence
Lines of Development which underpin the future of the LitM capability. Training
is one: Lympstone – the centre which provides all of this: training the airmen,
sailors, marines and soldiers – the many, many soldiers, who lean into this
Commando challenge. Lympstone, of the 12 training organisations scrutinised by
OFSTED last year, was cited as the very clear exemplar in terms of
effectiveness and efficiency.
In conclusion though and tying the past, present
and future together, I would focus briefly on the people engaged in this
activity. The moral component – the why
we fight: the single most important factor.
The FCOC Paper states
that ‘the future agile force favours the capability of people (physical and mental robustness, flexibility
and a premium on training) over platform numbers.’
The activities I have
described are undertaken by extraordinarily high-calibre people.
The Boys and girls are Bright:
Forty percent of Royal
Marine recruits are educationally qualified to be officers. Over 10% have
university degrees. Two currently in training have Masters Degrees and when I
was running the Commando Wing fifteen years ago, two fully qualified vets
joined up – we only discovered this when none of their respective troops
visited the Sickbay because they were being ‘physicked’ with Horse Drench and
Saddle Liniment.
I visited 539 Assault
Squadron in Plymouth
a month ago and talked to a group of coxswains who were about to conduct a long
navigation exercise in Off Shore Raiding Craft to the Scilly Isles.One Marine looked older than the rest and I
asked him what his background was.He
explained that he had joined the Corps late and had, to use his word, ‘wasted’
some time working at the ‘Hadron Collider’ – smashing atoms - as a Professor of
Sub-Atomic Particle Physics.I told him
not to smash my boat up!
Fifty percent of my
officers finish in the top ten percent at the JointStaffCollege. That said, we
have the lowest ratio of Officers to other ranks in the 3 Services.
No, the Boys are Resilient, indeed I can reassure Julian [Professor
Julian Lindley French, Eisenhower Professor of Defence
Strategy, Royal Netherlands Defence
Academy], that footballers aside,
Tommy Atkins has not become soft - 3 weeks into 40 Commando’s recent
tour Sergeant Lee Walters was caught up in an intense fire fight and was shot
in the neck, the hand and the foot.He
refused to be listed, and sitting up in bed, informed his anxious wife of his
misfortunes himself.Incidentally, on
HERRICK 5, Sgt Walters engaged in another battle, on a pitch-black night, fell
down a well.Which his Mates thought –
3,000 miles from the sea- was taking a commitment to amphibious operations a
bit too far.
Three weeks ago Captain
John White, OC Recce Troop, 40 Commando was blown up on patrol.Barely conscious, having lost both his legs
and one of his arms, he sought to reassure his anxious Marines as they loaded
his stretcher onto the MEDEVAC flight.“Don’t
worry Boys, ‘gold’ in the Para Olympics Next!”
The Corps numbers 3% of the manpower of Defence, but
constitutes 37% of the badged
manpower of UK Special Forces.
And Finally – my Boys
are Imaginative and Innovative - One example:
The week I became
Commandant General, Recruit Phillip Cain, 6 weeks into training contracted
Meningitis, despite repeated multiple amputations to stem the spread of the
disease, he very quickly died.His young
and still inexperienced Troop were adamant that they would carry his coffin at
his military funeral and were issued with Regimental Blues four months early to
do so with exemplary precision and self-control. At the 7 month point, they
duly completed their four Commando Tests and were, in time honoured tradition,
given their green berets at the end of the 30 Mile March on Dartmoor.Philip Cain’s father was there too and
received a piece of precious green felt from Prince Michael of Kent … for in
spirit and soul his boy was also a proud Commando Soldier, since his Mates, on
their own initiative, had carried his ashes throughout.
I would suggest that whatever the future may hold, precious DNA such as this, will be of value to
Her Majesty’s Government.
In 1803, Napoleon
remarked of the Corps: ‘How much might be done with a hundred thousand
soldiers such as these’
Parachute Regiment and the Royal Marines to be amalgamated !?
Royal Marines and Paras may face merger in controversial military shake-up
The Royal Marines could be merged with the Paras to form a new expeditionary brigade under a controversial military shake-up.
The
‘nuclear’ option of creating a new expeditionary brigade is being
considered as military chiefs try to make budget cuts of up to 20 per
cent.
Merging two such fiercely independent, illustrious and highly decorated fighting units is likely to cause resentment.
Working together: The Royal Marines could be
merged with the Paras to form a new expeditionary brigade under a
controversial military shake-up
Other plans could see the Marines placed under the control of the Army for the first time in over 250 years.
The Ministry of Defence is considering wrenching operational command
of the green-beret commando corps from the Royal Navy – a move
previously panned as ‘unthinkable’.
Senior defence sources
said the Army had ‘made a grab’ for operational responsibility of the
Marines, while leaving the Navy in formal control and footing the bill.
One senior defence source said: ‘Are the plans a touch mad? Possibly. Are they being discussed? Absolutely.’
Mike
Codner, director of military science at the Royal United Services
Institute defence think-tank, warned that the shake-up in command could
weaken the Marines, making them lose their ‘focus and ethos and levels
of achievement’.
Some 1,000 Marines are currently serving in Sangin, Afghanistan. Since deploying in April, 14 have been killed.
Foxnwolf comment;
(is this the daily mail & others stirring the pot, trying to sell newspapers????)
For those of you who may have been there or thereabouts at the time, and for those of you who weren't but are of the age to remember, I give you a comment on the subject of The Saville Report -12 years in the making and eleventyumptynine million pounds cost to make Blair look good when he did sod all except : a. Concede everything. b. Brought John Major's initiative to an extremely unsatisfactory end but did bugger all to drive the engine. c. Launch the most long-winded and expensive whitewash ever known.
I rarely agree with Simon Heffer of The Daily Telegraph because, without any military experience, he is a "Colonel Sir Bufton Tufton - V.C. and six bars, G.M., Mc." of Tunbridge Wells.
Now, if you read other articles and reports - especially from those in the "know" - you will and indeed have done so for many years, wonder how McGuiness was never charged and was allowed to become an M.P.. and yet was truly believed to have opened fire on the Paras first to provoke such an incident and never mind the inocents caught in the backlash/crossfire ......... however, for that you'll either have to wait 30 or 40 years more or advance on the testicles of that abominable creature Blair with a pair of red hot pliers and a demand for repayment of all his ill-gotten gains and property prtfolio as they are the prceeds of crime.
So let's have a look at the M62 coach bombing, Manchester City Centre, the City of London, the chip shop in Omagh and countless others like Birmingham, The Grand Hotel and Guildford - no enquiries there then ? No criticism of McGuiness - only a "perhaps he may have had a Thompson" ! What ?
At least the lawyers came out of it well, one even managing (allegedly) to purchase a Scottish estate on the proceeds ; McGuiness and Adams have their salaries/expenses as M.P.s even without sitting in Parliament.
This political class - and it hasn't changed even at the last election - should hang its collective head in shame ! Perhaps they, McGuiness and Adams deserve each other. But as sure as eggs are eggs, the people of this country don't.
I wonder if the M.P.s of all parties and the ones who lost their seats are expected to adhere to the same time schedule ?
No - didn't think that these self serving pieces of sh*t would ...... or care.
Kipling rules - "Tommy this, and Tommy that, And "Kick him out, the brute" But he's the saviour of his country When the guns begin to shoot"
Time to write to your M.P.s, lovely boys ......... because the majority of them "don't like it up 'em". And if you voted Labour then hang your heads in shame !
Apparently he told The Sun that it took him nine rounds to hit the first, then 28 seconds to take out the other four. It makes you think ........ 9 rounds for the first, then the others moved closer together ? Then 4 downed in 28 seconds ? That's one every 7 seconds - from a mile away with a bolt action rifle ? And were they still all close together for the 28 seconds as they started falling ? If so, fantastic ....... Mmmmm ! I do not doubt his skill; I do not doubt his commitment. But somehow, why doesn't this ring true ............ ?????
Drawing a pension for your time in the Armed Forces ? Then you'll no doubt be pleased that Gordon Brown appreciates your efforts and "has given the military everything they asked for" as both Chancellor and P.M..
So how does this latest 'stroke' of his sit with you today ?
To follow on from the Midmar posting and the reply (yet to be posted by me) by Karl Wynn of Webeurope ( with which - in the last three sentences - I agree), Karl persists in calling N. Ireland/Ulster "the north of Ireland" thereby suggesting where his sympathies may lie and who would rather offer employment to paedophiles, drug addicts and criminals rather than ex-service people. I would offer this for your reading : Click Here Things that make you go "Mmmmm" !
As a footnote, you will see later when I post his reply to my e-mail ( you can no longer send e-mails to him apparently as they "bounce back") that he mentions one or two things involving the British troops ......... but does not mention the Omagh chip-shop bombing, Warrington, Canary Wharf, the City, Birmingham, Surrey, Airey Neave, Sir Stuart Pringle, the Brighton bombing, Manchester or any others. Hidden agenda or selective memory, do you think ?
Don't forget, this man has so much courage in his convictions/arguements that he initially blamed one of his staff ..... then took the signs down fron his premises, then allegedly moved his address to London ( accountants or legal beagles), and then attempted a spirited, though failed, defence of his "deeply held" beliefs ! Hidden agenda, no real balls, or - even though he says he doesn't care if his views cost him money - a spurious defence for a thirty year terrorist campaign using other theatres to disguise his agenda ?
I will post his reply shortly with comments. Surprisingly, I agree with one or two, sympathise with a couple of points ...... yet I still think he's a prick with no mandate to discuss bravery or heroism.
Paedophilia - well, I'm not so sure ........ it wasn't a soldier who suggested that "he sitteth on the right hand of God" or that "You should suffer the little children to come unto me". If you truly "believe" then please accept my apoligies. However, if, having seen the shitty parts of life, you have difficulty believing in the God of the Pope in whose name abuse was tantamount to a c.v. for Webeurope, isn't it a bugger ? ( pun intended).
I have to inform all of you - in case of potential legal action - that the corporate song used before work every morning prior to start-up at webeurope of Taunton IS NOT that old classic performed originally by Al Jolson .......... "Climb upon my knee, sonny boy. Though you're only three, sonny boy" !
So please be aware !
Gongdonkey p.s. Neither is this sung at Vespers in the Catholic Church, just in case God comes for me !
Are you all sitting comfortably children ? Good, then I'll begin.
Once upon a time there was a Virgin - the fairest Virgin in all the Kingdom ........ apart from her tendency to wear horrible jumpers and a tatty beard.
She started a business empire and did flourish, earning incredible wealth - but remained a Virgin. First there was the record label and she did strike oil - the first record sealed her riches for ever more. It was "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield and sold in its millions. It struck a chord ( pun intended) with the public. How or why is not on file, but it was a seriously boring album unless you were smoking exotic material or stoned out of your box on booze ! Also - a Cola drink known as Virgin Cola. The product did not seem to be anyone's first choice but the marketing was very good. There was an airline called Virgin and a subsidiary airline called Virgin Blue - you can see where I'm going with this, can't you children ? ( Although why anyone would own an airline yet travel by hot-air balloon or cross the Atlantic being shaken to bits in a speedboat is beyond me !). There was a railway operating company called - that's right, Virgin. Ran on time but I understand that nappies (diapers for our American cousins), whilst not compulsory, were advisable due to the regular breakdown of the Pendolino train lavatories. She was obviously not really a very reluctant Virgin as she did seem to put herself round a bit. Her name was Richard. ( I wonder if she preferred "Dick" ?) The man with no knees - Peter of Foxnwolf - was much charmed by this Virgin temptress and did sign up for the Virgin's internet services, probably in the vain hope that his affection would be returned and the Virgin would bang like an outside kharzi door in a gale ! If his kneeless legs held out, truly his cup would runneth over. As all things though - ask Mr. Winn of Webeurope Ltd - it did end in tears and recrimination. We know what recrimination is, don't we boys and girls ? At 0930 on Thursday 18th March, the Virgin's ISP services allegedly went tits up and will/may not be back properly until at least Monday a.m. sometime. So much for the depth of Peter of Foxnwolf's obviously unrequited adoration and love. Should have gone to Specsavers old son ! Or tied up with some old slapper like BT Internet ! The moral of this story, children - don't fall for the fluttering eyelashes, vague hints of nights of wild passion and all round feel good stuff about really fast performance when she won't take her knickers off properly. Get a proper relationship with someone with a bit of a track record !
So, can you please NOT e-mail Peter of Foxnwolf until about mid-day Monday. If the Reluctant Virgin still refuses to kiss Peter with tongues and everything, I'll post his plaintive words of frustration here for all to see. Just promise me that you will take the piss out of him for being a tart !
You really must have a look at this satirical magazine, Private Eye. It's on sale at national supermarkets and newsagents such as W H Smith. It's cheaper still to take out a subscription - delivered to your door every two weeks ( and in the past this has been beneficial as you get the onoccasional issue that may have to be pulled from sale due to m'learned friends. Rare occurrence, but it happens. ( There are "certain" buzz words - "Brenda" is HM Queen Elizabeth; "Brian" is Prince Charles; "Ugandan Discussions" is a euphemism for "horizontal gymnastics" as allegedly practised by Princess Elizabeth of Toro ( Uganda). You'll soon pick it up.
So big thanks to Private Eye for revealing the cant and hypocrisy of our so called "betters"!
Page 5. A 1400 word article in the Guardian from November 1993. "If John Major is serious about tackling the budget deficit he should start by tackling the Tory special interests currently getting away with billions. The first step to ending the "something for nothing" society should be ending the abuse of non-domicile status in the interest of fairness". Who was the author ? Step forward Gordon Brown, the then shadow chancellor - the same guy who said that Major had no mandate after Thatcher's defenestration and should therefore stand for election. Tony Blair/Gordon Brown anyone ?
News from the "North West Frontier". ( many thanks to "Squarebasher") Successive Defence Select Committees have flagged up the inability of "snatch " landrovers ( circa N.I. troubles) to cope with roadside devices since 2005. They highlighted their vulnerability every year between 2005 and 2009. Back in 2006 a new vehicle - the Vector - replaced it. 200 were bought @ a cost of £100 million (err that's £500,000 each !) from BAE Pinzgauer. They couldn't deflect explosions, were given uprated suspension but no extra armour so squaddies padded them out with sets of body armour and as usual, made do. They were withdrawn - £100 million and several lives afterwards. The urgent tactical problem of replacements was resolved by the use of - you guessed it, snatch landrovers !!!!!! Earlier this month Brown, as you know, visited Afghanistan and announced that the snatch landrover was being withdrawn ! ( Again ? - Ed). He could make this gesture as, after 5 years of war and at least 35 deaths, they were still there and in use !
Private Eye Quote of the Week by Mr. Andrew Gimson, 15th March. "Mr. Brown's contributions read like a broadcast by a member of the East German politburo who seldom leaves his headquarters and who still beieves the propaganda that everything is getting better and better."
Sir James Dyson has just written a Tory commissioned report laying out plans to rebuild Britain's manufacturing and technology industries. This will be the same James Dyson who moved the manufacturing of his vaccuum cleaners to the Far East then, will it ?
Marks & Spencer's latest clothing range shows fluttering Union flags and displays labels that declare "British tailoring is inspired by traditional designs and a wealth of expertise in our archives, created specially to celebrate our 125-year anniversary". They also - rather coyly - have labels to show that the garments are "Made in Indonesia". Up the Empire !
Degrees of stupidity : Dr. Susan Holmes, University of East Anglia, on the launch of a new academic journal. " It is more central to understanding the evryday than maths, English or science and it is certainly not to be taken lightly". The journal ? "Celebrity Studies" ! Dumb down Britain - oh ..... dear ...... me !
Number crunching : £5.6 billion - amount of public money spent by NASA to get humans on the moon before 2020. Now cancelled due to cost. £5.75 billion - amount of public money demanded by Tube Lines ( a private consortium) to continue to move humans around London until 2017.
Fair makes you weep, doesn't it ? And I've only scratched the surface !
Even when the jelly ( or jello to our American/Canadian cousins) is nailed to the wall, the man just cannot help himself. You remember, the man whose Father taught him never to lie.
This must be a case of not just misleading Parliament but misleading it twice on the same subject as he claimed that defence spending had slipped in one or two years. Surely this is a serious charge to be levelled at him ? He should be held to account for his dishonest statements on just about everything he's pontificated about since before 1997 - if not by The Commons, then certainly by the electorate.
Armed Forces Day - Free carvery meal for heroes
