11-11

[TrimTheKing]

He's a massive hero to me

And why not!

Roy.

Unfortunately I never knew either of mine. They were both military men too apparently, would have loved to have been able to chat with them, especially now I have better appreciation of what they went through than in my younger days...

 

[big soft moose]

I'm sure I remember reading that flying the Union Flag upside down was used as a means of communicating distres at sea.
.

flying the flag upside down was supposed to be a means of comunicating duress - ie that you were being forced to fly it by hostile forces on sea or land - ditto for flying the american flag backwards - ie with the stars away from the pole.

 

[xy mosian]

I once flew back from London after a trip for work in a prop driven plane. The chap next to me, Jim Leach, didn't like putting on his seat belt. When I asked why he said he'd never used one in the Lanc so why bother now. Turns this very quiet chap had flown three times the average number of sorties as tail gunner in a Lancaster.

One of the other blokes in the same service department, never spoke much, was off work one day. It turned out he was naming a building after himself for the navy in Scotland. Jim McGennis, VC miniature submarines. When I asked him about it he just said " It had to be done".

My neighbour's daughter is training to be an army medic and looking forward to going to Afganistan!

I'm very honoured to be able to have called both men friends, and humbled at Jessica's selfless spirit.

Dad learnt to smoke at El Alamain, in his mid twenties, to keep the flies off during meals.

This reads a bit like one-upmanship. It's not intended to be. These and too many others should be remembered.





xy

 

[pren]

" It had to be done"

xy

From what I've heard, this seems to be the common attitude towards war fighting. I doubt there's many people who've been through a battle who would call themselves a 'hero'. 'It's the job'.

There were a couple of soldiers on GMTV a few days ago talking about a situation they got into in Afghanistan. The Sgt Major was hit during an ambush, nearly losing and arm. This young CPL medic ran down the line, into the teeth of a ferocious fire-fight to tend to him. Bullets flying all around him, covering his patient from fire and saving his life. The interviewer asked him if he considered himself to be a hero? The lad got very embarressed and said it was just part of his job.

If it were me, I'd crawl into the deepest hole I could find, wrap myself in as much body armour I could get my chicken-**** hands on and adopt the foetal postion until it was all over! :lol:

These guys are heroes. Whether they're fighting for Queen, Country or the bloke stood next to them.

 

[houtslager]

just to put this into some context, we don't necessary do the job for Q & C , we do it for the wages at first - it's a job right.

Once one gets posted to a war zone / police action it then gets somewhat complicated, but many other ex service persons will agree that we do it to be "a team player"

Your in a firefight and your not thinking about Q & C, but about your own skin and YOUR MUCKERS SKIN, this attitude is what makes the real heroes - see tha list of GC awards and the last VC award.

That young soldier that was given the VC was / is a very good example for younger people to follow, he did his actions purely on adrenalin and instinct.

I have met many ex-servicemen at the few memorial services I took part in and in general they ALL had the same attitude - it was a job, and
it had to be done. No moaning or skiving [ well they didn't when we were talking ] they might have at the time, but hell I would moan if bullets were whistling around my head :shock:

Sorry for a long winded post, but I have the highest regard for ALL people [civi and militery] tht have gone through such actions and come out alive.

I have been in a few and had a few holes in my body put there by others, and I can still butcher wood today.

HS 8)

 

[woodbloke]

As it is the day in question, I've just attended a drumhead service here at HQLandForces at Wilton. Lots of civ and mil personnel, one or two 'murricans, with a bugler sounding the 'Last Post' Very dignified - Rob

 

[Vormulac]

I'm glad to say that the two minutes silence was observed here at work, although my other half was disgusted to note that it wasn't at the place she is currently working.

This is a good reason to observe the two minute silence. I defy anyone to read this and not be moved if not thoroughly impressed.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituar ... chmid.html

What an extraordinary young man.

 

[Smudger]

He was indeed remarkable. As was his wife, whom I saw interviewed after his remains were brought back.

 

[Woodmagnet]

"We will remember them".

 

[houtslager]

damn right

 

[Digit]

"------ that wars, idiotic things, might be caused by weak or morally cretinous people, but they are fought and endured by some very decent ones."

General Gunther Rall.

Roy.

 

[RogerS]

.....although my other half was disgusted to note that it wasn't at the place she is currently working.

.....

I happened to be in a Cafe Nero a bit before 11am and I asked the young lass serving if they would be observing the two minutes silence. She looked a bit confused and said that they'd done it on Sunday and had had no idea, when I gently pointed it out to her, that it actually should be at 11am on the 11th of November. Although there were one or two bemused looks by the young staff, to her credit she went round all the customer tables asking people to observe the two minutes.

It doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[andycktm]

I wonder if other countrys treat their soldiers as bad as this country.
The poor sods have half their gear missing, putting their lives on the line.
Now we found out their high up bosses are getting bonuses ££££££.
How do they sleep on a night? :evil:

 

[woodbloke]

Now we found out their high up bosses are getting bonuses ££££££.
How do they sleep on a night? :evil:

Everyone in the MOD gets a modest bonus (although the higher up the food chain the bigger it is, depending on performance) which comes out of an agreed salary 'pot'...so expenditure on front line services isn't affected and I sleep fine at night, even if it is on the sofa - Rob

 

[RogerS]

I don't really have a problem with the lower staff levels getting a small bonus...broadly similar to the banks IMO..especially as they aren't really in the decision making process. But I'd not give bonuses to Grade 5's and above and especially the ones' right at the top.

 

[Smudger]

A friend of mine spent a couple of years getting a very good deal on toilet rolls for the military, and arranging the necessary logistics in, apparently, an exemplary fashion, for which he was rewarded. Of course we all took the wosname mercilessly, but if you think for a moment every item provided to the military, from a bogroll to a tank, has to be 'administered' in some way. The logistics are awesome, and the people who do that deserve some reward. And these aren't 'bonuses' as in banking, these are payments which are given if you meet targets and withheld if you don't.

I agree about Grade 5s, though, they should all be exemplary. Should...

 

[RogerS]

.....
I agree about Grade 5s, though, they should all be exemplary. Should...

They should all spend 3 months at the frontline. No special treatment.

 

[Smudger]

Doesn't a Grade 5 at the MoD have the equivalent rank of a Lieutenant-Colonel?

 

[andycktm]

So what you're saying ****, is the person who gets the tank a boat ride (proberbly late) should get £50,000 p/a ,
but the person who fights in it maybe even dies in it is ok on £15,000?

 

[Smudger]

Don't put words in my mouth, please.

If the soldier can do the job, and wants to, let him do it. Do you imagine that senior civil servants are unskilled or inexperienced? Or that supply and logisitcs need no skill or expertise?
Soldiers are badly paid, but then so are most low-rank civil servants.