Gurkhas, bravery, and the rules of modern warfare.

A Gurkha soldier from 1st Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles has been "sent back to England to face disciplinary action" because he removed

... the head off (sic) a dead Taliban commander with his ceremonial knife to prove the dead man’s identity

The soldier faces disciplinary action because ...

He is understood to have removed the man’s head from the area, leaving the rest of his body on the battlefield.

This is considered a gross insult to the Muslims of Afghanistan, who bury the entire body of their dead even if parts have to be retrieved.

British soldiers often return missing body parts once a battle has ended so the dead can be buried in one piece.

The dead man's head was removed because ...

[The Gurkha's] unit had been told that they were seeking a ‘high value target,’ a Taliban commander, and that they must prove they had killed the right man.

The Gurkhas had intended to remove the Taliban leader’s body from the battlefield for identification purposes.

But they came under heavy fire as their tried to do so. Military sources said that in the heat of battle, the Gurkha [unsheathed his kukri ... after running out of ammunition] and beheaded the dead insurgent.

It's an 'academic question' but, if the soldier had - because he'd run out of ammunition - used his knife to kill the Afghan this would probably be a story of great bravery and medals would be awarded.

But no, let's try to demoralise the soldiers even more by being 'politically correct' and culturally aware during enemy action, and conveniently forget the Gurkha's culture, and forget that the Taliban will happily behead hostages and record their actions to show the world what they did. The Taliban likes trying to frighten 'their enemy' into submission by doing things they know we westerners consider to be barbaric. Is it possible they will be amused to learn that one of our soldiers is being disciplined for beheading a corpse?

Mrs Rigby thinks it's important to remember that only three days ago we were mourning the loss of three soldiers of the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles. (pictures Mail)



Major James Bowman was shot dead whilst sleeping in his tent. Lieutenant Turkington and Corporal Arjun Purja Pun were killed when the murderer fired a rocket-propelled grenade into the shipping container used as the base's operations room. We have not been told of non-fatal injuries suffered by other soldiers.

And who did this? It was a 'rogue' traitorous soldier of the Afghan National Army - who has since been in contact with the BBC giving his excuses and attempting to justify his actions.

That 'soldier' is, apparently

... now the subject of a massive manhunt led by elite SAS troops.

Who will, Mrs R guesses, give him either a bunch of flowers or a box of chocolates when they find him, and maybe even offer him counselling to ease his trauma.

Ambush Predator has written about this. Mrs Rigby is only doing so because she spotted a link on All Seeing Eye to a poem. The poem offers an insight, showing the stark contrast in military 'ethics', and enemy action, between now and when Rudyard Kipling was earning his Nobel Prize for Literature. Kipling knew of the fierce loyalty of the Gurkhas, and how they might be expected to react to the death of one of their Officers - although this fictional poem is referring to the Indian Army of the time.

The Grave of the Hundred Head
by Rudyard Kipling

There's a widow in sleepy Chester
Who weeps for her only son;
There's a grave on the Pabeng River,
A grave that the Burmans shun;
And there's Subadar* Prag Tewarri
Who tells how the work was done.

A Snider* squibbed in the jungle,
Somebody laughed and fled,
And the men of the First Shikaris*
Picked up their Subaltern dead,
With a big blue mark in his forehead
And the back blown out of his head.

Subadar Prag Tewarri,
Jemadar* Hira Lal,
Took command of the party,
Twenty rifles in all,
Marched them down to the river
As the day was beginning to fall.

They buried the boy by the river,
A blanket over his face -
They wept for their dead Lieutenant,
The men of an alien race -
They made a samadh* in his honour,
A mark for his resting-place.

For they swore by the Holy Water,
They swore by the salt they ate,
That the soul of Lieutenant Eshmitt Sahib
Should go to his God in state,
With fifty file of Burmans
To open him Heaven's gate.

The men of the First Shikaris
Marched till the break of day,
Till they came to the rebel village,
The village of Pabengmay -
A jingal* covered the clearing,
Calthrops hampered the way.

Subadar Prag Tewarri,
Bidding them load with ball,
Halted a dozen rifles
Under the village wall;
Sent out a flanking-party
With Jemadar Hira Lal.

The men of the First Shikaris
Shouted and smote and slew,
Turning the grinning jingal
On to the howling crew.
The Jemadar's flanking-party
Butchered the folk who flew.

Long was the morn of slaughter,
Long was the list of slain,
Five score heads were taken,
Five score heads and twain;
And the men of the First Shikaris
Went back to their grave again,

Each man bearing a basket
Red as his palms that day,
Red as the blazing village -
The village of Pabengmay,
And the "drip-drip-drip" from the baskets
Reddened the grass by the way.

They made a pile of their trophies
High as a tall man's chin,
Head upon head distorted,
Set in a sightless grin,
Anger and pain and terror
Stamped on the smoke-scorched skin.

Subadar Prag Tewarri
Put the head of the Boh
On the top of the mound of triumph,
The head of his son below -
With the sword and the peacock-banner
That the world might behold and know.

Thus the samadh was perfect,
Thus was the lesson plain
Of the wrath of the First Shikaris -
The price of a white man slain;
And the men of the First Shikaris
Went back into camp again.

Then a silence came to the river,
A hush fell over the shore,
And Bohs that were brave departed,
And Sniders squibbed no more;
For the Burmans said
That a white man's head
Must be paid for with heads five-score.

There's a widow in sleepy Chester
Who weeps for her only son;
There's a grave on the Pabeng River,
A grave that the Burmans shun;
And there's Subadar Prag Tewarri
Who tells how the work was done.

Snider = British military rifle.

jingal = "... an 1880s enlarged copy of the Remington Lee Bolt action rifle (original calibre 45/70 or 43 Spanish)which were made in .60 calibre by Tientsin Arsenal, which also made the ammo ..."

samadh = can be directly traslated (sic) as shrine or death shrine

Subadar = An Indian Army mid-rank infantry officer equal to a Captain.

Jemadar = An Indian Army cavalry or infantry junior officer equal to a Lieutenant.

Shikaris = game hunter. Quote from e-book "Under ten viceroys; the reminiscences of a Gurkha" by Nigel Gresley Woodyatt.

"Every Gurkha is supposed to be a shikari. It would be much more correct to say ALL are shikar lovers, but only a very small minority has any real knowledge of game.
When you do get a shikari he is good, as good as they make them, and quite fearless. ..."

More about Kipling from Wikipedia

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Armed Forces Day

Click image to visit the website

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Linking Dunkirk and Afghanistan

Mrs Rigby read this comment in the Mail.

Your photograph shows MTB 102. My great friend Commander Christopher Dreyer RN commanded her at Dunkirk as a Lieutenant aged 21. Talking about Dunkirk, he would not mention the dangers, but simply the practical difficulties of steering a course through the minefields.

A few years ago I would have said that they don't make them like that any more, but Iraq and Afghanistan have proved me wrong - and Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe, killed in Afghanistan last year, was Christopher Dreyer's grandson.

No comment needed, except to offer a link to Commander Christopher Dreyer's obituary and that of and Lieutenant-Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, both in the Telegraph.

..........

Here's the Dreyer / Thorneloe genealogy

Read about MTB 102 here and here

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Dunkirk 70 years on

Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of Dunkirk, which began on May 27th 1940 has been marked by a flotilla of little ships that left Ramsgate this morning to make the crossing, taking with them some who will take part in ceremonies and services in France.

Pictures from the Mail.

And a timely reminder, also from the Mail, that the 338,000 troops might not have been able to get back to Britain had not some stayed behind to deter the advancing German Army.

Read about them here

The aftermath of the Le Paradis massacre, which saw 97 British prisoners killed after surrendering to SS troops on May 27, 1940.

Which is why, even today, the survivors shed a tear - for their friends who didn't make if off the beaches, and those whose lives were sacrificed so others could get home.

Nobody, anywhere, has the right to tell men like these to 'forget' and 'move on'.

They are the ones who had the courage to go back, on or close to D-Day, and face what had previously beaten them.

And they did. And they won.

The men pictured are in their early nineties now. They were not always old, they would have been a little more than twenty at the time of their escape from the beaches of Dunkirk.

..........

Not many people seem to mention the other two major evacuations of 1940.

Operation Cycle, which saw 11,000 British and Allied forces evacuated from 10th June onwards, and Operation Ariel which between 14th and 25th June managed to get 215,000 Allied soldiers out of France through Cherbourg and St Malo.

Evacuations ended with the signing of the French armistice on 25th June.

More about Operation Dynamo here

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Military helicopters and headsets.

The father of the most senior British officer to be killed in Afghanistan spoke yesterday of his pride that his son's death had led to the armed forces being better equipped.

Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, who commanded 1,000 Welsh Guards, was killed by a Taliban roadside bomb after volunteering to take the most dangerous position in an armoured vehicle to inspire his troops.

An inquest yesterday heard that only three weeks earlier the 39-year- old wrote a damning memo on the lack of helicopter support in Helmand.

He complained bitterly in the email to his superiors that helicopter support for troops was 'very clearly not fit for purpose' and meant that troops had to be moved by road rather than by air, exposing them to the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Yesterday Trooper Hammond's parents said: 'We were devastated by Josh's death and as a family his loss has left a gaping hole in our lives.

'But we are also very proud, not only of what he achieved but of the way he chose to live his life.'

All above quoted from the Mail

Poster from here

Earlier this week another inquest was told that three soldiers would not have died as a result of American 'friendly fire' if a radio operator had been supplied with a headset.

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Labour to axe Defence?

The Daily Telegraph outlines what is contained within each party's manifesto. Mrs Rigby cast an eye over each one and particularly noted what each party says about Defence.

One of the things she was hoping to see was a pay rise, because she was quite shocked the other day to hear that young soldiers earn £6k less than their civilian equivalents in the Police and Fire Service.

Here are the bare bones of the manifestos from the Telegraph.

The Liberal Democrats say this about Defence

Liberal Democrats would "make the welfare of the men and women of our armed forces a priority."

Key defence policies are:
* Cancelling Eurofighter Tranche 3b
* Holding an immediate Strategic Security and Defence Review
* Ruling out the like-for-like replacement of Trident nuclear weapons system - planning to save £100bn
* Giving a pay rise to the lower ranks to bring them in link with other emergency services
* Doubling the rate of modernisation of forces' family homes
* Reducing the numbers of MoD staff and top brass officers
* Military action against Iran ruled out categorically

The Conservatives say

... their top defence priority will be to "repair the broken Military Covenant"

Specific defence policies include:
* Doubling the operational bonus for troops serving in Afghanistan
* Ensuring that Forces' families and veterans are taken care of
* Tracking and monitoring veterans' mental health after they leave the Armed Forces
* Launching a Strategic Defence Review
* Maximising efficiency in the Ministry of Defence
* Streamlining the procurement process

The SNP says this about Defence and International Affairs. They will

*Press the Government to spend 0.7 per cent of Britain’s national wealth on international aid.
*Call for armed forces personnel recruited in Scotland to be based as close to home as possible.
*A review of the UK’s military strategy and approach in Afghanistan.
*Scrap Britain’s current Trident nuclear submarines and plans for their replacement.
*Set up a Scottish Centre for Reconciliation and Conflict Resolution to promote peaceful alternatives to armed conflict.

The Labour Party has sub headings for

*Economy
*Health
*Education
*Tax
*Environment
*Transport
*Immigration
*Business
*Foreign
*Constitutional reform
*Police
*Council Tax
*Northern Rock
*Technology

There is something about 'terrorism' within the 'Foreign' section - but no section entitled 'Defence'.

Mr Brown and Harriet Harman/Dromey have, if you recall, accused other parties of intending to axe services that aren't specifically mentioned within their manifestos - they have talked about bus passes, dental care, eye tests, cold weather payments and so on.

Mrs Rigby uses their own reasoning and, because there is no Defence Policy within the Labour Party's manifesto (as published in the Telegraph) she must assume that, if they win the coming election, they will axe the military and we will no longer have an Army, Navy or Air Force.

Could this be a tobacco-pipe-smoke moment?

What do you think?

Is this omission an editorial error by the Telegraph, or does Labour truly not have a Defence manifesto?

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Reasons not to vote Labour #8 (military)

Found over at Cold Steel Rain's place



By the way, Cold Steel Rain is doing a parachute jump for Combat Stress

Combat Stress is the leading charity specialising in the care of British Veterans who have been profoundly traumatised by harrowing experiences during their Service career

There's a button in the sidebar to make donating really easy.

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UOTC numbers fall by more than 50%

What a suprise!

According to the BBC

The number of students joining the Army Officer Training Corps has more than halved since their pay was withdrawn as part of a cost-cutting programme.

A BBC reporter kindly, and often erroneously, explains (my bold):

The army's University Officer Training Corps offers first year students the chance to train alongside the Territorial Army at least one night a week with no obligation to join the forces afterwards.

They were paid a small sum for a weekly drill and up to £60 per day while taking part in military exercises.

But at the end of last year the payments were ended as part of a £54m cost-cutting scheme.

Senior army officials removed all but travel and subsistence costs.

The figures, released by the government in a written Commons answer, showed that in February 2009, 2,946 students took part in the scheme compared with 1,387 in the same month this year. The monthly average for last year was 2,250.

Let's unpick this a bit, and also note the suggestion that around 2,000 UOTC Cadets previously cost the MoD a whopping £54m.

First of all this appears to be the question and answer the BBC refers to, dated 16th Mar 2010 : Column WA362

Asked by Lord Astor of Hever
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many officer cadets serving in the Officers' Training Corps (a) regularly attended training prior to the suspension of their pay, and (b) regularly attend training currently. [HL2596]

The Minister for International Defence and Security (Baroness Taylor of Bolton):
The number of officer cadets serving in the University Officers Training Corps (UOTC) that regularly attended training prior to the temporary suspension of pay was 2,250. This is the average attendance figure for October 2009. The average attendance figure for February 2010 was 1,387.

UOTC attendance patterns are to some degree predictable. For example, many first-year students do not sustain their interest in cadet activities beyond the first term. Second term attendance figures are therefore always lower. Attendance is also usually weak during examination periods.

We'll look at those figures later, but first let's backtrack to, and correct, things mentioned in the BBC article.

"first year students"?
A moment or two on the Army's UOTC information pages will show:-

The basic requirements you must meet to join us are that you must have 2 years of an undergraduate degree left to study, be a full time student in our catchment area, satisfy our medical, fitness, and nationality requirements, and be selected on our selection board (September/October).

alongside the Territorial Army
Nope!
Even though UOTC is classed as part of the TA for funding, and some TA staff will train UOTC, cadets rarely come into contact with TA proper.

OTC members are classed as Officer Cadets (OCdt) and are "Group B" members of the Territorial Army, paid when on duty. As part of "Group B" they are neither trained nor liable for mobilised (active) service.

UOTC training offers a carefully worked out three year syllabus (Army link).

"up to £60"?
Nope!

The rates of pay for OCdts varies between £35 and £57 a day depending on time served and qualifications/rank gained.

The maximum amount that could be paid for " ... training over 8 hours and proportional rates are awarded for specific shorter periods" - to those who are suitably qualified. Bear in mind that a weekend exercise covers more than 16 hours.

All these payments were removed, every penny. UOTC cadets have not received any wages since returning to their training in October 2009, and nor have some of their trainers.

"Senior army officials"
Who, in the Army, is expected to make decisions? Would they expect a private, fresh out of initial training, to have the nous to make fairly crucial financial decisions?

The Army was given a budget, an allowance, for the juniors then that budget was reduced. Somebody, or a group of people, had to make drastic cuts yet also try to be able to function as an organisation.

They had to make the least worst cuts - something that no other department has been forced to make, and which no other department has been willing to volunteer, and they did it without shouting from the rooftops too, it's been down to others to state their case in Parliament and on blogs and on internet forums.

The armed forces are not allowed to make ripples. Mrs R understands that no member of any branch of the regular forces is allowed to be an active member of any political party (for obvious reasons) - but this government seems to believe that every soldier and every army officer is a potential Tory voter, and treats the Army with derision and contempt - including the junior volunteers.

Mr Brown has even lied to Chilcot and Parliament when asked about overall military spending, whether this was because he was ashamed of being spendthrift during a war, or whether he was deliberately trying to hide the truth, is something we will never know.

So, yes, UOTC travel and subsistence costs were removed by the Army, the decision was made by Senior Army Officials, but it was made only because MoD funding was taken away from the junior volunteer services at the same time as it was removed from TA. This was a 'least worst' cut they could make.

Funding for TA was, in part, reinstated, but it was not reinstated for UOTC or ACF. The Army merely tried to keep UOTC (and ACF) going, against all the odds. The financial effects are confirmed in this response to a written question/answer 5th January 2010:-

Mr. [Mark] Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what categories of service personnel train at the Officer Training Corps; and which of those categories (a) receive and (b) do not receive payment while undertaking such training. [307272]

Bill Rammell: The categories of service personnel involved in training at the Officer Training Corps are as follows:

Permanent Staff Regular Army staff;
Permanent Staff Group A Territorial Army (TA) staff; and
Territorial Army (TA) Group B Officer Cadets (Students).

Following the temporary in-year savings measures introduced in October 2009, the only categories currently receiving pay are Regular Army personnel, group A TA staff and those group B officer cadets who are TA second lieutenant instructors delivering military leadership development programme levels 1, 2 and 3 training. Bursars are receiving their bursars grants but are unpaid for officer cadet activity.

All remaining officer cadets have temporarily had their pay suspended.

Bear in mind, if you will, that the UOTC 'year' commences in October.

Freshers' Fairs are at the end of September/beginning of October, selection is at least a couple of weeks later. The cuts were announced at the end of October - after selection, so new recruits may well have thought they'd been duped, tricked into applying for what they thought was a good 'job' only to find it offered no wage for at least six months.

It would appear that the timing was carefully chosen, to have maximum impact and to demoralise new recruits who would find it almost impossible to attend UOTC meetings - because they couldn't afford to get to the training centre, but it hasn't worked, because some of them have been so enthusiastic that they've gone without other things (e.g. food) in order to be able to get to their training.

These are, you must remember, young people who are away from home for the first time in their lives, who have to fend for themselves and make their own choices and decisions. Most first year university students are 18 years old - and this is how government treats them. Compare this with how the feckless and fecund are showered with money.

Fair play to Mark Lancaster, he's been plugging away with similar questions again, and again, and so have other MPs, but they don't get a straight answer to a question. All they get are more fudged numbers trying to make things look good, on the surface, whilst their empty words are kept as a permanent record of broken promises, written down in Hansard for all to see, and cross-reference.

Here's another example dated 22 March 2010. (A mere seven days after the Lords answer quoted above, which gave the February 2010 figure of 1,387 UOTC Cadets)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had on (a) the funding and (b) the participation of students in officer training corps units at universities; and if he will make a statement. [322613]

Mr. Kevan Jones: The Government fully recognise the value of the University Royal Naval Units, The Officer Training Corps, The University Air Squadrons and the Defence Training Undergraduate Scheme. They allow individuals to develop skills that are extremely valuable in a future career either within the armed forces or without.

Each of the services is looking at how best to support the University Training Units; until those decisions are finalised I cannot speculate about future funding levels.

No University Training Units have closed as a result of changes to funding during this financial year. Despite some reduction in attendance by Officer Cadets at University Officer Training Corps they remain oversubscribed against their establishment. The average actual strength in 2009 was around 3,500. This is against an establishment figure of 2,946.

The Defence Undergraduate Training Scheme, for example, is a completely different thing, and 'actual strength' includes the funded URNU and ACF alongside UOTC.

Note Kevan Jones' very careful use of language, suggesting there are too many enthusiastic undergraduates and too many UOTC centres, more than they want - so a little hint that funding can be further reduced? After all, UOTC has carried on without any money, so they don't really need it.

Kevan Jones' staff knew the exact numbers, and he should have to explain why he quoted figures from 2009, not 2010.

The numbers he should have quoted are written down - it's something the Army does particularly well, and it's a good habit because it means they don't lose anybody in a dangerous place and then have to waste time trying to find them again.

Also, Bill Rammell quoted figures in a written answer in January 2010 when he also said, as earlier quoted :

A number of UOTC commanders have reported reduced attendance since the suspension of cadet pay.

It's hardly surprising is it?

People doing voluntary work tend to get paid expenses, and their 'work' is protected by laws and rules, these rules apply to students who carry out voluntary work - nobody is exempt.

It's hard to imagine that anybody truly expects even the most decent and reliable undergraduate - who, if English, is already burdened with huge compulsory debts to pay for hefty tuition fees and accommodation/subsistence - to pay (out of their overdraft) for being a member of a voluntary group, to fund their own travel to a designated meeting place that could be 50+ miles from their own University, and to give up evenings and weekends also for free?

Bill Rammell thinks they should, because he also said, in January 2010

Our intention is to restore cadet pay in the next financial year and we hope that the majority of officer cadets will be able to ride out this temporary difficulty.

What other sector of the population has quietly, and without a fuss, tried to "ride out this temporary difficulty"? Certainly not MPs, whose generous expense allowances would more than adequately cover the costs of UOTC. Certainly not the wannbe-striking rail workers and certainly not Unite members of BA.

Looking aside, briefly, at ACF, which tends to draw from the poorer sections of the community. Many of these young people would, at university, aim to join the more senior voluntary group - UOTC. This suggests that all UOTC members are not from wealthy families.

The UOTC (and ACF) appear to be being treated as a very special case by this government, and seems to be being deliberately starved of cash.

We're already into the next financial year but there's been no announcement regarding reinstating of UOTC funding - just the BBC article that hints at how well-off UOTC cadets used to be, and how few of them there are now.

It's a pity that the BBC is so often used to soften up the public before an unpleasant government announcement.

Despite the government's best efforts, and despite the government continuing to fund both the URNU (Navy) and UAC (Air Force), over 1,300 young men and women continued with their UOTC training.

These young people should be applauded, because they are both dedicated and determined to succeed - against all odds.

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Forces tribute

Posted by Cold Steel Rain as a guest post on Corrugated Soundbite

....

Spot the difference - Afghanistan.

Their faces say more than words ever could. (clicking on the pictures enlarges them)

From the Mail

Also from the Mail

More pictures on Sky News


It's always worth checking out what the military think of visits, on ARRSE (ARmy Rumour SErvice)

Oh, also on ARRSE is Operation Steel Vote 2010

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146 medals

Well done.

Without government medals quotas the list of awards would be longer.

A larger copy of this image is here
Quoting from Defence News

Operational Honours and Awards List: 19 March 2010

AFGHANISTAN

George Cross (GC)
Staff Sergeant Kim Spencer HUGHES, The Royal Logistic Corps
Staff Sergeant Olaf Sean George SCHMID, The Royal Logistic Corps (Killed in action)
(their 'story' here)

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Brigadier David Arthur HOOK, Royal Marines
Colonel Greville Kenneth BIBBY, MBE, late Coldstream Guards

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Lieutenant Colonel Simon James BANTON, The Mercian Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Simon CALDER, The Royal Anglian Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Robin James CAMPBELL, The Royal Logistic Corps
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen John CARTWRIGHT, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Acting Colonel Douglas McKenzie CHALMERS, MBE, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Staff Sergeant Thomas Edward John BRENNAN, Royal Army Medical Corps
Major Oliver Jerome KINGSBURY, The Parachute Regiment
Major Eldon Nicholas Somervile MILLAR, Corps of Royal Engineers
Major Samuel Joseph PLANT, The Light Dragoons

Bar to Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Lieutenant Colonel Angus George Costeker FAIR, DSO, The Light Dragoons

Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Major Giles Richard HARRIS, MBE, Welsh Guards
Brigadier Timothy Buchan RADFORD, OBE, late The Light Infantry
Acting Colonel Robert John THOMSON, MBE, The Rifles

Associate Royal Red Cross Medal (ARRC)
Captain Gail Lesley WHITTLE, Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps

Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC)
Sergeant Alan Gordon DENNIS, The Mercian Regiment
Gunner Steven William GADSBY, The Royal Regiment of Artillery
Sergeant Marc Kevin GILES, The Mercian Regiment
Serjeant Jaime MONCHO, The Rifles
Lance Bombardier Gary PROUT, The Royal Regiment of Artillery
Lance Corporal Kyle Patrick SMITH, The Mercian Regiment

Military Cross (MC)
Warrant Officer Class 2 Mathew Robert TOMLINSON, CGC, Royal Marines
Corporal Craig ADKIN, The Mercian Regiment
Captain Edward Robert BROWN, The Mercian Regiment
Major Jo BUTTERFILL, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Corporal Steven Graham CHILDS, The Rifles
Corporal Richard CLARK, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Major Neil Darren GRANT, The Mercian Regiment
Lieutenant Tresham Dames Rowley GREGG, The Light Dragoons
Major Karl Christian HICKMAN, The Rifles
Lieutenant William James Archie HIGNETT, The Rifles
Private Alexander Robert KENNEDY, The Mercian Regiment
Corporal Paul Edward MATHER, Army Air Corps
Lieutenant Alexander John PHILLIPS, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Corporal Christopher Sean REYNOLDS, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Corporal Craig Richard SHARP, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Lance Corporal Alexander James SMITH, The Parachute Regiment
Warrant Officer Class 2 Simon Nicholas THOMPSON, The Rifles
Lance Sergeant Matthew Philip TURRALL, Irish Guards

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Flight Lieutenant Marc Alan HEAL, Royal Air Force

George Medal (GM)
Rifleman Paul Raymond JACOBS, The Rifles
Captain Daniel Marc SHEPHERD, The Royal Logistic Corps (Killed in action)

Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM)
Warrant Officer Class 2 Peter John BURNEY, The Rifles
Captain Wayne Edward James OWERS, The Royal Logistic Corps
Corporal Carl Peter THOMAS, The Rifles
Lance Corporal David James TIMMINS, The Royal Logistic Corps

Mention in Despatches (MiD)
Acting Sergeant Sean Conor BINNIE, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (Killed in action)
Corporal Samisoni Naisabo BOILA, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Lieutenant Robert Alexander Macpherson BUCHANAN, The Rifles
Captain Owen Alastair Ralph CANDY, The Royal Regiment of Artillery
Warrant Officer Class 2 Paul David COLVILLE, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Rifleman Gary CRANE, The Rifles
Lieutenant Mark Alexander CRIPPS, The Rifles
Sergeant Grant Leslie CUTHBERTSON, The Light Dragoons
Warrant Officer Class 2 Mark Andrew DOBBS, The Light Dragoons
Lieutenant Christopher Stuart Nicholas FENTON, Welsh Guards
Lance Corporal Buddhibahadur GURUNG, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Lieutenant Duncan Simon Whittick HADLAND, The Mercian Regiment
Lieutenant Andrew John HALLIDAY, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Sergeant Darren Justin HANRAHAN, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Rifleman Kevin HOLT, The Rifles
Captain Howard Robert HOOPER, Corps of Royal Engineers
Corporal Paul INNES, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Lance Corporal Christopher Paul JAKEMAN, The Rifles
Sergeant Jamie Stuart LAWSON, The Light Dragoons
Lance Corporal Rhodri Wyn LODWICK, Welsh Guards
Sergeant Terence Albert LOWE, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Sapper James Ewan MCINTOSH, Corps of Royal Engineers
Sergeant Andrew Peter MCNULTY, The Mercian Regiment
Lance Corporal Nigel David MOFFETT, The Light Dragoons (Killed in action)
Private Edwin Goitseone MOTETE, The Royal Logistic Corps
Warrant Officer Class 2 Paul Simon MUCKLE, The Mercian Regiment
Captain Matthew Bromley O'HARE, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Lance Sergeant Michael Ellis PARRY, Welsh Guards
Rifleman Prakash PUN, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Lance Corporal Tilakkumar RAI, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Sergeant Gary Richard REYNOLDS, Corps of Royal Engineers
Private Lauren Louise RICHARDS, Royal Army Medical Corps
Corporal Anthony RICHARDSON, The Light Dragoons
Corporal David Joseph ROY, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Guardsman Lee SKATES, Welsh Guards
Major Alasdair Fortune Lyon STEELE, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Lance Corporal Matthew Paul TURNER, The Parachute Regiment
Lance Corporal Matthew David VITEL, The Rifles
Major Richard David WALLWORK, The Royal Regiment of Artillery
Rifleman Daniel Christopher WILD, The Rifles (Killed in action)
Flight Lieutenant David James GRINDAL, Royal Air Force
Flight Lieutenant Adrian PARKINSON, Royal Air Force

Queen's Commendation for Bravery (QCB)
Rifleman Edward Kenneth William BENTON, The Rifles
Corporal Leslie John BINNS, The Light Dragoons
Lance Corporal Sally Patricia CLARKE, Royal Army Medical Corps
Rifleman Ricky Dean EDGAR, The Rifles
Rifleman Robert Craig FLANAGAN, The Rifles
Lieutenant Charles James Richard FRASER-SAMPSON, Welsh Guards
Captain Judith Lorna GALLAGHER, The Royal Logistic Corps
Rifleman Liam John HARGREAVES, The Rifles
Fusilier Rory HUGHES, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Corporal Timothy Kenneth JONES, Corps of Royal Engineers
Corporal Ian Paul PASCALL, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Corporal Henry Edward SANDAY, The Rifles
Sapper Matthew Robert WESTON, Corps of Royal Engineers

Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service (QCVS)
Surgeon Commander Sarah Ann STAPLEY, Royal Navy
Acting Captain Michael James BRIGHAM, The Mercian Regiment
Private Charlotte Angharad BUTLER, Royal Army Medical Corps
Lieutenant Aloysius Coleman CONNOLLY, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Captain James Alexander CORBET BURCHER, Welsh Guards
Captain Mark Robert CRANLEY, Royal Army Medical Corps
Warrant Officer Class 2 Andrew DAVIDSON, Adjutant General's Corps (Royal Military Police)
Major Darren John DENNING, The Rifles
Major Robert Woodd GALLIMORE, Welsh Guards
Captain Mark James HALE, The Rifles
Major Ion Cameron Walter HILL, The Rifles
Colonel Peter Francis MAHONEY, OBE, late Royal Army Medical Corps
Acting Corporal Nathan Derek Leon MURRIN, The Royal Logistic Corps
Major John Edward Keith OLDROYD, The Royal Regiment of Artillery
Corporal Jonathon Simon PRECIOUS, The Parachute Regiment
Major Jeremy Andrew ROSTRON, The Parachute Regiment
Warrant Officer Class 2 Declan Brian SIBLEY, The Rifles
Major Guy Charles Gideon Rees STONE, Welsh Guards
Warrant Officer Class 1 Richard Charles TAYLOR, Corps of Royal Engineers
Rifleman Thomas John THOPPIL KEZAKETHIL, The Rifles
Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Stuart Michael THORNELOE, MBE, Welsh Guards (Killed in action)
Major Stuart Peter WILES, The Light Dragoons
Air Commodore Kenneth Leslie O'DEA, Royal Air Force
...................................................

IRAQ

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Brigadier Thomas Anthony BECKETT, late The Parachute Regiment

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Commander James Robert DEAN, Royal Navy
Colonel Andrew DENNIS, late The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
Major Simon Peter HAMILTON, Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Captain Keith TATE, Intelligence Corps

Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service (QCVS)
Commander Henry Alworth Hamilton MEREWETHER, Royal Navy
Brigadier Rupert Paul STEARNS, Royal Marines
Major Christopher James BELL, OBE, Scots Guards
Captain Nicholas David Guise COWLEY, The Queen's Royal Hussars
Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig Karl FORD, MBE, The Royal Regiment of Artillery
Colonel Ian Alexander RIGDEN, OBE, late The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Lieutenant Colonel Gavin James THOMPSON, The Royal Tank Regiment
Captain Timothy WALVIN, The Royal Logistic Corps
Flight Lieutenant John Gerard Hughes MCFADDEN, Royal Air Force
Mr Richard CARD

REST OF THE WORLD

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)
Colonel Nigel Malcolm Tree STAFFORD, late 9th/12th Royal Lancers

Queen's Commendation for Bravery (QCB)
Petty Officer Richard Griffiths HICKS, Royal Navy
Petty Officer Air Engineering Technician Alan MURPHY, Royal Navy
Leading Seaman Carl THOMAS, Royal Navy

Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air (QCBA)
Sergeant Keith Stewart BEST, Royal Air Force

....

A thankyou from Afghan Heroes

If you'd like to see what those who took part thought of yesterday's 'ride through' or 'ride out' then pop over to the Afghan Heroes blog.

There are two threads running, one about the day and another about wristbands, both contain a lot of comments showing how both residents and participants felt about the day.

Here's a taster

new resident of Wootton Bassett from 2009 – have attended as many re-pats as I am able, so was delighted that such an event held in and around the town yesterday 14th March – walked up to town and spent about 2 hours there watching the riders come down the high street – proudly waved my AH flag, wooped, clapped and high-fived some of the pillion riders – what a way to spend a sunday morning – thank you so much for coming to the town and making it a happy day to remember amongsts so many sad and reflective ones.

and

I would firstly like to thank the organisers, the mothers, the police and everyone involved in what I think was the best bike event I have ever been to. I will never forget the first sight or the runway that was being filled for the second time by the time we left the base on route to Wootton Bassett. I was blown away by the numbers of locals that lined the streets families, pub go-ers all in the carparks and gardens.I wasnt expecting to be thanked for taking part and I certainly was’nt expecting to be choking back tears when thanked by a woman in Wootton Basset on the ride through.Lastly and by no means an after thought a huge heart felt thanks to every one who was in Wootton Bassett yesterday bless you all not only for yesterday but for what you do for our fallen soldiers.You live in a very special place and everyeone who attended yesterday got a small taste of the emotion that your wonderful village has to offer.Again many thanks

and

They say that Woodstock defined a generation, well perhaps Wootton Bassett mothers day ride out by bikers defines the feelings of this generation.

My ticket number is 12033. With my wife Maggy as pillion (and a lot of others) that’s around 15000 people riding through Wootton Bassett in support of British troops, perhaps the biggest motorcycle ride out in history?

But enough of numbers, the constant roar of bikes and the cheering crowds says much about British support and feelings right now. I saw a chap with a hastily painted board by his front gate declaring “Well Done!”, locals with flags or just applauding and cheering. They were not cheering me, just the sentiment of the day, support for our troops.

By 11.00 the taxiway at Hullavington was about full and the first group of two lines was led off by a police escort, with blue lights flickering.

When our turn eventually came, we were led through a maze of country lanes by police motorcyclists with blue lights flashing, enjoying a beautiful sunny day. Wherever a small hamlet, Farm or just a lone house was passed, the people came out and cheered and waved flags, we answered as best we could by revving our engines and tooting the horns. This seemed to encourage them to even louder cheering.

Eventually we came into the now famous Wootten Bassett high street. I felt humbled to be riding through there, somehow not worthy to follow the path of so many brave troops. The street was lined just as we had seen on TV, not this time by grave and dignified crowds, but by happy, smiling people of all kinds. From the youngest to the oldest all were cheering and waving flags, perhaps glad of something bright and cheerful to see in their street.

As I rode out of Wootten Basset toward the M4 I felt humbled, and yet filled with joy that British pride still exists, its just not so easy to find now-days. But if you look hard enough its still there. I feel proud to be British again.

Thanks to all the Police and organisers who made this possible, but mostly, thanks to the people of Wootten Bassett.

Now if only the people who sent our troops to these far flung places could recognise the core of feeling in the British public.

There's a slight note of sadness that the event didn't hit the headlines which is quite right, it should have done, shouldn't it? Don't 15,000 people doing something good count, or are we supposed to be miserable all the time?

it was a brilliant turnout well done everyone. shame the press felt it was not news worthy enough though only a short mention at the end of the news broadcasts and not one national paper put it on the front page. i guess it still stands the biker saying when we do good no one listens when we do bad everyone listens. oh well i suppose we should be used to it by now. once again well done everyone.

There's nothing Mrs R can add, except to say well done to everybody who was involved in this event.

....

15,000+ bikers fly the flag.

Today was a truly remarkable day.

Something that started as an idea for a local bike club event grew, and grew, and caught the imagination of bikers from throughout Britain and mainland Europe.

Carefully organised by the Afghan Heroes charity, and to avoid annoying other road users, around 15,000 bikers gathered throughout the day at Hullavington Airfield. Their departure, for their 'ride through', was organised in groups of around 500 bikes - for a similar reason.

Mrs R has used some of today's free time to look through news reports and freshly uploaded videos, and has chosen a few highlights. She's fairly sure anybody watching these will feel two emotions - pride and an overwhelming sense of sadness, she'll explain why in a few moments.

Richard Payne's report on ITV West Country Tonight from Friday is a very nice preparatory piece, it's well worth watching - it includes interviews with some bikers (one who travelled from the continent) and also explains that there is a group of Royal British Legion riders at every repatriation, something that Mrs R and family weren't aware of.

So what did Wootton Bassett do with 22 miles of motorbikes (and a good few scooters) of all shapes and sizes? Did they behave in a curmudgeonly way and turn their backs on the noise and smell - as predicted by Neil Burden in last Wednesday's CiF?

No, they blimmin well didn't.

What they did was line the streets, they waved flags and cheered the riders through their town - and they said, "Thank you," too. They did all this without rioting, they did it without overt crowd control, they did it reservedly, in the "British Way".

The BBC carries a news report and a video, also has a few pictures - the first of which deserves to be on the front page, all on its' own - it doesn't need words.

ITV also carries a video report, but unfortunately managed to avoid filming any motorcyclists and mentioned that motorbikes use smelly diesel. Sadly ITV West Country's report of today's event is lacking any commentary, but this could be due to sound problems or over-demand. Sky also carries a report and a video. National and local newspapers also carry reports, too many to list.

So, what does Mrs R recommend?

This first short video is quite nice. It gives a good idea of how well organised the riders were on their way to the rally and shows the reaction of motorists - who waited patiently, or pulled over so they could use their cameras.



If you've got time to watch all of this next one it'll give you an idea of the numbers of bikers involved - it shows just one group, presumably 500 bikes. It's filmed from the roadside away from the centre of Wootton Basssett.

"Awesome" is probably the most apt description, you'll hear that word spoken quite early on in the video.



Phew, what a day, and what a thing to do - on Mother's Day, a day to celebrate being a Mum, but a terribly sad day for those Mums whose sons or daughters have previously been brought home in a cortège through Wootton Bassett, all 271 of them. It's quite humbling to think that one of those Mums started a charity - and made today happen.

Mrs R finds it hard to imagine the numbers - around 15,000 bikes, many with a passenger. Each bike will have meant a £5 donation to Afghan Heroes, although some gave much more because they collected cash from workmates, neighbours etc. First estimates are that at least £100,000 has been raised - voluntarily, without pressure - it's a wondrous amount for a small charity.

When you think of today's event, consider the following :-

• 15,000ish bikers - on the roads, 'controlled' by a few Police outriders and personal discipline, nothing else.

• 15,000ish bikers - gave up their weekend and paid £5 so they could ride through a small market town, and then go straight home again. No party, no celebration, no concert.

• Apparently extra Police were drafted in to monitor road junctions etc, it would appear that some of them gave their time freely.

• The population of Wootton Bassett - watched a 'ride through', for hours and hours. Yes, they've lined their pavements many times before, but today there was not a crush barrier in sight, no shouting, no catcalling - just flag waving and cheering.

• A few yellow-jacketed Bobbies were outriders, others unobtrusively lined the route, in case there was a problem, but nothing else - just good behaviour and a sense of gratitude, and a sense pride, a sense of patriotism, and a 'good day out'.

• Bikers waved flags, some of them were huge - Mrs R saw the Union Flag, the Cross of St George and the Welsh dragon. (No doubt St Patrick and St Andrew were represented, but Mrs R didn't spot them.) .

Mrs R thinks that today decent people reclaimed their right to fly the flag.

So, what went wrong?

Well, nothing! It was perfect, it was British people at their best, rallying to a cause and doing 'the right thing' in their own way. It was terribly sad, because the country has, so far, lost 271 fine people and there are unpublished numbers of terribly maimed troops too. Today was all for them, and the people of Wootton Bassett.

So let's recap, yet again.

Today at least 15,000 British people gave up at least a day of their lives to take the time to drive through Wootton Bassett as a mark of respect, and to also raise money for a charity that supports British troops. They gave their time, and probably took themselves away from their own families on Mother's Day - to acknowledge the sacrifice of those who have lost their lives or who have been maimed whilst protecting democracy in Afghanistan.

These 15,000 people didn't get out of bed this morning and decide to to 'go for a bike ride'. The event has been long in the planning and has been well publicised amongst the biker community, in magazines and on forums. It was also mentioned on the BBC - as long ago as January. Every participant had to register, many were turned away.

Today the media were out in force, with their cameras and journalists recording this one-of event, because it was a milestone in public display. It was peaceful, quiet, yet also noisy, fun and vibrant.

Let's look at something else for a moment. According to this site there are, or were in 2006 ...

... almost 40 – 50,000 Afghans live in London, the majority of them having come for political reasons

Wikipedia gives a bit more information, and some statistical data too, for the whole country.

Now let's backtrack, again. All the bikers had to register and get a pass, they had to give their name, address and so on. Their passes were checked today - none of them were allowed to be anonymous.

The media was out in force at Hullavington Airfield - filming and interviewing riders, passengers and organisers. There were also reporters and camera crews in Wootton Bassett itself, to record the reaction of the crowds. The British media is always very quick to make sure they balance news reports, and to help celebrate our newly diverse culture.

Mrs R will let you draw your own conclusions - but don't let anything spoil what happened today. It was a wonderful thing to see, and made we Rigbys proud to be British.

Let's keep flying the flag eh, it's worth it - but let's do it the way we're used to doing it, with dignity and with pride.

....

The children of Wootton Bassett.

Keeping with the theme of Wootton Bassett, with a great deal of help from both Subrosa's "This Week at Wootton Bassett" and Old Rightie's  "Out of the mouths of babes". (You really should read both of these before continuing, otherwise you won't have a clue what this is about.)

Mrs Rigby would like to help you find the video the young people of Wootton Bassett School  made for the BBC's "School Report", which isn't, unfortunately, linked from the BBC's own news report about the children and their video (on Subrosa) - which seems a bit mean, so Mrs Rigby has decided to fix it.

There's no point in paraphrasing the school's own words, so it's best to send you off to their site to see what they did, and how much effort they put into making their video.

Mrs R eventually discovered the school's video, it was tucked deep inside the "School Report" pages. They say it's possible to "embed" BBC videos within personal sites, but as they don't provide the right sort of url they aren't altogether correct, so, sorry, you'll need to follow this link

"Wootton Bassett through our eyes" by students of Wootton Bassett School.

And if your eyes don't at least feel a bit gritty after watching that then you're more hard hearted than Mrs R.

....

Afghan Heroes and Mother's Day.

Prompted by this piece by Longrider and a rather pathetically nimby piece in the Guardian, Mrs Rigby wandered off to take a look at Afghan Heroes site. She admits that she'd never heard of the charity, so this perhaps shows that there's no such thing as bad publicity.

Mrs R was very surprised to learn that people spent a weekend packing up 10,000 “home comfort” boxes

Around 150 volunteers from children to pensioners, army cadets and members of the military from all over the UK, gave up their time over the weekend to pack the boxes at a building donated for the purpose by the Bath and West Showground in Somerset.

With two 100ft production lines in full flow 7,630 boxes were completed by Saturday afternoon. The remaining boxes were then finished by 2pm on Sunday.

Each box included 17 different items for the troops and at its peak each line packed 600 boxes per hour (10 boxes per minute).

The author of the CiF piece lives in Wootton Bassett, and they don't want their Mother's Day Sunday messed up by a load of noisy bikers who will cause fumes, noise and congestion. Nothing new there - it's a main road, and a busy main road too. You'd think they would be used to it. But no, it's the bikers they don't like, who will be driving through the town on one afternoon out of 365. What's the betting they wouldn't have minded so much if it had been a group of vintage car drivers? They'd probably have laid on tea and refreshments.

Neil Burden, in best journalistic style, hasn't taken a moment to look a bit further and realise that the "event" was expected to be quite small, but interest has grown so much so that, instead of the expected maximum of 2,000 bikes there will be as many as 10,000 - each of them paying £5 towards the charity who will use the money to deliver support through:

1. The “thank the troops” initiative.
2. The provision of home comforts to those serving in Afghanistan.
3. Motivational and morale boosting support directly to our forces on the front line via your letters and news letters.
4. A support network for the families of the fallen, creating an open environment where families can give support to each other.
5. Supporting the many returning soldiers who have witnessed these horrific atrocities in the course of performing their duties.

The event has full backing of both the military and the police - it isn't a protest march, it's a means of raising money.

Oh, about the charity.

[Denise Harris] The mother of a soldier who died in an explosion in Afghanistan in July [2009] had the idea to set up a charity to provide support for those directly involved in the conflict.

Maybe Neil Burden, the author of the CiF piece should stop, and think, and maybe realise why Mother's Day was chosen for this event.

Maybe, just maybe, it was chosen because many mothers around the country will not be hearing from their sons on that day.

Many mothers won't be hearing from their sons ever again - because they have been killed in Afghanistan.

....

Topsy turvy news.

This is the sort of thing the government won't want us to read in the run up to the election. It's a good story, telling of selflessness, bravery and one heck of a lot of luck.

Here's the beginning :-

A soldier of 3 RIFLES has been talking about his decision to pick up a live Taleban hand grenade and throw it back in an attempt to save himself and his comrades.Rifleman James McKie from Recce Platoon, 3rd Battalion The Rifles was under fire from three directions when the hand grenade hit his Platoon commander and landed at his feet.

“My first thought was I hope this doesn’t hurt too much” he said. “That, and I’ve really only got one chance to do this. If it fails, either way, doing nothing, I’m going to get the same amount of hurt. ...

You'll have to go over to Helmud Blog to read the rest.

It still seems unreal that there are people in authority in Britain who can order a news blackout, a total news blackout and a 'sanitising' of websites to 'prevent bias'. Nothing can change the past, nothing, but it can be concealed and we Brits have always frowned into our cornflakes when we've read of such things happening elsewhere in the world. We've chuckled to ourselves when we've seen pictures of Stalin and chums, heavily edited to remove those who have fallen out of favour. Not for one moment did any of us imagine the past could be edited here in Britain, yet it appears that's what is proposed by the MoD - and the claim is to ensure 'impartiality', to make sure nobody can be seen in a bad light in the run up to a general election.

Mrs R has no idea how the rest of the world will receive the news of this proposed media blackout, although she does plan to ask one or two overseas friends to see what they think. She has a fairly good idea they won't believe it, because they knew the BBC of many years ago, and they've heard the tales of "broadcast and be damned" and how the BBC was the one shining light of impartial information, telling the truth to those living in occupied Europe.

You see, nobody could stop the BBC broadcasting. No foreign dictator or despot, no matter how determined, could ever pull their plug and cut off their transmissions when they were safely based here in Britain, surrounded by a rather large moat. Who could ever imagine that there are those who believe that that same moat will prevent news getting into Britain from overseas, especially now, when there's the internet. It really is a Victor Meldrew moment - inconceivable, and unbelievable.

During the last war people risked their lives to listen to the BBC and, apparently, "The BBC was keen to safeguard its reputation and refused to broadcast 'dirty propaganda'." The BBC World Service pages still say this

The BBC Aims :

To be the world's first choice among international broadcasters for authoritative and impartial news and information, trusted for its accuracy, editorial independence and expertise.

It also says

We are the world’s leading international broadcaster providing programmes and content for radio, television, online and mobile phones in English and 31 other languages. Hundreds of reporters and specialist correspondents bring impartial news reports, documentaries and analysis from around the globe.

So let's take a look at some of the stories of the past week, stories the BBC would not be allowed to report if the MoD has its' way and the military media blackout in the run up to the election goes ahead.

Nobody would have known that Princess Ann was in Afghanistan on March 1st

Nobody would have known that four soldiers were repatriated on March 4th

Nobody would have known that two soldiers lost their lives on the day that Mr Brown visited Camp Bastion.

Nobody would have known that a soldier lost his life today.

It will be interesting to know how the rest of the world reacts when the BBC has to admit, as it surely must, that it isn't allowed to tell the people of Britain what is happening to their friends and relatives who are serving in the armed forces in Afghanistan, and tries to explain why - because so far they have been remarkably quiet, not a peep, nothing, they haven't admitted that it will happen.

No other country will be banned from reporting what is happening to our troops, so we in Britain will be dependent on others for our news.

Maybe we will find out what's happening via Forces Twitter, maybe we will have to visit sites such as this one or this one to learn of fatalities.

We won't be allowed to read anything from Afghanistan or about the military in UK published newspapers, we won't be allowed to hear it on UK-based television or on our radios, and we won't be allowed to read it on internet sites run by the British press - and all this is because there is to be a general election - an election when we Brits are meant to be able to exercise our democratic right, our freedom, to vote to choose the government of our choice.

Odd, isn't it, how things seem to be turning topsy turvy.


edit:

Oh, and ...

Go and read Cold Steel Rain, and take the time to watch the video.

Also read Constantly Furious on the 'Censoring Troops'.

Subrosa on the same matter, mentioning Cabinet Office memos.

Jess the Dog too.

Read each one, each one is important

....

Media military purdah*.

The same astonishing story in both the Telegraph and the Mail but nothing, as yet, on BBC

The Ministry of Defence has been accused of ordering a “truth blackout” over the war in Afghanistan amid warnings it is attempting to “bury bad news” during the election campaign.

It seems unbelievable that with so many British troops fighting overseas that any government of any free nation should decide that the public must not be allowed to know what is going on -  and only because there's an election to choose a new government.

So, maybe Mr Brown's visit to Afghanistan was electioneering after all, and maybe there's a ring of truth behind Mrs R's comment to the other Rigbys about the less than positive photos shown in the media and also on the No 10 Flickr account

We have learned that the government dislikes criticism - any slur, and condemnation of policy or outcome is quickly rebuffed by a personal attack against the critic, whose family life is dissected, the tiniest faults dragged into the public eye by sanctimonious, holier than thou, individuals who have, of course, never done anything wrong - or if they have their chums rally round in support.

They tried to do this with General Dannatt, they couldn't believe that any high-ranking individual would have a clean background wrt expenses - but he did, which made the troughing MPs look rather silly. Mrs R has now heard General Dannatt described on the radio as "a Conservative", so obviously that, now, is a slur and maybe, as ex-military, he shouldn't be able to speak during the run up to the election. Surely not?

Perhaps though, Bruce Anderson's piece in the Indy indicates opinions the government does not want aired, or encouraged, in the "run up" to an election.

Hitherto, Gordon Brown's behaviour has seemed incomprehensible, but the answer is now clear. The indecisiveness, the self-pity, the chronic nervous strain, the constant ill-temper, the barely-suppressed violence: all is explained, on the assumption that the Prime Minister still has the residue of a conscience, and that his personality is crumbling under the stress of telling all those lies.

He goes on

Lying to Parliament used to be regarded as just about the gravest offence that a politician could commit. But there is a worse one: lying to or about the armed forces. That is what Mr Brown has done, repeatedly: the worst crime of his premiership.

 At the Labour Conference in 2007, Mr Brown wanted to portray himself as the soldiers' friend. So he announced that 1,000 men would be coming back from Afghanistan before Christmas.

but

After Mr Brown had finished speaking, a few hundred people would have thought that they could ... start planning the welcome home party. They then discovered that of the 1,000, 270 were already home, and another 500 knew their return date.

The same has happened, yet again, as reported in the Times

... Prime Minister ... indicated on Saturday [6th March 2010] that £100 million would be spent on 200 new vehicles to replace remaining Snatch Land Rovers, under the Urgent Operational Requirement budget.

but

A tender notice for up to 400 LPPVs was sent out in February 2009.

So that's a cut then, isn't it - fewer than were originally ordered,. Maybe nobody in government wants to be caught out, none of them wants us to know that they are cutting and they are reducing the resources for operational forces whilst fighting a war.

Maybe though, they simply don't want us to see these sort of jokes.

From Dave Brown in the Indy

or this one, from Peter Brookes in the Times

Maybe we shouldn't laugh at politicians - or should we?

Maybe the blogosphere will also be sanitised, because apparently

"MoD websites will also be “cleansed” of any “non-factual” material including anything containing troops’ opinions of the war"

Maybe they don't like the idea of us seeing pictures such as the emotive one Cold Steel Rain is showing, and maybe they no longer want sites such as Helmand Blog to continue. We are already 'not told' how many soldiers suffer serious injury, merely those who lose their lives, so we're used to 'not knowing'.

It'll be interesting, though, to see how they deal with ARRSE which is already discussing this 'news blackout'.

The last words have to be quoted from that site, and the individual who points out :-

... its fantastic that the British Army are in other countries fighting to give other people freedom and free speech, whereas in the UK we cannot exercise this right ourselves.

* "purdah" from the Telegraph

....

Pictures of the day.

No, it won't go away if you cover your eyes. Picture from NotW

That little plaque, and those alongside it ,demonstrate the reality of the war in Afghanistan It also perhaps demonstrates the effects of cost-cutting and penny-paring that, according to Mr Brown's statement to Chilcot, did not happen.

Picture Daily Telegraph

Pictures taken during Mr Brown's public relations, vote-hunting, "surprise visit to our frontline troops in Helmand" show him displaying the result of his Kit Kat and banana diet.

He didn't seem to realise that the soldiers might have had something better to do than show him around their 'camp' - a camp that does not resemble Butlins.

Whilst he was trying to look important in his overstuffed shirt, two more soldiers lost their lives.

Even the loyal BBC can't hide the truth. There is a page showing the faces of the decent, honest, loyal, patriotic men and women who have lost their lives - and who may not have died if Mr Brown had been willing to spend taxpayers' money on up to date equipment instead of making sure taxpayers funded the lifestyles of the idle and feckless.

Look at them

Let's hope Mr Brown has no nightmares, that he counts sheep when he tries to sleep instead of seeing the faces of the young men and women he has helped send to war, underfunded and underequipped, whilst the people of the Met Office, whose wages come out of the MoD budget sit in their offices and are paid bonuses for getting the weather forecast wrong.
...............................................

Oh, and this was clinging at straws type of stuff too ...

... one of the Prime Minister's officials telephoned the British embassy in Kabul before the Conservative leader visited troops in Helmand Province in December to request that it did not co-operate with him.

"The aide made clear that Cameron's trip should not be a success," says my man in the Number 10 bunker. "He said there should be no 'media availability'."

Mrs Rigby is particularly irritated by the governments behaviour towards the military because some young men she has watched grow from infancy have decided it might be a good idea to join the Army. They are old enough, they think they are wise enough, they know they will be well trained, they do not believe they will be either injured or killed - that is the nature of youth, they know they are invincible.

These young mens' parents know otherwise, but what can they do apart from being afraid.

....

Monty Python @ Sangin.

Because a supply helicopter had been shot down and it took an incredible 6 weeks to get food to the troops at Forward Operating Base in Sangin, the chef was tasked with feeding the troops using only what was in the store-cupboard - and it contained lots and lots of tins of Spam.

If the cupboards of Rigby Towers are anything to go by it's the less popular foodstuffs that hang around for longest, whilst the more popular items vanish in no time at all. Maybe military supplies are a bit different, with something 'sensible' being kept in reserve just in case - in case the supply chain breaks - and maybe that will explain the vast quantities of Spam.

It's hard to imagine eating only Spam, and nothing but Spam, for six whole weeks, even if it is dressed up in such wondrous recipes as Spam Fritters, Spam Carbonara and Sweet and Sour Spam. - The Mail kindly provides the recipes in case readers might like to imitate the military - and take a step back in time to post-war Britain.

Unfortunately a person calling themselves "Jenny Jones" thinks all this Spam eating was a bad thing, because her comment reads

This is clearly not good food. It will cause obesity and heart disease in the future and should be banned forthwith.

Why don't some people just give it a rest! There really is no need to be 'on task' for every single waking hour. But it's this comment that flagged up a distant memory because a 'Jenny Jones' was mentioned on somebody else's blog some time ago, also referring to comments left beneath articles in the Mail.

If this lady, is this Jenny Jones she should, surely, be concerned that it took six weeks to resupply an active military base - and should have been more concerned that the troops could have been hungry and willing to eat almost anything. Surely that is the most important consideration here, irrespective of who makes a comment - our troops were without fresh food, for six weeks.

Even though it might be nice to think that all food should be free range or coming from climate friendly, mostly unprocessed, locally sourced, seasonal and mostly organic sources, it's hard to have policies such as those included in the Sustainable Food Strategy for London in an active military situation. It isn't even likely that the 'five a day' is possible, let alone wise, in hostile territory - which seems to have been acknowledged in designing ration packs, that can be  supplemented with bread, fresh fruit and vegetables where supply allows.

It's such a pity that so few have any idea what it's like in the real world, outside the utopian bubble.

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Please pass this on.

This was spotted on ARRSE after landing there following a google search for something relating to the previous post.

It's true, it's real and it's more than mean - and it needs publicity, so if you do read this please mention it in your own blog, or to your friends and neighbours if you don't have a site of your own.

Copied from the forum :-

Apologies if I'm stepping on any toes, but I've come accross a case which could really do with our help.

WO1 Mac McGearey is serving with 1 RTR. His daughter, Ciara, desperately needs specialist care, but the family has been shafted by Edinburgh Council who are taking them to court.

When Ciara was 3 days old, she contracted meningitis, leaving her blind, unable to speak and suffering from a number of other disabilities. Since she was 6 months old, she's been receiving specialist treatment from the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh.

However, Mac was posted to England and she obviously had to move schools. Ciara went to a non-specialist school and didn't receive the level of care she needed, so when an opportunity came up for an Edinburgh posting, Mac took it and moved his family back. However, the council refused to fund her place at the Royal Blind School and instead offered a place at another non-specialist school.

An indepdent tribunal concluded unanimously that the Royal Blind School was Ciara's best option, and that had Mac not been in the Army, she would still be attending. They then ordered that Edinburgh Council make funding available immediately.

Rather than comply, Edinburgh council elected to take the case to court at a cost of up to £160,000 in legal fees (Ciara's education at the RBS would be approx. £38k per year).

Mac's walking 500 miles to raise the money needed to keep Ciara in school until the court case.

If you can spare even a couple of quid, please make a donation or sponsor Mac's walk. The appeal is being run by the Scottish Poppy Appeal, and there's more info - pics and the story in Mac's own words - on the links.

There is more to read within the forum thread here and also in reports from the Scotsman and a piece by Alex Massie in the Spectator.

Here are a couple of snippets from the Scotsman :-
15th Jan 2010

A tribunal, which was set up under the Additional Support for Learning Act, ruled in November that the Blind School was the best option for Ciara.

However, bailiffs arrived at Ciara's home on Friday to issue a summons to the Court of Session, after the council lodged an appeal against the decision.

and 29th Jan 2010.

The council's education department wants Ciara, who lost her sight when she was only three days old after suffering meningitis, to go to the council-run Oaklands Special School, which does not specialise in blindness.

A tribunal, which was set up under the Additional Support for Learning Act, ruled in November that the Blind School was the best option for Ciara.

Calls for the council to withdraw its appeal against the ruling were yesterday rejected.

A motion was submitted in private to the full council meeting by Councillor Jason Rust asking the council to withdraw its appeal.

It was backed by his fellow Tory councillors, along with the Greens and Labour, but the administration voted in favour of continuing the appeal and it won on the casting vote of Lord Provost George Grubb.

Sometimes we Rigbys think we are going through tough times, but nothing like this

According to an ARRSE poster :-

This Warrent Officer Class 1 has turned down a Queen's Commission (and its pay and pension!) so his daughter can get the best education she can. That's love and nails for you!

Shame on you Edinburgh Council, shame on you!

Yep, that about sums it up!

 PoppyScotland link to sponsor Mac's walk is here

...............

A "section leader within Edinburgh City Council's finance department"  was, incidentally, in the news only yesterday, for something quite different.