David,
I'm going to start a new thread on this. I need to ask an important question...
A very powerful piece of writing by Bryan Forbes
- Thread starter David Morton
- Start date
David,
I'm going to start a new thread on this. I need to ask an important question...
David Morton
Lifetime Supporter
Make of this what you will.
We lost another brave Soldier on Tuesday. Another family is in ruins.
So this is Christmas..........
<TABLE class=Smalltable id=ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_countryGridView style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 rules=all border=1><TBODY><TR class=contactDept><TH scope=col>Country</TH><TH scope=col>Total</TH></TR><TR><TD>Australia</TD><TD class=contactNumber>21</TD></TR><TR><TD>Belgium</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Canada</TD><TD class=contactNumber>154</TD></TR><TR><TD>Czech</TD><TD class=contactNumber>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Denmark</TD><TD class=contactNumber>39</TD></TR><TR><TD>Estonia</TD><TD class=contactNumber>8</TD></TR><TR><TD>Finland</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>France</TD><TD class=contactNumber>52</TD></TR><TR><TD>Georgia</TD><TD class=contactNumber>5</TD></TR><TR><TD>Germany</TD><TD class=contactNumber>46</TD></TR><TR><TD>Hungary</TD><TD class=contactNumber>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Italy</TD><TD class=contactNumber>33</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jordan</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Latvia</TD><TD class=contactNumber>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Lithuania</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Netherlands</TD><TD class=contactNumber>25</TD></TR><TR><TD>New Zealand</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Norway</TD><TD class=contactNumber>9</TD></TR><TR><TD>Poland</TD><TD class=contactNumber>22</TD></TR><TR><TD>Portugal</TD><TD class=contactNumber>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Romania</TD><TD class=contactNumber>17</TD></TR><TR><TD>South Korea</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Spain</TD><TD class=contactNumber>30</TD></TR><TR><TD>Sweden</TD><TD class=contactNumber>5</TD></TR><TR><TD>Turkey</TD><TD class=contactNumber>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>UK</TD><TD class=contactNumber>347</TD></TR><TR><TD>US</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1442</TD></TR><TR class=contactDept><TD>Total</TD><TD align=right>2275</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> var map1 = new PowerMap("maps/FCMap_Afghanistan.swf", "map1Id", "500", "400", "0", "1"); map1.setDataURL("Provincexml.aspx"); map1.render("mapdiv"); </SCRIPT>
Find a moment tomorrow and every day ending in a 'y' to give thanks, silently if that is you thing, for each man and woman of all the nations who are really standing up and being counted every day in the hell hole that is Afghanistan.
Please.
and if you feel as strongly as I do write a letter to your respective leaders.
We lost another brave Soldier on Tuesday. Another family is in ruins.
So this is Christmas..........
<TABLE class=Smalltable id=ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_countryGridView style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 rules=all border=1><TBODY><TR class=contactDept><TH scope=col>Country</TH><TH scope=col>Total</TH></TR><TR><TD>Australia</TD><TD class=contactNumber>21</TD></TR><TR><TD>Belgium</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Canada</TD><TD class=contactNumber>154</TD></TR><TR><TD>Czech</TD><TD class=contactNumber>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Denmark</TD><TD class=contactNumber>39</TD></TR><TR><TD>Estonia</TD><TD class=contactNumber>8</TD></TR><TR><TD>Finland</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>France</TD><TD class=contactNumber>52</TD></TR><TR><TD>Georgia</TD><TD class=contactNumber>5</TD></TR><TR><TD>Germany</TD><TD class=contactNumber>46</TD></TR><TR><TD>Hungary</TD><TD class=contactNumber>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Italy</TD><TD class=contactNumber>33</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jordan</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Latvia</TD><TD class=contactNumber>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Lithuania</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Netherlands</TD><TD class=contactNumber>25</TD></TR><TR><TD>New Zealand</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Norway</TD><TD class=contactNumber>9</TD></TR><TR><TD>Poland</TD><TD class=contactNumber>22</TD></TR><TR><TD>Portugal</TD><TD class=contactNumber>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Romania</TD><TD class=contactNumber>17</TD></TR><TR><TD>South Korea</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Spain</TD><TD class=contactNumber>30</TD></TR><TR><TD>Sweden</TD><TD class=contactNumber>5</TD></TR><TR><TD>Turkey</TD><TD class=contactNumber>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>UK</TD><TD class=contactNumber>347</TD></TR><TR><TD>US</TD><TD class=contactNumber>1442</TD></TR><TR class=contactDept><TD>Total</TD><TD align=right>2275</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> var map1 = new PowerMap("maps/FCMap_Afghanistan.swf", "map1Id", "500", "400", "0", "1"); map1.setDataURL("Provincexml.aspx"); map1.render("mapdiv"); </SCRIPT>
Find a moment tomorrow and every day ending in a 'y' to give thanks, silently if that is you thing, for each man and woman of all the nations who are really standing up and being counted every day in the hell hole that is Afghanistan.
Please.
and if you feel as strongly as I do write a letter to your respective leaders.
Ian Anderson
Lifetime Supporter
David Chaytor (SP) ex MP has just bein jailed for 18 month for his fraudulent claims.
He generated expense invoices for IT work that was never done and rented houses that were owned by both himself and his mother.
He can now contemplate his future when all his living expenses are being state funded!
Ian
Come on David I'm surprised you did not post this first!
He generated expense invoices for IT work that was never done and rented houses that were owned by both himself and his mother.
He can now contemplate his future when all his living expenses are being state funded!
Ian
Come on David I'm surprised you did not post this first!
David Morton
Lifetime Supporter
Thanks Ian.
I'm having a doze and recovering from the late nights watching the Ashes.
I am of course delighted though incarcerating him costs us even more. ( I heard £100,000 for each year of a sentence). The gallows would have been more appropriate.
I'm having a doze and recovering from the late nights watching the Ashes.
I am of course delighted though incarcerating him costs us even more. ( I heard £100,000 for each year of a sentence). The gallows would have been more appropriate.
David Morton
Lifetime Supporter
Is there such thing as an average man?
Sometimes there is. Read on....
<TABLE class=yiv1701145028MsoNormalTable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0cm; PADDING-LEFT: 0cm; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top>
Sometimes there is. Read on....
<TABLE class=yiv1701145028MsoNormalTable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0cm; PADDING-LEFT: 0cm; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top>
<TABLE class=yiv1701145028MsoNormalTable style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10pt" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0cm; PADDING-LEFT: 0cm; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The average British soldier is 19 years old.....he is a short haired, well built lad who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears and just old enough to buy a round of drinks but old enough to die for his country - and for you. He's not particularly keen on hard work but he'd rather be grafting in Afghanistan than unemployed in the UK .
He recently left comprehensive school where he was probably an average student, played some form of sport, drove a ten year old rust bucket, and knew a girl that either broke up with him when he left, or swore to be waiting when he returns home. He moves easily to rock and roll or hip-hop or to the rattle of a 7.62mm machine gun.
He is about a stone lighter than when he left home because he is working or fighting from dawn to dusk and well beyond. He has trouble spelling, so letter writing is a pain for him, but he can strip a rifle in 25 seconds and reassemble it in the dark. He can recite every detail of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either effectively if he has to. He digs trenches and latrines without the aid of machines and can apply
first aid like a professional paramedic. He can march until he is told to stop, or stay dead still until he is told to move.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation but he is not without a rebellious spirit or a sense of personal dignity. He is confidently self-sufficient. He has two sets of uniform with him: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his water bottle full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never forgets to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes and fix his own hurts. If you are thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food is your food. He'll even share his life-saving
ammunition with you in the heat of a firefight if you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons and regards his weapon as an extension of his own hands. He can save your life or he can take it, because that is his job - it's what a soldier does. He often works twice as long and hard as a civilian, draw half the pay and have nowhere to spend it, and can still find black ironic humour in it all. There's an old saying in the British Army: 'If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have joined!'
He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and he is unashamed to show it or admit it. He feels every bugle note of the 'Last Post' or 'Sunset' vibrate through his body while standing rigidly to attention. He's not afraid to 'Bollock'anyone who shows disrespect when the Regimental Colours are on display or the National Anthem is played; yet in an odd twist, he would defend anyone's right to be an individual. Just as with generations of young people before him, he is paying the price for our freedom. Clean shaven and baby faced he may be, but be prepared to defend yourself if you treat him like a kid.
He is the latest in a long thin line of British Fighting Men that have kept this country free for hundreds of years. He asks for nothing from us except our respect, friendship and understanding. We may not like what he does, but sometimes he doesn't like it either - he just has it to do.. Remember him always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.
And now we even have brave young women putting themselves in harm's way, doing their part in this tradition of going to war when our nation's politicians call on us to do so.
When you receive this, please stop for a moment and if you are so inclined, feel free to say a prayer for our troops in the trouble spots of the world. Maybe you'll want to send it on to someone else too.
Having read it, would you like to leave a message of support at Red Fridays
Thank you for reading to the end
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>He recently left comprehensive school where he was probably an average student, played some form of sport, drove a ten year old rust bucket, and knew a girl that either broke up with him when he left, or swore to be waiting when he returns home. He moves easily to rock and roll or hip-hop or to the rattle of a 7.62mm machine gun.
He is about a stone lighter than when he left home because he is working or fighting from dawn to dusk and well beyond. He has trouble spelling, so letter writing is a pain for him, but he can strip a rifle in 25 seconds and reassemble it in the dark. He can recite every detail of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either effectively if he has to. He digs trenches and latrines without the aid of machines and can apply
first aid like a professional paramedic. He can march until he is told to stop, or stay dead still until he is told to move.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation but he is not without a rebellious spirit or a sense of personal dignity. He is confidently self-sufficient. He has two sets of uniform with him: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his water bottle full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never forgets to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes and fix his own hurts. If you are thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food is your food. He'll even share his life-saving
ammunition with you in the heat of a firefight if you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons and regards his weapon as an extension of his own hands. He can save your life or he can take it, because that is his job - it's what a soldier does. He often works twice as long and hard as a civilian, draw half the pay and have nowhere to spend it, and can still find black ironic humour in it all. There's an old saying in the British Army: 'If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have joined!'
He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and he is unashamed to show it or admit it. He feels every bugle note of the 'Last Post' or 'Sunset' vibrate through his body while standing rigidly to attention. He's not afraid to 'Bollock'anyone who shows disrespect when the Regimental Colours are on display or the National Anthem is played; yet in an odd twist, he would defend anyone's right to be an individual. Just as with generations of young people before him, he is paying the price for our freedom. Clean shaven and baby faced he may be, but be prepared to defend yourself if you treat him like a kid.
He is the latest in a long thin line of British Fighting Men that have kept this country free for hundreds of years. He asks for nothing from us except our respect, friendship and understanding. We may not like what he does, but sometimes he doesn't like it either - he just has it to do.. Remember him always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.
And now we even have brave young women putting themselves in harm's way, doing their part in this tradition of going to war when our nation's politicians call on us to do so.
When you receive this, please stop for a moment and if you are so inclined, feel free to say a prayer for our troops in the trouble spots of the world. Maybe you'll want to send it on to someone else too.
Having read it, would you like to leave a message of support at Red Fridays
Thank you for reading to the end
Charlie Farley
Supporter
Thanks David,
Message left on RedFridays.
Now i just have to find that red g string for next friday......
Message left on RedFridays.
Now i just have to find that red g string for next friday......
Charlie Farley
Supporter
I read a few of the pages on RedFriday,
This one made me chuckle :
A Message from: Sqn Ldr(Rtd) Mike Wilkinson
Message To: All our Armed Forces
Your Message: This is a true story, I am sharing it as my own small tribute to our magnificent Armed Forces.
And don't forget to check out Help for Heroes
In 1995 I was on exercise in Germany, attached to an RAF Regiment squadron as their interpreter. During some down-time, I was listening to the local radio station on my little AM/FM pocket set.
There was an interview with the retiring Deputy NATO commander, a German general, which, in part, went like this:
Interviewer: Who do you think are the best troops in NATO?
General: The British.
Interviewer: Not us or the Americans?
General: The British, definitely.
Interviewer: Really, and what makes them the best?
General: I'm not absolutely certain, but I think it's tea.
Interviewer: TEA! Why?
General: Well, we Germans are the best at planning and the Americans have by far the best equipment, but, when we went on exercise last year, we got stuck because our planning went wrong.
The Americans got stuck because their equipment broke down, but the British had achieved their objective and were drinking tea!
Well we don't do much of the planning because it's a coalition and we are only gradually squeezing the equipment out of the treasury, but we have plenty of guts, skill and tea!
Come home safe all of you out there. Words can't express our pride in your quiet, unassuming heroism.-Mike Wilkinson
This one made me chuckle :
A Message from: Sqn Ldr(Rtd) Mike Wilkinson
Message To: All our Armed Forces
Your Message: This is a true story, I am sharing it as my own small tribute to our magnificent Armed Forces.
And don't forget to check out Help for Heroes
In 1995 I was on exercise in Germany, attached to an RAF Regiment squadron as their interpreter. During some down-time, I was listening to the local radio station on my little AM/FM pocket set.
There was an interview with the retiring Deputy NATO commander, a German general, which, in part, went like this:
Interviewer: Who do you think are the best troops in NATO?
General: The British.
Interviewer: Not us or the Americans?
General: The British, definitely.
Interviewer: Really, and what makes them the best?
General: I'm not absolutely certain, but I think it's tea.
Interviewer: TEA! Why?
General: Well, we Germans are the best at planning and the Americans have by far the best equipment, but, when we went on exercise last year, we got stuck because our planning went wrong.
The Americans got stuck because their equipment broke down, but the British had achieved their objective and were drinking tea!
Well we don't do much of the planning because it's a coalition and we are only gradually squeezing the equipment out of the treasury, but we have plenty of guts, skill and tea!
Come home safe all of you out there. Words can't express our pride in your quiet, unassuming heroism.-Mike Wilkinson
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
Well I think I'm pretty hardened and cynical, but that made me shed a tear. Thanks for posting and thanks to all the warriors. (On our side).
David Morton
Lifetime Supporter
2301.
iCasualties | Operation Enduring Freedom | Afghanistan
Two thousand three hundred and one.
If you haven't sent your first letter of 2011 to your respective political leaders, then you disappoint me. Is it because you need a pen? -write to me and I'll send one to you. Is it the cost of the stamp that is stopping you? Again email me and I'll send the cost of a stamp with the pen. What ever you do please please write and tell them how you feel about Afghanistan. Even about Sharia law, even about the Koran and how the preacher bigots use it.
iCasualties | Operation Enduring Freedom | Afghanistan
Two thousand three hundred and one.
If you haven't sent your first letter of 2011 to your respective political leaders, then you disappoint me. Is it because you need a pen? -write to me and I'll send one to you. Is it the cost of the stamp that is stopping you? Again email me and I'll send the cost of a stamp with the pen. What ever you do please please write and tell them how you feel about Afghanistan. Even about Sharia law, even about the Koran and how the preacher bigots use it.
Charlie Farley
Supporter
Was it Marie Antoinette that said " Let them eat pork " ?
Confused ??
Confused ??
David Morton
Lifetime Supporter
Benjamin Robert-Smith. VC.
What a inspiration.
<TABLE style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5em; BORDER-SPACING: 2px; WIDTH: 315px; FONT-SIZE: 90%" class="infobox vcard" cellSpacing=5><TBODY><TR><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #b0c4de" colSpan=2>Born 1 November 1978</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #aaa 1px solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5em" colSpan=2>
Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith in 2011
</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Nickname</TH><TD class=nickname>"RS"</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Allegiance</TH><TD>
Australia</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Service/branch</TH><TD>Australian Army</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Years of service</TH><TD>1996–</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Rank</TH><TD>Corporal</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Unit</TH><TD>Australian Special Air Service Regiment (2003–)
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1997–2003)
</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Battles/wars</TH><TD>International Force for East Timor
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Awards</TH><TD>Victoria Cross for Australia
Medal for Gallantry
</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Relations</TH><TD>Len Roberts-Smith (father)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
What a inspiration.
<TABLE style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5em; BORDER-SPACING: 2px; WIDTH: 315px; FONT-SIZE: 90%" class="infobox vcard" cellSpacing=5><TBODY><TR><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #b0c4de" colSpan=2>Born 1 November 1978</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #aaa 1px solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5em" colSpan=2>
Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith in 2011
</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Nickname</TH><TD class=nickname>"RS"</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Allegiance</TH><TD>
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1997–2003)
</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Battles/wars</TH><TD>International Force for East Timor
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Awards</TH><TD>Victoria Cross for Australia
Medal for Gallantry
</TD></TR><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-RIGHT: 1em" scope=row>Relations</TH><TD>Len Roberts-Smith (father)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
He certainly is. One thing I am curious about is S.A.S. personal normally go to great lengths to remain anonymous. I seems his SAS career might be over. Army public relations now?
WA's VC hero - Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith - compares Taliban firefight to game of rugby | Perth Now
WA's VC hero - Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith - compares Taliban firefight to game of rugby | Perth Now
My thoughts exactly Pete. That would never happen in the UK. Magnificent job but he is now 'burned'.
Of course, the Oz SAS may well be operated differently, such as the US Rangers, but the UK versions are regularly deployed in the civilian arena and rarely wear uniform.
The British SAS are as close as you can get to 'legalised terrorists' and none ever appear in uniform or are recognised as such in public. If members ever do attend military parades, it will be in the uniform of their original regiments which tend to be mainly (but not limited to) The Parachute Regiment.
Of course, the Oz SAS may well be operated differently, such as the US Rangers, but the UK versions are regularly deployed in the civilian arena and rarely wear uniform.
The British SAS are as close as you can get to 'legalised terrorists' and none ever appear in uniform or are recognised as such in public. If members ever do attend military parades, it will be in the uniform of their original regiments which tend to be mainly (but not limited to) The Parachute Regiment.
Last edited:
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
Exactly the same here Keith, which is why I made the comment. Whenever they appear on T.V. normally sadly as pall bearers, their faces are blurred out. Other times the aviator glasses and face scarves come into play. I was also surprised at the publicity given his wife and kids. Normally a big no. no.
David Morton
Lifetime Supporter
Pete,
He's done his bit now and wears the VC. He can never return to anonymity
and rightly so. He is a regualr hero. He looks like the sort of guy you could
almost imagine the taliban just freaking out and running for the hills.
What an envoy he will be for your country. No doubt he will be at Buck House
sometime this year along with loads of TV exposure as well so returning to ops was never an option.
He's done his bit now and wears the VC. He can never return to anonymity
and rightly so. He is a regualr hero. He looks like the sort of guy you could
almost imagine the taliban just freaking out and running for the hills.
What an envoy he will be for your country. No doubt he will be at Buck House
sometime this year along with loads of TV exposure as well so returning to ops was never an option.
Charlie Farley
Supporter
The first casualty of war is truth
..I think mark twain said that..not sure
In peace, a son buries his father
In war, a father buries his son
..I think mark twain said that..not sure
In peace, a son buries his father
In war, a father buries his son
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
<!-- // .module.video-embed.vcms-player --><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> ndm.media.loadvcms.articleplayer("1777399478"); </SCRIPT><!-- // .video .js-tab-content --><!-- // .tabs .js-tabbed --><!-- // .article-media --><!-- google_ad_section_start(name=story_introduction, weight=high) -->A YOUNG Digger based in Darwin has become Australia's latest and 22nd casualty in the war in Afghanistan. <!-- google_ad_section_end(name=story_introduction) -->
<!-- // .story-intro --><!-- google_ad_section_start(name=story_body, weight=high) -->The soldier was named as 22-year-old Corporal Richard Edward Atkinson, who was on his first deployment to Afghanistan. He was engaged to be married.
A second soldier was seriously wounded, acting chief of the Defence Force, Lieutenant General David Hurley said.
Both men were members of the Darwin-based First Combat Engineer Regiment.
They were conducting a dismounted partnered security control with the Afghan national army at the time of the incident, which involved an IED.
General Hurley said the man's family had been notified of the death overnight.
The wounded soldier was in a satisfactory condition at the Tarin Kowt hospital.
<!-- // .story-intro --><!-- google_ad_section_start(name=story_body, weight=high) -->The soldier was named as 22-year-old Corporal Richard Edward Atkinson, who was on his first deployment to Afghanistan. He was engaged to be married.
A second soldier was seriously wounded, acting chief of the Defence Force, Lieutenant General David Hurley said.
Both men were members of the Darwin-based First Combat Engineer Regiment.
They were conducting a dismounted partnered security control with the Afghan national army at the time of the incident, which involved an IED.
General Hurley said the man's family had been notified of the death overnight.
The wounded soldier was in a satisfactory condition at the Tarin Kowt hospital.
Just had a beverage or two with my mates from 3 Para. They are resting and will be returning.
They love what they do and cannot wait to get back because finally they are doing what they trained for and they do believe they are helping the average Afghan citizen.
To be quite fair, it is really not a good idea to show any doubt as to their mission. They are doing as required and they do a damned fine job.
It may be fairly obvious to all smart asses who have studied history (myself included) that this is a war that cannot be won in the general victory/defeat scenario but they are not stupid, they know that, and they also need support not only when they are active, but when they are paid off.
Their biggest challenge will be when they are no longer required or are deemed "too old". I witnessed this at the end of the Vietnam war when the public largely turned against the fighting men that were just doing their duty. Much pain and trauma for veterans and their families are still being felt today because, politically, it suddenly wasn't "correct" any more.
I urge everyone who has nationals serving in foreign wars not to spit on your troops (it has happened) but to support them every which way you can and save your vitriol for the politicians that you voted for and, in a moment of quiet reflection just consider that they may just have thought it was a Good Idea at the time.
Peace brothers, and no, I do not understand the Afghan thing either....
They love what they do and cannot wait to get back because finally they are doing what they trained for and they do believe they are helping the average Afghan citizen.
To be quite fair, it is really not a good idea to show any doubt as to their mission. They are doing as required and they do a damned fine job.
It may be fairly obvious to all smart asses who have studied history (myself included) that this is a war that cannot be won in the general victory/defeat scenario but they are not stupid, they know that, and they also need support not only when they are active, but when they are paid off.
Their biggest challenge will be when they are no longer required or are deemed "too old". I witnessed this at the end of the Vietnam war when the public largely turned against the fighting men that were just doing their duty. Much pain and trauma for veterans and their families are still being felt today because, politically, it suddenly wasn't "correct" any more.
I urge everyone who has nationals serving in foreign wars not to spit on your troops (it has happened) but to support them every which way you can and save your vitriol for the politicians that you voted for and, in a moment of quiet reflection just consider that they may just have thought it was a Good Idea at the time.
Peace brothers, and no, I do not understand the Afghan thing either....
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