Royal Military Police Association - Isle of Man Branch

Murdered Red Cap’s mother fights MoD

2012-01-28T10:07:00.002Z

The mother of a British military policeman killed by a mob in Iraq is planning legal action to force the Ministry of Defence to hold a public inquiry into his death.

Corporal Paul Long, 24, was one of six Red Caps murdered when about 400 Iraqis attacked a police station in Majar al-Kabir, Maysan, southern Iraq, in June 2003.

There have been a series of investigations into what went wrong, including an internal Army Board of Inquiry and an inquest.

But Cpl Long’s mother Pat, of Hebburn, South Tyneside, believes those reviews were inadequate and said she still has unanswered questions about what happened to her son.

Her legal team has now written to Defence Secretary Philip Hammond calling for a fresh inquiry and warning that they could bring a judicial review challenge in the High Court in London. The six men had been training Iraqi police when killed. An inquest found they were poorly equipped to defend themselves.

Soldiers Arrested Over Firearms and Drugs

2012-01-28T09:57:00.002Z

Two soldiers from a cavalry regiment have been arrested after cops seized a haul of drugs and guns.

Troopers Lemar Loveless, 25, and Trave Dyce, 21, were held at Folkestone after leaving the Channel Tunnel.

Five guns, three silencers, ammunition and half a kilo of cocaine – worth £30,000 on the street – were allegedly found in their car.

“"We believe the firearms and drugs were destined to be distributed in the underworld." ”

The arrests were made in an intelligence-led swoop by the Met's Operation Trident, which tackles gun crime in London's black community.

Both soldiers of the Queen's Royal Hussars appeared before magistrates in Bromley, Kent, charged with importing drugs and possessing firearms.

They were remanded in custody to face crown court in February.

Loveless was discharged from the Army last week and Dyce was due to quit on Tuesday.

Sources said both men turned in their papers and requested to leave the ranks of the Royal Hussars of their own free will.

Their arrests caused shockwaves in the light cavalry regiment, based in Sennelager, Germany, which operates Challenger tanks.

One source said: "They were both popular guys but they had enough of Army life. It is very sad to see what has happened to them."

Argentina Does Not Have Military Capability To Invade, Says Defence Minister Falkand Islands

2012-01-27T09:45:00.002Z

Argentina does not have the military capability to invade the Falkland Islands, according defence minister Gerald Howarth.

Recent months has seen Buenos Aires place increasing pressure on the UK to negotiate the sovereignty of the disputed islands, liberated from Argentine forces following the 1982 invasion.

Tension between the two countries has been rising ahead of the 30th anniversary of the war, with some quarters of the Argentine media calling for a second invasion of Las Malvinas. However Howarth has dismissed the talk as “sabre rattling”.

Last week, David Cameron confirmed that the Falklands issue had been discussed by the National Security Council, adding that Argentina's attitude towards the archipelago was "colonialist".

In response, the Argentine president rubbished Cameron's claims as "nonsense"

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said: "They are trying to paint us as bad guys, or violent guys and really, that is not who we are."

Cutbacks to the Royal Navy has led some MPs to question Britain’s ability to defend the South Atlantic enclave should Argentina’s rhetoric turn into action.

On Thursday, Conservative MP Edward Leigh addressed parliament on the issue of the government’s defence cuts. He said:

“If there was to be a war with Iran or Argentina, we would not be fighting it in the Channel. We would be fighting it, in the case of Argentina, thousands of miles from any shore-based defence systems.”

In response, Howarth said:

“You raise concerns which are widespread around the country, particularly in light of the sabre-rattling by Argentina. But I think it is very important that you understand that ministers are very seized of this matter.

“All the advice we have is that there is neither the capability nor the intention by the Argentines to repeat the folly of 1982 and that the military deterrent that we have is up to the task.”

In February, the Duke of Cambridge is due to be deployed to the Islands for six weeks as part of his RAF service.

Cuts to Forces London allowance

2012-01-25T10:20:00.003Z

Many members of the armed forces based in the UK capital are to lose their London allowance under cost saving plans, the Ministry of Defence said.

The London recruitment and retention allowance is designed to contribute to the "higher costs encountered during a permanent assignment" in London.

From 1 April, the allowance will stop for the rank of sergeant and above.

The MoD said it needed to make savings set out by the prime minister.

The change affects the British Army, Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.
Continue reading the main story

About 2,000 people will lose the allowance, said the MoD, while 3,000 at the rank of corporal or below will not.

This will provide a saving of about £2.9m a year.

Prime Minister David Cameron set out the need to reduce allowances as part of the wider Strategic Defence and Security Review, published in October 2010.

In it, he said there would be an 8% cut in the defence budget in real terms over four years.

But one serving sergeant affected by the London allowance changes, who did not wish to be identified, said: "In the forces you don't have a choice where you are posted.

"Are the MPs losing their London weighting, or the police?"

He added he was concerned for serving staff posted to London from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland with their families.

"It is unfair that they will be expected to pay a higher cost of living in London," he said.

Like the police, members of the armed forces are legally not allowed to strike.

A MoD spokesman pointed out that those on lower pay will still be eligible for the London allowance.

He said: "The move will ensure that the allocation of allowances is fair and appropriate to meet the needs of service personnel."

In the Army, sergeant pay starts at £30,012 per year. The London allowance provides about £120 per month.

Army staff have to pay income tax and national insurance and those who are living in private accommodation must also pay council tax.

While some staff live in barracks or Army houses, others have to rent privately.

Extracts from Officer's Confidential Reports

2012-01-24T09:02:00.004Z

These are a sample of some comments by supervising officer's in recent years.

"He has the wisdom of youth,and the energy of old age."

"This Officer should go far - the sooner he starts,the better."

"Now only occasionally wets himself under pressure."

"He would be out of his depth in a car park puddle."

" This young man has delusions of adequacy."

and

"His men would follow him anywhere, but only out curiosity."

Afghanistan trips by celebrities cost over £400,000 in 2011

2012-01-24T08:17:00.003Z

The government spent more than £400,000 on sending celebrities to visit soldiers in Afghanistan last year, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.

The MoD arranged a series of trips to the front line in an attempt to keep British troops' spirits high.

Pop star Cheryl Cole was among those to visit last year.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond told MPs the total cost, "including an element for UK travel and mobilisation", was £437,637.

"Entertainment of members of the armed forces is, and has for many years, been an important element of the deployment welfare package," he told MPs.

"It helps to maintain morale and thereby the combat-effectiveness of service personnel.

"The MoD has a contract with combined services entertainment to provide entertainment to members of the armed forces deployed overseas, including Afghanistan."

It is not known if the celebrities were paid for their visits to Afghanistan.

But Mr Hammond said those who visited were transported and accommodated alongside armed forces personnel "at minimal extra cost to the public purse".

Mr Hammond was responding to a written Parliamentary question from Conservative MP for East Yorkshire, Greg Knight.

Former X Factor judge Cole flew to Camp Bastion in Helmand province last September, to mark 10 years of British operations in the country.

As part of her visit, she met with soldiers, sailors and air force personnel serving in the country, including those who had been wounded in action.

Other celebrities who have travelled to Afghanistan include former Manchester United and England footballer David Beckham, classical singer Katherine Jenkins and singer and former soldier James Blunt.

Britain sends warship through Strait of Hormuz

2012-01-23T09:24:00.002Z

Britain has joined the United States and France in sending a flotilla of warships through the sensitive Strait of Hormuz in a pointed message to the Iranian regime.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that a Royal Navy Type 23 frigate, HMS Argyll, was part of the the US-led carrier group to pass through the waterway, as tensions continued to escalate over Tehran's nuclear programme.

European Union foreign ministers are expected to announce today an embargo on Iranian oil exports, ratcheting up the pressure on the regime to abandon work which the West believes is aimed at building a nuclear bomb.

The Iranians have threatened to close the strait - through which 35% of the world's tanker-borne oil exports pass - in retaliation.

The six-strong flotilla was led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with up to 90 warplanes on board.

It reportedly passed through the Strait of Hormuz without incident.

The Abraham Lincoln is the first American carrier to enter the Gulf since the end of last year.

A MoD spokesman said:

"HMS Argyll and a French vessel joined a US carrier group transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, to underline the unwavering international commitment to maintaining rights of passage under international law."

MoD Pays Out £75m To Redundant Civil Servants

2012-01-23T09:08:00.002Z

The Ministry of Defence has paid £75m to civil servants made redundant over the past three months as part of the government's programme of cuts.

The 2,500 staff received payoffs averaging £30,000, according to MoD figures.

Details of the payoffs were released after a second wave of armed forces redundancies were announced this week. A spokesman for the MoD said the job losses were necessary to help tackle the "black hole" in the country's defence budget.

He said civilian staff had received "considerably less" on average than military personnel, who are also losing thousands of posts as a result of the cuts programme.

"Where a sergeant receives an average payoff of around £65,000, a civilian receives around £30,000 on average," the spokesman said. "The MoD civilian workforce is reducing by around 33% compared to a reduction of 17.5% in military manpower."

Shadow defence secretary, Jim Murphy, criticised the pay-outs in the wake of the government's announcement of fresh cuts.

"David Cameron is culling the army in their thousands while spending millions on civil service payoffs," he said.

"He needs to get his priorities straight. People worried about the impact of the cuts on families and the front line will be angry at this news."

The MoD announced on Tuesday that it was looking to shed 2,900 posts from the army, around 1,000 from the RAF and 300 from the Royal Navy. The defence secretary, Philip Hammond, justified the decision by insisting he had "no choice" because of the appalling state of military finances.

The army and RAF were worst hit, with the Gurkhas bearing the brunt of losses. But Hammond said the new cuts would not affect troops fighting in Afghanistan.

Under the Strategic Defence and Security Review, the RAF and Navy has to cut 5,000 posts each by 2015. The army has to shrink by 20,000 within eight years.

Use of army reservists questioned

2012-01-02T11:13:00.004Z

Government plans to send an increasing number of Army reservists to war should be urgently re-examined, according to a group of senior Army commanders and academics who say just one in 20 Territorial Army soldiers is adequately trained to serve on the front line.

In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, the coalition of military experts said they supported plans to expand and increase investment in the nation's reserve forces.

But they argued any widening of their role should not be at the expense of regular soldiers.

The letter, whose signatories include Dr Peter Caddick-Adams, a serving TA officer and defence analyst, Col Tim Collins, a former SAS commander, and Col Richard Kemp, a former Afghanistan commander, said:

"The Government's intention is for Britain to rely increasingly on the Territorial Army and other reservists to plug the gaps in the nation's defence. Indeed, the reserve forces are to be expanded and investment made in order to raise the skill levels and capabilities of reservists.

"We welcome this commitment to the strengthening of the TA. However, any further widening of the role of the TA should not be at the expense of the regulars, and cannot be seen as a substitute for an adequately resourced regular Army."

The letter said front-line operations required "a level of fitness, experience, and training to regular Army standards that cannot readily be matched by part-time soldiers," and that around 1,500 personnel - 5% of TA soldiers - had the sufficient training to be deployed in the way the Government envisages.

Thousands of British servicemen and women are facing redundancy as the Government seeks to cuts its defence budget in measures set out under the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

According to the group of six senior commanders and analysis, the Army will soon be smaller than at any time since the late 19th century and will have lost a fifth of its strength by the end of the decade if cuts continue at the same rate.

They called on the Ministry of Defence to stop further cuts in Army manpower and review the current redundancy programme.

"The Government should re-examine this aspect of the Strategic Defence and Security Review and recognise that the primary role of the TA and other reserve forces is as a vital support to the full-time professionals, not as an alternative to them," the signatories added.

New Year honours list - Royal Military Police

2011-12-31T10:24:00.005Z

ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE - OBE

Col Ian Edward Prosser, Late Adjutant General's Corps (R Military Police).

MEMBER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE - MBE

WO Class 2 Barry John Grass, Adjutant General's Corps (R Military Police).

QUEEN'S VOLUNTEER RESERVES MEDAL (QVRM)

Staff Sgt Richard John Holding, Adjutant General's Corps (R Military Police), Territorial Army.

Hercules C130K displayed at RAF Cosford

2011-12-28T10:15:00.001Z

A Hercules C130K Mark 3 plane has gone on display at RAF Cosford Museum in Shropshire for the Christmas holidays.

The aircraft was designed to take off and land on makeshift runways and to transport paratroopers long distances.

It was made by Lockheed in the 1960s and took 15 people three hours to get into position at the airfield.

The museum is inviting anyone with memories of seeing or flying in the Hercules to get in touch to offer visitors their stories of the plane.

Hercules aircraft are still in operation and are the largest and heaviest planes able to land on aircraft carriers.

RAF Cosford Museum curator Al McLean said: "We are very pleased to have this iconic aircraft, particularly as it has such a long record of service with the Royal Air Force and it makes a fine addition to the Cosford site."

Australian military seeks UK soldiers facing redundancy

2011-12-28T10:03:00.006Z

In Britain, thousands of defence jobs are being axed because of public spending cuts.

In Australia,things are different, the armed forces are struggling to maintain staffing levels as they compete with the booming mining industry.

Now British service personnel earmarked for redundancy are being targeted by Australian recruiters offering the sweetener of a fast-tracked path to citizenship.

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN), which is desperately short of engineers, is understood to be particularly keen to recruit from overseas. According to a report in The Australian yesterday, it sent a delegation to Britain recently to investigate the skills sets of the sailors and officers being laid off as part of the Government's plans to cut 17,000 Armed Forces jobs by 2015.

Many engineers have been lured away from the Australian military by the mining industry, which offers better pay and conditions.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is also looking to the US, Canada and New Zealand as potential recruiting grounds, and will reportedly offer those joining from overseas the guarantee of an Australian passport within three months of them being granted permanent residency. Usually permanent residents have to wait two years before applying for citizenship.

Special forces officers, fighter pilots and submarine crews are among the specialised personnel sought by the country's three services. The latter are in particularly short supply, with the Navy able to operate only two of its six Collins-class submarines at any one time.

MoD offers a tonic for troops

2011-12-26T09:35:00.002Z

More than eight tonnes of food was shipped specially to Afghanistan from the UK to allow frontline troops to enjoy a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said more than 9,500 personnel stationed throughout the British area of operations enjoyed 2.5 tonnes of turkey, 2.5 tonnes of gammon, and a tonne of sprouts. Also on the menu were 900 Christmas cakes, 21,500 mince pies, 30,000 After Eight mints and 155,000 buffet items.

And more than 200 Christmas trees, 1,000 sets of decorations and 16,000 Christmas crackers are helping keep spirits up by producing some festive cheer, the MoD said.

2011-12-25T09:24:00.001Z

The Chairman and members of the Isle of Man Branch would like to send seasonal greetings to all serving and former members of the Royal Military Police.

Keep safe and lets hope you have a happy and enjoyable 2012.

Southport Cenotaph - Michael Gilyeat

2011-12-24T08:15:00.005Z

I recently received this e-mail from one of our own in Southport.

Good Morning,

I read your article in Corps Journal and you mentioned Cpl Gilyeat.

Just to let you know he is recorded on the Cenotaph in Southport along with Major Matt Tichner . I have laid a wreath each year for all RMP since 2004, when I returned from Iraq. Matt was my OC.

I have a chat each year with Cpl Gilyeat’s Father ,who attends the Southport service.

I will retire from RMP (TA) in 2012 and I am hoping to persuade 116 Coy to take over this role and I will then join RMPA and lay a wreath on their behalf as they have only been represented once at Southport since 2004.

The Mayor of Southport is very pro RMP and sends me lots of information each year on all sorts of happenings within the borough of Sefton.

Have a great Christmas and a peaceful 2012.

Ed Beaman
Senior Lecturer
School of Forensic & Investigative Sciences
University of Central Lancashire

Royal Marine fatally injured in Afghanistan explosion

2011-12-23T09:00:00.003Z

A member of the special forces has been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan.

The Royal Marine was fatally wounded when the vehicle in which he was travelling was caught in a blast, the Ministry of Defence said. His family have been told.

The incident happened on Thursday south of the capital, Kabul. Most UK forces are based in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan.

It is understood the Marine was serving with the Special Forces but the MoD does not comment specifically on Special Forces deaths.

A spokeswoman said:

“It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that a Royal Marine was killed on Thursday 22 December, south of Kabul in Afghanistan.

“He was fatally wounded after the vehicle in which he was travelling was caught in an explosion.”

A total of 392 British troops have died since the start of operations in Afghanistan in 2001.

National Memorial Arboretum Parade 2012

2011-12-21T10:05:00.008Z

A message from Mick Seabourne,Vice Chairman,RMPA

For the last four years members of the RAFPA and RMPA together with as many Branch Standards from each organisation as possible hold a parade at the National Memorial Arboretum early in March, this is the time when the hundreds of snow drops that have been planted around the RAFPA memorial bloom.

Wreaths are laid at both the RAF and RMP Memorials. The National Vice Chairman of the Royal Air Force Police Association, Bernard Lamb, has again extended an invitation for all members of RMPA accompanied by their partners if the so wish, to attend the parade in 2012. Standard Bearers are particularly invited.

Details as follows:- Wednesday 7th March 2012 at the National Memorial Arboretum Post Code DE13 7AR

1030 hrs Arrival for coffee.
1130 hrs Parade to the RAFP/RAFPA Memorial
1200 hrs Parade to the RMP/ RMPA Memorial
1315 hrs RBL Alrewas for buffet meal. ( £5 pp) (If required)

Standard Bearers are particularly invited.

Details as follows:- Wednesday 7th March 2012 at the National Memorial Arboretum Post Code DE13 7AR

1030 hrs Arrival for coffee.
1130 hrs Parade to the RAFP/RAFPA Memorial
1315 hrs RBL Alrewas for buffet meal. ( £5 pp) (If required)

RAF Helicopter Pilot Who Crashed On 'Jolly' Avoids Jail

2011-12-17T10:04:00.003Z

The co-pilot of an RAF helicopter that crashed during a "jolly" - killing the pilot and two others - has avoided jail.

Ex-Flight Lieutenant Robert Hamilton, 29, who was left paraplegic by the incident, was on board the £20 million Puma when it crashed in a field at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, on August 8, 2007.

The pilot, Flight Lieutenant David Sale, 28, from Norton, near Stockton, Teesside, died along with crewman Sergeant Phillip Burfoot, 27, from Cardiff, and 17-year-old Army recruit Private Sean Tait, from Glasgow, who was serving with the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

At an earlier court martial held in Bulford, Wiltshire, Hamilton, originally of Northern Ireland, pleaded guilty to neglect in flying likely to cause loss of life or bodily injury. A further charge of wilful neglect was left on file.

Vice Judge Advocate General Michael Hunter imposed a sentence of 16 months' imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Twelve servicemen were on board the aircraft, which was on a trooping exercise, including three from the RAF and nine soldiers.

During the hearing the judge and five-man RAF panel, who decided Hamilton's sentence, heard extracts from a two-hour-long cockpit voice recording, during which Johnny Cash could be heard singing Ring of Fire over the Puma's speaker system. The crew could also be heard laughing and joking minutes before the crash.

Dr Michael Powers QC, prosecuting, told the court martial that the recording was indicative of the "totally unprofessional behaviour" from the helicopter's crew.

"During that period the common sense, professionalism and self-awareness seems to have broken down,"

he said.

The charge against Hamilton stated he failed to ensure the mission was executed in a manner which minimised the risks to the aircraft, its occupants or the general public over whom the aircraft was flown.

It added that he also failed to advise the aircraft commander accordingly and if necessary to offer specific guidance to avoid hazardous situations.

London 2012 Olympics To Be Protected By 13,500 Armed Forces Personnel

2011-12-16T07:46:00.002Z

Around 13,500 armed forces personnel will deployed to defend the London Olympics, the Ministry of Defence has announced.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said on Thursday that he expected 7,500 soldiers to be stationed around the Olympic venues in the capital itself, while the remainder provide security across the rest of the country at various events.

"This defence contribution is on a similar scale to that deployed at other recent Olympic Games and will contribute to ensuring a safe, secure and enjoyable 2012," he said.

"Olympics. Defence will continue to be able to support current and contingent operations during the Games and my priority will remain the troops we have deployed on operations, including in Afghanistan, before, during and after the Olympics."

There are currently between 9,500 and 10,000 British armed forces personnel deployed in Afghanistan.

There will also be a 1,000 strong rapid-reaction force ready to respond to emergency situations.

Hamond said the total venue guard-force would likely be around 23,700. The funding for security operations at London 2012 was recently doubled raising overall security costs for the 2012 games to more than 1 billion pounds

In addition to the troops, the Royal Navy's largest warship HMS Ocean will be stationed in the Thames near Greenwhich as a helicopter landing platform and to provide security on the river.

HMS Bulwark meanwhile will patrol Weymouth Bay, providing security for the sailing competitions.

RAF Typhoon jets will also patrol London's skies supported by helicopters from HMS Ocean and ground based air defence systems.

In November it was reported that the United States was considering sending 1,000 security agents, including 500 from the FBI, to protect its athletes and diplomats at the games.

According to the Guardian, Scotland Yard's response to the summer riots undermined US officials' confidence in the ability of Britain to police the Games.

Britain to retain its two Cyprus military bases

2011-12-16T07:34:00.002Z

Britain will retain both its military bases in Cyprus following the completion of a review of their operations, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said on Thursday.

He confirmed Britain's "enduring commitment" to the bases, saying they had proved their worth during air operations in Libya and as a logistic hub for activities in Afghanistan.

"The sovereign base areas are in a region of geo-political importance and high priority for the United Kingdom's long-term national security interests," he said in a written statement to parliament.

Britain has two extensive bases on the Mediterranean island, at Akrotiri and Dhekelia, which it kept when Cyprus won independence in 1960.

The bases would also play a role in the withdrawal of British military operations from Afghanistan, Hammond added, as Britain brings back its 9,500 troops by the end of 2014.

The Cyprus review, announced in May, followed an extensive examination of defence needs, which has led to plans for sharp cuts in military personnel and equipment over four years.

The RAF base at Akrotiri and the army barracks at Dhekelia cover 98 sq miles (254 sq km) or around 3 percent of Cyprus's landmass.

Britain has previously offered to return around half the territory if rival sides of the ethnically split island reached a peace deal.

The United Nations has been trying for years to reunite Cyprus, divided between its Greek and Turkish Cypriot populations in 1974 after a Turkish invasion of the north of the island prompted by a brief Greek-inspired coup.

On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council threw its weight behind a push by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to clinch a Cyprus deal, urging the rival parties to speed up talks and be more constructive.

Amphibious assault ship deployed for Olympics

2011-12-15T07:47:00.002Z

With 226 days until the 2012 London Olympics the Royal Navy have announced they are sending their largest ship up the Thames to stand guard.

The carrier HMS Ocean will be loaded with Apache attack helicopters able to drop marines anywhere a terrorist pops up.

Meanwhile MI5 are trailing the usual suspects in London and 12,000 policemen will be on duty during the global sports contest.

Branch Christmas Lunch

2011-12-13T08:25:00.005Z

At lunchtime today the branch will hold its third Christmas lunch at Glen Helen Inn.

The Glen Helen Inn has a picturesque setting, beautiful gardens and home-cooked food. It is located in a glen on the west side of the island.

Beautiful gardens lead through the glen to Rhenass Falls, an outdoor seating area, a large parking lot and an outdoor play area for children.Lets hope they can take Zimmer frames.

We are expecting 19 individuals to attend.

The change of location indicates our intention to spread ourselves around the island rather then limit our meetings to the Douglas area.

One has to feel sorry for other patrons as we are not the quietest to grace any venue.

We hope, Peter Dawson will be satisfied with the standard of the brussel sprouts this year.

PS
Great location, friendly staff, Great food and wonderful company.

UK Troops May Leave Afghanistan by 2013

2011-12-11T09:11:00.004Z

At a meeting of the National Security Council next Tuesday, David Cameron is expected to put forward proposals for 4,000 British troops to leave Afghanistan by 2013.

Under the proposal, around 5,000 troops would remain in Helmund Province in Afghanistan until 2014 when they too would leave. Nato is aiming to end its military operations in the country by that year.

The Guardian has reported that withdrawing troops is one of three options being considered by the prime minister.

Another proposal would see a total of 6,500 British troops leave the country in 2013.

Withdrawing troops is the method that is favoured by government ministers who want to cut the cost of the campaign.

However, any plans to pull troops out of Afghanistan more quickly would defy the commanders of the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF). They want every Nato country to avoid removing troops before the end of 2013 so that there are soldiers available for the “fighting season”.

The National Security Council meeting will discuss different scenarios relating to Afghanistan and how best to reduce troop numbers in time for Nato’s deadline.

The coalition government is also observing Washington closely. US President Barack Obama has already pledged to remove 30,000 troops from Afghanistan this year. He will make a further announcement either early next year or at the international conference on Afghanistan in Chicago next May.

Nato officials believe President Obama will announce another large troop withdrawal due to pressure from congress to end the military campaign.

One military source said:

“What America does next is key to keeping the coalition together. If the Americans stay, everybody else will. If the Americans look like they are racing for the door, then everyone else will do that too.”

Disgraceful lack of respect for heroes by Minister for Veterans

2011-12-07T08:01:00.004Z

The journeys to Archangel and Murmansk that British sailors endured during the Second World War to keep our then ally, the Soviet Union, supplied,involved sailing through a gauntlet of air, submarine and battleship attack in temperatures which plunged to –60C.

About 3,000 Royal and Merchant Navy sailors died, some 9 per cent of all those who sailed.

That, in a few inadequate words, measures the sacrifices these men made for their country as part of the effort to defeat Nazi tyranny. It summarises why the survivors, now veterans in their eighties and nineties, deserve a medal to recognise their heroism. And it illustrates why defence minister Andrew Robathan’s dismissal of their campaign for a medal was disgraceful, disdainful and disrespectful.

A strong charge, but for the avoidance of doubt let me quote Mr Robathan.

He said: “Authoritarian regimes and dictators, such a Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein, often throw medals around. North Korean generals are covered with medal ribbons.”

He added that in this country we give medals “only for campaigns that show risk and rigour”.

Such a crass comparison is staggering, and Mr Robathan should immediately heed the calls by MPs and the campaigners for him to resign.

He is clearly not fit to hold his position as minister for veterans. However, he was right in at least one respect. In this country we do award medals for campaigns of risk and rigour. That is why the government of which he should no longer be a member must award them to the few remaining veterans.

'Britain committed to Falklands' says PM so we are getting ready to pull out

2011-12-06T07:56:00.002Z

The Prime Minister recently vowed that the Union flag would continue to fly over the South Atlantic islands and the 15 other British overseas territories as long as the inhabitants wanted.

Mr Cameron made the pledge in response to calls for the Government to “protect, defence and cherish the loyal subjects of all those territories”.

It comes amid international pressure for Britain and Argentina to begin negotiations over the future sovereignty of the Falklands.

Military cutbacks have also raised concerns over the UK’s ability to defend the islands following a round of deep defence cuts, including the Navy.

But speaking in the Commons, Mr Cameron insisted that all 16 overseas territories

“...will remain British for as long as the people of those territories want to maintain their special relationship with us, and that the Union flag will continue to fly over the Governors’ residences.

“We are increasing assistance to overseas territories and, of course, next year is the anniversary of the liberation of the Falkland Islands, which will be a moment for genuine celebration in all overseas territories.”

Britain recaptured the Falklands after Argentinian troops invaded in 1982. Hundreds were killed on both sides in the three-month conflict.

Returning soldiers awarded Colours

2011-12-04T09:20:00.002Z

Soldiers recently returned from Afghanistan have been presented with Colours by the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (4 SCOTS) were away on a tour of duty when the other six battalions of the regiment received Colours from the Queen in July.

The ceremony took place at RAF Kinloss in Moray. It was the first time the former RAF base had been used for an army function since it was announced last month that it will become an army barracks.

Show UK Armed Forces How Much You Care

2011-12-04T09:13:00.002Z

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity has launched a new online campaign inviting the British public to join its ‘Thanks, Soldier’ campaign.

It will add thousands of supporters’ pictures to a huge Union Jack which, at the end of the year, will be projected onto an iconic British landmark.

Throughout this month the national charity wants supporters, fans on Facebook and followers on Twitter to show Britain’s brave men and women how much they care.

People can join up in just a few clicks, by visiting www.soldierscharity.org/thanks and adding their Facebook profile to the online Union Jack flag.

As the flag grows through the month, people can enjoy searching for themselves and their friends and, at the climax of the campaign the New Year’s Eve will eventually see their faces projected onto one of Britain’s most famous landmarks.

Celebrities including Fern Britton, Joanna Lumley, Gary Lineker, Ben Sheppard and Kate Humble have already added their photos.

The Soldiers’ Charity Chief Executive, Major General Sir Evelyn Webb-Carter, says:

“We hope as many people as possible will join our campaign to say ‘Thanks, Soldier‘ especially to those who are away from their families over the festive season. Go to www.soldierscharity.org.uk and be a part of it.”

Over the past year The Soldiers’ Charity has supported over 80 specialist charities and some 4,000 individuals. It has seen a 12% increase in the number of grants to individuals and a 17% increase in the cost of grants to individuals. The charity’s oldest beneficiary during the year was 104 and the youngest was 18 months old.

The average grant The Soldiers’ Charity makes is approximately £800. There has been a steady increase in the numbers of people seeking its help in recent years and expects this to increase with the continuing operations in Afghanistan.

Unexploded World War II bomb causes mass evacuation of German city

2011-12-03T09:35:00.003Z

Around 45,000 people will have to be evacuated during the diffusing of the explosive, which was found in the Rhine.

The 1.8-tonne bomb, which fell on Koblenz during a wartime raid, was spotted after an exceptionally dry November saw river levels fall.

Now the authorities have ordered 45,000 residents quit the city as experts prepare to defuse the bomb on Sunday morning.

An exclusion zone of more than 3.2km (two miles) is being imposed on either side of the river with everyone inside it moving out – including prisoners, elderly people at seven retirement homes and critically-ill patients in two hospitals.

‘This is the biggest evacuation in Germany since the end of the war,’ fire service chief Manfred Morschhäuser said.

'People are very relaxed about it, even though it’s nearly half the city’s population who will have to move.

‘Many have left their houses before in smaller evacuations for other bombs – we have found 29 bombs here in the last 12 years.’

The three-metre long bomb is lying just 40cm below surface of the river.

Sandbanks are being erected around the site, which also contains a smaller bomb and a smoke bomb.

Sir Winston Churchill Speech on Islam dated 1899

2011-11-28T10:14:00.005Z

The attached short speech, from Winston Churchill, was delivered by
him in 1899 when he was a young soldier and journalist.

It probably sets out the current views of many, but expresses in the wonderful Churchillian turn of phrase and use of the English language, of which
he was a past-master. Sir Winston Churchill was, without doubt, one of
the greatest men of the late 19th and 20th centuries.

He was a prophet in his own time. He died on 24th January 1965, at the
grand old age of 90 and, after a lifetime of service to his country,
was accorded a State funeral.

HERE IS THE SPEECH:

"How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries!
Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as
hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The
effects are apparent in many countries, improvident habits, slovenly
systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity
of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.

A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement,
the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law
every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either
as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of
slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among
men.

Individual Muslims may show splendid qualities, but the influence of
the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.

No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being
moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has
already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at
every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the
strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly
struggled, the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the
civilization of ancient Rome."

Source: The River War, first edition, Vol II, pages 248-250 London

Great Escape Recreated As Tunnel 'George' Is Excavated

2011-11-28T09:41:00.007Z

It was immortalised by the film The Great Escape - now a group of men have revealed the miracles behind the Stalag Luft breakout by recreating the famous tunnels.

Since the 1963 movie starring Steve McQueen and Richard Attenborough, the escape of RAF airmen from the German prisoner of war camp has become the stuff of legend. But many of the secrets of how 76 men escaped via a 100m-long tunnel from Stalag Luft III, a camp built especially to thwart an escape by such means, has remained.

A team of experts, archaeologists, veterans and modern-day RAF personnel led by Cambridge University's Dr Hugh Hunt returned to the site near Zagan, Poland, to find out.

They excavated for the first time the remains of "George", a tunnel that was in progress when the war ended, and the famous "Harry" tunnel from which the Allied airmen escaped on March 24, 1944.

Dr Hunt said:

"Although only a handful of men worked on the tunnel directly, the escape plan involved hundreds of prisoners who never really knew what the plan actually was. It was some people's job to move bin lids or wear their hat a certain way if a German guard was coming - but they never knew why.

"It took a year to dig the tunnel but for more than 70 years since then, 'Harry' and 'George' have remained undisturbed - and with them the final secrets of a remarkable story and history. We all came away with an appreciation of just how difficult - and dangerous - digging the tunnel must have been."

The modern day team designed a 10m tunnel, evaluated shoring methods, built the railway track and crafted digging tools and saws fashioned from bits of gramophone players, bunk beds and kit bags.

To make the real great escape, the prisoners led by Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, stole 4,000 bed boards, 90 double bunk beds, 635 mattresses, 3,424 towels, thousands of knives, forks and spoons and around 1,400 Klim powdered milk cans - used to engineer an ingenious ventilation system.

Dr Hunt said:

"It's simply amazing what they achieved given how difficult it was. But talking to some of the people who were involved, we also got a sense of the bravery, camaraderie and fun of it all."

The results can be seen in Digging the Great Escape, shown on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight.

British Forces Withdraw From Another Helmand District

2011-11-28T09:36:00.002Z

British forces in Afghanistan are to hand over responsibility for another district of Helmand province as part of a transition process that will lead to local police and army taking complete control of the country's security.

The announcement was made yesterday shortly after the Ministry of Defence revealed that another British soldier had been killed in Helmand – the seventh this month, and the 390th since the conflict began.

The recent spate of deaths in Helmand may reflect insurgent efforts to destabilise the province as the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, finalised details of those districts to be included in the second wave of transition.

Security for Helmand's provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, was taken over by Afghan forces in July, and the president said the Nad-e Ali district will be in the next tranche.

British forces, which have been stationed there since 2006, had been anticipating the move and have been gradually handing over responsibility to the Afghan police and army in recent weeks.

Under Nato's withdrawal plans, no western troops will be in a combat role anywhere in Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

The UK is already beginning a slow wind-down of operations, with 500 of the 9,500 troops currently in Afghanistan due to return next year. A much accelerated pullout will be needed after that.

The MoD said there had been an 86% drop in violent incidents across Nad-e Ali in the past 12 months.

But doubts remain over the professionalism of Afghan forces, and how they will be funded after 2014.

Chilcot's report delayed

2011-11-18T07:59:00.002Z

The Iraq War inquiry's final report has been delayed until at least Summer 2012 by a fight with government over the declassification of secret documents used in evidence.

Sir John Chilcot's inquiry had been expected to publish its findings by the end of 2011, but has now said it expects at least a six-month delay as it negotiates with the Cabinet Office over which of the reports used in evidence can be published.

While the government was reportedly cooperative over allowing inquiry members to see the classified documents, the inquiry has agreed to give government the power to veto the inclusion of some documents in the final report, which will be made public.

"The inquiry has advised the government it will need until at least summer 2012 to produce a draft report which will do justice to the issues involved," a statement by the inquiry said.

"As well as drafting the report, the inquiry will need to negotiate the declassification of a significant volume of currently classified material with the government, to enable this to be quoted in, or published alongside, the inquiry's report.

"That process has begun, but there will be a series of further major requests. The inquiry has made clear it will need co-operation from the government in completing this in a satisfactory and timely manner."

The statement also said that anyone criticised in the report, such as former Prime Minister Tony Blair or members of his Cabinet and advisory team, would be "informed of the inquiry's views and offered the opportunity to make representations to the Inquiry".

Royal Military Police receive Afghanistan campaign medals

2011-11-18T07:37:00.002Z

Personnel from 111 Provost Company, 1st Regiment Royal Military Police (1 RMP), have been presented with their campaign medals after returning from a demanding six-month tour in Afghanistan.

During their deployment, 111 Provost Company provided a vital military policing role in support of the NATO-led mission to prepare the Afghans to fully take over the security of their own country.

Often based on the front line in Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and checkpoints, the military police provided a range of specialist policing and security support across Helmand province between March and October.

They were primarily involved in working with and training members of the Afghan National Police (ANP) force, investigating possible insurgent activity, apprehending and guarding suspected insurgents, partnering members of the Afghan National Army (ANA), and also taking on an infantry role - going on patrols and manning sangars (guard watchtowers).

The medals were presented at a special ceremony at 111 Provost Company's barracks in Bergen Hohne in northern Germany.

Entire Mothballed RAF Harrier Fleet to be Sold to USMC

2011-11-15T08:03:00.003Z

A contract for the sale of all 74 of the recently retired Royal Air Force Harriers to the US Marine Corps is currently being negotiated and could be signed within the next few weeks, subject to a final agreement on price.

Although the UK Ministry of Defence has previously declined to comment, rumours of the proposal had been circulating for some months. A report on November 13 in the US Navy’s online edition of Navy Times confirmed the deal is now being finalised.

A two-part deal with the UK MOD’s Disposal Services Agency, one to purchase the aircraft and engines and the other to buy the entire Harrier spares inventory.

Following their retirement in December last year, the fleet has been stored in the hangars at their former main base at RAF Cottesmore, Rutland. They have been undergoing minimum fleet maintenance, including anti-deterioration measures, to keep them in an airworthy condition in order to make them more saleable.

The acqusition will give the USMC a relatively economical way of acquiring spares to keep the USMC’s own AV-8B fleet operational until their planned phase-out by 2025.

It is also expected that some of the ex-RAF Harriers will initially be used to replace the Marine Corps’ now ageing F/A-18D Hornets.

A Nation remembers its Fallen

2011-11-13T09:28:00.004Z

At 11am today the nation will stand in silence and observe a two minute silence in respect to the fallen in two world wars and recent conflicts.

But it is also a time to remember those who still carry the scars both physical and emotional.

This is a fitting tribute to those who survived and are still with us to remember how evil we can be to each other.

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Joe has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his likes again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

Afghan withdrawal ‘on course’

2011-11-12T10:11:00.002Z

Britain is on course for the planned drawdown of combat troops in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, the defence secretary has said.

Philip Hammond said although there were still details to be worked out, planning is now “within the context of the drawdown”.

Mr Hammond made the comments during a trip to Camp Bastion. After attending an Armistice Day parade, he met members of the Afghan National Army (ANA) at the Brigade Advisory Group, which trains Afghan army units.

The defence secretary was briefed about work being done with the ANA in preparation for transition.

“I think we are ready. The important thing is that they think they are ready and they will manage to do it,” Mr Hammond said.

“There are a lot of questions about the detail, how it’s going to work, but one of the things I have been very struck by is that everybody accepts we have this pathway to 2014.”

He said there were still questions about the “speed” and “trajectory” of the drawdown, but added:

“But nobody is really questioning that and now all the planning is within the context of the drawdown.”

Mr Hammond said he could see an “extremely good relationship” between British and Afghan troops, describing it as a “very practical and effective working relationship”.

He acknowledged differences between Afghan and British ways of working, and said transition had to be “sustainable”.

First tranche of Army unit moves confirmed

2011-11-12T09:36:00.003Z

As part of the first tranche of Army unit moves confirmed by the MOD yesterday as part of the Defence Rebasing Programme, 1,800 troops based in Germany will from January 2012 be brought back to the UK.

In addition, Army units will move from Cyprus while others will move location within the UK earlier than planned. This includes troops moving into former RAF bases at Cottesmore and Kinloss.

This rebasing follows the Ministry of Defence announcement in October 2010, as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), of its aim to return half of its personnel currently based in Germany to the UK by 2015 and the remainder by 2020.

The announcement also sets out how the Army is restructuring its regional divisions and brigades.

It is estimated that the rebasing of troops from Germany will save the MOD £250m a year - the additional cost of having the Army in Germany.

Bringing the forces currently based in Germany back to the UK will contribute around £650m per year to the UK economy, as wages are spent in the UK instead of in Germany.

The Army regiments moving location over the next few years are:

2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment (2 R ANGLIAN) to move from Cyprus to Cottesmore in Rutland in July 2012.

2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (2 YORKS) to move from Cyprus to Elizabeth Barracks, Pirbright, in July 2013.

7 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) will move from Bielefeld in Germany to Cottesmore by Summer 2013.

39 Engineer Regiment (Air Support) will move from Waterbeach near Cambridge to Kinloss in the summer of 2012, and HQ 12 (Air Support) Engineer Group will move from Waterbeach to RAF Wittering in the summer of 2013.

43 Close Support Squadron RLC will move from Gütersloh in Germany to Abingdon in Oxfordshire to colocate with its parent regiment (12 Logistic Support Regiment) by the end of January 2012.

Remembrance - the good and the bad times.

2011-11-11T09:14:00.012Z

This morning at 11am ex service personnel,cadets and members of the general public will stand and face the sea as the annual service of remembrance takes place on Douglas Prom.

The maroons will be fired and traffic will come to a halt.The church leaders will say their words of support and wreaths will be laid.

The memories of loved ones and dear friends will be remembered.

This ceremony in various forms will be repeated all around the world wherever British and Commonwealth troops are laid to rest or remembered.

And still the politicians wage wars in our name,in disputes that are none of our making with lame excuses that convince only those who wish to hear.

Once they serve their country they are handed a P45,a medal and for some a pension.As so often is the case they do not return to a land fit for hero's but to a system that views them as second class citizens who wait in line behind illegal immigrants and asylum seekers.

But ask those old soldiers and you will find they don't speak about the politics of war.They tell stories about their mates, the laughs and the time they spent together facing a common enemy.

Will young men and women stop volunteering......No.
Will headline making politicians stop sending our young to die on foreign fields.......I doubt it.

And the Last Post will be played.

" Rest in Peace"

P.S.
With a strong wind and a high tide we had to revert to the wet weather programme. The result being we got very wet.

Red Arrows pilot dies after ejector seat fires on ground

2011-11-09T11:04:00.003Z

A Red Arrows pilot was killed yesterday after being ejected from his aircraft while on the ground.

The RAF said a full independent inquiry was being launched into the incident, which happened at the Red Arrows’ base at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

The accident came less than three months after another pilot with the world-famous aerobatics team, Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, was killed in an air show crash in Dorset.

Medical teams rushed to RAF Scampton, the base of the Red Arrows, after the incident at about 11am yesterday. The Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance airlifted the pilot to Lincoln County Hospital but his injuries were so severe that he could not be saved.

The Red Arrows completed their final display of the season in September and are carrying out their winter training at RAF Scampton.

Speaking at RAF Scampton, Group Captain Simon Blake said:

“The pilot was ejected from the aircraft while the aircraft was on the ground.

“The director-general of the Military Aviation Authority is in the process of initiating a full and independent service inquiry to determine the cause of this tragic incident.

“It would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause of the incident until that inquiry is complete. “The investigation will determine the facts.

“The pilot’s next of kin have been informed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the pilot’s family and friends at this difficult time.”

The pilot has today been named as Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham.

May he rest in peace.

Of the Red Arrows Hawk T1 jets lined up on the Tarmac at a misty RAF Scampton after the accident, one had the front part of its canopy missing.

The Red Arrows have used the dual-control BAE Systems Hawk T1, with a top speed of Mach 1.2, since 1979. They are also used for training fast-jet pilots at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales, and RAF Leeming, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

During winter training each Red Arrows pilot flies three times a day, five days a week, beginning with small formations of three or four aircraft.

All members of the squadron change from their distinctive red outfits into green flying suits and overalls to mark the transition from performing displays to practising for the next season.

RMPA Branch Monthly Meeting and AGM - "Cat with no Tail", 2:30pm on Tuesday 8th November 2011

2011-11-08T08:14:00.003Z

RMPA Isle of Man Branch Meeting at “The Cat with no Tail”
Tuesday 13th September 2011 at 2:30pm.

This will be followed at approximately 3pm by the Annual General Meeting.

Paratrooper’s Body Found at Mortuary; Should Have Been Buried 13 Years Ago

2011-11-08T08:06:00.002Z

In a shocking incident, the body of a paratrooper who died in police detention more than a decade ago has been found in a mortuary. What that means is that his family buried the wrong body.

Christopher Alder, 37, was strangled while handcuffed on the floor of a Hull police station on April 1, 1998. An inquest revealed that officers "partially dragged and partially carried" him to the police station after finding him unconscious in the back of the police van. They believed he was "play acting or asleep" and cracked jokes. Five officers were cleared of homicide and misconduct over his death.

According to The Independent, Alder's sister, Janet, has spent more than a decade seeking justice for her brother.

The Hull City Council has launched an investigation into the affair, after finding that Alder's body was lying where that of Grace Kamara, 77, should have been. Kamara died of natural causes in 1999.

"I was made aware of a situation relating to the body of a man, who was in his late 30s, located in the city mortuary. The body lay in place of where Grace Kamara had been recorded as resting. At the moment I cannot explain this,"

said Nicola Yates, the Chief Executive of the city council, in a statement released Friday.

"I am appalled and distraught at what I have learned and in conjunction with Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, we will be undertaking a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the events," she added.

Dambusters Dog Spooks RAF Base

2011-11-07T09:49:00.005Z

Paranormal investigators claim the former World War Two base of Dambusters hero Wing Commander Guy Gibson is haunted by his dog.

He led the famous raid to destroy the Ruhr Dams in 1943 just hours after his black Labrador was run over and killed at RAF Scampton.

The pilot left instructions for the burial of his faithful companion to take place outside his office.

Over the years there have been a series of sightings at the base, said to be the ghost of his black dog.

Now paranormal investigators have been staking out the base, including his office which is now part of the RAF Scampton Historical Museum, near Lincoln, Lincs.

Trial Over Murder Of British Soldiers Begins

2011-11-07T09:27:00.003Z

The trial of two men accused of murdering soldiers preparing for a tour of Afghanistan begins in Antrim on today.

The veteran republican Colin Duffy and Brian Shivers are charged with killing the two soldiers outside Massereene army barracks in the Northern Ireland town two years ago. Sappers Patrick Azimkar, 21, and Mark Quinsey, 23, were gunned down in the Real IRA attack hours before they were due to fly to Afghanistan. More than 60 shots were fired during the fatal double shooting in March 2009.

The two soldiers were wearing desert fatigues in preparation for their Afghan tour of duty and were collecting pizzas at the front of their base when the shooting started. Two pizza deliverymen were badly wounded in the attack.

The trial has been moved to Antrim crown court because of fears that Duffy and Shivers's appearance in Belfast would spark a clash with loyalists. Belfast crown court has been hearing a trial involving up to a dozen alleged Ulster Volunteer Force terrorists who are being held on the word of a supergrass.

It means the two accused of the Real IRA killing will be tried a short distance from the army camp where the soldiers were shot dead. It is expected that members of the Azimkar family from London and of Quinsey from Birmingham will attend the trial.

Duffy and Shivers are pleading not guilty although it is unclear whether they will take the stand during the trial, which could last up to five weeks.

The prosecution is expected to call two other soldiers wounded in the attack as witnesses as well as the pizza deliverymen.

The case against Duffy and Shivers centres on DNA samples. The gunmen escaped in a green Vauxhall car that was abandoned in a country lane eight miles away. The vehicle was set on fire but only partly burned out as the killers accidentally left open a window.

Duffy's DNA was allegedly discovered on the tip of a latex glove in the getaway car. Soil samples from a holdall in the car – which contained camouflage jackets, balaclavas and ammunition – are also said to be similar to those found on a boot belonging to Duffy.

Duffy is being held in Maghaberry top-security prison and is on a no-wash dirty protest. Shivers, who comes from County Derry, was granted bail as he has cystic fibrosis.

The Real IRA has admitted responsibility for murdering the soldiers and trying to kill other members of the army during the gun attack on the base.

The murders marked a fresh armed campaign by the terror group, which reorganised after a series of arrests, thwarted bombing operations in Britain and the fallout from the Omagh bomb massacre in 1998.

Don’t overestimate rise in ex-forces recruitment

2011-11-05T09:47:00.004Z

Reports in national newspapers this week of a rise in targeted recruitment of ex-armed forces personnel should not be over-exaggerated.

Recently The Daily Telegraph reported that over 600 former gurkhas are being employed by a branch of security and facilities management firm G4S to guard rail facilities. On Monday The Times noted that most of the 520 new engineers telecoms provider BT is set to employ will have an armed forces background.

A spokesperson for an ex-armed forces online recruiter has stated that

“due to the profile of people in operational military environments there is a lot more public profile of people leaving the military”,

but that this extra publicity does not necessarily translate into an increase in demand or supply.

Be you ex-armed forces or not finding worthwhile employment in this day and age is going to be difficult.

Book gives a fascinating insight into navy call-ups

2011-11-05T09:38:00.002Z

If I told you that there were just over a million personnel in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, you might find it hard to believe.

But it’s true. Some 933,000 men and 86,000 women served the King during Britain’s darkest hours.

Although we had the finest navy in the world, the outbreak of war meant many more sailors would be needed to man the ships and Wrens to act in all different divisions of the Royal Navy.

So conscription, or ‘call-up’, papers were delivered to houses all over the country calling men who never had the slightest intention of ever going to sea to serve in His Majesty’s ships.

These men and women were to serve for the duration of the war and were called ‘Hostilities Only’. A recently-published book by Brian Lavery tells the story of how all these men and women, some complete misfits, were drawn into the melting pot of the wartime navy.

Many establishments are mentioned, from Collingwood to St Vincent, Bedhampton to Excellent and even Butlins camps. All were used to train these new recruits – and fast.

Every aspect of ‘Hostilities Only’ entrants can be found in this extremely well-researched book. A little short on photographs, the 286 pages are still a worthy read full of fascinating information.

Published by Conway at £12.99, Hostilities Only: Training the Wartime Royal Navy would make a good Christmas present for those who have a love of the Royal Navy and this period in history.

Defence Secretary outlines his vision for Defence

2011-10-26T18:27:00.003+01:00

Addressing SSAFA members at Banqueting House in London on 24 October 2011, Mr Hammond began by paying tribute to the role of the British Armed Forces and the 'magnificent job' they did helping with the liberation of Libya.

He added that the operation has shown the utility of high-tech platforms such as Typhoon, and high-precision weaponry such as Brimstone.

On Defence as a whole, Mr Hammond said that the Ministry of Defence is one of the most important departments of government, and also one of the most complex and challenging:

"But I know I will be working with the bravest, most selfless and professional people the country has to offer - the men and women of our Armed Forces," he said.

"And they are supported by some of the most dedicated people in the public service, the most highly skilled workforces in British industry and some of the most committed people in the charitable sector."

He added that his first engagement as Defence Secretary at Royal Wootton Bassett reinforced just how important the Armed Forces are to the public and just how important the support of the public is to the Armed Forces.

On the wider defence environment the Defence Secretary said that this is a difficult time for the country, and for Defence in particular:

"We are dealing with the toughest economic climate in a generation and the biggest budget deficit in our peacetime history. Against that backdrop, in Defence, we have also to deal with the legacy of an unaffordable equipment programme and a decade of operations at a continuously high tempo.

"We do so at a time when the threats to our national security and our national interests are evolving fast - and by no means diminishing. And at a time when our Armed Forces, including a substantial number of reservists, remain engaged in a dangerous and enduring mission in Afghanistan."

Mr Hammond described the mission in Afghanistan as a vital operation to protect our national security and said he would make it a priority to get out to theatre to visit the troops as soon as possible.

He said that the first focus of Defence must be the delivery of success on operations:

"The projection of military power is, after all, the raison d'être of the Armed Forces and the MOD; everything else is a supporting role."

The Defence Secretary said that it was his firm belief that when the Government asks the men and women of the Armed Forces to put themselves in danger in pursuit of national security, the Government owes it to them to make sure they are properly supported and have the best tools we can give them to do the job:

"In Defence, we now have a clear programme to deliver on this pledge," he said.

"The Armed Forces that will emerge from the implementation of the Strategic Defence and Security Review will be formidable, flexible and adaptable, structured to defend the country and project power abroad, equipped with some of the best and most advanced technology in the world.

"This is not a vision of retrenchment, it is an ambitious programme of renewal after a decade of continuous operations - a blueprint for a sustainable future as one of the world's most capable fighting forces."

Speaking about the anniversary of the publication of the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), Mr Hammond acknowledged that it had been a year of difficult decisions, but outlined what his approach to competing demands would be:

"I am determined that we neither compromise current operations nor constrain future defence capability, that we do not remove critical skills and capabilities that are irrecoverable, and that we retain the ability to scale up in the future if our national security demands it," he said.

"I intend to be a strong and passionate advocate for our Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence both within government and with the public. I will advance the interests of Defence and national security at every opportunity."

All I can say is....time will tell.

Injured soldier can stay in army

2011-10-24T08:26:00.001+01:00

The Ministry of Defence has quashed fears that the most seriously injured soldier to survive the Afghanistan war will be discharged from the Army.

Paratrooper Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson lost both legs and suffered brain and back injuries in a bomb attack five years ago.

The 27-year-old's family were concerned that, following a recent medical assessment, he would be discharged and the Army would stop paying for his 37 hours a week of rehabilitation.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman stressed the Para from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, was not being forced out of the Army.

She said:

"Bombardier Ben Parkinson was assessed by a routine medical board to confirm his medical status against the Army's employability standards.

"This board does not make decisions about discharge or retention in the Army. LBdr Parkinson is still receiving treatment and rehabilitation for his injuries and he remains in the Army."

LBdr Parkinson, who can walk up to 30 yards on prosthetic limbs and is working to improve his speech, told the Sunday Mirror:

"This is great news. I now plan to stay in the Army and do my rehab so I can walk and talk.

"I will also carry on doing charity work."

Army bosses have expressed concern that the large number of injured soldiers who were medically unfit for active service was diminishing the forces' fighting strength.

As a result of combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq over the past decade, the number of soldiers classed unfit for operational deployment has swollen to 6,600, more than 6% of the Army's total strength, figures earlier this year showed.

‘Bus ticket’ medal was in fact Distinguished Flying Cross

2011-10-24T08:14:00.002+01:00

When Second World War airman Jack Barrie died at the age of 88, his family decided to find out more about his collection of medals.

Mr Barrie, from Callander, Perthshire, who joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve at the age of 19, always told his daughter that his medal with a distinctive striped ribbon was for “collecting bus tickets”.

However, since he died in June they have discovered that his medal was a Distinguished Flying Cross, which was “awarded in recognition of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy in the air”.

After Mr Barrie,signed up he qualified as a sergeant navigator and was posted to 157 Squadron at RAF Valley in Anglesey, where he took part in night fighter raids in the de Havilland Mosquito, which was then one of the fastest and best-performing aircraft in the world. Night after night he guided his plane to the heart of German-occupied Europe and back home again, facing enemy fighters and anti-aircraft fire on a death-defying 60 missions.

He took part in 14 anti-flying bomb patrols, spending 45 hours in the air. However, he never spoke about his missions and it was only last week that the Ministry of Defence confirmed what the medal was for.

His daughter, Alyson Barrie, said:

“When we asked what he got it for he would always say it was for collecting bus tickets.”

“When we got the information from Dad’s service records and realised the medal was awarded for consistent and dedicated service we felt it did somehow tie in with his flippant explanation that he collected bus tickets, not sorties.”

Gaddafi’s death may liberate Libya

2011-10-21T10:24:00.003+01:00

Photographs of Muammar Gaddafi’s corpse, and the soul-searching about the tyrant’s demise, should not detract from the reasons why British forces were spearheading Nato-led operations in Libya.

The dictator, in power for 42 brutal years, was ordering the slaughter of his own people in Benghazi when David Cameron and William Hague persuaded the world to act and liberate Libya.

Like Saddam Hussein, who retreated to his Tikrit stronghold in northern Iraq in 2003 after the Allied invasion, Gaddafi ultimately fled to his home town of Sirte where his body was dragged through the streets, presumably by the very people who the tyrant once likened to “rats”.

Yet, while Hussein went on trial in Baghdad before he was hanged, it was not the end of the bloodshed in Iraq – the country was still in American hands at the time. The same cannot be said of Libya, where Gaddafi’s instantaneous death may spare the country of even more bloodshed and martyr status for the ex-dictator.

From a Libyan perspective, this may ease the country’s transition from a dictatorship to a fledgling democracy – the tyrant’s lingering presence, albeit on the run, was proving to be a formidable obstacle to Libya’s National Transitional Council, who should now set out a timetable for elections.

Conversely, Gaddafi’s demise means that he will never be held to account for his many atrocities – the International Criminal Court had a warrant out for his arrest.

This is painful for the families of those killed in the Lockerbie disaster and the family of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher who was shot dead outside the Libyan Embassy in 1984.

And likewise all those killed by the IRA, who were funded and supported by Gaddafi’s odious regime.

It will still require considerable diplomacy, nerve and foresight to achieve a lasting peace in Libya and the wider Middle East.

Far from being the end of Libya’s turmoil, Gaddafi’s death is probably only the beginning of the end.

Even Lord Nelson complained about cuts

2011-10-21T10:07:00.002+01:00

A letter penned by Admiral Lord Nelson, right, has shown that even the heroic British naval commander was not immune to the effects of government cuts.

Writing two centuries ago, Nelson complained about a lack of government funds for couriers to take news of his successful blockade in Naples.

He wrote:

“The Government would not pay £10 for me for any news, however interesting.

“I am anxious to hear of any movements of the armies. They are most interesting but I could not pay sixpence for the news of the greatest victory from the public purse.”

The rare letter, dated August 2, 1799, was discovered at a house in Lichfield, Staffordshire, and is addressed to the Honourable William Frederick Wyndham, British minister of Florence in the late 18th century.

The letter belongs to Hansons Auctioneers client Mark Berry and has been preserved by the family for 200 years. It will be sold on October 27 with an estimate of £8,000 to £12,000.

The new Defence Secretary and his urgent hit list

2011-10-20T09:02:00.003+01:00

The armed forces and the Ministry of Defence face a number of challenges that would test even history's greatest defence and war secretaries.

Some of these stand out as:

1) To reshape the military's structures, systems and capabilities. This should be done according to the decisions taken in the SDSR to place defence on a surer financial footing. Much of what needs to be done has been set in train, but it will be crucial that the new defence secretary ensures decisions are not undermined in the change-over, and that the process continues post-haste.He is therefore unlikely to reverse any decisions already made or in the pipeline.

2) To conclude successfully the military operations in Libya and Afghanistan. The US is looking to draw-down in Helmand more quickly than the UK. The defence secretary will have to make decisions about the rate of withdrawal, given the changing environment. In Libya, the UK will probably be required to perform an enduring support role developing Libyan security forces. The extent of UK military involvement will be a key early decision.

3) To ensure that morale remains high. This will be in spite of a difficult financial climate, downsizing and the onset of operational fatigue. This is not only a question of having a force fit for the fight, but over the next five years, as reforms kick in, there is a real risk that the armed forces will haemorrhage good people. Many senior officers already appear disenchanted, but it's not too late to keep the best.It should be remembered that the high command got us into the mess of Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.None have been sacked or retired early but this is because they did what the government wanted to protect their own careers.

4) To re-establish the credibility of the MoD. The regard in which the forces are held has rarely been higher, but decisions taken over the last decade have undermined the leadership. The MoD has traditionally attracted some of the best civil servants; but, recently, military officers have gained too greater a voice in the policy process. The MoD must attract good officials, support them and clear the way for the creativity the military show on operations to have effect in Whitehall. This is a job for Hammond and his senior officials, who must see that the ministry continues to work effectively with other departments.

5) To get a grip on defence procurement. The problems have been laid bare numerous times, and Liam Fox actually seemed to have initiated the remedy, bringing in Bernard Gray to oversee an overhaul. Continuing this work is of the utmost importance.In my opinion this will be a whitewash and the same companies will still get the bulk of the business and deliver late and above cost.

6) The new defence secretary will need to influence NATO. The alliance risks a post-Afghan loss of faith and many European allies have cut their defence expenditure at an alarming rate. Also, as the Libyan campaign demonstrated, the US may choose to stay out of fights that it deems a second order priority. America draws us into their wars but will not join us.

Fox To Make Personal Statement To Commons

2011-10-19T09:51:00.002+01:00

Liam Fox - who quit as Defence Secretary last week – is expected to make a personal statement to the Commons later today.

It follows an inquiry that found him in breach of the ministerial code over his friendship with the businessman Adam Werritty.

Labour is also expected to put David Cameron under pressure to make a statement during Prime Minister’s Question Time over what it calls unanswered questions and embarrassing revelations over Dr Fox's working relationship with the self-styled advisor.

Sir George Young, Leader of the House, has currently been pencilled in by Downing Street to make a statement on behalf of the Government following that session.

Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell's report yesterday criticised Dr Fox for ignoring the advice of senior officials over his links to Mr Werritty. It also found that by giving his friend access to his diary, Dr Fox created a security risk not only to himself but also to officials travelling with him on overseas visits.

And an "inappropriate and unacceptable" blurring of lines between official and personal relationships risked creating the false impression that Mr Werritty - who met Dr Fox 22 times in the MOD's Whitehall HQ and 18 times on trips abroad, and used business cards describing himself as an adviser to the Defence Secretary - spoke on behalf of the UK Government.

The 10-page report cleared Dr Fox, who resigned as Defence Secretary on Friday, of making any financial gain from the relationship or of breaching national security. Their relationship "did not impact on UK foreign or security policy", said Sir Gus.

Conservative officials confirmed last night that Dr Fox's office had formally requested space in today's Commons timetable to address MPs and that is expected to be agreed to this morning.

Coldstream Guards on BBC Four - Tuesday - 8.30pm

2011-10-17T09:54:00.003+01:00

The Coldstream Guards are one of the traditions the British Army can be most proud of, and television viewers will get to see why when the regiment take pride of place in a BBC programme on Tuesday night.

‘Regimental Stories’ has been delighting BBC Four viewers for the past month, and the Guards have the honour of closing the series when they feature in its fifth and final episode.

The Coldstream Guards are the longest continuously serving regiment in the British Army, and the programme, narrated by British actor Sean Pertwee and aired at 8.30pm on Tuesday, will go behind the scenes with the soldiers involved in Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

Insights include how the soldiers shampoo their bearskin fur cap and the extraordinary lengths they go to – with a blowtorch and some beeswax – to get the required shine for their boots. And then there’s the small matter of the Guards preparing for a certain ceremonial occasion – the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The regiment were formed to fight against the Crown in the English Civil War but they ended up playing a decisive role in restoring the monarchy.

Their reward was to become one of the King’s official Foot Guards and they continue to serve as a bodyguard to the Queen to this day.

They’ve become famous around the world for their scarlet tunics, bearskin hats and shiny boots. They are an unmistakeable part of the British landscape, as iconic as the Tower of London or a London bus.

The Coldstream Guards are a famous ceremonial regiment but they also serve as frontline soldiers.

Their contribution at the Battle of Waterloo, defending the strategically important farm house at Hougoumont, has become military legend.

They held the post against all odds, at one point forcing the gates to the courtyard closed against French troops.

The Duke of Wellington later said: “The success of the Battle of Waterloo turned on the closing of the gates at Hougoumont.”

More recently the Coldstream Guards were in Afghanistan, where five members of the regiment were killed in action.

The soldiers of the regiment were rewarded for bravery with four Military Crosses – more than any other battle group on their tour of duty.

This is the latest chapter in a history that inspires and motivates this long-serving regiment.

Hammond hails Fox on arrival at MoD

2011-10-16T09:18:00.003+01:00

The new Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has arrived at the Ministry of Defence for his first day in his new post - and immediately praised the record of his predecessor Liam Fox.

Dr Fox resigned on Friday as fresh allegations emerged about his involvement in securing funding for self-styled "adviser" and lobbyist Adam Werritty.

His departure forced Prime Minister David Cameron into making a Cabinet reshuffle, and he selected Mr Hammond to replace Dr Fox at the MoD, while Justine Greening enters the Cabinet to take his place as Transport Secretary.

Speaking as he took up his new role, Mr Hammond said Dr Fox had "done a great job" as Defence Secretary.

He added that he himself has "always been a huge admirer of the Armed Forces" and added: "I look forward to working with them. I will do everything in my power to justify the trust the Prime Minister has put in me by offering this position."

In a matter of days,Mr Hammond will have to put his name to a document that will spell the end of some of the Army’s most historic infantry regiments – always a contentious act and one destined to provoke an outpouring of criticism by MPs from all parties.

Wootton Bassett given Royal prefix by the Princess Royal

2011-10-16T09:04:00.002+01:00

Wootton Bassett will be officially re-named with the prefix "Royal" later by the Princess Royal.

The Wiltshire town will be granted Letters Patent in honour of its role in the repatriation of British military personnel killed in war.

Princess Anne will be received by the Lord Lieutenant, John Bush, before touring an exhibition and watching a parade through the town.

Up to 20,000 people are expected to attend the re-naming ceremony.

Wootton Bassett gained worldwide fame as its residents stood in quiet respect for fallen servicemen whose bodies were driven through the town.

The decision to rename it Royal Wootton Bassett was taken by the Queen following a petition from the Prime Minister David Cameron.

Todays ceremony will be attended by the Chief of the General Staff, Sir Peter Wall, and the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, Collingwood, will march to a piece of music entitled Wootton Bassett, written by Capt Pete Curtis, a Royal Marines director of music.

Weather permitting, there will be flypasts during the day by a Globemaster, a Hercules and a Vulcan bomber.

Johnathan Bourne, clerk to Wootton Bassett Town Council, said:

"I hope that many people will come to share this significant event for the town.

"A lot of hard work has gone into making this a really special day for the people of Wootton Bassett and I hope everyone enjoys it."

The first repatriation service took place in Wootton Bassett in April 2007 when the bodies of military personnel began arriving at the nearby RAF base at Lyneham.

Since then thousands of people have turned out to pay their respects to servicemen killed in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The last cortege passed through the town in August, after which RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire became the landing site for planes returning from conflict zones.

Liam Fox goes but plenty of questions remain unanswered

2011-10-15T10:04:00.004+01:00

If, you are wondering what all the fuss is about or wondering what all this has got to do with you or anyone else you’d be dead right in a way: it hasn’t.

Knowing why Dr Fox’s best man has appeared so often at functions, official or otherwise, that he attends, won’t create one single job for the million kids who are now without work or hope for the future.

It won’t help one family struggling to survive this horrific recession.

It won’t prevent the suicide of one small businessman who’s been turned down by the bank and is facing the financial abyss.

And that’s the point. These are the real issues the government should be concentrating on.

Instead they’ve been running around like headless chickens, trying to shore up their colleague’s job, and never mind anyone else.

Yet, if anyone asked questions about this in an effort to get it cleared up they were accused of ‘smear and innuendo’, although no one has really spelled out what this smear or innuendo might be.

This tactic is best illustrated by the comment made on Radio 4 by Fox’s political chum Chris Grayling.

“I think we’ve got past the point in politics where we needed to worry about people’s private lives,” he said.

I hope we have. Except when those private lives impact on the business of the nation. And then it’s all of our business because – in case Grayling hadn’t noticed – Liam Fox was the Secretary of State for Defence.

Not only had his ministry just issued redundancy notices to thousands of hard-working servicemen and women, they’d presumably forgotten there’s a war on.

Fox has now resigned – which is the honourable course to take. But we still need answers to all the questions. And the acknowledgement that it’s not wrong for us to ask them.

If they think the press will leave this alone they they are fools.The sunday papers will be all over this story.

Wreath laid in memory of RMP killed in action

2011-10-15T08:54:00.006+01:00

On the 4th October a wreath laying ceremony was held at Peel Cemetery in honour of a soldier who died while serving in Afghanistan.

Corporal Michael Gilyeat, 28, who served with the Royal Military Police, died in May 2007 when his helicopter was shot down.

The ceremony was part of a cycle challenge that Colonel Dudley Giles, Deputy Provost Marshal (Operations), who is due to retire after 32 years in service set himself.

Prior to his retirement, the colonel undertook an activity on behalf of the Royal Military Police Benevolent Fund. He set himself the challenge of cycling around the Isle of Man and the UK in order to pay his respects to the individuals who paid the ultimate sacrifice while he has been serving in the army.

Speaking before the ceremony, Jim Rafferty, Isle of Man branch secretary, stated the ceremony clearly meant a lot to Michael's family, and said:

‘It’s more important now to get behind our servicemen and women who put their lives on the line for the rest of us.’

Following his death, Corporal Gilyeat received a full military funeral in the UK before his remains were brought to the Isle of Man for burial.

The long-term effects of war

2011-10-07T07:38:00.003+01:00

This month marks the 10th anniversary of British military operations in the Afghanistan conflict.

A wide range of service charities will be remembering the anniversary and, in particular, the immeasurable sacrifices made by our servicemen, women and their families.

Since 2001, many members of our armed forces have given their lives and many more have been seriously injured. But it will be a long time before the full effect of the conflict is known on all those who have taken part.

As our soldiers, sailors and airmen return home, some will be carrying physical and mental scars that will last a lifetime. For some, their long-term care will fall to families and friends who will often require support themselves.

In the months and years to come, it will increasingly fall to service charities to help veterans and their families, young and old alike, including those who have served in Afghanistan.

It is important that we remember that the effects of war remain a long time after peace has been declared and that we all owe a debt of gratitude towards all those men and women who have served their nation, regardless of personal sacrifice.

Redcap Remembrance 2011 - 4th October 2011

2011-10-06T09:21:00.009+01:00

Redcap Remembrance 2011 is a cycling pilgrimage through the United Kingdom visiting the graves and special places of remembrance of the 22 members of the Royal Military Police who have died on operations since 31 August 1979.

It is being undertaken by Colonel Dudley Giles, Royal Military Police.

In March 2012 Dudley will retire from the British Army after nearly 33 years commissioned service with the Royal Military Police (RMP). During his time in uniform he has personally served on operations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Croatia and Afghanistan and, as a commander, I have also deployed my soldiers to East Timor, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Iraq. He states that he was fortunate. In that he emerged unscathed. But 22 of the Corps have not been so fortunate.

They lost their lives on active service in Northern Ireland, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. Some were his personal friends,all were members of a very special regimental family.

In September 2011 he started the pilgrimage around the UK in order to pay his respects to their memory. So he literally "got on his bike to visit their graves or, in the case of those who were cremated, the places of special commemoration. In doing so, he hope to give substance to the refrain “We Will Remember Them” and also endeavour to raise funds for the RMP Benevolent Fund which exists to provide practical support to the families that are left behind.

On Tuesday 4th October the Isle of Man Branch hosted his visit to pay his respects and lay a wreath at the grave of Cpl Michael Gilyeat, Royal Military Police at Peel Cemetery.

This is an extract from his blog:

Route Day Fifteen: Douglas – Peel – Douglas (Isle of Man)
815.16 miles completed so far.

Today was almost a rest day. A short cycle up to Peel from Douglas to visit the grave of Cpl Michael Gilyeat and then back along the same route. I was accompanied on the outward leg by Major Richard Phillips, a manxman, who took some leave from his job as the officer commanding the Special Crime Team in SIB UK to help organise things for me on the island. Our route took as along part of the famous TT circuit and although I tried my best I couldn't quite match the times of these boy racers.

The event was attended by eleven members of the branch.The Gilyeat family was represented by Mitchael's grandmother.Several others from the island were also present all having links with the Corps.

Liam Fox criticises Blair over Mideast role

2011-10-06T08:26:00.004+01:00

Defence Secretary Liam Fox has questioned the qualifications of Middle East envoy Tony Blair, who is already facing criticism from the Palestinians over his peace role.

Fox spoke at a fringe event at the governing Conservative party conference late Tuesday, ahead of a meeting of the members of the Middle East Quartet in Brussels on Sunday to discuss how to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

"Given his record as prime minister of the UK, I'm not exactly sure what the great qualities are of Tony Blair to make him such an exceptional international statesman," Fox said, according to the Politics Home website.

Blair, who was prime minister between 1997 and 2007, led Britain into the controversial US-led war in Iraq in 2003, as well as sending troops into Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led operation in 2001.

He was appointed envoy for the Quartet comprising the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia in 2007 but his role has come under increased scrutiny recently as efforts for peace have stalled.

On Saturday, Palestinian negotiator Nabil Shaath renewed Palestinian charges of pro-Israeli bias against Blair, although he said they had not submitted any official request for him to be removed from his post.

"His major worry is not to anger the Israelis, and therefore he ended just selling their programmes, their projects, and if he does that his usefulness would be extremely limited, to us," Shaath said.

"We have not as yet submitted any official request to take him away. We'd rather discuss this with the Quartet whenever we have a chance to meet the Quartet."

UK commanders ignored warnings about troops facing risk of attack by Afghan army

2011-10-03T08:26:00.004+01:00

British Commanders ignored warnings that their troops were at risk of attack from their allies in the Afghan army, it has emerged.

A NATO report warned that British troops are facing such danger from their allies in the Afghan army and police force that they should carry a loaded pistol whenever they are working alongside them.

The report, ordered after a rogue Afghan policeman shot dead five British servicemen, recommended that British troops should be armed with 9mm pistols at all times - even when sleeping due to of the high risk of being attacked.

The report also called for the British soldiers to have separate sleeping and living quarters from Afghan troops, and for all British "administrative areas" to be covered by armed sentries, such were the fears of further incidents.

But the rulings were never implemented amid fears they would lead to a breakdown in trust between members of the Afghan security forces and the British troops who train them and fight alongside them, the Telegraph reports.

Only eight months after the deaths of the five servicemen, three more British troops were killed when a member of the Afghan army ran amok in a rocket and machine gun attack at a patrol base in central Helmand.

Subsequent attacks by rogue Afghan soldiers and police have led to the deaths of 15 more members of NATO's International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF), that included American and Spanish servicemen, the paper said.

Also, three members of the Grenadier Guards and two Royal Military Policemen were killed, and a further six soldiers were injured in November last year, after Afghan policeman opened fire.

According to the paper, in less than two weeks after the attack, a "NATO Secret" post-incident report was circulated to commanders recommending the extra arming of British troops.

Iraq veteran to run for police commissioner in Kent

2011-10-03T08:13:00.003+01:00

The Iraq war veteran Tim Collins has revealed that he plans to stand as one of Britain's new elected police commissioners.

Collins, a former colonel who became well-known for his inspirational eve-of-battle address to his men in the Royal Irish Regiment, is putting himself forward for selection as a Conservative candidate. He hopes to become a Police and Crime Commissioner in Kent, where he lives.

The commissioners will have the power to hire and fire chief constables as they replace the existing police authorities.

The former officer, who was born in Belfast, said he was inspired by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Queen's Commendation for Bravery (QCB)

2011-10-02T08:40:00.004+01:00

Our congratulations go to Corporal Kate Lawless,Royal Military Police for her recent award.

A total of 140 members of the Armed Forces received honours and awards in the Operational Honours List published,30 September 2011.

The list recognises service on operations in Afghanistan and national operations for the period 1 October 2010 to 31 March 2011.

RMP receives commendation

2011-10-02T08:33:00.002+01:00

A Royal Military Policeman is to receive a Joint Commanders’ Commendation for capturing one of the most dangerous men in Afghanistan.

Corporal Steven Briddon, 30, of Colchester’s 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police, was responsible for arresting the main bomb-maker in Nad-e Ali district, a man directly responsible for the death and maiming of British troops.

Cpl Briddon, who was serving with the Royal Irish Regiment, said:

“We were in the area known as the Gardens, an insurgent hotbed.

“We were aware we were being watched and set up a checkpoint.”

A motorbike came along, and Cpl Briddon and his platoon sergeant drew their weapons and captured the rider. Almost immediately, bullets starting whistling around their heads.

He said: “I threw him in the ditch. I saw he had just received a call from a known commander, so I decided to extricate him under fire.”

The two soldiers got the man safely to Camp Bastion where they they found out he was a “jackpot” target – the lead bomb maker in the area.

Cpl Briddon said of the commendation: “It is lovely and my partner is very proud. It is nice to be recognised.”

Naval community devastated by cuts

2011-10-02T08:24:00.002+01:00

A senior naval officer has told of the heartbreak suffered by sailors who were yesterday told they no longer have a future in the Royal Navy.

Hundreds of sailors – some of whom returned from Libya just weeks ago – discovered they were out of a job as the Ministry of Defence slashed 1,020 naval posts.

Around 350 naval personnel are being forced to leave the service against their will.

Commanding officers aboard ships around the world had to break the news to their men and women from 9am.

A naval officer revealed the emotional scenes aboard a Portsmouth-based warship as sailors discovered their fate.

‘It was some pretty gruesome stuff".

‘For some of them it came as a complete shock and it has ruined their life.

‘Some of these men have got families in married quarters and have spent many years in the navy. To be told they are out of a job is very distressing and there were some pretty emotional scenes.’

The Ministry of Defence refused to release a break-down of the job losses but The News has learned 17 sailors are leaving the new Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless, which represents about one in 10 of that ship’s company.

The aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious lost 29 sailors, and two sailors serving aboard the Portsmouth minehunter HMS Brocklesby were told they were being sacked just weeks after returning home from the warzone in Libya.

More than 120 naval airmen based at RNAS Yeovilton also lost their jobs.

Devastation swept across the naval community.

A Photographer's View of a British Patrol in Afghanistan

2011-09-26T08:54:00.002+01:00

Lawyers Rake In Millions For Saville(Bloody Sunday) Inquiry

2011-09-25T08:37:00.002+01:00

The bloodshed of 30 January, 1972, prompted the longest-running and most expensive inquiry of its kind in British history.

The Saville Inquiry lasted more than 12 years, and cost the public more than £191 million, more than £100m of which was paid to lawyers.

Two lawyers earned more than GBP4m apiece, while the total bills for four counsel for the inquiry exceeded £12m.

In all, at least 13 lawyers earned £1m or more for their work, which saw 433 days of legal hearings in Londonderry and London.

The highest earners included Sir Christopher Clarke QC, lead counsel for the inquiry and now a High Court judge, who received at least £4.5m.

Edwin Glasgow, QC, lead counsel for the British Armed Forces, earned more than £4m. Gerard Elias, QC, also counsel for the forces, received £1.8m, while Alan Roxburgh was paid nearly £3m as a junior counsel to the inquiry.

Lord Saville received more than £2m in pay as a Law Lord while leading the inquiry, which took up all his time.

Cathryn McGahey, counsel for the inquiry, made £2.26m; junior counsel Bilal Rawat made £2.2m; Eilis McDermott, senior counsel for the families, was paid £1.4m; and Sir Allan Green, senior counsel for the Armed Forces, made £1.52m

The other £91m was used to cover a variety of additional costs.

A total of £26.2m was spent on accommodation and inquiry venues, and £106,000 on creating a “virtual reality Londonderry” to enable Lord Saville and his deputies to reconstruct the day’s events.

This article was first published by the Associated Press on September 23, 2011

Historical SAS records published

2011-09-24T09:14:00.002+01:00

Secret records from the earliest days of the Special Air Service (SAS) carrying out daring attacks behind Nazi lines in north Africa and France have been published in a new book marking the regiment's 70th anniversary.

The book includes first-hand reports from the special forces unit's disastrous first operation in November 1941, from which only 22 of the 65 soldiers who took part returned.

It also features the succinct orders for an ambitious but unsuccessful mission to "kill, or kidnap and remove to England" German commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in France in 1944.

The 600-page book, entitled The SAS War Diary 1941-45, collects rare and previously undisclosed documents detailing how the regiment was born out of fighting against Italian and German forces in the deserts of north Africa during the Second World War.

It goes on to describe the elite unit's role in the invasions of Sicily and Italy, as well as in the D-Day landings in France.

A former SAS soldier began the diary to preserve records and photographs of the regiment's incredible wartime exploits after it was disbanded in 1945 at the end of hostilities.

Its existence remained a secret even within the SAS for 50 years but it has now been expanded and is being made public for the first time.

The lavishly-produced book is being published in a series of limited editions, including one set of 100 copies signed by Sergeant Jimmy Storie, the last surviving veteran who took part in Operation Number One.

Viscount Slim, a former SAS officer and president of the SAS Regimental Association, said:

"The SAS War Diary is an icon. The fact that its existence has been a secret for over 50 years - even within the regiment - is incredible.

"I can think of no better way of marking the 70th anniversary of the SAS than allowing it to break cover."

HMS Exeter’s quiet exit angers Falklands vets

2011-09-24T08:52:00.003+01:00

Falklands veterans have blasted the Ministry of Defence for not letting them know HMS Exeter was leaving Portsmouth to be scrapped.

The decommissioned destroyer was towed out of Portsmouth Harbour on Thursday to be cut up and melted down in Turkey.

It was advertised in shipping movements but the MoD made no official announcement about the sale – which meant almost no-one who had served in the warship knew she was leaving for good.

Reg Cornall, who is president of the Exeter 82 association, said:

‘I’m furious that once again the MoD or navy assumes that they are selling a load of metal scrap without caring about the thousands of people’s feelings who have served on the Exeter.’

Len Brownsword, who served in Exeter during the 1982 conflict, did see the ship go – but only because his daughter found out about it on an online forum.

He said: ‘It’s very sad no-one else knew about it and could come to see the ship off.’

Exeter has been sold along with HMS Nottingham and HMS Southampton to Leyal Ship Recycling. The same firm is currently scrapping the old aircraft carrier HMS Invincible at its Turkish plant.

Southampton and Nottingham are due to leave Portsmouth in the coming weeks.

Exeter was one of the last Falklands vessels left. The only ship remaining now is HMS Bristol which is still in service as a training ship.

Joe Erskine, of the South Atlantic Medals Association, said:

‘We’ve had plenty of notice with other Falklands vessels that have gone for scrap. I don’t understand why this didn’t happen with Exeter. It’s a shame these guys couldn’t say farewell.’

An MoD spokesman said: ‘All Portsmouth shipping movements are published in advance on the website of the Queen’s Harbour Master Portsmouth and via a link on the Visit Portsmouth website.

Arsenal and Shrewsbury Town gave 'Tickets for the Troops'

2011-09-22T08:18:00.002+01:00

Members of the armed forces were guests at Arsenal's Carling Cup tie with Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night at Emirates Stadium.

A joint initiative by Arsenal and Shrewsbury provided hundreds of complimentary tickets to Tickets For Troops for the third round match.

The move, which was also supported by The Football League, was an opportunity for all parties to show some appreciation of the sacrifices that the British Armed Forces are making.

Tickets For Troops is an independent, not for profit organisation dedicated to offering free tickets for big events to servicemen and servicewomen.

Arsenal has worked closely with the organisation previously, making tickets available for a number of games last season.

Lets face it on currant form Arsenal should be paying supporters for turning up.

IED Search Teams honoured with new badge

2011-09-22T08:11:00.002+01:00

A new Search badge has been created to pay tribute to the brave Service personnel of the High Assurance Search Teams who search for and isolate improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan.

Known for their work with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Search Task Force (formerly known as the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Task Force), the Search Teams and their advisors from the Royal Engineers and the Royal Logistic Corps have one of the most dangerous and demanding jobs in Afghanistan.

The Search Teams are out on the ground in Helmand province every day of the year searching for IEDs in the most dangerous areas, which are then removed or destroyed by the EOD operators.

The badge was officially launched this week at Carver Barracks in Wimbish, the home of search specialists 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD) and 101 Engineer Regiment (EOD).

Around 250 soldiers were on parade to receive the badge, all of whom had recently completed tours of Afghanistan or were preparing to deploy.

Oval in design, the badge carries the word 'SEARCH' at its base with an eye and flame above it to represent the Search Teams' work.

The Adjutant General, Lieutenant General Mark Mans, who was himself a Search Advisor in the 1970s, presented the badges.

Ministry of Defence to compensate relatives of Bloody Sunday victims

2011-09-22T08:02:00.004+01:00

The Ministry of Defence is preparing to pay compensation to relatives of those killed or injured by soldiers on Bloody Sunday.

Fourteen people died after paratroopers opened fire in January 1972 during a civil rights protest in Derry.

Prime Minister David Cameron has already apologised to victims and said the shootings were wrong.

An MoD spokesman said:

"We acknowledge the pain felt by these families for nearly 40 years, and that members of the armed forces acted wrongly. For that, the government is deeply sorry.

“We are in contact with the families’ solicitors and where there is a legal liability to pay compensation, we will do so.”

Lord Saville drew up a landmark report last year which criticised the Army over the killings.

His panel ruled that the Army fired first and without provocation.

It found all 14 who died and the others who were injured almost four decades ago had been unarmed and were completely innocent.

The troops had also continued to shoot as the protesters fled or lay fatally wounded on the ground.

One father was shot as he went to tend to his injured son, the mammoth 5,000-page report revealed.

Soldiers later insisted they had only retaliated, in a bid to cover-up the truth, the document – described as “shocking” by Mr Cameron – said.

“We found no instances where it appeared to us that soldiers either were or might have been justified in firing,” it said.

“Despite the contrary evidence given by soldiers, we have concluded that none of them fired in response to attacks or threatened attacks by nail or petrol bombers. No one threw or threatened to throw a nail or petrol bomb at the soldiers on Bloody Sunday.”

Bloody Sunday was one of the worst state acts of the conflict and helped ignite 30 years of violence by the IRA.

Victims have spent years campaigning for justice and the revision of an original probe into the massacre which they branded a whitewash.

Erwin Rommel family’s anger at ‘slur’

2011-09-20T08:01:00.003+01:00

A new film about Germany's "chivalrous" Second World War commander Erwin Rommel has provoked furious criticism from members of his family who claim that its authors portray the 'Desert Fox' as an unscrupulous Nazi war criminal who was a favourite of Adolf Hitler.

As the head of the German army's elite Afrika Korps, Rommel won fame and popularity for his military successes against the British in North Africa. Initially admired by Hitler, he was widely respected both during and after the war. Even Winston Churchill once called him a "great general".

Defeated by General Bernard Law Montgomery's 7th Armoured Division, the famed 'Desert Rats', at the decisive battle of El-Alamein in 1942, Field Marshal Rommel wrote that his campaign against the British was a chivalrous affair and the nearest thing to "war without hate".

He was later alleged to have been involved in the July 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler. But he committed suicide after he was arrested by the Nazis and told that he would be put on trial for his offences and face certain death. In Germany and Britain he is still widely thought of as Nazi Germany's "decent" general.

In an attempt to explore the latter part of Rommel's life, Germany's SWR television channel is making a new feature film about him. Its director, Niki Stein, told Der Spiegel magazine that the film tries to portray him as the personification of a generation of wartime Germans who "realise only gradually and too late that the person they have served with such passion is a criminal".

The film,has yet to be televised. However, it has already provoked an angry response from Rommel's son Manfred (82), his daughter-in-law and his grandchildren.

In letters to SWR, the family complains that all the advance publicity about the film ignores the chivalrous side of the general and portrays Rommel as "an upstart, a favourite of Hitler and as a Nazi war criminal".

SWR is said to have been holding talks with Rommel's granddaughter about the film and more talks are scheduled.

Sailor who shot officer dead on submarine sentenced to 25 years

2011-09-20T07:50:00.001+01:00

A sailor who went on a murderous rampage on a nuclear-powered submarine because he held a grudge against his superiors was jailed yesterday for at least 25 years.

Able Seaman Ryan Donovan, 23, admitted killing Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux, 36, instantly with a shot to the head from an assault rifle as he ran amok on HMS Astute while she was docked in Southampton.

The father-of-four, known as Molly, had bravely tried to tackle Donovan after hearing the shots from the SA80 but he paid with his life.

His widow, Gillian, said nothing could ever replace her soulmate and father of Jamie, Arron, Bethany and Charlie and “the heartbreaking sadness for the loss of Ian”.

Prince Of Wales Launches Bentley Priory Appeal

2011-09-19T08:10:00.002+01:00

The Prince of Wales has joined the fight to restore Bentley Priory, the nerve centre of the Battle of Britain, by launching a £1.8 million appeal.

He has written in The Daily Telegraph describing the former headquarters of RAF Fighter Command as a unique part of our heritage.

The Prince says the site must be celebrated and enjoyed for generations to come.

He describes the Priorys history as a unique blend of wonderful architecture, a rich social history and the compelling effort of men and machines in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds.

Bentley Priory is from where Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding directed events in the summer of 1940 and it has faced an uncertain future since it became surplus to Ministry of Defence requirements in 2007.

Since veterans and campaigners won permission to convert it into a museum and education centre they have moved within touching distance of preserving the wartime rooms.

Although money has come from the Heritage Lottery, public support is needed to raise the final amount, which could see the Priory opened to the public in 2013.

Once again the public urged not to send Xmas mail to theatre

2011-09-18T10:29:00.003+01:00

Generous members of the public who show their support for the Armed Forces by sending welfare parcels to Afghanistan are being urged to stop and think and consider alternative and more effective ways they can back the troops at Christmas time.

The plea comes direct from military personnel at the sharp end of operations, and their message is simple: while they really appreciate support from back home, the mountains of well-intentioned mail cause genuine difficulties which outweigh the benefits.

For one thing, getting all the goodwill parcels to forward operating bases means that additional resupply flights and convoys have to be laid on, which places Service personnel at additional risk in what is already a difficult and dangerous operating environment.

Every time an additional convoy is laid on, more troops are put at risk of enemy attack. And that means that the delivery of eagerly anticipated personal messages from family and friends can be seriously delayed.

In a genuine attempt to give the troops a treat at Christmas time, often the types of items included in many welfare parcels are either already readily available in theatre or are simply not appropriate for the Afghan environment, and therefore can go to waste.

As the amount of post traditionally increases in the run-up to Christmas, personnel at Camp Bastion hope to highlight the unintended consequences of the public's generosity - and urge them to bring a little cheer to the front line in other, much more effective, ways.

Major John Leeper, Officer Commanding the Operation HERRICK Postal and Courier Squadron, based at Camp Bastion, explained the problem:

"For personnel deployed overseas, personal mail from loved ones is very important. Unfortunately though, the system can be completely overwhelmed by the public's generous donations, which results in mail from family and friends being delayed.

"It would be so much better if members of the public could channel their goodwill into making a donation to one of the MOD's recommended Service charities.

"These charities send out packages - containing items the troops really want and have requested - in a co-ordinated way which does not hold up personal mail, or put unnecessary pressure on resources."

Please accept this advice.

2011-09-18T10:04:00.005+01:00

Some old,some new photos about the work of the Corps.

Public Health Warning:
Switch off sound or you will end up in a straight jacket.

You have been warned.

RMPA Isle of Man Branch Meeting - September 2011

2011-09-17T09:48:00.002+01:00

RMPA Isle of Man Branch Meeting at “The Cat with no Tail”
Tuesday 13th September 2011 at 2:30pm.

The main items for discussion were:
"Exercise Redcap Remembrance".
Recent CENCO meeting.
Branch dinner.
JESA events for November.
Appointment of new Hon.Member and new full member.
Date of next meeting.

Soldiers quizzed by police in French booze cruise

2011-09-08T08:13:00.009+01:00

Three British squaddies allegedly went on a drunken spree in a French port and destroyed five boats, the Daily Mail reports.

They are reported to have stolen one vessel and crashed into four others, causing almost £100,000 damage and resulting in the cancellation of a national fishing competition.

They had been aboard an Army yacht taking part in a regatta in Chantereyne, France.

Three soldiers including a senior officer, took the Army's yacht, the "British soldier", and crashed into four other boats.One of the soldiers, Major Oliver King, was questioned by gendarmes in the marina, about the incident in the early hours of Sunday morning.

French police said all three men were drunk and King had a blood alcohol level twice the legal driving limit.They claim they arrested King and held him for 12 hours, but a spokesman for the Army Sailing Association (ASA) denied he was arrested and said he agreed to be questioned voluntarily.

French police commandant Jean-Pierre Mercier said that King, 38, from Caynham, Shropshire, had been part of the regatta on Saturday night.
He said:

‘All three men were drunk. The man we arrested, King, claimed at first he wasn't responsible. He was invited to return on the Monday when he had sobered up.
‘He then acknowledged taking the boat with his two friends and committed himself to returning with them to answer French justice and compensate the victims.'

Organiser Aurelien Mouchel said: ‘It was a total disgrace. There were 45 boats involved but, because five could not put to sea on Sunday, we had to cancel the event.'

A spokesman for the ASA said:

‘Everything has been blown out of all proportion. No charges have been levelled against the men. They borrowed the boat without the owner's consent, if you can call that stealing.'

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: ‘All those who are found to fall short of the Army's high standards are dealt with.'

On his Friends Reunited page, Major King writes: ‘I am still in the Army for my sins. Probably to offset growing up for as long as possible.'

Help for Heroes founder says MoD "difficult to work with".

2011-09-08T07:59:00.004+01:00

The head of one of Britain’s most popular military charities said it was regarded with “suspicion” and as an “irritant” by the Ministry of Defence.

Bryn Parry, the founder of Help for Heroes, which has raised £108million since its formation in 2007, told MPs he found it “very difficult to work with the MoD”.

Until recently Help for Heroes was “treated with a certain amount of suspicion and looked upon as an irritant”, he told the defence committee.

“It has taken an awful lot of time to convince people that we are not criticising but simply trying to help,” he said.

He also criticised the lack of care given to Service personnel suffering mental health problems caused by combat. “We have been at war for 10 years and these issues have been going on for a long time and we now need to solve it,” he said.

The defence community was “not as focused as it could be” in dealing with the long-term care of the wounded.

There are 458 Service charities in Britain, including many regimental associations, which have an estimated worth of £1.9 billion, the committee heard.

Much of the money was unused as there was an attitude of “waiting for a rainy day”, said Mr Parry. With the number of wounded now in the thousands, it was “raining” now and the money needed to be spent, he added.

Mr Parry said it was a “once in a lifetime chance to get this right” in terms of having the public support to improve the lives of wounded veterans.

“A serviceman who is injured should be positively advantaged and should immediately get the very best,” he said.

Sue Freeth, of the Royal British Legion, warned that after a decade of war the public was “coming close to the end of its willingness to contribute to people from this campaign”.

RAF Brize Norton centre hosts first repatriation

2011-09-08T07:52:00.002+01:00

RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire will host its first military repatriation later today when the body of a Berkshire royal marine is returned to the UK.

Sgt Barry Weston, of 42 Commando and from Reading, was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in August.

His body will be the first to arrive at the £2.8m purpose built centre, near Carterton, since repatriations were moved from RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire.

The cortege will pass a new memorial garden on the outskirts of the town.

Father-of-three Sgt Weston, 40, died on a foot patrol in Sukmanda in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province.
Special journey

Previously repatriations arriving at RAF Lyneham passed through the streets of Wootton Bassett where residents would line the streets.

Corteges leaving Brize Norton will pass through the newly named Britannia Gate at the base but will avoid the town centre of Carterton.

Concerns have been raised by soldiers' relatives over the level of support that will be shown at the memorial garden because people would have to make a special journey there to pay their respects.

Maj John Thorneloe, whose son Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe was repatriated to RAF Lyneham in 2009, said:

"It's one thing for people to turn out in the streets of a town and welcome those coming home, but it's another thing for people to drive into an open space, decide where to park their cars and do it as though it wasn't an involuntary thing."

The bodies of 345 services personnel have passed through Wootton Bassett over the past four years.

Stealth operation radio system

2011-09-07T08:13:00.003+01:00

A wire-free mobile communications system, which uses infrared technology to provide totally secure short-range voice communications for a variety of military applications, will be demonstrated by Link Microtek at a militry hardware show in London.

Other than the link from headset to battery pack, the system has no wires and therefore gives personnel complete freedom of movement, whereas conventional wired systems tend to severely restrict operator mobility.

The system's envelope of reception is well defined so there are no radio-frequency emissions, therefore making it impossible to detect the signals by any conventional method.

In an operational context, this means that totally secure, wire-free communications can be maintained on board ship whilst operating under conditions of radio silence.

Operators can either speak to each other or link into a main communications system via a central base station.

The low-level infrared digital encoding technology poses no health or EMC hazard.

Invisible tanks coming in 2013

2011-09-07T08:04:00.004+01:00

British defence contractor BAE Systems, in collaboration with the Swedish Defence Material Administration, has created and successfully trialled a technology that renders tanks invisible to night-vision goggles and infrared scopes.

Adaptiv is an "invisibility cloak" that projects images from the tank's surroundings onto panels on its exterior, aiding it to blend into the background, or allowing it to look like a different object, such as a 4x4 vehicle or, even, a cow. It works well enough to confuses spotter planes or ground troops from over 300 metres away.

The system, though, can only work at night, as it is only currently effective with infrared light. The panels on the outside use hexagonal pixels that can rapidly change temperature, therefore foxing night-vision apparatus, but not the naked eye. Therefore, it is not useable in daylight.

Previously, technology such as this was not capable due to high power consumption, but now BAE is confident its new system is much more efficient: "Earlier attempts at similar cloaking devices have hit problems because of cost, excessive power requirements or because they were insufficiently robust," says project manager Peder Sjölund.

"Our panels can be made so strong that they provide useful armour protection and consume relatively low levels of electricity, especially when the vehicle is at rest in 'stealth recce' mode and generator output is low."

BAE believes that the system could be ready for military use in as little as two years time, and that it could have other applications: "We can resize the pixels to achieve stealth for different ranges," says Sjölund. "A warship or building, for instance, might not need close-up stealth, so could be fitted with larger panels."

This will be a problem for MOD auditors and bean counters.We will be missing tanks that were there the day before.

Serb army general gets 27 years for war crimes

2011-09-07T07:53:00.002+01:00

A former Serbian army general and chief of the general staff of the Yugoslav army was sentenced to 27 years in jail yesterday by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.

The conviction of Momcilo Perisic (67) for war crimes and crimes against humanity provides for the tribunal a link between the Belgrade regime of the late Slobodan Milosevic and the former Gen Ratko Mladic, leader of the Bosnian Serb army during the Bosnian civil war of the 1990s.

Mladic is facing similar war crimes charges over the Serbian genocide at Srebrenica, the ethnic Muslim enclave in eastern Bosnia where some 8,000 men and boys were murdered in July 1995.

Perisic was convicted of murder, persecution and attacks on civilians in Bosnia and Croatia in the 1990s. The charges included helping Serb troops plan and carry out war crimes, including the murders in Srebrenica and the 42-month-long siege of Sarajevo.

He was also convicted of securing financial and logistical support for Serbs in Bosnia and Croatia.

Perisic is the first Belgrade official to be convicted for Serbia’s role in the wars in Bosnia and Croatia – a role the government in Serbia has always denied.

“Momcilo Perisic was found criminally responsible for aiding and abetting murder, inhumane acts, attacks on civilians and persecution on political, racial or religious grounds in Sarajevo and Srebrenica.

The court also found Perisic bore command responsibility for the shelling of the Croatian capital Zagreb in 1995.

To all my friend who were in the RMP Mounted Troop

2011-09-06T09:25:00.002+01:00

Army recruits star in documentary

2011-09-05T09:44:00.002+01:00

Recruits training at Britain’s biggest Army base are to star in a new BBC documentary.

For the first time, television cameras have followed a group of trainee soldiers from arrival at the Infantry Training Centre (ITC), in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, to fighting on the frontline in Afghanistan.

The four-part documentary, Young Soldiers, will begin later this month on BBC Three.

In the past, the ITC has been at the centre of bullying and abuse scandals.

However, the centre’s spokesman Major David Cunningham said the base had “nothing to hide or fear” from allowing television cameras in.

“Even if they did film something that went wrong, which I’m sure they would have, one of the great features of the Army is that it learns from its mistakes to ensure they don’t go wrong again,” he said.

Maj Cunningham said a number of requests for a documentary to be filmed at the ITC had been approved in recent years, but this was the first time a television company had been allowed to proceed.

Young Soldiers follows four young men as they leave friends, families and their lives behind to begin their Army careers.

The first episode features the recruits’ first day at the ITC.

The cameras follow the men, Ashley and Lee, both 19, Darren, 22, and 26-year-old Andrew, as they are woken at 5am every morning to learn about guns and grenades, ironing creases into trousers and the secrets of good hygiene.

The trainee soldiers are drilled on everything from personal fitness to keeping their lockers tidy, with some finding it tougher than others.

In later episodes the recruits learn hand-to-hand combat, shoot live ammunition and get a taste of CS gas, before passing-out and being posted to their units in Afghanistan.

The first episode of Young Soldiers is due to be screened at 9pm on September 15 on BBC Three.

MI6 'worked with Gaddafi regime'

2011-09-04T09:05:00.002+01:00

Evidence has emerged of close cooperation between British intelligence and the former Gaddafi regime.

Papers discovered in Tripoli apparently show that MI6 gave Muammar Gaddafi's security service information on Libyan dissidents living in the UK.

They also contain communications between British and Libyan security ahead of then-prime minister Tony Blair's desert tent meeting with Gaddafi in 2004. Britain is said to have helped the Libyan dictator with his speech-writing.

The documents, discovered in the Tripoli offices of former head of Libyan intelligence Musa Kusa, also show how the CIA worked with the Gaddafi regime on the rendition of terrorist suspects.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said he could not comment on security matters.

But he said:

"On the subject of these apparent disclosures, first of all they relate to a period under the previous government so I have no knowledge of those, of what was happening behind the scenes at that time."

UK MoD signs sub-lease deal for Cyprus Airways A330s

2011-09-03T09:16:00.002+01:00

The Ministry of Defence has sub-leased two Airbus A330s from Cyprus Airways, according to the latter's interim financial results document.

Early this year, Cyprus Airways announced a recovery plan to help it respond to what it described as the effects of the global financial crisis and intensifying competition on its main routes.

"As a result of the modification of the flight programme, one A330 aircraft was available for sub-leasing," it said in its results statement. "Following an agreement concluded between the Ministry of Defence of the UK and the company, the aircraft was sub-leased for the period August to November 2011, as well as the second A330 for the period September to November 2011."

The sub-lease agreement is likely to have been made to support the "airbridge" used to transport personnel and equipment between RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and the Middle East for operations in Afghanistan.

The UK Royal Air Force will receive its first of 14 modified A330-200 Voyager tanker/transports late this year via a private finance initiative deal with the AirTanker consortium.

Repatriation Honour moves to Oxfordshire

2011-09-01T08:19:00.005+01:00

From today the bodies of fallen soldiers will be flown back to the UK through RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

Last night a sunset ceremony marked the end of repatriations through the town of Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire with the flag on the High Street taken down.

It was blessed before being folded and laid overnight on the altar of St Bartholomew's Church.

This morning it will be handed over at a ceremony at the new memorial garden near RAF Brize Norton.

It will mark the end of an era for Wootton Bassett, which has seen thousands of people line its main street to pay their respects to those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What started as an impromptu event grew larger than anyone in the town could have imagined and Wootton Bassett soon became a place where families and friends of fallen servicemen shared their grief.

On August 18 the town fell silent for the 167th and final repatriation to go through Wootton Bassett when the body of Lieutenant Daniel Clack, 24, of 1st Battalion The Rifles, was brought back to UK soil.

Servicemen and women killed on operations have been flown into RAF Lyneham since April 2007 when RAF Brize Norton was closed for runway repairs.

David Cameron offered a "heartfelt thank you'' to the people of Wootton Bassett yesterday for honouring fallen British troops over the past four years.

The Prime Minister said he had asked to be driven the route that families will take under the new arrangements for the repatriation of fallen British servicemen at RAF Brize Norton.

Asked about concerns that there would be less opportunity for members of the public to pay their respects to the dead under the new arrangements, he said:

"The route that's been chosen has been chosen sensitively and carefully. I hope people will give this a chance to see if it works.'

"What happened at Wootton Bassett was spontaneous. It was a very beautiful thing."

RAF staff told of redundancies

2011-08-31T07:48:00.003+01:00

Hundreds of RAF staff will be sacked this week, with those supporting operations in Libya at risk of the axe.

Ground crew and support staff will not be immune from the job cuts, although the posts of pilots flying missions in Libyan airspace are protected.
Related articles

The redundancies mark the first wave of the coalition's cuts to service personnel as part of the effort to tackle the deficit and bring the defence budget under control.

Almost 1,000 RAF personnel will find out tomorrow whether they have lost their jobs, along with a similar number from the Army.

The plans to cut the posts were announced earlier this year and form part of a programme which could see 11,000 redundancies across the RAF, Army and Royal Navy by April 2015.

Personnel receiving the operational allowance, serving on the front lines in Libya and Afghanistan, will be exempt from the sack. But support staff could still lose their jobs.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said:

"Anyone in receipt of operational allowance on the day redundancy notices are issued is not eligible to be made redundant unless they apply.

"This includes personnel operating within the landmass, airspace and territorial waters of Libya."

Soldiers who are deployed in Afghanistan, about to deploy to the country or who have recently returned from duty there are also protected from redundancy.

Write-offs by Defence Ministry hit £110m

2011-08-30T07:39:00.002+01:00

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) wrote off more than £110m in losses last year, including the cost of settling a dispute over furniture and donating helmets and body armour to Uganda.

The department’s annual accounts also show that some £10.2m of spending in 2010/11 was counted as “fruitless payments”.

The losses come as the MoD is facing 17,000 job losses due to massive cuts in its £34bn budget following the strategic defence and security review (SDSR).

The write-offs include a £1.7m out-of-court settlement with a furniture company at the end of a contract.

A crash involving a warhead at the Naval Air Warfare Centre in China Lake, California, cost more than £1m.

The grounding of HMS Astute in Skye last October is expected to cost another £2.3m, the accounts show.

This year’s losses also include a gift of fibreglass helmets and body armour to the Ugandan government. It cost almost £1.7m.

Just over £57m was written off as “constructive losses” – mainly cancelled projects.

As well as the £110m lost in 2010-11, the accounts recorded further losses of £6.5m which will be signed off in future years.

They include the cost of scrapping Nimrod and the withdrawal of the Harrier fleet of jets – both announced by Defence Secretary Liam Fox in the SDSR.

An MoD spokeswoman said:

“As we acknowledged in our response to the NAO’s (National Audit Office) report in June, the Ministry of Defence has not managed its resources well for many years.

“That said, the NAO has now rightly acknowledged that improvements have been made to the MoD’s inventory processes.

“The Defence Secretary recently announced major defence reforms to deliver clearer structures and accountability across the department that should see marked improvements in the MoD’s inventory management.”

Royal Military Police train Afghan Local Police in Lashkar Gah

2011-08-28T09:07:00.004+01:00

Royal Military Police with Theater Provost Group have been busy recently helping turn Afghan locals into Afghan Local Police at Patrol Base Bolan-T, Lashkar Gah District, Helmand province.

The military police run a ten-day course that helps an average of 20 Afghan locals per class with little to no knowledge of policing become trained ALP officers able to handle the security needs of their home communities.

“The Afghan Local Police is a great success story,” said Lance Cpl. Marcel Gallinger, a policeman with 30 Commando, Royal Police Troop, from Cornwall, England. “These are people from the area who are selected by the community that want to protect it.”

The ALP are selected by the local populace in their home communities. Having the community select its own security personnel provides natural advantages, including a more local relationship with citizens. The ALP also know the local community and are able to identify suspicious or unwelcome activity and deal with local issues more easily.

When a community is ready to setup an ALP station, the Royal Military Police trainers travel to the nearest PB to the community to conduct the training course.

There the selectees learn the basics of policing including Afghan law, counter-narcotics, improvised explosive device identification, weapons familiarization, and first aid.

“It is great to see how much the Afghan locals seem so intrigued to learn,” said Gallinger. “At the end of the training we have an exercise where they have to use all the skills they have been taught to be applied in a training environment.”

The final exercise entails searching personnel, looking for IED’s and treating simulated casualties. The ALP trainees have to react to simulated attacks and small arms fire and set up security to counteract the threat. They also need to demonstrate an ability to identify evidence and properly handle it.

After completing the training the new Afghan Local Police officers are assigned to stations in their home communities, where they are further mentored by more seasoned officers.

“We give them basics on how to conduct themselves professionally and ethically,” said Gallinger. “Once they get to their stations they will continue to learn from more senior personnel who have more experience.”

With the turnover of security responsibility in the Helmand capital District of Lashkar Gah from coalition forces to the Afghan National Security Forces the ALP will play an even more prominent role in their communities.

“The idea of the local police is a great tool for Afghanistan,” said Cpl. Andrew Misell, 111 Provost Company, Royal Military Police, from Manchester. “They will work with other forces to prevent insurgent activity. They are the first line of defense for their communities.”

TRIBUTES TO SAS HERO JOHN McALEESE

2011-08-28T08:53:00.003+01:00

Tributes poured in last night for one of Britain’s greatest soldiers.

SAS hero John McAleese, who famously led the daring hostage rescue raid on the Iranian Embassy in 1980, died on Friday while working in Thessalonika, Greece.

The special forces legend – seen by millions on live TV as he and his team stormed the building – is believed to have suffered a heart attack and died in his sleep.

Daughter Hayley, 28, led tributes, saying he could now rest in peace alongside his soldier son Paul, 29, who died in a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan two years ago, leaving his father devastated.

She said:

“He never got over it. I am sure the grief and stress he had suffered had a bearing on what has happened.

He is now reunited with his son. Two great heroes taking their place in heaven.”

An MoD spokesman described the 62-year-old dad-of-four as “a hero who served his country bravely and professionally”.

Fellow SAS legend Andy McNab said: “I knew John very well and I also knew his son Paul. John took it very hard when he died and it’s fair to say he never got over it.”

As well as leading the embassy raid, saving 19 hostages, “Mac” worked as a bodyguard to three British Prime Ministers.

He once said of the embassy raid: “We knew what those guys were like

“They were on our home soil…it was like they were invaders.”

May he Rest in Peace.

British Military Tournament 2011 tickets on sale

2011-08-27T10:55:00.007+01:00

Tickets are on sale for the second British Military Tournament, to be held at Earls Court on December 2-4.

The new show, which will benefit services charities, will use the ‘special relationship' between Britain and the USA as a theme, with musical and theatrical re-enactment of 250 years of British and American military history.

More than 700 people are taking part, plus some 100 horses, and the programme includes displays such as the Musical Drive of The King's Troop RHA, the White Helmets stunt riders, the Field Gun Run and the re-creation of a dramatic scene in Helmand Province.

Gen Sir David Richards, Chief of the Defence Staff, comments:

‘Given the nature of our ongoing operations, it is only appropriate that the theme is a celebration of the close military ties between the UK and the USA. These ties have never been stronger. The participation in this year's event of soldiers from the US Army Europe and the US Army Drill Team will be very welcome.'

Last year's inaugural show attracted an audience of more than 50,000.

Tickets start from £29.75 Tel:0844 248 5026

Website: www.britishmilitarytournament.com

POW Camp that held Rommel's men surrenders its secrets

2011-08-26T08:08:00.003+01:00

A trove of Second World War memorabilia from soldiers of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps captured by the British at El Alamein has been discovered in an archaeological dig at the wilderness camp where they were held.

Red Cross tins, old letters, photographs of their time as prisoners of war (PoWs), uniform buttons and mess tins are being thrown up by excavators at the Whitewater Camp in Manitoba, Canada, where 500 Wehrmacht soldiers were held after their defeat by the British in the western desert in November 1942.

Rommel's troops, deprived of resources because Adolf Hitler wanted it for his eastern front, were defeated by British forces under Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery.

However there was no room for his captives in overflowing British Army administered prison camps in Africa or Europe so they volunteered to be shipped to Whitewater in the Riding Mountain National Park which was built the following year.

Now their life thousands of miles from the battlefront and Nazi Germany is being pieced together.

The evidence suggests the Germans were happy at the camp and glad to be out of the war. "The Whitewater Camp is unique in the history of the Second World War," said Adrian Myers, one of the archaeologists involved in the dig. "They volunteered to come here on the understanding that they would agree to work hard once they arrived."

Most were employed as lumberjacks felling pine and spruce trees for firewood and building materials in the forests surrounding the camp.

It was the only prison run by the Allies in the Second World War not to have any fences or barbed wire; so remote was the location that there was nowhere for the men to run except into the wilderness and almost certain death.

Former inmates have been traced back to Germany by the researchers. They speak of warm clothing, copious food and fair treatment - despite the propaganda of their Nazi masters who told them only hard labour and death awaited them.

They formed a choir, sports associations and reading clubs in their spare time and many wrote home to relatives of their "good treatment" at the hands of the Canadians.

Much of the digging has centred on the rubbish pits of the prisoners.

"What really surprised us is the number of personal grooming and hygiene articles we have found. These 500 guys lived deep in the forest, miles and miles from any women, and they were keen to look and smell their best at all times."

Klaus Meyer, a pensioner living near Cologne, was held there and contacted by the archaeologists.

He said:

"There are only a few of us left. It was hard work but the fresh air and the vast open spaces, these impressions have been with me ever since.

"Escape was impossible. So we made the best of it. The treatment was very good on the whole. We weren't die-hard Nazis; we were young soldiers who got caught and wanted to go home when the war was finished."

Also found in shallow graves have been the carcasses of small dogs. The prisoners were allowed to keep them as pets. Digging continues this month under the direction of the Brandon University Archaeology Field School. A digital model of the camp is planned to go online next year.

Where did the weapons come from?

2011-08-25T08:08:00.005+01:00

Military intervention in other countries tends to look like the honourable thing to do while atrocities are being committed against civilians.

Libya as we have seen over the last few months is awash with weapons, which is a danger to civilians in itself.

In recent years, huge piles of deadly hardware have been provided by EU countries, mainly Italy, France and Britain.

Yes, you have guessed it,it's my old friend British Aerospace.

They will already be seeking a export licence to supply arms and equipment to the new regime.Do not worry about this technicality. These goods will be listed as humanitarian aid.

And of course if you place a order within 30 days of coming to power you are entitled to the buy one get one free deal.

No pride,self control or honour with these boys.

They will sell to anyone with money.We already have lots of Libyan cash in bank vaults in the City of London.

Many people will be wondering how a government which cannot find the money for the most basic services here at home can all of a sudden spend tens of millions of pounds bombing yet another Middle Eastern country.

It seems like small wars are a habit the establishment here cannot kick.

Health and safety concerns at Edinburgh Military Tattoo

2011-08-24T08:08:00.003+01:00

A Royal Navy counter-piracy team has been forced to tone down its display at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo over health and safety concerns.

The team from HMS Montrose distinguished themselves in the Gulf of Aden last year, deterring many attacks by armed Somali pirates.

But the Royal Marines bid to recreate a successful boarding operation at the famous event was scuppered by officials who insisted they undertake appropriate “training” ahead of the tattoo.

Lord Burnett, A former Royal Marine who served as a troop commander in both 42 and 40 Commando, said

“I am amazed that the Edinburgh city authorities couldn’t have left it up to the Royal Marines themselves to make the decision themselves as to what is safe.

“It is a great shame that health and safety concerns are preventing the public from seeing first hand some of the fantastic capabilities of Royal Marine commandos.”

The Marines were sent to a council facility in Edinburgh before health and safety officials at the local authority and the Historic Scotland agency approved the display.

A senior military source said:

“Historic Scotland thought everything looked far too dangerous and the Marines were told to tone everything down. That included abseiling down the walls of the castle and the re-enactment of the fast roping on to the ‘captured’ ship. The Marines were also not permitted to shoot the pirates. Instead all the bad guys surrender. It is all a bit sad really.”

Lesley Brown, of Historic Scotland, which is responsible for Edinburgh Castle, said all the procedures in the show had to be checked against health and safety standards and

“risk assessed for impact to the castle”

Libya - Mission Creep

2011-08-23T07:50:00.004+01:00

Hundreds of British soldiers could be sent to Libya to serve as peacekeepers if the country descends into chaos.

Two hundred troops are on standby to fly to the North African state at 24 hours’ notice if needed.

The soldiers from 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers are stationed in Cyprus, about 1,000 miles from Libya.

A source said:

‘The troops have been on standby for Libya since the start of July. All their kit is packed and they are just waiting to get the call to go.’

Up to 600 Royal Marines are also deployed in the Mediterranean and would be available to support humanitarian operations.

David Cameron was forced to cut short a family holiday for the second time this summer, returning from Cornwall to chair an emergency meeting of the National Security Council.

Chester and North Wales Branch Chairman's Lunch

2011-08-22T07:47:00.005+01:00

Last week Chester and North Wales Branch annual Chairman's Lunch.

George Woodall,the Branch Secretary is pictured here sporting the Isle of Man Branch tie.

George is very proud of his Manx connections and when I donated the tie to him it was in the knowledge he would wear it with pride.

George was extremely supportive in helping us gain branch status and will always be remembered fondly by us.

I'll see you in a few weeks at Southwick Park.

Best wish to you and Olga. Jim Rafferty

Charity should begin at home.

2011-08-19T09:49:00.005+01:00

I received this post today and believe it deserves a wider audience.

I make no apologies for the content. The facts speak for themselves.

What benefit is it for UK to give away so much to developing third world, particularly when we ourselves are so much in the proverbial?
Comparative figures for France are £40 million , Germany £35 million.... UK wait for it...... £785 million.

How on earth can we afford this?

How can this Government justify aid to this all consuming "bottomless pit" We have had over 50 years of giving out hand outs and all its does is perhaps save a few thousand extra people in such countries, which usually due to war, weather or famine means the good old UK has to pay to keep forking out.

In all these camps you never see the healthy,well feed adult males. Basically we see adverts of kids having to walk 5 miles a day to get fresh water....answer to that is: move nearer the bloody well.Have they not heard of birth control,they find plenty of energy for that.

We cannot afford to morally balance the world...so why on earth do we bother....Oxfam should look back at the UK mainland instead of focusing thousands of miles away.

The so-called Cuts ignore the vast cost of the EU and International Aid. Nothing short of criminal.

In the last month alone we have provided aid to: -

Haiti - again ,
Chile ,
Turkey ,
Greece ,
Pakistan - again. . ..
amongst others

Our pensioners are living on a 'fixed income'.Receive no aid, or get any breaks, while our government and religious organizations pour hundreds of millions of pounds and tons of food all to foreign countries!

In Britain we have: Homeless without shelter,Children and adults going to bed hungry,
Elderly going without 'needed' medication and the mentally ill without treatment -etc.,etc.

Yet,they are requesting donations for the people of Pakistan.A country that trains British Muslim extremists how to bomb and kill us.

A country that ploughs millions into its nuclear programme!!!

A country with hundreds of millionaires who do sod all for their own countrymen.The same country that has passed laws so these rich people don't pay ANY taxes!!!

The same country where most of the aid sent does not reach the ones in need!!!

Something has gone sadly wrong in this country.It's not the young who have caused this problem.It's so called charities,politicians and multi national companies set to make a fast buck.What ever you donate only a very small part reaches its destination as corruption is endemic both at home and abroad.