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THE SEQUEL

Date added: Saturday 17th January 2009

THE SEQUEL I really hope that you had a lovely Christmas, and that your celebrations reached your expectations and that now you are settled into this year 2009. You are no doubt wondering just why I wrote this story here for you that you have just read, and if you have already read it you may well have questions in your mind today, questions which I hope I, in my own simple way might be able to answer for you. As my status on Christmas day on my Facebook stated that, A SOLDIER IS FOR LIFE NOT JUST CHRISTMAS so if I may I would like to expand on that. For those of my many friends and others who might be reading this now you probably won’t understand what I mean just yet, but please stay with me and read on. To my own military family of friends, and serving servicemen and women you will understand what I am saying here, and I surround you with the love of myself and my family today. More than half a century has past since the end of the Second World War, and prior to that the First World War and countless conflicts since, all of which have taken thousands of lives. The old hero’s of yesteryear have long gone to glory in Heaven, leaving the young behind to remember and move forward with what the old hero’s fought for. In this 21st century we again see many conflicts and unnecessary wars taking place around the world, conflicts fought by our own sons and daughters, of all colors and creeds, young people, who have proudly taken up the flag in the name of Queen and this our country, and sent at the behest of this government to inhospitable and often hostile countries and who are seen as the hated enemy, and not as champions of democracy as said government would perceive. But has this self same Government treated these brave young men and women with the dignity and respect that they have earned and died for? Governments are known, as we have learnt for so long, that they have come to use words, words that can be made to fit their actions, but such words have little meaning to those who have lost so much in such a short time, and such words fall flat on the ears of the honest hard working public and voter. To the mums, dads, families, boyfriends and girlfriends of our servicemen who are reading this today I say to you especially, 'be proud of your loved ones out there in this theatre of war in which they find themselves, for it is not a theatre of actors, but REAL hands on players, whose lives are at risk daily from real bombs and bullets, what Caliber of man or women would freely take on such a role? May I answer my own question there? IT TAKES A MAN OR WOMAN OF INTEGRITY, OF COURAGE, AND HONOUR TO FULFIL SUCH A TASK, they have put themselves at the forefront of this present conflict in the name of truth and justice, for the freedom of that truth and justice, For they are there in our name, sent there by this, and previous Governments, in this and previous decades. I would say to this current Government this, 'YOU HAVE SENT OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN INTO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN TO DO AN UNENVIABLE JOB, AND THEY DO THAT JOB WITH HONOUR, INTEGRITY AND PRIDE, they do this because it is expected of them, it is their duty of honor and they do that to a man. IT IS YOUR LEGAL BOUND DUTY AS THE GOVERNMENT OF THIS COUNTRY TO HONOUR THAT DUTY WHEREVER AND WHENEVER IT IS NEEDED. Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson said at the battle of Trafalgar 'ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN TO DO HIS DUTY' We the British public of Great Britain also expect, this British Government to also do its duty to our service personnel, by the provision of the tools and support to enable them to do that duty. If you intend to put our valuable human assets at risk of death and injury in the name of freedom and democracy then they should be fully equipped and protected at all times to do so. Do not the rules of the European Union and the Health and Safety Executive come down hard on industry and commerce should such companies break health and safety law???? So in that thinking are our service men and women also not covered equally by such health and safety laws? Or are Governments exempt from such basics in the 21st century. The armed forces of Great Britain cannot be expected to function as a force for good unless they have proper provision and protection to do so. The top Generals and commanders are telling you, the Government this, time and time again, but who is listening to them? Who is taking the necessary actions to implement these tasks? When lives are at stake you cannot afford to take risks, and cut corners in any warfare scenario, history tells us that time and again, because if you do then you will not only lose the battle, but you will also lose the war, and the sacrifices of many will have been given for nothing. I for one do not wish to see that the loss of my beloved grandson's life will be for nothing. I don’t know if this is meant to mean something to someone reading this today, but at home now, as I write this to you, we have Emmerdale on the TV that we recorded on Christmas afternoon, and the words of Ashley the Vicar are ringing in my ears at the Christmas service at his Church who said in seven short words that, “WE’VE GOT EVERYTHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR”. Maybe that is God’s word for us all today in 2009. BE THANKFUL! And though in Gods eyes pride is a sin, but he will I am sure, forgive me, as I say to you all, our military families, and our public families, I say to you please! BE PROUD ALSO OF OUR SEVICEMEN AND WOMEN TOO. Let each family of Great Britain be PROUD and THANKFUL, that we have such brave hearted young men and women who want to join our services in the name of Queen and Country, and by country I mean every adult and child, young and old, each one a valued part of many communities, YOU, are worth fighting for, and they will fight for you if they have too. To remember is to never to forget. To hold is to never let go. To love is to deny your Self for another; all these three encompass what we should hold dear in our hearts daily. This is the sole reason for my writing the short story that you may have already read, how sad it is that humanity has such short memories or we might change our ways, or could it be “God forbid” that we no longer care enough about each other anywhere in this world that has been entrusted to us? Many families, both Military and not, will be remembering many loved ones today who are no longer with their respective families at this time, and God bless each one, and too, many will have a family member who has been severely injured in many ways, each one a critical case in its own right. Tragically, and the point of my whole story is this. That we also have so many other injured Servicemen who have been severely injured, but whose injuries are not visible, those who have suffered injuries of the mind, and such injuries are devastating to those who suffer from them, the tragedy is that many are not known to the authorities who have no knowledge of their whereabouts. They are becoming FORGOTTEN HEROS! THIS MUST NOT BE! They, like all our servicemen, must not be forgotten and cast aside; they are our family, the family of Great Britain AND THEY DESERVE BETTER. May I commend to you two websites that you may like to pay a visit to, one is www.combatstress.co.uk and the other is www.ptsd.co.uk These two organizations do a great deal in finding and supporting such servicemen and they are deserving of support as they in turn support our wounded. This will be God willing, the thrust of Operation Braveheart in 2009 as I find ways to raise support and awareness for our troops and their welfare through the various charities that support and care for them, this will mean the continued lobbying of Government departments and MP’s and this current Prime Minister. It will, I know, in the present circumstances be so hard to gather this support together, but we must not let the needs of our boys and girls be far from our minds. Sometimes it might seem that Operation Braveheart has stopped still, and at those times I will be renewing my strengths, but the resolve will not falter. Tears might flow, but my love is always strong, and I know in my heart that there will be many in my community and also in the country, who will, by their very nature, do their best to help me to see that Operation Braveheart continues its support of our servicemen into the future. Since the tragic loss of Daniel so many on facebook and visitors to my website have become closer than just friends, you have become a rock, a firm foundation for me to hold on to and I thank you for being there for me. Among you are those who know me personally in my own community, so they know firsthand how our community has been hit, as too has all the rest of my friends here. Our servicemen need you my friends, I need you too, because together in this brand new year ahead, we will I fear need each other in so many ways if we are to survive this recession that has befallen us. A word of support, a helping neighborly hand will no doubt mean so much to SO many people. It is my wish that each of you will find peace, happiness and a medium of prosperity in 2009, and always remember that commandment in the god book that tells us to LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF, and in one of Jesus parables it asks, WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR? DARE I suggest to you a Serviceman? GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE ALWAYS MY FRIENDS.