Today

[powerdesal]

Today is the 6th June.

Lest we forget.

It would appear from the UK press that we have forgotten...sad     [:(]

[Clair]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/the-final-battle-remembering-ddays-veterans-841378.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2008/jun/06/5

[Clair]

Advertising guru steps in to help D-Day heroes return to Normandy

[woolybananasbrother]

It is a terrible thing that those men who die and who continue to die for Britain are no longer loved and respected as they should be. In Belgium, on the cliffs above Dinant is a tiny cemetary containing the bodies of aircraft crews who died trying to hit impossible bridge targets deep in the ravine. Their average age is about 20. It seems that the greed and the great 'I am' society have plus an insidious educational message have finally broken the spirit of the British people.

[Weedon]

Couldn't reply to WBs post as I got a strange message when I tried to, so had to do it with Clair's.

Couldn't agree more WB.  I watched a thing on TV the other night where it was said that a private soldiers pay was similar to a traffic wardens but went up when they were posted to somewhere like Afghanistan.  It increased by £2000 a year.  If we can't pay them well we should at least make sure that they have every bit of equipment they need.

 

[powerdesal]

Weedon,

I think you will find that a Privates pay (starting) is less than a traffic warden but gets closer (but not equal to) after training. The increase of £2000 (?????) is actually a tax free combat allowance that is only applicable when deployed to a designated war zone. I dont know  if it is per combat tour, per year or is pro-rata for the months "in theatre", I suspect the latter.

The part time Minister of Deference, sorry Defence is reported to have claimed that soldiers would be unemployable in civvie street.

see:    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1024810/Our-troops-arent-fit-jobs-civvy-street-says-man-whos-meant-fighting-corner.html

somewhere else I read that someone had claimed a Traffic Wardens job was more dangerous and hence deserved more pay than a squaddie, unfortunately I can't find that particular reference.

[woolybananasbrother]

[:@][:@]Can you imagine that a traffic warden would really put itself on the same footing as a serving soldier. Not fit to lick their boots.

[powerdesal]

The gist of the traffic warden comment was that they get spit at by angry motorists, some may have knives and that whilst soldiers have guns and "back up" they are on their own and unarmed, hence their job is more dangerous.

[Bob T]

I have known for a long time how ex servicemen are treated. I am a war pensioner and get free prescriptions for my ailment in the UK. Here in France I have to send the paperwork for any war pension medication to the consulate in Bordeaux. They seem to think that I am some sort of scrounger and have made me jump through hoops in the past to get reimbursed. Now they just take over a month to send me a cheque!

[Kitty]

Whenever I have mentioned 6th June 1944 to French people, they don't seem to know the significance of the date.  They of course commenerate 8th May 1945, the surrender date.