War veterans - Page 7

jambutty · 22-06-2007, 15:11

Many kudos to Len for doing an excellent job in restoring this thread. Unfortunately the two pics I added to my last post did not survive the restoration. But no matter I will put them with this post.

Awarding a serviceman or woman a medal is just a cheap way of the government recognising what an individual has done for the country. But thousands of ex and current servicemen and women wear their medals with pride, as they should.

However blazey you are half right in your assertions that medals are not necessary if it applies to the generals, admirals and air marshals who sat behind desks deep underground well away from the nasty end of war, planning who should be killed or maimed next.

The civilians who got killed and maimed in the ‘Blitz’ are more deserving of recognition than the generals etc. safe in their bunker.

Quote:

We fought to have terrorism laws inforced on us and 'politically correct' crap.

We blazey? Getting a bit above yourself, aren’t you?

Finally, please leave this thread alone so that others who follow can see what sort (in some cases) of younger generation we have spawned. Fortunately blazey is the exception because most youngsters that I know don’t think like you.

WillowTheWhisp · 22-06-2007, 15:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambutty

Many kudos to Len for doing an excellent job in restoring this thread.

I'll second that - it can't have been easy.

bullseyebarb · 22-06-2007, 18:06

Well, this turned out to be some thread, didn't it? I believe I'll return to Piltymon's original intent by saying that I think we owe our servicemen and women eternal gratitude.

My husband served three tours of duty in Viet Nam. He was not treated with disrespect when he returned home from the war. He served there with men from all over the U.S. and the vast majority of them went on to live normal happy lives.....(Hollywood movies notwithstanding.) Having interrupted his university education in order to enlist in the Army during the war, he availed himself of the GI Bill upon his return. This government program paid for his tuition when he re-entered the university system.

I think many Viet Nam vets were treated badly when they returned. However, that seemed to depend upon which area of the country they came from. Nowadays, most Americans treat our troops like rock stars. Every time I go to the Atlanta airport, any inbound or outbound members of the military are treated to a spontaneous round of applause. I know how much they appreciate the support - since they aren't getting it in Congress or the major media. Americans have a network of private organizations, founded specifically to aid military personnel and their families.

This thread has been most interesting to read.

lindsay ormerod · 22-06-2007, 18:20

Wouldn't choose a forces career myself; but I have a healthy respect to those who do and find themselves posted to the "hotspots". For those who were forced to fight,it's a different matter entirely; my great great uncle was an Accrington Pal; lied about his age and didn't come back.His mates were going so he thought he might as well tag along. Many of these young lads had no idea what was awaiting them.
I can't see how there is any " honour" in having your limbs blown off.
Blazey; read some War poets; Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen have a very realistic view on this.

Less · 22-06-2007, 19:51

Thank's for sorting this thread out and putting it back on, after all since the great war it is worthwhile to remember the phrase, lest we forget, I will never be asked to make the sacrifice so many did, but under no circumstances should the efforts of many that not only sacrificed their lives but also what could be called a 'normal', life for the protection of future generations, they deserve far more praise than obviously some people can understand.

Eric · 22-06-2007, 20:55

I think it is a mistake to confuse support for a war, and support (both during and after the conflict) for the troops. One need not necessarilly support a conflict, but one must support the troops. Or end up apologising for not doing so .... like Jane Fonda ... over, and over and over. Like many Canadians, I oppose the Afghan conflict, but, like most Canadians I fully support the men and women of the Canadian armed forces who are fighting and dying there. There is no paradox.

My grandad Ashton fought in the first war. He was shot and gassed near Ypres. He got almost sod all for a pension. But he never bitched and whined. He was of a different generation ... no, a different time. He was proud that he had done his duty for his country and his comrades. And, on a lighter note, the biggest fight of his life was keeping my gran from dismembering me when I dropped his medals down the grate outside her house.

WillowTheWhisp · 22-06-2007, 21:49

Did you get the medals back or were they lost forever?

shillelagh · 22-06-2007, 21:55

My uncle died in WW2 and is buried out in Burma. I found his name on the commonwealth graves commission website and you can see where he's buried. Every 11th November at 11am i stop what im doing and shut up for 2 mins. To me that is giving respect to the people who fought and either died or came home from the war. I didnt know my uncle - i wasnt born until 22 years after the war had finished. Ive got one photo of him and thats of him in his uniform. My dad didnt go to war - he was in a reserved occupation - he was a farmer - and then he was brought over here to work in Liverpool on the docks. My mum told me stories of what it was like to live in northern ireland during the war and not far from the border to Eire - they could nip over the border and get stuff that was rationed in the north but because the south was neutral they still could buy it but would have to smuggle it across the border.

But soldiers, sailors and airmen/women should have something to show for being away from their families and for fighting in a war. Something to show that they were there fighting for our freedom. Dont you get something to show for your hard work in your exams well then why cant they have something to show for their hard work - maybe a disability or illness?

Like the story Eric reminds me of what my mum did to me when she found out i'd took my uncles medals to school one day - she went mad. Thank god i didnt lose them otherwise i think my life wouldnt have been worth living!!!! lol

Eric · 23-06-2007, 01:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Did you get the medals back or were they lost forever?

Lost for ever unfortunately ... but my grandad thoutht it was funny ... until the day he died, and he died in '51, he always had a good laugh about it. My gran got over it soon, she said in later life that it was one of the funny memories she had, in retrospect ... me, hanging over the grate, with the last of my grandad's medals.

steeljack · 23-06-2007, 01:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric

And, on a lighter note, the biggest fight of his life was keeping my gran from dismembering me when I dropped his medals down the grate outside her house.

can sympathize with that , when I was about 17 I "borrowed" my Grandads WW1 and my Dads WW2 medals and pinned them on my parka (it was the time of Sgt. Pepper etc) when my Dad saw them he went ballistic .......wasn't the fact I had borrowed them, it was that I had the wrong ribbons on the wrong medals that 'upset' him .
as an aside the medals are now with my Son for safekeeping , he keeps them with his wife's Fathers and Grandfathers medals from the same conflicts , but these were awarded by the Kaiser and Adolf

jambutty · 23-06-2007, 10:35

Everybody mentions the armed forces but we all forget the Merchant Marine. They went to sea in the sure knowledge that at least half of them would not be coming back. And those that did come back, went out again and again until they too went to Davy Jones’ locker. Why? To make sure that we had enough to eat and enough weapons to fight with yet they ‘fought’ their war without any weapons to fight back with.

The courage of the civilian sailors in the Merchant Marine is beyond reproach.

If you ever get the chance read The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monserrat or watch the film and read the book HMS Ulysses by Alistair MacLean, do so. It may be fiction but both books gave an accurate representation of what war at sea was like in WWII. It’s a pity that they never made a film of HMS Ulysses but then I doubt if it would have got past the censor.

Eric · 23-06-2007, 23:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambutty

Everybody mentions the armed forces but we all forget the Merchant Marine. They went to sea in the sure knowledge that at least half of them would not be coming back. And those that did come back, went out again and again until they too went to Davy Jones’ locker. Why? To make sure that we had enough to eat and enough weapons to fight with yet they ‘fought’ their war without any weapons to fight back with.

The courage of the civilian sailors in the Merchant Marine is beyond reproach.

If you ever get the chance read The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monserrat or watch the film and read the book HMS Ulysses by Alistair MacLean, do so. It may be fiction but both books gave an accurate representation of what war at sea was like in WWII. It’s a pity that they never made a film of HMS Ulysses but then I doubt if it would have got past the censor.

The Cruel Sea ... one of my favorite books and movies of all time ... HMS Compass Rose ... Indeed, it did bring it all home. I still have a Penguin edition of the book, bought it in Accy more years ago than I care to count.

alan7554 · 24-06-2007, 10:36

people seem to forget the northern ireland conflicts,not really a war but a lot of servicemen have died over there,i was lucky only got shot once but did 3 months and it was like hell, then to old for the falklands but put on reserve as i was in the t.a. but all war veterans no matter where they served and fought should be honoured,i got my purple ribbon whilst over in n.ireland,it did,nt do me any good in getting a job when i came out of the army, but i was proud to serve my country
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