Dont you just wish the UK public loved our forces as much as

[Ex-URNU-Student]

By the way is it true during the Falklands confilct there were queues of outside recruiting offices?

Anyone know?

[Col.Parsons]

I think the problem lays with the concept of extremism.

In the past decade, extremists have become the cause of a lot of terrorism, and that's one reason people don't want to be patriotic.

The other problem is that more people want to have a unified Europe, and don't believe in the British history. They think that we have had a millenia of war, and now it's time for peace.


I'm not against that, but it doesn't mean we can't be proud that we have actually helped to create a lot of stability in the mess that world is today. We might have been the "Global Police" in the past, but we were also great colonisers.

Without us, Australia would still be a dust pot, and a lot of nations would not be as advanced as they are now.


I don't think people have really taken stock of our past, and have only seen how much damage has been caused.

Without our past, we have no future.


Rule Britannia

Si

[may18]

By the way is it true during the Falklands confilct there were queues of outside recruiting offices?

Anyone know?

Dont know about that but i remember quite well the 'patriotic fervour' when they came home.

[BenChug]

Well there is that saying

No body likes the army.... until they need one.

Such is life, the US was under attack so the lads go off and fight, Iraq whatever the debates on that could go on forever whether it actually ever was a threat , quite frankly its too late now so just get the job done.

Last time the UK needed its troops truly?
I seem to remeber quite a bit of support around them during the Falklands but I was just a boy then. NI of course, that has had good and bad moments of support, such as bloody sunday or whatever int he US they are everywhere you see them guarding bridges and railways, much more public display with them on good behavior instead of the usually public image of them killing 'innocents,' in body bags, or just plain old fashioned drunken bar fights.

Just my two cents,
Ben.

[Wully]

I think if you read Ruyard Kipling's poem 'TOMMY' it will give you a very good idea of the attitude of civilians to the British serviceman.

[MyssL]

Unfortunately, I got a feeling Big Bart was right about the comparisons of football to army men. Has this anything to do with the media crap about UK forces ill-treating the Iraqi POWs (not my opinion of course)? I don't think so.

Then again, it has really only been this year (or last year) where people have been able to put out the British flag to support the troops - before being accused of racism. Sometimes, some people can't win!

MyssL

[Sticky Blue]

Tommy
I went into a public 'ouse to get a pint o'beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here.''
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:

O it's "Tommy this", an' "Tommy that", an' "Tommy, go away'';
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins,'' when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mr. Atkins,'' when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music 'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!

For it's "Tommy this", an' "Tommy that", an' "Tommy, wait outside'';
But it's "Special train for Atkins'' when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins'' when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

Then it's "Tommy this", an' "Tommy that", an' "Tommy how's yer soul?''
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes'' when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes'' when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints:
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;

While it's "Tommy this", an' "Tommy that", an "Tommy, fall be'ind,''
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir,'' when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir,'' when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an'schools, an' fires an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's "Tommy this", an' "Tommy that", an' "Chuck him out, the brute!''
But it's "Saviour of 'is country,'' when the guns begin to shoot;
Yes it's "Tommy this", an' "Tommy that", an' anything you please;
But Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!


Rudyard Kipling

[wannabe_bootneck]

That poem seems preety accurate on the whole, but I have been quite surprised how much support people have given for my brother being in the Marines & also for me joining the TA, people do really seem to respect it when in all seriousness.

[Wully]

Hi Styx, thanks for including the poem 'TOMMY' in the thread; I would have done it but I don't know how to move these things around the computer