12.18.09
Posted in army at 12:44 pm by Les
A teenage British soldier sent a poignant Christmas message home before he was killed in a suicide attack in Afghanistan, it has emerged.
Rifleman James Brown, 18, was hailed as a hero alongside Lance Corporal David Kirkness, 24, after the pair died preventing mass carnage in a crowded marketplace.
In a batch of festive messages sent back to families from troops on the frontline, Rfn Brown, from Orpington, Kent, said: “Merry Christmas to my family, dad, Steph, Sam and Ellie, also to my dog Smuttsy.
“Have a good one. Also Merry Christmas to my friends who I am with right now. Merry Christmas.”
The pair, both of 3rd Battalion The Rifles, were blown up while manning a vehicle checkpoint just outside Sangin in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, on Tuesday.
Rfn Brown only joined the Army this year, and had arrived with B Company of 3 Rifles less than a fortnight ago.
Lieutenant Colonel Nick Kitson, commanding officer of 3 Rifles Battle Group, said: “He had been with the battalion for a desperately short time but was showing the promising signs of a soldier with a bright future.”
Rfn Brown’s family said in a statement: “You were a true hero and will be dearly missed. We all love you so much.
“You died a hero, living your dream, and you will always be in our thoughts. Your actions will always speak louder than words ever could.”
Two suicide bombers on a motorbike drove into the checkpoint and detonated their devices, killing the UK servicemen and two Afghan soldiers working with them. The Ministry of Defence said it was thought the bombers were trying to get into Sangin’s bazaar to launch an attack.
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12.11.09
Posted in army at 9:45 pm by Les
Homeless ex-servicemen and women in central London are to receive a helping hand this Christmas thanks to generous staff at MOD HQ.
Civilians and Service personnel brought in food, drink and other gifts to create hampers after a Corporal and Senior Aircraftwoman (SAC) in the Chief of the Air Staff’s office realised how close Main Building was to the Veterans Aid drop-in centre in Victoria.
SAC Donna Adamson and Cpl Andrena McElhinney sent a general e-mail around the building in November and were overwhelmed by the response.
SAC Adamson said “I expected we’d get enough contributions for a few boxes that we’d store under our desks, but so much came in that we had to look for a store room. In the end we had enough for 57 bags.
“The gifts are all high quality and each box, which contains about £20 worth of biscuits, drinks, chocolates, tinned food and non-perishables, will I’m sure brighten up the Christmases of many Service veterans who are residents at the drop-in centre.
“They have served their country in the past. It’s not for us to judge the circumstances they have found themselves in; we just wanted to give something back to former colleagues. I’d like to thank all those who contributed.”
Veterans Aid is a charity that offers homeless, or about to become homeless, veterans accommodation, food, cash and advice. In addition to the drop-in centre in Buckingham Palace Road in Victoria, the charity has a hostel in the East End.
Veterans Aid came into being in October 2007, but the history of helping homeless ex-Service personnel in the capital dates back to the 1930s when a canteen and recreation room for destitute ex-servicemen was opened at Belvedere Road, Lambeth, South London.
Additional accommodation was obtained, a hostel opened and a night shelter established in co-operation with other societies and, in 1933, the title ‘Embankment Fellowship Centre’ was adopted.
In March 1969 the name was changed to ‘Ex-Service Fellowship Centre’, the cypher ‘EFC’ being retained. During the year 2005/06 the charity provided nearly 20,000 nights of shelter.
Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Timo Anderson, said “It was a great idea of Donna’s and she and Andrena organised the collection of the presents. I congratulate them.
“Their efforts will undoubtedly make a difference and their efforts are ensuring it becomes a regular MOD Main Building Christmas event.”
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12.09.09
Posted in army at 10:31 am by Les
A MAN who marched at a Remembrance Day parade with an impossible array of medals was named last night as carpenter Roger Day, 61.
Neighbours said the keen amateur actor was once thrown out of his local pub in a row over an SAS badge he was wearing.
Mr Day denied he was a conman and said the 17 medals – including top bravery awards – were ‘pukka’.
But medals expert Martin Harrison said: ‘He would be world-famous and some sort of Rambo character – if he had been awarded them all.’ A drive to identify the mystery medal man was launched after he was pictured marching alongside brave servicemen at the November 11 parade in Bedworth, Warwickshire. Mr Day was tracked down to his home in Earl Shilton, near Hinckley, Leicestershire, where it emerged that he is a regular churchgoer who sings in the choir.
He and his wife Maxine, who neighbours said was ‘considerably younger’, wrote and sang a duet welcoming troops back from Afghanistan at a ceremony last month.
Calls For National Cemetery To Honour The Fallen
Mr Day, who wore a beige SAS beret at the parade, insisted his medals were genuine, but said the Official Secrets Act stopped him giving details. He said: ’They’re all proper, pukka campaign medals. Medals I won in conflicts while I was serving with the British forces. All I can say is South Atlantic the Gulf, Kuwait and one or two other stations.’ The medals included the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross – the highest bravery awards after the Victoria Cross – campaign awards from Korea and the Falklands, medals for both officers and other ranks and foreign decorations.
Mr Harrison, a squadron leader with the RAF Volunteer Reserve and liaison officer at the Bedworth Armistice Day Parade committee, said: ‘It is a ridiculous, ludicrous combination of medals which is unheard of.’ Mr Day also denied being confronted at the parade and admitting he was a fake. He said: ‘I saw it out to its bitter end and then went drinking with some ex-SAS buddies.’ But it emerged last night that he was once thrown out of his local pub after being accused of pretending to be an SAS hero.
One regular at The Plough said: ‘One of the lads who was a soldier pulled him up on it because no one from the regiment would ever wear an official pin badge in a non-military capacity.
’He started getting very jittery and aggressive and started threatening to prove his SAS skills. At this point I grabbed him and asked him to leave.
’He was very scared and looked like he was about to cry, saying, “Sorry, sorry, I won’t do it again” and whimpering. He left with his tail between his legs.’ Graham Gittings, vicar at the local church, where Mr Day was married three years ago, said: ‘I do not think he is pretending. There are pictures of him in the armed forces in his home and he has given talks to church groups about war and peace.’ Hinckley Ex-Servicemen’s Club has launched an investigation. Secretary Paul Savage said: ‘If he has been wearing medals he is not entitled to he will be facing a £1,000 fine and he will be thrown out of the club.
’Most members consider it disgusting for someone to wear medals that do not belong to them. It makes a mockery of everything.’ More News Briefs:
Marines Launch Their First Post-Surge Operation
‘I Saw Them Fight, I Saw Them Fall’ – Dispatches From Helmand
Prince Of Wales To Honour Returning Soldiers, Mercian Regiment From Afghanistan
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