IN REMEMBRANCE

In Flanders fields...

Tomorrow will be Remembrance Sunday (the 10^th November), when people pause briefly to publically remember the veterans and survivors of historic and more recent conflicts and those who never came back. My family like far too many others in Wales (and elsewhere) had relatives who served and survived and also relatives who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars and other conflicts. One of my maternal grandmother’s lost two brothers in the First World War and its aftermath, her elder brother was a regular soldier, who wrote home and told them not to allow his younger brother to join up and to come out to France. It was too late the younger brother had joined up was killed in action in 1918 and buried near Amiens. I have absolutely no problem remembering those who lost their lives and the courage, comradeship and their endurance of those who served in the First World War and other conflicts (and not necessarily in the armed forces); but I have little time for rose tinted nostalgic flag waving foot tapping pap. As has been said elsewhere, soldiers don’t die for the politicians, for patriotism or even us but for their friends and comrades with whom they serve. Far too many lie in corners of foreign fields, are names on a war memorial, faded photographs, faded memories or literally have no grave at all. US President Abraham Lincoln rightly noted at Gettysburg the fallen have given their last full measure of devotion. It may be more true today that the world will little note the current crop of political leader’s lyrical offerings on conflict, nor long remember them. What we should never forget what the former soldiers and veterans did and what they went through and we should not just cherish their memory but ensure that after their military service they are fully honoured as is the military covenant.

ANOTHER BROKEN TORY PROMISE...

Here we go again, yet another broken Westminster promise, when the Tories were in opposition they pledged to introduce an award to honour the Arctic convoy veterans who took supplies to Russia via Murmansk and Archangel in the Second World War. Back in January 2011, the Prime Minister stated that the sailors who served on the hazardous voyages had "missed out" and more should be done to recognise them.

However, it seems that pre-election and post-election promises are cheap, as a letter to Sir George Young (the Leader of the Commons) a long–time supporter of the campaign, Prime Minister Cameron said the sailors had already been recognised with the award of the Atlantic Star Medal. Once again, no doubt heavily influenced by the MoD, who seem to have a historic if understandable Cold War problem with honouring those who took aid to our then Soviet Allies.

Russia has remembered, appreciates and honours our Royal Navy and Merchant Navy veterans for their heroic deeds. Russia has awarded commemorative medals to acknowledge its gratitude to the surviving sailors, more than 3,000 of whose comrades were killed. Yet Prime Minister Cameron and the MoD seem to be incapable of recognising and honouring our veterans.

TAKE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SECONDS...

Sadly, on Thursday there will be some people out there who will probably feel inconvenienced or put out by the two minutes or one hundred and twenty seconds silence that will be held at 11am. And no doubt come next Sunday there may even be some people who will actually worry about the disruption caused to the traffic by remembrance parades, that prevents them from going about their businesses.

I think that they would do well to remember on Thursday and on Sunday that their petty inconvenience comes at pretty high price. They would do well to remember that as well as remembering the actions of the veterans and survivors who served in Two World Wars, Korea, The Falklands and the Gulf Wars, and other conflicts, on Remembrance Sunday, we are also remembering those who never came back.

Those people, who as Lincoln said, most eloquently gave their last full measure of devotion, to comrades and country, for some of whom there is literally only some corner of a foreign field, a name on a war memorial, fading photographs and fading memories and sometimes no grave at all. Ponder on that on Thursday at 11 o'clock and on Sunday morning.

Two minutes silence and any disruption of traffic for a few hours on a Sunday morning once a year for a remembrance parade or the wearing of poppies in remembrance is the very least we the living can do to honour our veterans and the fallen.

HEALING THE WOUNDS: GOLDEN GROVE MANSION APPEAL

An appeal has been launched to raise funds for the purchase and restoration of Golden Grove mansion in Llandeilo. The aim is to offer suitable facilities for convalescence and treatment for our Armed Forces personnel, who have been physically or mentally wounded in the wars. With public help, the aim is to offer them a place to heal and recover in peaceful and beautiful surroundings, together with the very best of care and attention which they deserve after their sacrifices.

Check out the website for more information on how we can help:  www.goldengroveappeal.com

CHEPSTOW HUSTINGS AND THE BBC

Another day, another Hustings, this time in Chepstow Comprehensive for the Sixth form at lunchtime today. Before the main event all the candidates present got a quick TV interview from the BBC - who having smelt blood in the water were were hanging about shark-like because of the 'alleged controversy' surrounding the spat between the Tory and the New Labour candidates. 

I use the phrase alleged because the whole thing has a faint whiff of manufacture about it. This is an attempt to inject some media interest into a pretty lack lustre New Labour and pretty dire Tory campaign. All in all it's pretty typical for the London based Parties, who would rather squabble amongst themselves rather than engage about the issues that really matter to most people within (and without) the constituency.

Rather than bickering, they should concentrate on the real issues at this election, the economic recovery, fair funding for Wales, decent and fair treatment for our pensioners, our serving soldiers and their families and decent treatment for our service veterans. The London based parties are threatening dire cuts after the election without giving our economy the chance to recover and not coming clean on the cuts that they are promising. 

On the doorstep - when you catch people a) in and b) with the time to talk, in Monmouth constituency people do raise the issue of immigration, but, they also raise many other issues, including the bankers, the sorry saga of MPs corruption and expenses, recycling, the poor state of public transport (especially buses to and from Monmouth town), the need for better school transport, saving the smaller village and community schools, saving the Cattle Market in Abergavenny and better treatment for our solders, their families and our service veterans, along with other issues.

Today was a well organised and well chaired hustings, which lasted just over a speedy hour - despite its shortness we covered a number of topics including immigration, the banking crisis, the Tobin tax, student loans, further and higher education funding, electoral tactics, electoral reform and how you get people (young or old) interested in politics - it was an interesting focused hour. All in all quite an interesting hour of questions and answers, even with the BBC floating around filming.

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And speaking of the BBC - they just called me (c17.10pm) pulling the usual old standard trick of saying that there was a problem with the original interview - so could they take a quick quote down the line...  Oh please pull the other one... 

A FOREIGN POLICY FARCE

Last week we saw the three London parties on television squabbling and bickering with each other in an increasingly desperate attempt to create some sort of impression that they actually offered the electorate something different. The convenient tactical exclusion of the Plaid (and the SNP) enabled them to not so cunningly conceal their planned cuts for the Welsh budget.


Tonight it will be the same old, same old, except that this time they will be discussing the field of foreign affairs. Plaid's solid record of opposition to New Labour's Wars and its stand in support of the welfare of our troops, their families and service veterans is well documented.

So it should come as little surprise to the impartial observer that the metropolitan media chiefs have once again managed to conveniently exclude Plaid (and the SNP), not doubt they will also manage to gag tonight’s audience (just like last week).

Democratic debate, the phrase stage managed farce comes to mind...

DOING OUR BIT

What with the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan it is only natural that people’s thoughts over Christmas turn to our service men and women who are currently serving overseas, especially at Christmas. One thing that all of us can easily do is sign up to the British Legion ‘Time to DO Your Bit’ campaign.

I have always supported the actions of the British Legion and supported the annual Poppy appeal, so am delighted to support the Royal British Legion. They play a very important all year round in actively highlighting and supporting the needs of the whole Armed Forces family. So I have pledged to do my bit and would encourage everyone to visit the website – http://www.timetodoyourbit.org.uk so that they can find out how to get involved in and support the campaign.

The website also features the charity’s general election manifesto, which sets out priorities for the next Government to improve conditions for Service Personnel and their families, the bereaved, veterans and their dependents.

The Royal British legion (Website: http://britishlegion.org.uk) is the nation’s leading Armed forces charity providing care and support to all members of the British Armed forces past and present and their families. It is also the national Custodian of Remembrance and safeguards the Military Covenant between the nation and its Armed Forces. It is best known for the annual Poppy Appeal and its emblem is the red poppy but is active all year round working to support our Service men and women, veterans and their dependents.