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-   -   Poppy Apeal The British Soldier (https://britishexpats.com/forum/sand-pit-116/poppy-apeal-british-soldier-637552/)

shiva Oct 26th 2009 8:18 am

Poppy Apeal The British Soldier
 
This is an email doing the rounds, feel free to cut and paste and pass on folks.


The poppy Appeal commences on 24th October. Please read this.

They are doing their bit.....please do yours by reading this and
forwarding it to someone else:

The average British soldier is 19 years old.....he is a short haired,
well built lad who, under normal circumstances is considered by society
as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears and just old enough
to buy a round of drinks but old enough to die for his country - and for
you. He's not particularly keen on hard work but he'd rather be
grafting in Afghanistan than unemployed in the UK . He recently left
comprehensive school where he was probably an average student, played
some form of sport, drove a ten year old rust bucket, and knew a girl
that either broke up with him when he left, or swore to be waiting when
he returns home. He moves easily to rock and roll or hip-hop or to the
rattle of a 7.62mm machine gun.

He is about a stone lighter than when he left home because he is working
or fighting from dawn to dusk and well beyond. He has trouble spelling,
so letter writing is a pain for him, but he can strip a rifle in 25
seconds and reassemble it in the dark. He can recite every detail of a
machine gun or grenade launcher and use either effectively if he has to.
He digs trenches and latrines without the aid of machines and can apply
first aid like a professional paramedic. He can march until he is told
to stop, or stay dead still until he is told to move.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation but he is not without a
rebellious spirit or a sense of personal dignity. He is confidently
self-sufficient. He has two sets of uniform with him: he washes one and
wears the other. He keeps his water bottle full and his feet dry. He
sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never forgets to clean his
rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes and fix his own
hurts. If you are thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are
hungry, his food is your food. He'll even share his life-saving
ammunition with you in the heat of a firefight if you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons and regards his weapon as
an extension of his own hands. He can save your life or he can take it,
because that is his job - it's what a soldier does. He often works
twice as long and hard as a civilian, draws half the pay and has nowhere
to spend it, and can still find black ironic humour in it all. There's
an old saying in the British Army: 'If you can't take a joke, you
shouldn't have joined!'


He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short
lifetime. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have
fallen in combat and he is unashamed to show it or admit it. He feels
every bugle note of the 'Last Post' or 'Sunset' vibrate through his body
while standing rigidly to attention. He's not afraid to 'Bollock'
anyone who shows disrespect when the Regimental Colours are on display
or the National Anthem is played; yet in an odd twist, he would defend
anyone's right to be an individual. Just as with generations of young
people before him, he is paying the price for our freedom. Clean shaven
and baby faced he may be, but be prepared to defend yourself if you
treat him like a kid.
He is the latest in a long thin line of British Fighting Men that have
kept this country free for hundreds of years. He asks for nothing from
us except our respect, friendship and understanding. We may not like
what he does, but sometimes he doesn't like it either - he just has it
to do.. Remember him always, for he has earned our respect and
admiration with his blood.

And now we even have brave young women putting themselves in harm's way, doing their part in this tradition of going to war when our nation's
politicians call on us to do so.

When you receive this, please stop for a moment and if you are so
inclined, feel free to say a prayer for our troops in the trouble spots
of the world.

I wouldn't dream of breaking this chain - would you?

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Ka Ora! Oct 26th 2009 8:27 am

Re: Poppy Apeal The British Soldier
 

Originally Posted by shiva (Post 8045206)
This is an email doing the rounds, feel free to cut and paste and pass on folks.


The poppy Appeal commences on 24th October. Please read this.

They are doing their bit.....please do yours by reading this and
forwarding it to someone else:

The average British soldier is 19 years old.....he is a short haired,

The opening line reminds me of this


MacScot Oct 26th 2009 8:32 am

Re: Poppy Apeal The British Soldier
 

Originally Posted by shiva (Post 8045206)
This is an email doing the rounds, feel free to cut and paste and pass on folks......<snip>

And now we even have brave young women putting themselves in harm's way, doing their part in this tradition of going to war when our nation's politicians call on us to do so.

No disrespect to our soldiers but that's the bit that stinks (e.g., the Iraq illegal war)...unfortunately.

commander Oct 26th 2009 9:51 am

Re: Poppy Apeal The British Soldier
 

Originally Posted by MacScot (Post 8045233)
No disrespect to our soldiers but that's the bit that stinks (e.g., the Iraq illegal war)...unfortunately.

that is not disrespectful, its bloody true

shiva Oct 26th 2009 9:59 am

Re: Poppy Apeal The British Soldier
 
aye pawns in a politicains game.

was speaking to a mate last week, hes gone to 26 funnerals so far this year in both the US and UK. Thanks Tony, George and Gordon

Norm_uk Oct 26th 2009 10:34 am

Re: Poppy Apeal The British Soldier
 

Originally Posted by MacScot (Post 8045233)
No disrespect to our soldiers but that's the bit that stinks (e.g., the Iraq illegal war)...unfortunately.

Soldiers don't start wars, they fight them.

If the Iraq war (if we can even call it a proper war) was really illegal I doubt very much any modern military would be there now. They are volunteers not conscripts...top brass can say no to politicians if they honestly feel a war is pointless or illegal.

My hat is off to the British, American and other Allied national forces in Iraq and Afghanistan now...they are amoung the bravest and most professional people in the world and would put most of us to shame with their sense of comradery and defense of our freedoms which we completely take for granted.

N.

Cry haddock Oct 26th 2009 10:51 am

Re: Poppy Apeal The British Soldier
 
My take on it tallies with this Geordie man's.
CH


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